Buying a quality amp and finding a good amp technician can be a process full of potential dangers that a guitar player needs to be aware of and make every effort towards educating themselves to insure that they don't get ripped off. In my time I've encountered some of the strangest people in the amp business. It's actually an uncomfortably common event to hear about an amp owner who takes their amp in for repair and a year later hasn't gotten it back for some lame reason. Or to hear of people that take their amps in for service only to pay top dollar for repairs and get an amp back that still malfunctions exactly the way it did before it was brought in for repair. These are just a few of the many horror stories that I won't dwell on because I'm sure you've all got a few of your own and I think you know what at. We as guitarists and tone enthusiasts are driven by an intense passion in the relentless pursuit for an ultimate tone. I've always been surprised to find that a lot of amp builders and repair technicians don't actually play guitar. This isn't all that bad, but there always seems to be an inherent understanding and advantage in an amp builder or amp tech's work that does play because it helps them to translate what we as players are asking for from our amps and our tone. So what does all this stuff mean and how does it relate to Roccaforte amps and Doug Roccaforte? Well let me tell you what I know about Doug. Foremostly, I consider Doug a player. A good player too. An experienced player driven for many years by the strong common passion for tone that I mentioned earlier and lots and lots of gig experience under his belt to know how a player needs to have an amp that is responsive to their playing and dependable on the road and at gigs. Secondly, he's a guy that cares about the quality, reliability, and craftsmanship of his work, and it's always shown in the work he's done for me. Thirdly, I think he's very fair and honest in what he builds and the work that he performs. I own one of his amps. It's got a sound all its' own. To tell you the truth, I think I was plugged into it for about 45 seconds before I looked up from the guitar and said "How much?" It's very well built, hand crafted with high quality components and sounds excellent. It's never once given me a problem and I have the confidence that it won't be problematic shy of a tube needing replacement or something like that for years to come. The same confidence that I enjoy in my "Doug amp" I enjoy in the numerous amps he's repaired for me. Again, I've never had a problem with any amp that Doug's ever repaired for me once it's come back from service. Doug's work is always prompt and I know I'll never be leaving an amp with him for an unreasonable amount of time before it's ready for me to pick it up. To a guitarist in the amp world, a good amp builder and amp tech is a very good person to know. Someone you trust, that knows their stuff and takes good care of you can prove to be hard to find. All I can say is that Doug has always taken great care of me and believe me, I don't say that about everyone.

Features: 9
This is a single channel head. There is no frills with this amp, just TONE! From the outside, it seems to be set up like an old Marshall with a master volume, but, it is NOT your typical MV Marshall. Doug Roccaforte has his own special pre-amp design which makes this beast purr and roar in ways unimaginable. No effects loops or any other crap to get in the way here, just a straight-ahead PAINT PEELER. The amp runs on 4 EL34 power tubes and 3 12AX7 pre-amp tubes.

Sound Quality: 10
My guitars are an Ernie Ball MM EVH, a Hamer Korina Standard, a 1964 Rickenbacker 450-12, a Gibson SG, and a Sears Silvertone single cut with a lipstick P/U.

I do a lot of writing and recording of my own music. My influences include Van Halen, ZZ Top, old Aerosmith, Alice in Chains, Soundgarden, the Who, Foo Fighters, Zeppelin, Big Wreck, STP, etc. This amp can do tones that get me in the realm of all of the aforementioned bands. This is cool because I really feel I have found "my own" tone with this thing. Sure, it can do the first VH album all day long if you want it to, but it also allows you to dial in many other rock tones. Wanna do some AC/DC crunch? It's in there. Wanna pummel someone silly with some Zakk Wylde chunkyness? It's in there. How about some old school Ratt/Warren De Martini? Yep, you guessed it, it's also in there! Some people have tried to get that little bit of fuzziness that EVH got on the first VH album. I haven't heard anything do it like this. The trick is to make it sound "clean". Doug has achieved this. That bit of "fuzz" seems to come after the note. The note blossoms into it. There is no muddyness, nor does it become overly compressed like some other high gain amps. Oh yeah, and there's no annoying ghost notes with this amp, just a super rich tone!

This amp is very quiet for being a high-gain head. But, when running the gain past about 1-2 o'clock you will notice some hiss. It's nothing compared to some amps I've played. Also, the EQ controls actually WORK on this amp! I've never come across an amp that has an EQ section as interactive as this. You can also, turn the pre down and crank up the master for that old power tube raunch if you want. As someone else stated, it's like a non-MV amp in a MV amps' clothing.

This amp is LOUD!!!!!!! I mean, it's HOUSE-SHAKING LOUD! The bass that this head generates is nothing short of amazing. I've NEVER played an amp with this much bottom. The volume and the bottom-end would make Nigel Tufnel and David St. Hubbins proud for sure. If you want to move air with your speaker cabinet buy something else; If you want to move the foundation of your house buy a Roccaforte High Gain 100!

Here's the kicker: The clean tones I have dialed in with this amp are so unbelieveable. All you have to do is turn the master up to about 1 o'clock and just crack the pre-amp a tish. I plugged in a friends' Fender SRV Strat and started to play "Lenny" by SRV.......my God! It was so perfect. You can also achieve a killer clean tone with the gain up just by turning down your guitars' volume knob. Nice. I just can't figure out how Doug can make 1 amp sound so evil and yet so Heavenly.

Reliability: 10
Upon receiving the amp, I pulled the chassis to examine the wiring. It is a thing of beauty. Almost like a work of art. Built to last that's for sure. The cabinet is incredible and the tolex is absolutely PERFECT! Doug also signed and dated the chassis.

Customer Support: 10
What can I say? Doug is a down-to-earth, great guy. I consider him a friend now. He'll call me just to see how it's going with the amp, but, we'll also BS for an hour or two about anything and everything. He actually called me when he was playing through it for the last time before he shipped it out so I could hear MY AMP even before he sent it. He's very easy to talk to and really cares about your satisfaction with his product. I had one issue with a bad pre-amp tube. Doug sent me 2 tubes: A new EH replacement and a NOS RCA 5751! Talk about great customer service! He has assured me that if anything goes wrong with the head he will take care of it ASAP. I have no reason to doubt him!

Overall Rating: 10
I've been playing for 20 years. I think I've finally found the amp I've been looking for. I waited 4 weeks to write this review. I really wanted to put the amp through it's paces, so to speak. It's a beautiful amp tonally as well as aesthetically. It's so versatile for a one channel amp. I have no regrets and would buy this again in a heartbeat if it were stolen.

It's tough to spend 2K+ on an amp. I've done it many times. But, this time I feel it was money well spent. I've gotten a killer amp and customer service that is second to none.

Submitted by Greg Winter at 05/14/2002 22:00

Features: 10
Earlier reviews pretty well covered the features. Suffice to say this amp has everything one needs to rock. Single channel, basically laid out like an older Marshall, easy for any level player to quickly dial in their desired tone. And, as earlier reviews have also stated, tone is one feature this amp has in abundance, as much as any amp I've tried. Versatile sounds from the bluesy nuances of an old tweed bassman to over the top gain produced by other amps in this category (More on that below).

Sound Quality: 10
Probably every guitarist has a player or 2 that, when they first heard them, were moved in such a way that playing and practicing to sound like their hero became a passion. For me that player was Eddie Van Halen in the late 70's. For more than 20 years I've been trying to learn the licks and produce the sounds that came from the hands and instruments of arguably the greatest rock pioneer in the last 25 years. While it's unlikely my hands will ever come close to capturing the tones created by Ed, the unique amp tone leaping from the first Van Halen album had eluded me as well until I found Doug Roccaforte's amp.

To be clear, I'm not talking about the tone on the later albums, which lots of amps can cop. I'm talking about the sound that made you pull the car over to the side of the road and say "Holy Shit! Who the hell is that?" the first time you heard Van Halen 1 in '78.

Boundless Tone full Gain is how I would describe the sound. I prefer not to use the term "Brown Sound" because I think that means different things to different people. Call it the VH 1 sound. Harmonics leaping from the strings, huge crunch and sustain (controlled chaos). The amp is extremely non-noisy for the amount of gain it produces. Oh, and one other thing...Wear ear protection because this thing can blow away anything that ain't bolted to the floor.

Reliability: 10
Again, earlier reviews of the amp provide good detail. This amp is built rock solid with top quality parts. In 4 months I've never had a problem.

Customer Support: 10
Doug Roccaforte goes above and beyond the call of duty. Spent way too much of his time on the phone with me and exchanging emails. I really appreciate that. Incredibly patient and genuinely concerned with making sure I was a satisfied customer - and I am. What I like most about Doug is that he's a player and knows how important good tone and reliable equipment are to players. From our first conversation I knew he and I were on the same page.

Overall Rating: 10
I bought this amp in Sept. 2000 and played it for 4 months before writing this review. This is the only product review I've written. In the 25+ years I've been playing, I've tried more amps than I can remember. If you're like me and annoyed when a reviewer compares a product to a litany of others, I apologize, but...I own or have owned: '67 plexi, '69 superlead, Bogner Ecstacy, SLO 100, Guytron GT100 (whoops! how'd that get in here?) and numerous other Marshalls and Boogies and none of them, in my opinion, comes close to the Roccaforte in terms of nailing the early Van Halen sound.

Doug would probably appreciate me pointing out that I think this amp is ideal for a great many blues/rock/jazz (yes, jazz!) styles.
I bought this amp for one reason only and I'm glad I did. If you're trying to get the VH1 tone this is the amp.

Submitted by Ray at 01/13/2001 16:16

Features: 10
I remember the time, I was about eight years old, when my father brought home my first electric guitar and amplifier. I sat in the basement for hours alternating between playing single notes and chords marveling at the magical sound that came from the speakers as I played. Many years and many beers have passed since that time along with more than my share of various combinations of effects, amplifiers and guitars. I was trying to emulate the sounds of my heroes while moving far away from the starting point where I found the sound of just the guitar plugged in to an amplifier so magical – until now. Doug at Roccaforte Amps, with his 100-watt head, has reintroduced me to that feeling I used to have back in my basement so many years ago.

The 100 high-gain head is the pure definition of simplicity. Power, standby, pilot light, six knobs ranging from presence, bass, mid treble, gain and master volume, to a single input. No effects loop, no reverb, no push-pull pots, and no degree in astrophysics required. Just a guitar, cord, amp and tone, tone, tone.

I can’t help but agree with a previous reviewer, this is the best straight ahead rock and roll amplifier that I have ever had the pleasure of playing through.

Sound Quality: 10
Doug obviously tipped his hat to the great rock and roll gods when he conceived this amplifier – only he took it where it should have gone.

I play through an early 70’s Marshall 4x12 cabinet with a Les Paul and a 335 and this amp just loves it! My playing style goes from Grateful Dead to the Allman Brothers Band as well as all points in between. This amplifier is right there with me all the while maintaining it’s pristine tone from the softest passages to the most aggressive southern boogie! Even in the most high-gain situations, you can hear each note of a chord without the flabby low end that seems to plague many of the other amps I’ve tried. Simply amazing!

Reliability: 10
I have only had this amp a short time so I can’t speak from experience but, the Roccaforte is built like a tank. I expect many years of trouble-free service.

Customer Support: 10
Doug Roccaforte appears to treat each of his creations as one of his children. It seems as though making sure that his amps have a good home and the owners are happy with them are priority one. I expect that if I had any problem at all with one of his products, he would do anything it takes to make it right.

Overall Rating: 10
I’ve been playing guitar for more than 30 years and have played through everything I could find in search of “The Tone.” I found it. I would highly recommend Roccaforte Amps to anyone looking for solidly built tone machine at a more than fair price. Hell, I’m already trying to come up with a way to get my second Roccaforte. I guess you can’t have too much of a good thing!

Submitted by Greg at 12/31/2000 11:51

Features: 10
The Roccaforte 100 watt head is the definition of simplicity. Its one channel, no effects loop, just pure tone for days. Despite its simplicity, it gets an amazing variety of tones from Van Halen's brown sound to crystal clear clean tones. The overdrive and bottom end on this amp is nothing short of amazing! Controlled feedback is astonishing on this amp. If you haven't figured it out yet, I love this amp!!!! Hands down the best amp I have ever played!

Sound Quality: 10
I play in a rock and blues band. I play both Strats and Les Pauls, although I probably play the Strats more than the Pauls. The Roccaforte gives both guitars their own character. The Strat can go from a Mark Knopfler sparkle, to a SRV spank, to a Ritchie Blackmore overdrive and all points in between. The Paul has balls for days with the Roccaforte. Even at high gain settings, the Roccaforte is surprisingly quiet. This amp has all the gain you'll ever need. Further, it can go from the smallest dive bar to the largest venue you're likely to ever play!

Reliability: 10
Although I've only had the amp a relatively short time, its built like a tank, and I don't expect any problems with it. However, in the unlikely event I experience any problems, I have no doubt Doug will take care of them. He's willing to talk to you at length about the amp. I've become friends with Doug through our mutual love of this amp and rockin blues music. He believes in his product and stands behind it 110%!!!

Customer Support: 10
see above

Overall Rating: 10
I have literally owned or played virtually every boutique amp on the market today and I can say without hesitation that the Roccaforte 100w is hands down the best amp I have ever had the pleasure of playing. I love it so much, I own other amps of Doug's including a 50w head and cab as well as a 50w 2-12 combo that he made especially for me. Doug's the man!!!!!!

Submitted by Charlie at 07/13/2000 09:07

Features: 10
A single channel amp with a basic layout consisting of treble, middle, bass, presence, pre-amp & master volume controls. The all tube circuitry features a four stage pre-amp and a power amp section driven by four EL-34s. It has no effects loop and only one input. Output connectivity consists only of discrete outs for 4, 8 and 16 ohm speaker connections. The appearance of the amp is similar to a plexi Marshall, with a stainless steel chassis front panel and cabinet venting. The amp has no front or rear markings - it's so simple that it doesn't need them. This makes for a very slick, yet striking appearance.

On the surface, this amp may not appear to be the most versatile amp, however when you using the amp's most important feature, TONE, anything is possible.

Sound Quality: 10
I've tried this amp with several different guitars and I am awe-struck by the way the amp retains its overall character and tone. This is true test of a good amp - you can tell that it's the amp that you're playing through, not a particular guitar. As well, my floor pedals, such as my all original MXR flanger and echoplex, sound just bitchin'!

Right off the bat, I could dial in clean tones reminiscent of Are You Experienced (think Wind Cries Mary). Crank the gain and volume a bit and you're in VH Fair Warning territory. Slap an echoplex in front of it, and you've nailed the tone from the 1st VH album. It's that simple. Gain-wise, I think this thing has MORE gain, when fully cranked, than my Soldano SLO, yet it never seems to thin out or become overly compressed.

On clean settings, this amp talks for you, not at you. At higher gain settings, this amp scream for you, not at you! From Hendrix to Van Halen, it's all there. This amp is sure to please Marshall Plexi fans, as the sound is huge.

You may often find yourself speaking latin while playing this amp - "Magan Cum Loud!!!" This amp eats lightning & craps thunder! Straight ahead, rock 'n roll - this thing rips ass! (ouch!)

Reliability: 10
This amp is built better than a tank... it's UPS proof! This thing is the VW Beatle of amplifiers. The simpler the design, the less there is to go wrong with it and this amp exemplifies this to the fullest.

Opening up this amp revealed clean and excellent workmanship throughout using top-shelf components. Also of note was the cabinetry - I've never seen a box this well constructed with absolutely flawless cabinet covering. The amp also came with cover (nice touch!). With proper care (warming up, cooling down) and the odd tube change & bias, I really can't see this amp not being absolutely dependable. From bedroom concerts to bar room gigs, this amp is ready to go. From a reliability standpoint, this amp will not stay in one place! People were always trying to steal it!

Customer Support: 10
Doug Roccaforte is the MAN! You want the best; you've got the best with Doug. He is definitely one of the most approachable and personable people that I've have ever dealt with in the music biz. When talking about his amps, you kind of get the impression that Doug treats his amps like they were his children. In a sense they are, because Doug is so passionate about his work and great tone. Doug loves talking about tone and one could spend hours with him discussing the topic. Doug has done everything under the sun to ensure that I was happy with this amp and now, because of it, I have the best amp that I've ever heard!

Overall Rating: N/A
With all its good traits, this amp does have its drawbacks. This amp is physically hard on players. It's freakin' loud and its addictive tone has given me a perma-grin which required a team of 6 plastic surgeons to remove. I did eventually notice one problem, of a sonic nature, while playing with this amp. I started hearing a plinking & crackling noise whenever I played. I traced this problem back to my strings on my guitar, which are in turn, controlled by my fingers. You really do notice every nuance of your playing with this amp (boy I got to get my chops back together!). In the end, this amp is a relative bargain when considering what some boutique amps cost.

Money won't buy you happiness, but it will buy you a ROCCAFORTE amp and then you can pull up to happiness and say "Hey baby, we’re having a party and you're not invited!!!" I love this amp!

Submitted by Kev Brown at 08/26/2000 17:47

Features: 8
Well, If you are looking for FEATURES in Doug's amps you are required to remove the chassis, because all the features are located inside. The Features include:
High Quality Design
Flawless wiring
and PTP
More tone features than a player would know what to do with, meaning I am still fighting to improve my performance ability - you either perfect your feel, technique and skill or die in front of your friends and groupies! I rated it an 8 for all the bedroom players, collectors and young guns looking at a Mesa Boogies front panel and comparing it to the Roccaforte.
Specs are:
Power, SB, lamp P, B, M, T, Master, Pre. and single input (front)
16, 8, 8, 4 AC, fuse, fuse (rear)
50W, EL34's (2), 12ax7 (3). opt. Tube rectified!

Sound Quality: 9
Three points I think are of the utmost importance considering this review.
1) I have never posted a review ever and I have owned every frigen amp out there (darn close)
2) A 10 rating means "Sounds Awesome" this is a 10 under that criteria, but lets be real nothing is really a perfect 10, When I was a young kid Farrah Faucet was a "10", but now that I am older, hopefully wiser I can see room for improvement there too!
3) Concerning the two reviews below mine. You need to drop them out and recalculate the averages in all fairness. One was a review of a Mexican Strat and the other guy was so way off the mark there is no way he was playing or reviewing a Roccaforte. More likely a Randall Warhead. Give the reviewer credit they both started with the letter "R".
I digress:
I play my own original music which has not come out to smell the roses, only stuck in the stench of spent cigarette butts and fermenting coffee grounds. I also perform in a cover band which plays out 3 - 4 times a month. I can review this amp in Real World average gigging guy format from 150 seat bars to large outdoor gigs.
I use Gibson Les Pauls - only the best and my Tyler Burning Water (all stock for the most part)
I use the Roccaforte with a matching cab loaded with Vintage 30's (never my favorite speaker, but this cab BLOWS EVERYHING away literally). The wood must come from the Magic Forest of Gandorf or something.
Tones produced from this amp are in the range of (reference only) Allman's/Gov' Mule to AC/DC to Schenker to Van Halen to what ever your fingers and creativity will permit. Very responsive to guitar volume. This is not a Marshall, yet the Marshall's would like to be associated with the Roccaforte to improve their image (I like Marshall's). I prefer Humbuckers (Smooth, rich ones/PAF style not hot and brittle), which this amp enjoys, but man can it finally make a single coil sound incredible. Not that is favors one or the other, but finally! The tone will be 'in your face' not Soldano, but in your face smooth, cutting and harmonic. One item that needs to be considered. It is LOUD and yes with a Master Volume. I have worked a system that is perfect for me because I do not like attenuating. It is called a Klon. I can play Jeff Beck, Thin Lizzy, AC/DC, Van Halen, ZZTop, and Aerosmith with this set up with more tone and response than I have had before - same fingers, same guitars, same effect - just a different amp! Oh, you guys digging the Eric Johnson tone - roll your tone knob 1/3 add delay, sweep through your pentatonics and have fun. Guys the clean is great, slightly pushed, warm with character and very full. Not round, non-descript and sparkly (no twin reverb - I do not like that clean anyway). Bass response and tightness is beyond compare for me. Noise floor is not present. Your drummers nervous breathing on the snare is louder. Preamp distortion can be over the top, but I never EQ my amp with the pre amp up. It is always crank out the Power section and crack open the Pre amp. I get a huge thump and plenty of gain, the Klon just helps me control the volume without choking the tone. This is without a doubt the best single channel EL34 amp I have owned. also for reference, so you can understand what I like and use this review how they are meant to be used:
To date my favorite EL84 is the Matchless HC30
Favorite KT66 is the Dr.Z Route66 (although a Butler modded JTM45 was there too)
Favorite 6L6 (5881 although mine had NOS RCA 6L6's) is the Cornford MK50 head.
Favorite 6V6 is the Grommes Head.

Reliability: 9
I will never have a problem.
Primarily because its built like a boutique amp should be for the money. I use the Cornford as back up or vice versa at times. You always have to have a backup unless you don't respect your band mates, your audience or yourself. At least bring a pre amp pedal with direct out to the board if you don't like carrying a lot of gear.

Customer Support: 9
Here is a funny one.
Doug has received some interesting comments concerning Customer Support or his opinion on subjects and how he chooses to deal with them. I can only tell you my multiple experiences dealing with him and let me preface it by saying I bought my amp used so he did not make any money off me!
I think I will also take poetic liberty to say I think I figured out why Doug has received a couple not real favorable remarks (I could be wrong, sorry Doug).
First, EVERY time I called I have been treated with an incredible amount of respect, he listens, spent too much time on me at times, addressed my questions and almost built a friendship type level of communication and sharing of ideas. Oh, and my amp is warranted for life and I can count on that if I ever need work performed and I do not want my local tech to handle it (He is awesome too).
Why was Doug so helpful to someone he never met???
1) I am not an asshole calling to waste his time. Yeah, Doug has a life, he has a job, he has other interest and like us only has 24 hours in a day.
2) I respect Doug and his time and his ear.
3) I got lucky enough to call on the right times.
4) Maybe he had a bad day. Not that you should understand.
5) I play the amp live so I can discuss what happens in the gig situation with a fair amount of experience
6) Did I mention I am not an Asshole
7) We both have or understand sarcasm and can laugh at others as well as the stupid shit we do ourselves.
Hey try calling Bradshaw to discuss why your girlfriend won't put out and what new tolex he has to offer. See how long you remain on the phone. The dude is busy building yours or your neighbors amp and 25 personal orders coming in from far more important people than we
(in the music biz).
If you own one of his amps he will take care of it - providing you do!
If you want one of his amps he will listen and take care of you.
If you want to know the current weather in California call Mesa Boogie in Hollywood.

Overall Rating: 10
Overall rating is a 10 for now, meaning I have not played anything better for my current situation, nor do I think I will. The amp is the greatest Rock, Hard Rock, single channel tone MONSTER for gigging.
If I get in a country, R&B, rock band maybe I will get my HC30 back or just use the Cornford more.
Quick run down of the amps I have owned or tested long enough to base my OPINIONS!
Bogner (100B/101B), Marshall'SSSSSSSSS, Fender'SSSSSSSSS, Bruno, Cornford, Two Rock, Carr, Matchless, Dr. Z, VHT, Soldano, HJ, Naylor, on and on and on....

Submitted by J Carman at 01/19/2002 07:21

Features: 7
THE ONLY FEATURES THE AMP HAS IS GREAT TONE.IT HAS A VERY USEFUL GAIN CONTROL.FROM CLEAN MARSHALL TO FULL OUT HEAVY DISTORTION.

Sound Quality: 10
THE SOUNDS ARE BETTER THAN ANY OTHER AMP I HAVE EVER PLAYED. I COMPARE IT TO AC/DC BACK IN BLACK TONE TO SAMMY HAGER 3 LOCK BOX TONE. I USE LES PAULS WITH HUMBUCKERS, AND SO FAR ANY PICKUP SOUNDS GREAT.

Reliability: N/A
HAVEN'T HAD AMP LONG ENOUGH TO KNOW. THE AMP IS REALLY A REISSUE PLEXI MARSHALL THAT DOUG MODDED FOR ME TO HIS SPECS. HE SAYS THAT HIS OWN AMPS SOUND EVEN BETTER.

Customer Support: 10
I HAVE NEVER TALKED TO A NICER GUY. EVERYTHING HE TOLD ME WAS RIGHT ON THE MONEY. NO BULL, HE PROMISED GREAT TONE, AND THAT'S WHAT I GOT. ALL OF THIS AFTER YEARS AND SEVERAL THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS LOOKING FOR THE SOUNDS I HAVE HEARD ON RECORDS FOR YEARS, BUT COULD NOT REPRODUCE.

Overall Rating: 10
I HAVE PLAYED FOR 18 YEARS, HAD JUST ABOUT EVERY AMP OUT THERE. MARSHALLS, FENDERS, AND GUYTRON. IT MAY SEEM THAT ITS A ONE TRICK PONY, BUT YOU NEED TO UNDERSTAND IT DOES ITS THING VERY, VERY WELL. I DON'T THINK HE OFFERS A RETURN POLICY, BUT IF YOUR NOT HAPPY WITH IT, LET ME KNOW AND I WILL TAKE IT OFF YOUR HANDS.

Submitted by DAVID MATTINGLY at 06/16/2000 20:42

Features: 9
Let me start off by saying that Doug Roccaforte does not make a claim that this is the most versatile amp in the world. It does not have a gazillion knobs. It has only one input. It is not channel switching. It does not have an effects loop. In my opinion, all of these things happen to be a big plus. Every amp that tries to do everything ends up doing everything half-assed.
The Roccaforte has six knobs: presence, bass, mid, treble, volume and preamp. It has one input. What it does have is gobs and gobs of tone as described hereafter.

Sound Quality: 10
Prior to buying my first Roccaforte, my favorite amp was a Naylor.I still love those amps. I play classic rock and blues. The Roccaforte is, hands down, the best rock amp I have ever played in my life! Think the Thin Lizzy "Live and Dangerous" album, and you'll have an idea of the type of tone the Roccaforte produces. It takes the classic Marshall tone and improves upon it. The master volume is nothing short of amazing. While most amps lose some of their character when played at low volumes, the Roccaforte sounds incredible at any volume. I've never been able to get that low end ballsy Marshall sound out of any amp I've owned like I can out of the Roccaforte, and believe me, I've owned or played them all. It doesn't have that scooped mid sound like the Bogner or the Guytron. The sustain is focused and harmonically rich. It sounds great through any cabinet I've played it through, but it sounds especially good through an open backed Naylor cabinet I have with 2-10s and 1-12.
What's amazing about this amp is that it can also produce a great clean tone as well when you roll back the preamp and boost the volume knob.
If you haven't taken the opportunity, listen to the sound clips on Doug's webpage at www.roccaforteamps.com. Those are not some unobtainable tones produced by an unbelievable player at ear piercing volume. Those are tones that you can immediately dial in at any volume with this amp.
This is truly one of those rare amps that begs you to play it more and more. Each time I turn it on, I am floored by its tone. If you play classic rock and blues, this is, without a doubt, the holy grail of guitar amplifiers.

Reliability: 10
While I've only owned it a very short time, I am confident, given Doug's devotion to his craft, if the amp ever breaks down, he'll promptly fix it.
It's built like a tank. The workmanship is flawless. I imagine I'll have years of trouble free joy with this amp.

Customer Support: 10
Doug Roccaforte is the nicest guy in the world. I feel like I've known him forever. He loves talking about tone and will spend as much time as you want talking about your amp. He told me when I first purchased the amp that if I wanted it tweaked to my personal taste, he'd do it for free. The guy is passionate about his work and it shows. My amp is purple. He nicknamed it Barney. They're his baby’s and he's rightfully proud of them. I've already ordered another one.

Overall Rating: 10
This is it. The quest is over. It is hands down, the best rock amp I have ever played or heard. PERIOD.

Submitted by Charlie Daughtry at 03/26/2000 17:08

Features: N/A
The key to the features or lack thereof is in its simplicity. Some people think that more knobs will give you more sounds for the buck. If you are into new mesa boogie or the new bogner or the new Marshall triple superlead with all the fx loops and channel switching, this amp may not appeal to you. If you are suspicious of big brand name amp makers who are cutting corners, riding their past glory, giving free product to players who will say anything for free gear and publicity only to find out that for some reason the "tone” they got on your favorite riff record has nothing to do with what is currently being mass produced, THEN CHECK THIS OUT! The front panel controls are pres,bass,mid,treb,master,gain,input. The rear panel has a.c.,4,8,8,16ohm speaker outs.thats pretty much it, ohh, and on/off. and stand by switch.el-34 pwr tubes,point to point wiring,all top components are used. One would drool looking at the guts.its a beauty. The meat and potatoes of this amp are simply top notch. The look and feel is of the classic marshall era. Mine has black tolex, big knobs amber pwr light.metal swithes.evil.

Sound Quality: 10
Sound is the bottom line for me at the end of the day and that goes for everything I own related to music. I’m age 33.My First recording session was when I was 12 for coast music in 79-80 for a 30 sec knac radio spot. I’m producing/engineering records now and have had the pleasure of recording with some great unknown and known artists such as Brian May, Train, Foo Fighters and so on and so on and I’m just now getting to a place where I'm understanding the art of great guitar tone. sound is subjective and any tool that makes a sound is an open target for debate. I’ve heard a few but not many new records that compete with the tones on old ac/dc, zep, queen, beatles,v/h and hendrix....I could go on. So with that as a reference point for what I LIKE...so here we go...(lets not forget Mick ronson/bowie.)

While the Roccaforte tone sits in the marshall vein, I've never heard a Marshall new or old at high volume that was this quiet. no hum, little or no hiss. While my amp is slightly voiced for mid to high gain, its clean tone is rich and full without the need to re-set the eq like on other amps. There is enough gain to go around if you need it yet its never mushy or fizzy. The eq controls are surprisingly useful yet aren’t to aggressive and are not narrow nor does the bass sound flabby. A thin guitar can be easily thickened up. A dark les paul can be brightened up without sounding thin. To sum it all up, I was knocked out at without fussing just how juicy, fat and thick my les paul sounded thru it. I bought it on the spot. Kuddos to Doug Roccaforte

Reliability: 10
Do planes ever fall out of the sky? I think the heavy duty hand built construction speaks for its self. Not cheap to make made one at a time. No back up needed

Customer Support: 10
Doug Roccaforte offers a lifetime warranty.
He keeps in touch with client
Will talk shop at length
If need/will make any changes as long as it doesn’t suck tone.

Overall Rating: 10
You can make an album with this amp only using a volume knob and a cable. its not a tweekers delight. no frills, pure tone. I’m inspired when I play thru it.
WHAT WOULD YOU PAY FOR SOMETHING HAND BUILT THAT REALLY SOUNDS GREAT?

Submitted by curtis mathewson at 03/05/2000 12:15

Features: 6
if your looking for an all tube el-34 plug it in and go type of amp, this is it. fx loop? no. channel swithing? ,no. you get-an input jack, knobs for gain, master vol, bass, mid,treb, pres.

Sound Quality: 10
I can dial in pretty much any classic rock type sound from the who to modern high gain with no mush. the amp is dead quiet compared to other amps when cranked. maybe a hint of hiss but its really a loud 50 watts that makes some older 100watt marshalls seem very weak overall. you don't realize the just how good the quality is until you try going back to what you thought was already working for you.

Reliability: 10
I’ve used it in the studio and stage knowing that the quality shielding and wiring of this hand made amp are of military grade. no cost cutting cheapo parts. no back up.

Customer Support: 10
Doug Roccaforte is guy that will call me up once in a while just to make sure things are sounding good.
Lifetime warranty.

Overall Rating: 9
every amp has a trade off somewhere. For me, I would rather sacrifice a few bells and whistles and get an organic kick ass tone than a do it all in one and sound like a fart or a buzz saw or a twinkee clean direct box. sure I can dwell on what any tool lacks. I prefer the simplicity and great tone of this amp. Instead of fiddling knobs, I can worry about playing.

Submitted by curtis mathewson at 03/02/2000 08:01

Features: 5
This amp is not feature rich. Thank God. If you (think you) need effects loops, channnel switching, all that "good" stuff, it ain't here. It has a single input, gain, master volume, presence, bass, mid, and treble. The tone controls are extremely functional and sensitive. All point to point wiring, just beautiful workmanship really. Looks just as nice as my old Hiwatt.

Sound Quality: 10
The amp just sounds great. It is pretty versatile if you like the "Marshall" sound. It sound like a great Marshall, perhaps a bit cleaner distortion. Don't get me wrong, it has plenty of overdrive and crunch, but it is more pure than any marshall I've heard. I own 4 Marshalls from '70 - '73 and 2 JCM 800's, early '70's Hiwatt and other assorted "boutique" amps, Victoria Bassman, Tophat King Royale and others. This is the best rock amp I own hands down. Some of my Marshalls come somewhat close (after extensive tweaking) but this amp really kicks. It is very articulate, never mushy yet warm and full. I can highly recommend this amp to any one who plays in a rock style. BTW, I also owned Bogner,Guytron,and Matchless. The key word here is "owned".

Reliability: N/A
Can't speak to reliability but it is constructed like a brick S^@$ House. I can't imagine the amp having any problems

Customer Support: 10
Customer support is the absolute best. I bought this amp sight unseen after initially contacting Doug about doing some repair work for me. We talked for like 2 hours about tone, amps, guitars, you name it and he told me about the stuff he was building. Doug spent more time with me than I could ever expect, literally hours and hours. He really needed to understand what I was looking for tonally so he could make sure I was satisfied. Just a great guy to work with. Some of his clients include Van Halen, STP, and Los Lobos. I am not any of those, never will be, and his level of professionalism and concern that I would have the amp I wanted was simply refreshing. He is an 5 star guy.

Overall Rating: 10
I rate this amp a 10. I know these "10" ratings flow loosely here on Harmony Central but if you own the gear I do, have been playing for 20+ years, and you find an amp which sounds noticeable better than any other amp you played through, what would you give it? If anyone has any questions, feel free to contact me.

Submitted by Darrell at 02/21/2000 19:54

 Best sounding amp on earth!  From Hendrix to Van Halen nothing compares."  Brett Papa (owner of 5 Roccaforte Amps)

Randall Ward (Music Learning Center)
Doug's amps sound awesome! He mod'ed my Crate Vintage 30 and it blows away any other amp I've heard for a truly authentic guitar tone- powerful and awesome natural distortion. His own amps are incredibly powerful and full sounding- lot of overdrive or crystal clean tube sounds. I didn't know amps could sound this good. Really.

 
After owning other high-end amplifiers, I have found that Roccaforte Amps are the best thing on the planet! All my guitars sound like they should without being colored or sounding processed. Roccaforte Amps have a very full and clear sound. Very "chimey" with a lot of harmonic overtones. It's the best amp I've ever owned.

Mark Dickerson        (Guitar Repair by Mark)
I have six amps from Doug Roccaforte in addition to 20 other amps from Marshall, Fender, Gibson, etc... and Doug has done repairs on most of those amps. Although they all have their own sound, the Roccaforte amps seem to have the best characteristics in a single amp. Ever since I heard my first Van Halen record in '78 I've been trying to acquire a tone that has eluded me until now.