Evil Robot

andyg_prs · June 2023

Ridiculously, in my tone quest, I'm reminded of a fleeting play through an Evil Robot combo in Andertons as much as perhaps 10 years ago!

I already have an Engl Ironball for my high gain needs....but I also now play in a country rock band and in general play a lot of stuff where the *percussive* clean and low gain sounds of an amp are where I spend a lot of time.

I tend to use low gain pedals over the clean channel, and they're not bad...but not quite *it*.

I recall the Evil Robot having that in spades...but also going from zero to deafening with a tiny jog of the volume control......but it was such a long time ago.

When I google now, all I see is the PhilX sig and that he has now gone to Friedman.

But, does anyone have experience of the Evil Robot amps? And the most dangerous question....small form factor (lunchbox style ideally) amp that might do that percussive (almost SRV) type thing?

Thanks,
Andy

RiftAmps · June 2023

I played through the later black tolex’d PCB version and loved it, although its party trick was the overdriven tones rather than the cleans.

I would describe the cleans as very sweet and pliable, rather than that SRV thing that you’re after.

There’s a handwired head+cab on Reverb for £1500 which is an absolute bargain.

slacker · June 2023

Didn't Phil x use one clean and one dirty? You might have to buy two.

bertie · June 2023

are they anything to do with Magnatone ? one popped up when I googled it, looks very similar

EricTheWeary · June 2023

bertie said:

are they anything to do with Magnatone ? one popped up when I googled it, looks very similar

I think Phil X had an old Magnatone which he used for demos and the Evil Robot was a reworking of that (without the Magnatone label). So presumably in that ballpark.

Neilybob · June 2023

What like this?

This is the Chinese made one but it's great fun. Bad Monkey upfront into my SG junior I could almost be Phil X lol

andyg_prs · June 2023

How is it? I was googling and in the US, on Amazon, at one point they were selling off PhilX models for $299 or something - insane!

Majorscale · June 2023

They are OK amps, I owned one for a while. It wasn’t a patch on my Magnatone Twilighter but then the ER is considerably cheaper, just don’t go in expecting a Maggie on a budget. My main gripe was with the constant fan noise….

JohnPerry · June 2023

Majorscale said:

They are OK amps, I owned one for a while. It wasn’t a patch on my Magnatone Twilighter but then the ER is considerably cheaper, just don’t go in expecting a Maggie on a budget. My main gripe was with the constant fan noise….

exactly my experience.

It was fine. Noisy fan. And the advice was very much not to disconnect the fan

lustycourtier · June 2023

I had one and loved it. Could get ice picky, but no more than a DR, and really light. Are they still bargains? I remember them being £250 used

Neilybob · July 2023

andyg_prs said:

How is it? I was googling and in the US, on Amazon, at one point they were selling off PhilX models for $299 or something - insane!

It's cool with an OD pedal in front using the guitar volume to manage the GRRRR. Love the built in tremolo, shame you can't use the effects loop at the same time as the tremolo. Don't love the noisy fan though I've been thinking for a while replacing the fan with a quieter one. Apparently a computer fan will work if matched in size. The speaker was made to sound like it's ok the way out. I still prefer it through my Eminence Governor speaker.

Have you read My Dogs Bollocks blog on ER?

http://chasingthetone.blogspot.com/2014/04/living-with-my-evil-robot-c30up-dated.html?m=1

It's fun that different values can be used to get different tone without the need to rebias. Check out the diagram on the blog above for more info ref that.

Neilybob · July 2023

lustycourtier said:

I had one and loved it. Could get ice picky, but no more than a DR, and really light. Are they still bargains? I remember them being £250 used

Got mine for a lot less that used. I think they so rarely come up.

I would love to try the USA one to compare. Probably miles apart in tone.

CountryDave · July 2023

Always fancied one of these back when they came out, but never had the chance.
Still on my eBay watch list.

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