1982 Tom Scholz Power Soak Model II

Cosmetically clean and fully functional Tom Scholz Power Soak Model II from 1982, serial number 82 9093. The chassis, faceplate graphics, perforated metal cage, volume knob, and rear panel label are all in great shape with only minor signs of age. All jacks, the volume control, the impedance selector, and the tube/solid state switch operate as they should.

The Tom Scholz Power Soak Model II is the original — and arguably most historically significant — guitar amp attenuator ever made. Designed by Tom Scholz of Boston and released by his company Scholz Research & Development in late 1980, the Power Soak was the first commercial attenuator that actually worked: 100% reliable, faithful to the sound of the amp, and the first to include a usable volume control rather than just a fixed dummy load. Before this unit existed, getting cranked tube amp tone at lower volumes wasn't really a solved problem. Scholz solved it.
The Model II arrived at the end of 1981 and added the now-iconic Tube/Solid State switch on the rear panel, expanding compatibility to solid-state amplifiers while keeping tube amps as its primary target. Production ran a short window before the Power Soak was discontinued in 1982 when SR&D pivoted to the Rockman headphone amp, making clean Model II examples increasingly hard to find. A Model III reissue followed in 1992 with the jacks moved to the rear panel, but the original front-jack Model II is the one collectors and tone purists actually want.

The circuit is purely resistive, handles up to 100–120 watts, and offers eight discrete attenuation steps from -3 dB down to -32 dB (where the front-panel headphone output becomes usable). The rear panel includes a printed reference chart of common amp/cab impedance pairings — Marshall, Hiwatt, Orange, Fender, Ampeg, Mesa, Peavey, Sound City — which tells you everything about the era this thing was built for. Made in Weston, Massachusetts.

f you have a JTM45, a Plexi, an old Hiwatt, or any vintage tube amp that only really comes alive past the point your neighbours will tolerate, this is a piece of guitar amplification history that still does the job.

Specs:
Type: Resistive power attenuator
Maximum Power Handling: 100–120 watts
Attenuation Range: -3 dB to -32 dB in 8 steps (-3, -6, -9, -12, -15, -19, -25, -32 dB)
Speaker Impedance Selector: 4 / 8 / 16 ohms
Amplifier Type Switch: Tube / Solid State (rear panel)
Connections: 1x Connect to Amp Output Jack (1/4"), 2x Connect to Speakers (1/4"), 1x Headphone Output (active at -32 dB)
Construction: Steel chassis with perforated metal heat-dissipation cage
Manufacturer: Scholz Research & Development, Inc., Weston, Massachusetts
Year of Manufacture: 1982
Serial Number: 82 9093