JJ Electronic tubes continue to win converts for their reliability and consistency, so it was seriously interested when I heard about their three new power tubes: 6CA7, 6550 and a new tube called an EL844.

We recently covered the 6CA7 over on WoodyTone.com, so here’ we’ll just deal with the other two.

To find out more about thee tubes, I talked to Bob Pletka at Eurotubes, who works closely with JJ. My first question to him was …click here to read more

[Here's part 1 if you missed it –Ed.]

AmpGAS: Anything else you’d like to mention or highlight about Mack Amps construction?

Don: Yes. We strive to produce the lowest-cost handmade boutique amps on the planet, but that doesn’t mean we cut corners. …click here to read more

Don Mackrill Interview, Part 1

Mack Amps has always billed itself as one of the most affordable boutique amps out there. And this year the company announced it lowered prices even more. How’s that possible? I wanted to know, so I asked. Here’s some info …click here to read more

If you spend any time searching YouTube for Edward Van Halen-related tones, you’ll probably run across vids by Curt Granger, who owns an amp company by the same name. His 50-watter sounds “just like” that mythical tone in many ways. When I heard it, I had to know more.

I chased him down for a brief interview, with that tone as a starting point. Here we go.

> Note that Curt and his amps will be at the Southeastern Guitar and Amp Show in Raleigh this weekend. …click here to read more

Not really pertinent but funny!

Times are hard, man. They are, else I would be snapping up great amps left and right!

It’s also a good time to be making sure your current investments in amps remain good investments – especially if you have cats, kids or even…gig.

In that spirit, here is the ultimate …click here to read more

All I need is a couple more amps....

A few weeks ago, I ran across this blurb somewhere on the web: …click here to read more

(Tube Tramp photo, click to see it bigger.)

WTF is a Thor amp? That would’ve been my reaction before I ran across a recent thread at the Metroamps board. The thread is authored by tubetramp, more properly known as Terry Kilgore, who grew up with Ed Van Halen, is friends with him, was in DLR’s band for a bit and no doubt has done more of note. …click here to read more

Here's the MetroAmp kit (MetroAmp photo).

Do you hear “it” in this vid? “It” of course being a bit of EVH.

This is a ’68 spec Metro Amp kit, which refers to a 1968 Marshall Super Lead-spec – a la EVH’s prized Marshall plexi head…and it certainly sounds like it.

What’s remarkable about this clip is that it’s live, played with other instruments and the amp is a kit! – meaning anyone can build it to get the same tone (bearing in mind that you have to play Ed-like to get “it”). …click here to read more

Can't miss the Mace in this shot.

I got thinking about the Peavey Mace – at one time an amp I pursued (a little) – from a recent WoodyTone post on Neal Schon’s early gear. In the late ’70s into ’80, Neal was a Mace user which like the old Music Man amps had a solid state preamp and a tube power amp.

But while the Music Mans had at most four 6L6 tubes, Maces had six! It seems the bands at the time – notably Skynyrd – liked that the amps could preamp-distort at lower volumes and go up to insane volumes for ’70s stages. (Skynyrd, which altered their Maces, at one point actually tried to make the amps louder!) …click here to read more

Here's a Neutron in "bass boat" silver (click to see it bigger, Satellite photo).

In the final part of this interview series with Satellite Amplification‘s Adam Grimm, he talks about why his amps are embraced by punk rock guys (it’s the vintage in them), his “bass boat” tolex (my term for it) and amp pricing. He’s a great interview, and you will be seeing more from him in the future.

AmpGAS: How do your amps get that sweet feedback? …click here to read more