Original 1982 Tom Scholz Model I Power Soak Amp Attenuator

The 1982 Tom Scholz Power Soak Model I is an iconic, vintage guitar amplifier power attenuator designed by Tom Scholz (the founder and guitarist of the rock band Boston) and manufactured by his company, Scholz Research & Development.

As the first commercially successful, highly reliable attenuator, it allowed guitarists to push massive tube amplifiers (like 100-watt Marshall stacks) into natural power-tube saturation and heavy overdrive while dialing down the output to a safe, manageable room or studio volume.

Features & Design

• Condition: Overall in Excellent condition, tested and fully functional
• The Model II Evolution: Released at the tail end of 1981 and spanning into 1982, the Model II added a dedicated Tube / Solid-State switch on the rear panel, ensuring compatibility across different amplifier architectures.
• Multi-Impedance Selection: The unit features selectable settings for 4Ω, 8Ω, and 16Ω loads, allowing it to act safely between various heads and speaker cabinets.
• True Volume Regulation: Unlike previous "dummy loads" that only dropped volume by a fixed percentage, the Power Soak was celebrated for its actual step-adjustable attenuation control knob.
• Passive Operation: It is completely passive, requiring no external power supply or wall outlet to function