Anyone else own and/or gig a Bogner Amp?

[rotagen]

OK I'm still riddled with guilt over my recent purchase, A Bogner Shiva 80W El34 head. It's just that I've never made a musical purchase this steep price wise, even though if you add up all my musical purchases it would be a serious chunk o change.

Played through an Alchemist and it completely sold me on the Bogner sound. The Alchemist clean channel just wasn't loud enough to gig with our drummer though, and I don't believe in micing anything that overlaps the vocals frequency-wise...PAs are for vocals. There's something about these amps that is very unique tone wise, I think I could pick them out easily in a blind test, the cleans are so warm balanced and pure, yet punchy.

And Curt Kirkwood of the meat puppets plays through an Ecstacy, even toured it few years back (did I mention I'm a huge fan?).

I've been debating over going the tube preamp-powerful solid-state power amp route to get those Jerry tones, and having a hard time settling on a proper rig. The Bogner isn't the same sound, but its really got its own thing going and the dead tunes sound fantastic through it. I would describe it as a Mesa Mark I sound but warmer, a bit more Hifi and modern sounding.

If you own a Bogner or have played through one, let me know your experiences/impressions!

Also I'm a bit hesitant to gig a 2K dollar amp, but I have a rule, if I own it and I like it, I gig it.

I'm running through an EV classic 1x12, sound is amazing.

[Stone]

Ive used a Alchemist (head/cab) as my main amp for the last year and a half. However half the cost of a "real" bogner it has held up fine and has proved to be more reliable then the Fuch's ODS i was considering replacing it with. I like the clean ch. alot and the the high gain ch seems to be hit or miss for what i play. Currently im using a tube screamer for the "between" the clean and gain ch. Personally after experiencing what several people have done with the Axe Fx its hard for me to continue looking for "the amp".

In regards to gigin with high $ stuff, coughing up the cash for good cases goes with the purchase of the said gear. I bought my FOH mixer case months before pulling the trigger on the mixer its self...lol So i wouldn't sweat it.

Also, if a 40watt tube amp isn't loud enough I would rethink your "vocal only" PA strategy. Just my .02