TONE CAT
This 2005 Bad Cat Tone Cat is a rare gem from the glory days of Bad Cat. The Tone Cat is not just a 2 channel amplifier, it is actually two completely separate amps in one chassis! The “Clean” side is the same as the 12AX7 channel on a Black Cat (think DC30) and the “Gain” side is the dirty side of a Hot Cat, which offers complex driven and crunchy lead tones. The two sides can also be mixed together and the order can be swapped as well. There are tones galore in this amp and it will have me exploring it for a long time to come!
This 2005 Bad Cat Tone Cat is a very rare amp from the glory days of Bad Cat. The Tone Cat is not just a 2 channel amplifier, it is actually two completely separate amps in one chassis! The “Clean” side is the same as the 12AX7 channel on a Black Cat (think DC30) and the “Gain” side is the dirty side of a Hot Cat, which offers complex driven and crunchy lead tones. The two sides can also be mixed together and the order can be swapped as well. There are tones galore in this amp and it will have me exploring it for a long time to come!
This particular amp has the “M.S.” inscription on the inside making it a Mark Sampson era Bad Cat. This amp absolutely sings and is sure to scratch that Bad Cat / Matchless itch. It’s “THE” sound!
TONEX
QUAD CORTEX
*This capture pack is for QUAD CORTEX. Please Follow Me in the Cortex Cloud app (TheToneShepherd) and make sure you fill out the form asking for your User Name upon checkout. Please allow 2-3 days for me to transfer your products but it’s likely it’ll be much faster!
This 2005 Bad Cat Tone Cat is a very rare amp from the glory days of Bad Cat. The Tone Cat is not just a 2 channel amplifier, it is actually two completely separate amps in one chassis! The “Clean” side is the same as the 12AX7 channel on a Black Cat (think DC30) and the “Gain” side is the dirty side of a Hot Cat, which offers complex driven and crunchy lead tones. The two sides can also be mixed together and the order can be swapped as well. There are tones galore in this amp and it will have me exploring it for a long time to come!
This particular amp has the “M.S.” inscription on the inside making it a Mark Sampson era Bad Cat. This amp absolutely sings and is sure to scratch that Bad Cat / Matchless itch. It’s “THE” sound!
OVERVIEW
16 Captures
2 Speaker Options
Single Miced and Dual Miced Variations
4 Stages of Gain for Each Set of Captures
MICS & PREAMP
For these captures I used two mic techniques—a set of captures with a single Shure 545 and another set with a 545 paired with an Audio-Technica AT4081 ribbon. All mics run through an API Preamp & EQ.
S - Single Mic
D - Dual Mic
CABINET & SPEAKERS
BC - Bad Cat Custom Ceramic Speaker in Bad Cat 1X12 Extension Cab
AC - 90’s Celestion G12M Greenback “6402” in VOX AC30 2X12 Combo Cab
GAIN STAGES
1 - Clean*
2 - Edge of Breakup
3 - Crunch
4 - Overdriven
*The Clean “1” Presets are not unique Tone Models so you’ll only find the “1” captures as “Presets”. I took the “2” Tone Model and turned the Gain down and turned the Model Volume up to compensate.
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S - Single Miced with Shure 545
AC - 90’s Celestion G12M Greenback “6402” Speaker in VOX AC30 Combo Cab
Captures
TS TCAT V1 S AC - 1
TS TCAT V1 S AC - 2
TS TCAT V1 S AC - 3
TS TCAT V1 S AC - 4
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D - Dual Miced with Shure 545 and AT4081
AC - 90’s Celestion G12M Greenback “6402” Speaker in VOX AC30 Combo Cab
Captures
TS TCAT V1 D AC - 1
TS TCAT V1 D AC - 2
TS TCAT V1 D AC - 3
TS TCAT V1 D AC - 4
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S - Single Miced with Shure 545
BC - Bad Cat Custom Ceramic Speaker in Bad Cat 1X12 Extension Cab
Captures
TS TCAT V1 S BC - 1
TS TCAT V1 S BC - 2
TS TCAT V1 S BC - 3
TS TCAT V1 S BC - 4
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D - Dual Miced with Shure 545 and AT4081
BC - Bad Cat Custom Ceramic Speaker in Bad Cat 1X12 Extension Cab
Captures
TS TCAT V1 D BC - 1
TS TCAT V1 D BC - 2
TS TCAT V1 D BC - 3
TS TCAT V1 D BC - 4
CAPTURES
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"Best Tonex capture there is no questions asked. Out of all the captures I have purchased, this one blew the rest out of the water. Would 100% purchase again."
David Y.
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"Fantastic capture. Feels full and true to what those matchless/badcat amps should feel like, lots of bite and body. Pairs extremely well with the other captures for a wide and full stereo image."
Kevan R.
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"Used the Tone Cat captures this Sunday, and they sounded killer! Got several compliments. They feel very responsive and take pedals super well. Will be looking out for those dirty channel Tone Cat captures!"
Braden S.
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"Increíble captura 💣🎛️ pude conseguir de sonidos para diversos tipos de música."
Samir Galvan N.
PAIRINGS
TCAT V1 S AC - 2
DR80 HB M75 - 1
Artist: Justin LaFramboise
Guitar: Rivolta with P90s
Rig: Analog Board with ToneX
This 2005 Bad Cat Tone Cat is a very rare amp from the glory days of Bad Cat. The Tone Cat is not just a 2 channel amplifier, it is actually two completely separate amps in one chassis! The “Clean” side is the same as the 12AX7 channel on a Black Cat (think DC30) and the “Gain” side is the dirty side of a Hot Cat, which offers complex driven and crunchy lead tones. The two sides can also be mixed together and the order can be swapped as well. There are tones galore in this amp and it will have me exploring it for a long time to come!
This particular amp has the “M.S.” inscription on the inside making it a Mark Sampson era Bad Cat. This amp absolutely sings and is sure to scratch that Bad Cat / Matchless itch. It’s “THE” sound!
TONEX
QUAD CORTEX
*This capture pack is for QUAD CORTEX. Please Follow Me in the Cortex Cloud app (TheToneShepherd) and make sure you fill out the form asking for your User Name upon checkout. Please allow 2-3 days for me to transfer your products but it’s likely it’ll be much faster!
This 2005 Bad Cat Tone Cat is a very rare amp from the glory days of Bad Cat. The Tone Cat is not just a 2 channel amplifier, it is actually two completely separate amps in one chassis! The “Clean” side is the same as the 12AX7 channel on a Black Cat (think DC30) and the “Gain” side is the dirty side of a Hot Cat, which offers complex driven and crunchy lead tones. The two sides can also be mixed together and the order can be swapped as well. There are tones galore in this amp and it will have me exploring it for a long time to come!
This particular amp has the “M.S.” inscription on the inside making it a Mark Sampson era Bad Cat. This amp absolutely sings and is sure to scratch that Bad Cat / Matchless itch. It’s “THE” sound!
The Dr. Z Z-80 is Mike's "legacy" amp and is the result of 6 years of fine tuning and perfecting the coveted and uber-rare Vox AC80 circuit. The Doc and Brad Paisley worked together on getting this amp to sound just like the original while also ensuring it was road ready. The Z-80 isn’t just a higher powered version of a vintage AC30, however, rather it stands on its own sonic territory, offering a more focused low end, tighter breakup, and crystal clear highs. This amp sounds great with single coils and humbuckers. To top is off, this particular amp head was built and signed by the Doctor himself. Prepare for chime city!
*Extended Training with TONEX V2
This 2005 Bad Cat Tone Cat is a very rare amp from the glory days of Bad Cat. The Tone Cat is not just a 2 channel amplifier, it is actually two completely separate amps in one chassis! The “Clean” side is the same as the 12AX7 channel on a Black Cat (think DC30) and the “Gain” side is the dirty side of a Hot Cat, which offers complex driven and crunchy lead tones. The two sides can also be mixed together and the order can be swapped as well. There are tones galore in this amp and it will have me exploring it for a long time to come!
This particular amp has the “M.S.” inscription on the inside making it a Mark Sampson era Bad Cat. This amp absolutely sings and is sure to scratch that Bad Cat / Matchless itch. It’s “THE” sound!
The uber rare Elliott Revenuer is one of two amp offerings from the famed guitar builder, Andy Elliott. Like Andy’s guitars, his amps are handcrafted and uniquely tuned to put the expression back in the players hands. This amp will make you honest! The Revenuer has a preamp section similar to a Tweed Deluxe paired with a Marshall-esque power section. It truly is a unique amp and has a tone that will undoubtedly bring a freshness to your collection!
*Extended Training with TONEX V2
The Matchless Clubman delivers a punchy, harmonically rich British voice—tight low end, chimey yet muscular mids, and a smooth, articulate breakup that stays clear even when pushed. There’s a weight and authority to every note that feels alive under your fingers. The low end is focused without ever getting flubby, the mids are rich and forward with that unmistakable Matchless character, and the top end carries a clarity that cuts without harshness. It’s bold, articulate, and incredibly touch-sensitive—clean up with your volume knob or dig in and it pushes into a smooth, harmonically complex breakup that never loses clarity.
43 Captures (V1 and V2 captures included)
Extended Training
Head Captures and IRs
3 Different Speakers
API 3122V Preamp & Neve 8803 EQ
Miced with a Shure 545SD
This particular Fender Prosonic was made in 1997 and has all original parts. The 60W Prosonic with two 10” Custom Shop Celestion speakers was designed by tone legend Bruce Zinky and has some similar features as a Mesa / BOOGIE amp. This amp can go from sparkling Fender cleans all the way to classic hark rock grind. It’s a much different flavor than a traditional scooped blackface many are familiar with. It has a lot more mids and a really warm saturation. Some say this may be one of the best Fender amps ever made. But we’ll let the captures do the talking!
This particular AC30 is a 90’s Korg Era AC30/6TB with 2X12 Celestion “6402” stamped Greenbacks. These particular speakers are the holy grail of Greenbacks and compliment this amp spectacularly. But this is no off-the-shelf AC30 either—it’s been heavily modified by Don “Toneman” Butler, a Los Angeles area legend. Don equipped this amp with a Mercury Magnetics Axiom transformer and choke, replaced all the signal path components, changed the filtering to JMI specs, upgraded various components and more. This amp is the tone I’ve been chasing in my head for years and the TONEX has finally given me a way to capture it in a pedalboard friendly package!
This preset pack includes captures of all 6 of my current overdrives on my analog board at my preferred settings. Instantly transport the “Shepherd Sound “to your board through the power of TONEX! Use these drive captures on the TONEX ONE or with the Big Box TONEX pedal with use of MIDI and then pair them with my AC30 or Prosonic captures and you’ve got a ready-to-go rig.
My Bass Rig for TONEX preset pack is a set of captures of my bass pedalboard we use on stage and in the studio. For best results, I recommend using a bass with Lollar Jazz Bass pickups or similar vintage style pickups.
The Dr. Z Z-80 is Mike's "legacy" amp and is the result of 6 years of fine tuning and perfecting the coveted and uber-rare Vox AC80 circuit. The Doc and Brad Paisley worked together on getting this amp to sound just like the original while also ensuring it was road ready. The Z-80 isn’t just a higher powered version of a vintage AC30, however, rather it stands on its own sonic territory, offering a more focused low end, tighter breakup, and crystal clear highs. This amp sounds great with single coils and humbuckers. To top is off, this particular amp head was built and signed by the Doctor himself. Prepare for chime city!
*This capture pack is for QUAD CORTEX. Please Follow Me in the Cortex Cloud app (TheToneShepherd) and make sure you fill out the form asking for your User Name upon checkout. Please allow 2-3 days for me to transfer your products but it’s likely it’ll be much faster!
This 2005 Bad Cat Tone Cat is a very rare amp from the glory days of Bad Cat. The Tone Cat is not just a 2 channel amplifier, it is actually two completely separate amps in one chassis! The “Clean” side is the same as the 12AX7 channel on a Black Cat (think DC30) and the “Gain” side is the dirty side of a Hot Cat, which offers complex driven and crunchy lead tones. The two sides can also be mixed together and the order can be swapped as well. There are tones galore in this amp and it will have me exploring it for a long time to come!
This particular amp has the “M.S.” inscription on the inside making it a Mark Sampson era Bad Cat. This amp absolutely sings and is sure to scratch that Bad Cat / Matchless itch. It’s “THE” sound!
*This capture pack is for QUAD CORTEX. Please Follow Me in the Cortex Cloud app (TheToneShepherd) and make sure you fill out the form asking for your User Name upon checkout. Please allow 2-3 days for me to transfer your products but it’s likely it’ll be much faster!
This particular AC30 is a 90’s Korg Era AC30 6TB with an original Celestion Greenback and a new Fane Ascension F25 speaker. This amp has been heavily modded by Don “Toneman” Butler, a Los Angeles area legend. Don equipped this amp with a Mercury Magnetics Axiom transformer and choke, replaced all the signal path components, changed the filtering to JMI specs, upgraded various components and more. This amp is the tone I’ve been chasing in my head for years and the Quad Cortex has finally given me a way to capture it in a pedalboard friendly package!
*This capture pack is for QUAD CORTEX. Please Follow Me in the Cortex Cloud app (TheToneShepherd) and make sure you fill out the form asking for your User Name upon checkout. Please allow 2-3 days for me to transfer your products but it’s likely it’ll be much faster!
This particular Fender Prosonic was made in 1997 and has all original parts. The 60W Prosonic with two 10” custom Celestion speakers was designed by tone legend Bruce Zinky and has some similar features as a Mesa / BOOGIE amp. This amp can go from classic sparkling Fender cleans all the way to classic hard rock grind. Some say this may be one of the best Fender amps ever made. But we’ll let the captures do the talking!
*This capture pack is for QUAD CORTEX. Please Follow Me in the Cortex Cloud app (TheToneShepherd) and make sure you fill out the form asking for your User Name upon checkout. Please allow 12 hours for me to transfer your products but it’s likely it’ll be much faster!
*V2 amp captures are completed and will be transferred to you with any new purchase. I’m still in development of my V2 “all-in-one” presets but you’ll receive the Beta versions now.
WATCH THE FULL SOUND DEMO HERE
Full “Humbucker” Voiced Preset with Effects and Captures
Full “Single Coil” Voiced Preset with Effects and Captures
Vox AC30 Pack - 14 Captures
Fender Prosonic Pack - 14 Captures
Various Drives - 24 Captures
The goal of this “all-in-one” preset is to replicate my analog pedalboard and some of my go-to wet effects as close as I could. I captured my AC30 and Prosonic amps to be the anchor for my tone and then captured all 6 of the drives on my main board to give you access to nearly the exact same tones I use every day. I also included 14 additional drive captures as a bonus!
*This capture pack is for QUAD CORTEX. Please Follow Me in the Cortex Cloud app (TheToneShepherd) and make sure you fill out the form asking for your User Name upon checkout. Please allow 2-3 days for me to transfer your products but it’s likely it’ll be much faster!
The Matchless Clubman delivers a punchy, harmonically rich British voice—tight low end, chimey yet muscular mids, and a smooth, articulate breakup that stays clear even when pushed. There’s a weight and authority to every note that feels alive under your fingers. The low end is focused without ever getting flubby, the mids are rich and forward with that unmistakable Matchless character, and the top end carries a clarity that cuts without harshness. It’s bold, articulate, and incredibly touch-sensitive—clean up with your volume knob or dig in and it pushes into a smooth, harmonically complex breakup that never loses clarity.
43 Captures (V1 and V2 captures included)
Head Captures and IRs
3 Different Speakers
API 3122V Preamp & Neve 8803 EQ
Miced with a Shure 545SD
The uber rare Elliott Revenuer is one of two amp offerings from the famed guitar builder, Andy Elliott. Like Andy’s guitars, his amps are handcrafted and uniquely tuned to put the expression back in the players hands. This amp will make you honest! The Revenuer has a preamp section similar to a Tweed Deluxe paired with a Marshall-esque power section. It truly is a unique amp and has a tone that will undoubtedly bring a freshness to your collection!
This is a collection of my favorite drives at my favorite gain and tone settings for each peal. Though these were dialed in around my AC30 and Prosonic amps from my Signature Rig Preset, these drives can no doubt fit a wide variety of amps and styles.
*This capture pack is for QUAD CORTEX. Please Follow Me in the Cortex Cloud app (TheToneShepherd) and make sure you fill out the form asking for your User Name upon checkout. Please allow 2-3 days for me to transfer your products but it’s likely it’ll be much faster!