The Bad Cat Cub V Hand-Wired 112 Combo is a Bad Cat amplifier, currently around $3258.65. Close alternatives include the Strymon Iridium and the Matchless 30/15 Reverb 30W 1x12" Combo. It pairs well with the Marshall Guv'nor and the Univox Super-Fuzz.
Bad Cat Cub V Hand-Wired 112 Combo
Bad Cat · amplifier
The Bad Cat Cub V is a hand-wired, point-to-point 15-watt EL84 combo built in Costa Mesa, California, featuring switchable 12AX7 and EF86 preamp tubes that let a player access two genuinely different gain and character options from the same chassis, alongside a tube-driven spring reverb, dual master volume controls, and a UK-made Celestion 12-inch speaker custom-voiced for Bad Cat. The company also offers it in a 40-watt EL34 configuration and as either a head or combo, but the 15-watt EL84 combo version reviewed here targets players wanting genuine boutique hand-wired tone at more studio and small-venue-friendly volume levels, backed by a five-year warranty reflecting the brand's confidence in its build quality.
What stands out
“The Bad Cat Cub V is a hand-wired, point-to-point 15-watt EL84 combo built in Costa Mesa, California, featuring switchable 12AX7 and EF86 preamp tubes that let a player access two genuinely different gain and character options from the same…”
— from the listing
“Boutique amp enthusiasts single out the switchable EF86 and 12AX7 preamp tube option as the Cub V's standout feature, since EF86-loaded amps deliver a notably different, often described as richer and more complex, breakup character than the…”
— from the community notes
“For players specifically comparing wattage options, the 40-watt EL34 version trades some of this combo's more intimate breakup character for higher headroom and stage volume”
— from the reviews
“The company also offers it in a 40-watt EL34 configuration and as either a head or combo, but the 15-watt EL84 combo version reviewed here targets players wanting genuine boutique hand-wired tone at more studio and small-venue-friendly volu…”
— from the listing
“In a chain the buffered effects loop lets players integrate time-based pedals cleanly after the preamp gain stage,”
— from the community notes
- tube
- breakup
- studio
- stage
- spring reverb
- driven
- intimate
Good for
- Live
- Studio
- Worship
- Practice
Price updated Oct 24, 2026
Genres the Bad Cat Cub V Hand-Wired 112 Combo is commonly used in
- Rock
- Blues
- Alternative
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag. - Classic Rock
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag. - Country
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag.
Pedals that stack with the Bad Cat Cub V Hand-Wired 112 Combo
Marshall Guv'nor
Marshall
25% matchpushes an amp at the edge of breakupPushes an amp already sitting at the edge of breakup over the line. (edge of breakup → mid-forward)
Feed a edge of breakup signal into Marshall Guv'nor and it comes out closer to mid-forward
Goes in front of the amp
Univox Super-Fuzz
Univox
23% matchpushes an amp at the edge of breakupPushes an amp already sitting at the edge of breakup over the line. (edge of breakup → mid-forward)
Stack Univox Super-Fuzz on top and a edge of breakup tone tightens toward mid-forward
Goes in front of the amp
Black Arts Toneworks LSTR Fuzz
Black Arts Toneworks
23% matchpushes an amp at the edge of breakupPushes an amp already sitting at the edge of breakup over the line. (edge of breakup → mid-forward)
Black Arts Toneworks LSTR Fuzz's own voicing points at a clean amp's front end, and Bad Cat Cub V Hand-Wired 112 Combo delivers it
Goes in front of the amp
TC Electronic Mimiq Doubler
TC Electronic
16% matchsits in the right chain slotPlaced for where it does its job cleanly in the chain, not for a tonal interaction with the anchor.
TC Electronic Mimiq Doubler's mid-forward voice goes after Bad Cat Cub V Hand-Wired 112 Combo in the signal chain — it's not there to compete with Bad Cat Cub V Hand-Wired 112 Combo's own edge of breakup character
Goes in front of the amp
Pigtronix Philosopher's Tone Micro
Pigtronix
12% matchshapes the dynamic responseShapes how the tone responds to picking dynamics rather than its frequency or gain.
What Pigtronix Philosopher's Tone Micro brings here leans toward mid-forward — that's worth building a pairing around
Goes in front of the amp
Boss RV-5 Digital Reverb
pedal
9% matchsits in the right chain slotPlaced for where it does its job cleanly in the chain, not for a tonal interaction with the anchor.
Run Boss RV-5 Digital Reverb in Bad Cat Cub V Hand-Wired 112 Combo's effects loop, clear of Bad Cat Cub V Hand-Wired 112 Combo's own gain stage — goes in the amp's FX loop (or last, into a clean amp)
Sits in the amp's effects loop
Binson Echorec Delay
Binson
8% matchsits in the right chain slotPlaced for where it does its job cleanly in the chain, not for a tonal interaction with the anchor.
Keep Binson Echorec Delay in Bad Cat Cub V Hand-Wired 112 Combo's effects loop, clear of Bad Cat Cub V Hand-Wired 112 Combo's own gain stage — goes in the amp's FX loop (or last, into a clean amp)
Sits in the amp's effects loop
J. Rockett The Dude V2
J Rockett
tonal matchGoes in front of the amp
Into Bad Cat Cub V Hand-Wired 112 Combo, J. Rockett The Dude V2 is right at home: it's built around a clean amp's front end
Cheaper alternatives
Mooer Micro Preamp 004 Day Tripper
Mooer
72% similarityMooer Micro Preamp 004 Day Tripper recreates this amp's tone in pedal form
Audiocade Royal British Velvet AC30 Overdrive/Preamp Clone
Audiocade
72% similarityAudiocade Royal British Velvet AC30 Overdrive/Preamp Clone recreates this amp's tone in pedal form
Vox Valvenergy Mystic Edge
Vox
72% similarityVox Valvenergy Mystic Edge recreates this amp's tone in pedal form
Traynor YCV40 Custom Valve Combo
Traynor
50% similarityShared character: effects loop, reverb, combination
Laney Cub Super 10
Laney
48% similarityShared character: headroom, gain, stage
Marshall Limited-Edition 40-watt all-tube 1x12 combo amplifier
Marshall
47% similarityShared character: headroom, studio
Similar charactersee all similar tone character →
Strymon Iridium
Strymon
72% similarityStrymon Iridium recreates this amp's tone in pedal form
Matchless 30/15 Reverb 30W 1x12" Combo
Matchless
56% similarityShared character: reverb, stage
Supro Delta King 10 (1820RBB)
Supro
53% similarityShared character: combination, reverb, studio
Fender H.O.T. Combo Amplifier
amplifier
51% similarityShared character: studio, effects loop, reverb
Hiwatt tb40
Hiwatt
51% similarityShared character: reverb, brand, studio
Matchless Clubman 35
amplifier
51% similarityShared character: studio, effects loop, stage
See all alternatives to the Bad Cat Cub V Hand-Wired 112 Combo (cheaper + boutique) →
Questions people ask
What are good alternatives to the Bad Cat Cub V Hand-Wired 112 Combo?+
The closest matches in character are the Strymon Iridium, the Matchless 30/15 Reverb 30W 1x12" Combo, the Supro Delta King 10 (1820RBB). Budget picks: Mooer Micro Preamp 004 Day Tripper, Audiocade Royal British Velvet AC30 Overdrive/Preamp Clone, Vox Valvenergy Mystic Edge.
What pairs well with the Bad Cat Cub V Hand-Wired 112 Combo?+
Strong matches from rig and tone-complementarity evidence: Marshall Guv'nor, Univox Super-Fuzz, Black Arts Toneworks LSTR Fuzz — Feed a edge of breakup signal into Marshall Guv'nor and it comes out closer to mid-forward.
How much does the Bad Cat Cub V Hand-Wired 112 Combo cost?+
Around $3258.65 (live listing price, updated Oct 24, 2026).