3rd Power Dragon 45 Amp Head
A Collaboration, not a Signature
For over 20 years Joe Satriani has tasked Alan Rosen of Bananas At Large with finding the perfect amplifiers for his needs. Joe and Alan have tried every high-gain amp on the market, many unique boutique brands and models, and even have imported amps from all around the world to try to find that one special amp that does it all for Joe. When Sammy Hagar announced the tour that will pay tribute to the songs of Van Halen with Joe at the helm, Alan knew it was time to custom-build THE amp to fit the VH tones and cover Joe’s needs. He went right to a trusted, long-time friend and ex-Bananas At Large employee… Dylana Scott of 3rd Power. Alan and Dylana spoke at length, reinforcing Alan’s opinion that only Dylana could make what Joe needed. With that Joe, Dylana, and Bananas At Large have come together to create The DRAGON SERIES AMPLIFIERS: A series of amplifiers designed to take the electric guitar to new heights of expression.
Dragon 45 Amplifier
The DRAGON 45 is a vintage inspired, modern featured 45 watt electric guitar amplifier designed in collaboration with Joe Satriani and 3rd Power’s Dylana Scott. Its vintage inspiration comes from the legendary 1967/1968 Plexi Super Lead 100. Its modern features come from the vast combined knowledge and experience of Joe and Dylana.
The DRAGON 45 encapsulates the soul and inspiration of iconic studio recorded guitar tones throughout history. At its core, the DRAGON 45 is a hand-wired, point-to-point amplifier – built with loving attention to detail, by people skilled in the craft.
Available in either a stand-alone head version as well as a 112 combo, the DRAGON 45 employs vintage-style, paper-bobbin transformers throughout. The laydown mains transformer delivers 500V to a pair of Svetlana EL34 output tubes. A blend of four hand-selected JJ (ECC83S) and Sovtek 12AX7LPS dual triode preamp tubes are called into action performing as follows: Vintage Plexi Mode, High Gain Cascade Mode, Class-A Cathode-follower Tone Stack, Tube buffered FX Loop, and finally, the Phase Inverter. Robust electrolytic capacitors provide the internal circuitry with clean, filtered high voltage.
When you plug your guitar into a DRAGON 45 amplifier, each note leaps out with intense passion, authority, and glorious warmth. In other words, it’s PURE CREATIVE FIRE!
Perfect Feel, Perfect Volume
Craft Your Tone
The Dragon 45 features innovative tone-crafting features such as: Plexi/Cascade Preamp Modes, 400Hz Boost, Vintage/Modern Tone Stacks, Ultra Presence (4 Switchable High-Frequency Shelf settings), Low Freq. Push, Vintage/Focus Power Amp Modes. Effortlessly integrate your time-based digital effects devices with a tube buffered effects loop.
HybridMASTER™ Volume Control
The HybridMASTER™ control is located on the front panel giving you the confidence to play what you feel when you feel it at exactly the volume you need for the occasion. 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. Our patented HybridMASTER is volume management executed to perfection!
Complete List of Features
- Head or 112 Combo Versions Available
- Duet Svetlana Brown-base EL34 Power Tubes (45W Operation)
- 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
- Preamp Gain Boost (foot-switchable)
- Ultra-Presence High Frequency Shelving Filter: ( 1.7kHz, 4.3kHz corner frequencies)
- Switchable FOCUS mode (vintage or mid-forward for more vocal-like lead tones)
- HybridMaster™ Volume Management Technology (3P Patented)
- 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
- Premium Mallory and Orange Drop Coupling Capacitors throughout
- Single Button Pro Foot Switch (included)
- Hand-wired and Hand Built in Nashville, TN
- Limited Lifetime Warranty
Specifications
- Output Architecture: 2x Power Tubes (Class AB), Fixed Bias
- Power Rectification: (4x) 1000V 1N4007 Solid State Diodes
- Plate Voltage: 120V AC input yields ~495V DC plate voltage (SS Rectified)
- Power Output: ~45W (EL34)
- Output Impedance: Discrete Jacks, (1x) 16 Ohm, (2x) 8 Ohm, (2x) 4 Ohm Outputs
- Country of Manufacture: 100% Designed and hand built in USA
- Preamp Architecture: (3x ) JJ ECC83S, (1x) Sovtek 12AX7LPS
- Speaker (Combo Version): (1x) Celestion Classic Lead 80 (8 Ohms)
- Speaker Power Handling: 80 Watts
- Dimensions: 112 Combo: 25” x 20.75” x 11”, Head: 19.875″ x 9″ x 8.5″
- Weight: 112 Combo: 59 lbs, Head: 24 lbs
- Case Composition: 5/8” Birch Cabinetry, 1/2″ Birch Baffles
- Included Accessories: Single Button Foot Switch
NOTE: Dragon Amplifiers are made to order and now shipping. Orders are processed through our USA exclusive Dragon dealer, Bananas at Large. New order lead-times are currently 8-12 weeks.
Bananas does not warranty tubes in transit. We offer tube removal and individual bubble wrap service for $45 per customer request (for standard amps, more complex amps that take more time may be a higher fee). Customers buying any tube product and having it shipped should understand and realize that Bananas cannot be responsible for damaged tubes from transit.
Dragon Amplifier Family
We accept major credit and debit cards - Visa, MasterCard, Discover, and American Express. We also accept Paypal. Please contact us for Western Union. Orders must be approved by our authorization process. This includes validation of the shipping address with the issuing bank.
About Shipping and Delivery We utilize legitimate bonded and licensed shipping carriers only (UPS, Fed Ex, USPS etc). We are not the shipping company and therefore cannot be held responsible for faults that lay with the shipping company. By placing orders with us you agree to be present to receive packages sent to you. Bananas cannot be held responsible for lost packages once they are logged as delivered by the shipping company. Once a package is logged as delivered by the shipping company the customer is responsible for any issues related to the delivery of the package at that point. Packaging and Shipping Information Due to conditions beyond our control (weather, shipper's handling etc.) some boxes that products originally come in cannot be re-used to ship out to customers. In those rare cases we will remove and inspect all items and repackage them in acceptable boxing to make it safe to you. All items are still considered brand new, under full warranty and fall under our same guarantees. Note: Bananas recycles unused boxes when possible.
Online Returns: In order to return a product, Request a Return Authorization Number (RA Number). To request a Return Authorization Number (RA Number), please email info@bananas.com with your full name, order number, item that you are returning, and what type of return you would like us to process - either exchange for the same item, exchange for another item, or return for refund. In addition, if you can include the reason for your return, and any other comments, that would be appreciated. Once we process your RA request, we will send you a Return Authorization Number, and instructions on how to return the item. Return and Customer Satisfaction Policy: Any item (other than as noted below) purchased from Bananas at Large online store may be returned, within 45 days of the shipment date, for a full refund of the purchase price minus shipping costs, or for exchange or credit. Rather than make you click elsewhere for the 'small print', here it is in not-so-small print: The following items may not be returned: Consumable items such as (but not limited to) strings, picks, drum sticks, drum heads, phono cartridges and replacement speakers. Any item that is worn on the body or is blown into, such as (but not limited to) earplugs, wind controllers or harmonicas Computer software, items that can be copied and copyrighted material such as (but not limited to) books, videos and CD's Installed items such as (but not limited to) guitar pickups, drum heads, headphone parts and other installed parts If you agree to back order or special order a product, you agree that order may not be canceled unless approved by Bananas. Special orders already in transit either from manufacturer or Bananas cannot be canceled. Special order items may be returned if defective for exchange. You will be notified what items qualify as special order status. *In-store sales, please see posted Return Policies Other Things You Need to Know about Online Returns Shipping and/or handling charges are not refundable. It is your responsibility to pay return shipping and to fully insure the unit(s) you are returning. Also, it is your responsibility to cover shipping charges for sending the item to you. If you are quoted free shipping and return the item, you will be required to cover the actual shipping costs incurred by your order. Items that are returned must be in the original packaging, with all accessories and paperwork included in the original shipment, such as owner's manual(s) and warranty card. Items must be free from signs of use or wear, and both warranty card and manual(s) must not have any writing in them. If your order was shipped to you in outer packaging it must be returned in that packaging as well as the inner box or boxes. Returned items that do not arrive in the condition described above are subject to a $25 repackaging charge, plus the cost of replacing missing, soiled, worn or marked-on items. Obvious signs of use that reduce the value of a returned unit will be subject to additional charges based on how much we need to mark down the unit to make it sellable.