Overdrive 202 200-watt Head Review

A couple drawbacks but overall a nice amp

I've always been curious about these Quilter amps and how they'd do with high gain tones. When the recent reports started coming out about a looming tube shortage, I started to think "hmm" I got my PRS MT15 tube head used and I have no idea how old the tubes are, so it might be good to have a backup amp for that in case a tube goes out and I can't get it fixed in time for a gig.… read more I'm using it into a Mesa widebody 1x12 cab. Overall so far I'm pretty happy with it. I can get very close to the hard rock crunch tone I use with a 45 Caliber pedal into the clean channel of the MT15 with the same pedal into the OD 202 clean channel. They sound a little different but equally good. For a metal tone, it's not quite as good as the MT15, but with some help from pedals it gets pretty good, probably good enough to play a gig with. Overall I like the feel of the amp, feels powerful, and it's very loud, and so small and light. The only thing I'm really missing is the tube "sag", if that's the right term... that awesome bass resonance you get from a tube amp when you do palm muted notes. This thing can deliver tons of low end, but it doesn't have quite the same resonance in the "chugs". 2 shortcomings that I find in this amp are: 1) the clean and OD channels share the same EQ. I've read this in other reviews and I can confirm that this is a problem. If I dial in a good sound on the clean channel, then switch to the OD channel, it gets real trebly and most of the low end goes away. For a high gain "chugger" like myself, this is a near dealbreaker. In order to get the "ug" in my "chug" I need to turn the bass EQ up and the treble down, but then when I switch back to the clean channel it's way too bassy. Good people of Quilter, you need to sort this out. The OD channel needs it's own EQ. To remedy this, I use a Boss EQ pedal in the FX loop, adding bass. This works, but it would be nice if the amp had an eq section for the OD channel so this wasn't necessary. 2)you can't switch the voice setting with the Quilter footswitch. Would be nice to be able to change between the 3 voices with the footswitch. Overall, I think I'm going to keep this little amp. It's so small and portable and capable of getting some great sounds and really LOUD. I'll probably use this for home practice and maybe some rehearsals and save my tubes for the gigs and recording. Props to Nich for being a great sales engineer!

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Great Bang for your Buck!

I spent WAY too long considering buying this amp until unfortunately the price went up a few months ago. SO, Disclaimer: I did NOT buy this from Sweetwater, but found it Brand New elsewhere at the old price. Who can blame me?! That being said, this has turned out to be a Great, "Little" amp. The Master knob rests at 7 O'clock like the other knobs, and when turned up to say, "9"… read more O'clock, it's about loud enough in a room for someone to start to complain. At, "12" O'Clock you better be OUTSIDE or in a concert hall!! (My guess is your at about 100 watts at the top position) The amp DOES take some time to, "Dial" in and indeed the limit knob on the overdrive seems to be no more than a, "Tone" knob like on you guitar pickups. The 3, "Voices" are truly distinct and so you have 3 good choices to choose from in your voicing. The Overdrive settings took the longest time to get right and CAN sound good enough to remove your distortion pedal if you desire, but I left mine on the board because I like both sounds that I get.Overall, I Highly recommend this amp for all your needs, no matter what genre music you play. Sweetwater is still my GO TO place for musical needs, so guys forgive my treasonous purchase elsewhere! I just felt this amp needs more positive reviews.

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The #1 solid state amplifier in the world!

My rig consists of 2 Quilter Overdrive 200's I run them as a stack both heads on top of 2 Randall 4x12 cabs the 1st cab is loaded with Celestion 80 watt Classic Leads I knicked the idea from (Joe Bonamassa) the 2nd cab is loaded with Eminence 150 watt Texas Heat drivers. I run my highs and high mids through my Celestion top cab and my low and low mids through my Texas Heat bottom… read more cab and I do the same thing with my wet and dry.These heads absolutely nail that Dumble Overdrive sound it's unreal how good it is but, that's just the beginning I have gotten into OP amps here of late and I got to tell ya WOW. With these op amps I really do have any tone at my finger tips for example...the Diesel 4H pedal or the Revv 3&4 pedals I'm literally turning my stack into these amps it's amazing Quilter is fantastic at this, I have a killer tone running both heads is like running quad at least that's what it sounds like it's amazing and lord have mercy chorus is just unreal sounding wow! I found my signature tone with these heads and I didn't think that was possible with so much out there with it's own color but, I did and for that reason I have to say the Quilter Overdrive 200 is the best amplifier I've ever played through bar none. I can make my rig play at bedroom volume or I can play a stadium and never lose a decibel of tone or gain honest...the Quilter Overdrive has a wattage knob that goes from 0 to 200 so I can run both heads at 5 watts in my bedroom for a total of ten watts and have the exact same sound as cranking them both up to 200....I know I've done it I took them outside hooked up my stack (I informed my neighbors of course) and let them rip....I can play any stadium on the world with my stack that I swear to you my stack is crushingly loud lordy,lordy at 400 watts it better be but, it sounded killer it didn't collapse and bottom out my tone was clear as day at full blast. I found my rig for any situation period I have my sound and any other signature sound I want, SRV, Hetfield, Bonamassa, Mick Mars, Slash anyone, I didn't use the Boss 1000, a Kemper, or The Neural Quad to get these tones either don't get me wrong I love that tech I just mentioned those devices are awesome in their own right it's just Im truly proud of my rig and that Quilter Amplification still gives you a way to acheive your own tone and any other tone without modeling or as I like to call them regeneration devices! Quilter are the #1 solid state amps in the world I truly believe if this company keeps upping the bar like the Overdrive 200 they are fast on their way to being the #1 Amplifier Company in the the world! Thank You Quilter Thank You!!!! Rocky H. Richmond, Indiana!!!!

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You can get some pretty "Heavy" tones out of this .....

Looking for a piece of music gear that will give you "Heavy" tones to play Metal,Thrash,Hard rock,Death metal with? Give this bad boy a try with any size cabinet you like...It sounds great and delivers the goods plus it sounds dynamite to shred on with leads too! You can play all styles of music with this but the whole unit is begging for the gain knob to be turned up to raise the… read more roof off...The OD 202 can easily be tamed and the cleans are to die for..I use this with a 4 x 12 cabinet and or a pair of 2 x 12 cabinets stacked on top of each other...Forget the distortion pedal,it is not needed with this work horse amp!

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WOW!!

Was expecting a quality product, but this beast stands out above all other solid state amp I have played. The tone and voicings are amazing. Clean channel is crystal clear and the overdrive gets as dirty as you like. I matched it up with the Quilter 12" celestion cabinet and this thing gets freakin' loud....stupid loud, I would see no problem gigging a small to medium venue with… read more this amp...and at 19 pounds total the Marshall stack will be staying at home more. If the price is scaring you away check out Mitch's video this little beast is the real thing. As always thank you Matt McKible, you are an amazing rep.

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