3rd Power Dragon 45 112 Combo vs Bad Cat Cub V EL34

The 3rd Power Dragon 45 112 Combo and the Bad Cat Cub V EL34 are both amplifiers sharing high headroom, mid-forward, dynamic. The 3rd Power Dragon 45 112 Combo leans warm. The Bad Cat Cub V EL34 leans glassy and spring. Current prices: $4099 vs $2845.24.

Similarity
citedBlended from circuit-archetype lineage, dynamic feel, tone-signal overlap and tone-vector distance — the tone vector itself is derived from editorial description text, not a measured acoustic signal, so this reflects how similarly the catalog copy describes the two, not a lab measurement. Shown only within a gear class, and only where there's enough evidence to be meaningful.

39% — somewhat different

Shared tone character
citedDerived from overlapping tonal signals across both listings.
  • high headroom
  • mid-forward
  • dynamic
  • transparent
  • crunchy
Citation fame
citedCitation/mention fame — how often this gear is cited across artist rigs and gear discussion.
0%
17%
Price

$4099via Reverb

$2845.24via Reverb

Description

The 3rd Power Dragon 45 is a hand-wired 45-watt EL34 1x12 combo amplifier in the Dragon series, bridging the gap between the 25-watt and 100-watt Dragon platform offerings. Inspired by the 1967-1968 Marshall Plexi Super Lead 100, it delivers British midrange authority, explosive harmonic texture, and touch-sensitive response in a self-contained combo format. The 45-watt EL34 power section provides headroom for medium-to-large venues while reaching natural power-tube saturation at realistic stage volumes. It suits players seeking Plexi-toned authority without the setup complexity of a separate head and cabinet.

The Bad Cat Cub V EL34 is a 40-watt point-to-point hand-wired guitar amplifier using two EL34 power tubes, delivering the chimey Vox-lineage character of the Cub V with more punch and midrange authority than the EL84 version. The EL34 power section provides a slightly more British-influenced breakup character and greater stage headroom, while the switchable EF86/12AX7 preamp tube and tube-driven spring reverb expand the tonal range from pristine clean to harmonically rich overdrive. It suits players who want the Cub's expressive touch response and chimey personality at volumes where the 15-watt EL84 version runs short.

Genres
citedGenres this gear is documented as being used in.
  • Blues Rock
  • Classic Rock
  • Indie Rock
  • Blues
  • Country
Tonal lean
  • warm
  • glassy
  • spring
  • bright
  • edge of breakup
Good for
citedOccasions this gear suits — judged per model, or derived from its wattage, connectivity and category.
  • Live
  • Studio
  • Live
  • Studio
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3rd Power Dragon 45 112 Combo vs Bad Cat Cub V EL34 — Shared Character & Differences — NodeTone