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

These knobs go to infinity. (Click to see it bigger, Satellite photo.)

Here’s more of the conversation with Satellite Amplification‘s Adam Grimm. We wound up part 1 talking about what classic amps his amps sound like, and he gave a long answer that ended with: “I do like to think of my amps as being aggressive, punchy, gainy, angry tone machines. They do tend to have a mid punch to them all.” So: …click here to read more

Here's the Atom. Too complicated for ya? (Satellite photo)

Part 1

Satellite amps are the haikus of the amp world: Simple but they convey a lot. Just look at the front panel. Two knobs (labeled Volume and Tone, but no numbers), two unlabeled input jacks, one switch that covers Off, On and Standby. That’s it. …click here to read more

Whoever shot this photo knows what he likes.

I’ve been down a dark rabbit hole called Wizard lately. I keep pulling up YouTube clips of these amps because I keep hearing that something I really like, which is that Marshally upper-mid thing with extra Hiwatt-ish shimmer. I’ve heard it different places …click here to read more

Purple! (Click to see it way bigger.)

Here’s the final part of the interview with Electroplex owner and amp designer Don Morris. Part 1 is here.

AmpGAS: What was the first Electroplex amp?

Don: My first model was the 90, which came out in 1994. Back then it was very hard to get good overdrive and low volume, so I built the overdrive into the preamp. A Guitar Player review in 1997 said it can really sound like a full-on overdriven amplifier without pushing the output stage at all. …click here to read more

(Electroplex image. Click to see it bigger.)

Part 1

A few weeks ago I’d never heard of Electroplex amps let alone actually heard one. But Electroplex was at the NY/NJ Amp Show and I was too, so…. I stepped into the Electroplex room with my Les Paul, saw a bunch of Fender-looking amps and thought: I doubt it but I’ll give it a shot – the “it” being a sweet (and hot) classic rock tone. …click here to read more