$99.00 Tube Head? Leave it to Kustom.

[karpathion]

Re: $99.00 Tube Head? Leave it to Kustom.

Should be interesting considering the fact that it uses an EL-34. I think most of the real low wattage amps are EL-84 based.

Thats a misprint it's an 84.

[donnievaz]

Re: $99.00 Tube Head? Leave it to Kustom.

Thats a misprint it's an 84.

I thought that was a little odd.

[karpathion]

Re: $99.00 Tube Head? Leave it to Kustom.

Scroll down and look at the schematic on this page. I can so add a pre-amp to this thing, it's simple.

http://www.kustom.com/Content/20103/DEFENDER5H_OM_7MAR2010_MM.pdf

[ImmortalSix]

Re: $99.00 Tube Head? Leave it to Kustom.

Chief Engineer: James Brown

[Benjy_26]

Re: $99.00 Tube Head? Leave it to Kustom.

I'll post my impressions after I get it. I think that this might sound bad, but I'm hoping for at least an interesting bad sound I can use.

[drpietrzak]

Re: $99.00 Tube Head? Leave it to Kustom.

Thats a misprint it's an 84.

There went my interest.

[eschoendorff]

Re: $99.00 Tube Head? Leave it to Kustom.

Interesting that it uses a single EL34 instead of an EL84 - unless that's a typo.

Crap - just read the two posts above mine. Well, now it's just like taht crappy Crate VC508 I used to have back in 1999. Man that thing was a POS!

[Low_fidelity2100]

Re: $99.00 Tube Head? Leave it to Kustom.

Personally I'm not gonna pass judgement until I've played one. I've got another $99 tube amp that I've been using fairly regularly at home since 2006, an Epi Valve Jr. Combo I got when they first came out (noise issues and everything). I performed a simple mod to get rid of the extra noise, an its a decent little at home/recording amp for $99. I mean sure, its got crappy construction, and definitely isn't made from the best parts....but you can't really expect that for $99. It certainly sounds alright, nothing great, but far better than any SS amp in anywhere near the price range.

I like how everyone loves to complain about how expensive "good" gear is, yet when someone puts out a cheap little tube amp...Everyone and they're grandma comes running in to talk about what **** it is, before they've even tried it.

BTW, I've also got one of the Older Kustom Defender amps (50 watter EL34 1x12 single channel) and its a great great amp. I've been using it as my main gigging amp for close to a year now. An after all that time, regularly being run pretty high up....I've experienced no issues with it. Kustom makes some pretty quality stuff, even if some of it is cheap.

[karpathion]

Re: $99.00 Tube Head? Leave it to Kustom.

It would be a good amp to test tubes with. You could try different 12ax7 combinations on a very primitive level, as well as single el-84s. All you really get from this amp is what the tubes have to offer.

[Wonker]

Re: $99.00 Tube Head? Leave it to Kustom.

It's going to be a cool mod box

[Sanford]

Re: $99.00 Tube Head? Leave it to Kustom.

With the proper A/B/C/D/E/Y box and a few cabs I bet you could get some interesting things happening.

[Fender_Punk]

Re: $99.00 Tube Head? Leave it to Kustom.

Brugera's version of this Kustom. "The Defriender" (get it?! cause you'll lose all your friends! bad amp, no friends. anyone?)

WRONG!! I own a Bugera V5 and I love it. Just finished playing my MIM Tele through it. May only have one 4 ohm speaker out but the 0.1-1-5 Watt switch is very handy. If I get time I'll record some clips, put 'em on soundclick and post 'em in tips and clips, just for disprove all the hate!

[Reload in 5]

Re: $99.00 Tube Head? Leave it to Kustom.

love at first sight. thanks for the heads up. by the time it's up full blast, that's gotta be kinda loud still though, huh?!

If its anything like a valve jr (the original $99 - 1 12ax7, 1 el84 amp) then yes it will be loud

[DankStar]

Re: $99.00 Tube Head? Leave it to Kustom.

WRONG!! I own a Buger V5 and I love it. Just finished playing my MIM Tele through it. May only have one 4 ohm speaker out but the 0.1-1-5 Watt switch is very handy. If I get time I'll record some clips, put 'em on soundclick and post 'em in tips and clips, just for disprove all the hate!

that's cool, I was just goofing 'round.

[BlueSnMettle]

Re: $99.00 Tube Head? Leave it to Kustom.

Sorry, didn't read any of the previous posts.
For 99clams it's worth the experiment. May
order one right now. Done. Let's compare
when we get'em dudes.

Peace,

Darrin