Bad Cat Cub V EL34 Head
Tube Guitar Heads
$3,375€2,999Check ↗
Brand profile · USA, est. 1980s
Bad Cat
Bad Cat amplifiers are revered for their uncompromising, vintage-inspired tone and meticulous hand-built construction. Founded in the late 1980s by former Soldano engineer Richelieu “Rich” Badcat, the brand quickly gained a reputation among professional musicians seeking a truly authentic, high-end tube amp experience. Bad Cat amps are known for their powerful clean headroom and ability to overdrive beautifully when pushed.
The 'Uber' SeriesEL34 tube voicingHand-wired constructionExceptional clean headroomMod Shop Custom Builds
1980sfounded
USAcountry
16products in stock
$562–$4,388price range
Bad Cat in the charts
Every chart where Bad Cat has five or more models — ranked by the AudioFu Index inside each.
All 16 Bad Cat products
Sorted by AudioFu Index — the strongest models of every category first.
Bad Cat Cub V EL34 Head
Tube Guitar Heads
$3,375€2,999Check ↗
Bad Cat Closed Back 2x12 Cab
2x12 Guitar Cabs
$1,293€1,149Check ↗
Bad Cat Cub V EL84 1x12 Combo
Tube Guitar Combos
$3,150€2,799Check ↗
Bad Cat PurePath React Load & Cab Sim
Guitar Amp Attenuators
$562€499Check ↗
Bad Cat Cub 15 Mod Shop Head
Tube Guitar Heads
$2,587€2,299Check ↗
Bad Cat Mod Shop Hot Cat 50 Head
Tube Guitar Heads
$2,587€2,299Check ↗
Bad Cat Ocelot Lunchbox Head
Tube Guitar Heads
$1,574€1,399Check ↗
Bad Cat Mod Shop Black Cat 30 Head
Tube Guitar Heads
$2,700€2,399Check ↗
Bad Cat Cub 15 Mod Shop Combo
Tube Guitar Combos
$2,812€2,499Check ↗
Bad Cat Mod Shop Hot Cat 50 Combo
Tube Guitar Combos
$2,700€2,399Check ↗
Bad Cat Mod Shop Black Cat 30 Combo
Tube Guitar Combos
$2,925€2,599Check ↗
Bad Cat Era 2x12 Cabinet
2x12 Guitar Cabs
$1,293€1,149Check ↗
Bad Cat Cub V 1x12 Cab
1x12 Guitar Cabs
$899€799Check ↗
Bad Cat Era 1x12 Cabinet
1x12 Guitar Cabs
$883€785Check ↗
Bad Cat Era 30 Head
Tube Guitar Heads
$4,388€3,899Check ↗
Bad Cat, honestly
What Bad Cat does well
- Unmatched vintage tone and responsiveness
- Robust build quality and reliability
- Excellent clean headroom for diverse applications
- Highly sought-after by professional players
- Customization options for personalized sound
What to watch for
- Premium-priced, limiting accessibility
- Limited production, potential for long wait times
- Can be very loud, requiring careful speaker selection
- Relatively small product range
- Requires tube maintenance like all tube amps
Questions about Bad Cat
Where are Bad Cat instruments made?
Bad Cat amplifiers are meticulously hand-built in their factory in Valencia, California, ensuring a high level of quality control and attention to detail.
Are Bad Cat amplifiers based on existing amp designs?
While Rich Badcat drew on his experience with Soldano, Bad Cat amps represent his own distinct designs, focusing on recreating the classic, powerful clean tones of vintage amplifiers with modern reliability.
What is the significance of the 'Mod Shop'?
The Mod Shop allows customers to collaborate with Bad Cat to customize their amplifiers, selecting specific components and modifications to achieve a truly unique sonic signature.