Ultimate Expression: The Dragon 100

Designed in Collaboration with Joe Satriani

Dragon 100

DRAGON 100 head and 412

A COLLABORATION, NOT A SIGNATURE

The DRAGON 100 is a vintage inspired, modern featured 100W electric guitar amplifier designed in collaboration with Joe Satriani and 3rd Power’s Dylana Scott. It’s vintage inspiration comes from the legendary 1967/1968 Plexi Super Lead 100. It’s modern features come from the vast combined knowledge and experience of Joe and Dylana.

The DRAGON 100 encapsulates the soul and inspiration of iconic studio recorded guitar tones throughout history. At its core, the DRAGON 100 is a hand-wired, point-to-point amplifier – built with loving attention to detail, by people skilled in the craft.

When you plug your guitar into a DRAGON 100 amplifier, each note leaps out with intense passion, authority, and glorious warmth. In other words, it’s PURE CREATIVE FIRE!

Performance features include:
• Plexi & Cascaded High Gain Preamp Switch
• 400Hz Boost Switch makes treble strings sound huge
• Dual-mode 3-Band EQ Switch (JTM/JMP)
• Tube Buffered FX Loop (foot-switchable)
• Preamp Gain Boost (foot-switchable)
• Studio-grade High Freq. Shelving (1.7, 3.7, 4.3 and 5.2kHz)
• FOCUS Mode Switch for vintage or mid-forward tones
• MUTE (foot-switchable, FX tails naturally trail off)
• Patented HybridMaster™ Volume Management
• Variable Lead Boost Control (foot-switchable)
• Custom Wound Paper-bobbin Transformers Throughout
• 4 Button Pro Foot Switch & 7 Pin Cable (included)
• Hand-wired and Hand Built in Nashville, TN
• and MORE

While the DRAGON 100 is a 1:1 exact version of Joe’s amplifier, it’s not a signature amp! Joe’s been there and done that and it’s been all well and good. This time around, Joe wanted to do something that would capture a player’s imagination, spark inspiration and lift an audience with a fiery performance – the same way his heroes impacted him when he was a kid! Joe wanted the ultimate tube amplifier to exist that had the depth, refinement and control on tap so that ‘signature guitar tone’ could be something YOU make all on your own.

Pre-Orders (USA)

You will be redirected to Bananas at Large, our exclusive USA DRAGON RESELLER

PREAMP PROCESSING

Gain Structure, Temperament, Frequency Balance

How it Works

The DRAGON preamp processing section allows you to set the overall temperament of your amplifier. The Plexi/Cascade switch give you two modes of operation: Plexi and Cascade. This is where you set the overall range of gain, sustain and distortion of the amplifier. The 400Hz Boost switch allows you to set the fullness of the treble or unwound strings. The +Gain switch allows you to create a rhythm crunch with the gain knob setting and then switch to max gain setting for soloing.

Plexi/Cascade Switch

This switch sets the window of gain, sustain and saturation on tap and controlled by the Gain knob. In Plexi Mode, you’ll enjoy classic Plexi clean and crunch tones. In Cascade Mode, you’ll find an abundance of gain, saturation and sustain that remains clear and articulate.

400Hz Bump Switch

This switch engages a 400Hz boost that fattens up your treble (unwound) strings without making your lower (wound) strings sound tubby. This is a profoundly useable feature for soloists and guitarists in general wanting to fatten up their guitar tone. The result is similar to adding a touch of outboard studio EQ and compression.

+Gain Switch

This switch allows you to setup two levels of gain and then toggling between the two via remote foot switch. Your rhythm gain setting is found on the Gain knob. Your solo setting is identical to turning the Gain knob on 10!

Dual Tone Stack Circuits

Vintage and Modern EQ Controls

How it Works

The DRAGON features a tone stack voicing switch that delivers the sweeter Vintage JTM tone control voicing and balanced gain response in one position, and the more in your face Modern JMP voicing in the other.

VINTAGE

The JTM45 debuted in ’65 bringing the punch and sustain of a certain American style bass amp but with a decidedly British angst. One circuit common to both was the tone stack featuring a 56k ohm slope resistor and a 250pf treble capacitor. This made for a sweeter tone with emphasis on the melody strings.

MODERN

The JMP amplifiers debuted around late ’67 bringing with it a distinctive mid-range frequency slice, increased sustain and of course, more power. One design tweak made a huge impact: a 33k ohm slope resistor and a 470pf treble capacitor. This increased overall gain, slice and punch… mission accomplished.

Studio-grade Mastering Section

Separate Low, Mid and High Band Filters

How it Works

The DRAGON features a studio-grade mastering section. Fine tune your low, mid and high frequencies to exactly what you need for an exciting performance!

PUSH Control

The PUSH control allows you to fine tune the low frequencies so that your tone is punchy and balanced across the frequency spectrum.

MID FOCUS Control

The MID FOCUS control lets you enhance the middle frequencies. In the MODERN setting, your mid frequency response is forward and more vocal. In the VINTAGE setting, your mid frequencies are more traditional and somewhat scooped by comparison.

ULTRA PRESENCE

The ULTRA PRESENCE control lets you adjust the amount of boost or cut of the overall high frequency response. The KHZ Band switch allows you to select the perfect corner frequency of the high frequency shelf. Use this control to optimally set your high frequency response to match your tone to any given speaker. Bright speakers will benefit from raising the shelf higher than the peak on the speaker. Darker speakers will benefit by lowering the corner frequency to kick in and lift your presence right where the drop-off occurs.

Feature Rich Back Panel

FX Loop, Bias Test Points, Variable Slave Output

Enhance.

The DRAGON gives you an all-tube effects loop optimized for pedals as well as rack-mountable gear. You can assign the FX Loop to the Switching Bus to bring it under remote control.

Optimize.

The DRAGON features external multi-meter test points and a fixed-bias adjustment control so you can optimize your power tubes for the best tone and longest tube life.

Expand.

The DRAGON features a multiple speaker output impedances for compatibility with various speaker cabinets or reactive load boxes.

Go Ahead and Step Out

Foot Switchable Scene Changes are a Snap

How it Works

The DRAGON features a 4 Button Pro Foot Switch that lets you control your amplifier in a variety of creative ways. A Musical MUTE function lets you turn off the audio signal – but not before your delay or reverb trails have finished! +GAIN lets you add more gain for solos. FX LOOP on/off lets you control the active status of any of the effects devices you have patched into the amplifier. SOLO BOOST (FTSW BUS) lets you cue your own solos as well as create a rhythm tone and a lead tone for recallable scene changes. When you assign +GAIN, LOOP and BOOST to the SOLO BOOST button, you can toggle between rhythm and lead tones as if you had a two channel amplifier!

THE DRAGON 100 AMPLIFIER

Special Features:

• British Voiced Plexi & Cascaded High Gain Preamp Section (switchable)
• Switchable 400Hz Boost fattens and shapes unwound treble strings
• Dual-mode 3-Band EQ (JTM/JMP – switchable)
• Tube Buffered FX Loop (foot-switchable)
• Preamp Gain Boost (foot-switchable)
• Ultra-Presence High Frequency Shelving Filter: (1.7, 3.7, 4.3 and 5.2kHz corner frequencies)
• Switchable FOCUS mode (vintage or mid-forward for more vocal-like lead tones)
• Foot Switchable MUSICAL SILENT MUTE (FX tails finish their cycle before amp goes silent)
• HybridMaster™ Volume Management Technology (3P Patented). Not a power-scale or power soak, HybridMaster simultaneously controls the volume, limits the DC current and regulates the DC plate voltage of the tube circuitry to deliver your desired tone at any volume setting that’s right for the room
• Variable Lead Boost Control (foot-switchable)
• Quad Svetlana Brown-base EL34 Power Tubes (100W Operation)
• Aluminum Chassis for fast response and enhanced fidelity
• Chassis and Transformer Layout Based on the legendary 1967/68 Plexi
• Premium, Sealed-action Potentiometers by Tokyo Cosmos Electronics
• Back-panel Bias Test Points and Adjustment Pot
• Custom Wound USA-made Power & Output Transformers by Heyboer
• 4 Button Pro Foot Switch & 7 Pin Cable (included)
• Hand-wired and Hand Built in Nashville, TN
• Limited Lifetime Warranty

Specifications:

Model Name: Dragon 100
Output Architecture: 4x Power Tubes (Class AB), Fixed Bias
Power Rectification: Solid State
Plate Voltage: 120V AC input yields ~495V DC plate voltage (SS Rectified)
Power Output: ~100W (EL34)
Output Impedance: Switchable 16/8 and 4 Ohm Outputs
Country of Manufacture: Designed and hand built in USA
Preamp Architecture: 2x JJ ECC83S, 2x Sovtek 12AX7LPS
Dimensions: Head: 29” x 10.75” x 8.375”
Weight: Head: 41 lbs
Included Accessories: 4 Button Pro Foot Switch, Premium 15′ 7-Pin DIN cable

Available Packages:

DRAGON 100 ships as follows:
• DRAGON 100 Amp Head
• 4 Button Pro Foot Switch, Premium 15′ 7-Pin DIN Cable Included
• Tolex Color is stylish and rugged Black Panama with White Piping
• Control Faceplates are Black plexiglass with reverse laser engraved lettering

Pricing:
$4499 USD (Head Version Only)

Matching DRAGON QUAD 412 cabinet ships as follows:
• DRAGON 412 Cabinet
• Cab features (4) separate isolated speaker chambers
• Mono, Stereo, Dual Stereo, 3 Channel and 4 Channel Audio Capable!
• Loaded with (2) Celestion G12T-75 on the top
• Loaded with (2) Tone Speak Manchester 1290 on the bottom
• Casters included

Pricing:
$2099 USD

Custom Shop Options:
• Please see our Custom Shop page for details

How to Pre-Order:
Please contact our exclusive USA DRAGON DEALER:

BANANAS AT LARGE
1654 2nd Street
San Rafael
CA 94901
(415) 457-7600
www.bananas.com

NOTE: Lead time for this item is currently around 12 weeks.

WARNING: Cancer and Reproductive Harm http://www.p65warnings.ca.gov

1307 Jewel Street
Nashville, TN 37207
615-945-3393
[email protected]

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