Boutique amps... pros and cons...
- Thread starter mwalluk
- Start date
Chris of Arabia
Desert RATT
Re: Boutique amps... pros and cons...
I was a little surprised to see Hiwatt mentioned as a boutique amp. Perhaps that's just how they're perceived on that side of the pond though.
I was a little surprised to see Hiwatt mentioned as a boutique amp. Perhaps that's just how they're perceived on that side of the pond though.
Edgecrusher
Well-known member
Re: Boutique amps... pros and cons...
I have a Dorado. When i bought it he had stopped making the custom 100's and wasnt making the MaK2 yet. As far as single channel brutality goes its unparallelled.
I have a Dorado. When i bought it he had stopped making the custom 100's and wasnt making the MaK2 yet. As far as single channel brutality goes its unparallelled.
Soulcrusher_X
New member
Re: Boutique amps... pros and cons...
I do love me some sweet Marshally goodness, but I would have to agree, having owned two Splawns and built an SLO-type amp. Yeah.
I do love me some sweet Marshally goodness, but I would have to agree, having owned two Splawns and built an SLO-type amp. Yeah.
Soulcrusher_X
New member
Re: Boutique amps... pros and cons...
Just watch, the 'block letter' 5150 will top this list one day. Booteek as they come, baby!
Just watch, the 'block letter' 5150 will top this list one day. Booteek as they come, baby!
Archer_of_Fish
New member
Re: Boutique amps... pros and cons...
A huge con is finding a replacement if you are playing somewhere that doesnt have a dealer and your stuff crashes.
A huge con is finding a replacement if you are playing somewhere that doesnt have a dealer and your stuff crashes.
Archer_of_Fish
New member
Re: Boutique amps... pros and cons...
My Diezel does pretty much anything. I use channel one on my Powerball to get chicken picking tones with my tele. I am not a really high gain player but like high gain amps, I just bring the gain down. It confuses people when I show up at a blues jam with an ENGL powerball and a 2X12. But I always get told how great it sounds.
My Diezel does pretty much anything. I use channel one on my Powerball to get chicken picking tones with my tele. I am not a really high gain player but like high gain amps, I just bring the gain down. It confuses people when I show up at a blues jam with an ENGL powerball and a 2X12. But I always get told how great it sounds.
mwalluk
New member
Re: Boutique amps... pros and cons...
Hahahah. That's awesome man. I like the option of having higher gain if needed. Plus the whole shock, didn't expect that thing.,
Hahahah. That's awesome man. I like the option of having higher gain if needed. Plus the whole shock, didn't expect that thing.,
Archer_of_Fish
New member
Re: Boutique amps... pros and cons...
If its made in a factory with workers who cant make the entire amp on their own they arent Boutique.
Mesa, Diezel, ENGL....not boutique amps.
If its made in a factory with workers who cant make the entire amp on their own they arent Boutique.
Mesa, Diezel, ENGL....not boutique amps.
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Archer_of_Fish
New member
Re: Boutique amps... pros and cons...
I did a country gig with the powerball, a tele, a compressor and a tubescreamer. I used channel 1 and it ruled.
I did a country gig with the powerball, a tele, a compressor and a tubescreamer. I used channel 1 and it ruled.
Toe-Knee
New member
Toe-Knee
New member
Edgecrusher
Well-known member
Re: Boutique amps... pros and cons...
Ive never heard boutique being described by the size of the factory. I always took boutique to mean the low production elite small market stuff.
Just cause something is made in a garage by one dude doesnt make it elite. Theres plenty of kit builders around who essentially fall into your category of boutique.
Ive never heard boutique being described by the size of the factory. I always took boutique to mean the low production elite small market stuff.
Just cause something is made in a garage by one dude doesnt make it elite. Theres plenty of kit builders around who essentially fall into your category of boutique.
Toe-Knee
New member
Re: Boutique amps... pros and cons...
I generally see boutique as being built by a guy who knows the amp inside out and will happilly tweak anything for you within reason and has a true passion for what he is doing.
PCB or turret board is irrellevant really its whatever works for the application at hand.
Also another great reason to go boutique is lifetime transferable warranties these guys are so proud of their work and know it will last that they generally offer this (or at least soldano & splawn do afaik).
I generally see boutique as being built by a guy who knows the amp inside out and will happilly tweak anything for you within reason and has a true passion for what he is doing.
PCB or turret board is irrellevant really its whatever works for the application at hand.
Also another great reason to go boutique is lifetime transferable warranties these guys are so proud of their work and know it will last that they generally offer this (or at least soldano & splawn do afaik).
mwalluk
New member
Re: Boutique amps... pros and cons...
I think that's where te misconception lies. Some people view boutique as expensive 5k designs that are made from small market companies ie garage builders ala custom. I view boutique as upper end elite small market companies ( compared to Mesa and Marshall). Correct me if I'm wrong but I view fryette as boutique. His amps are top notch and he really knows his stuff. More over a deliverance sixty new cost $1600 which compared to a new Mesa or Marshall is actually a lot cheaper
I think that's where te misconception lies. Some people view boutique as expensive 5k designs that are made from small market companies ie garage builders ala custom. I view boutique as upper end elite small market companies ( compared to Mesa and Marshall). Correct me if I'm wrong but I view fryette as boutique. His amps are top notch and he really knows his stuff. More over a deliverance sixty new cost $1600 which compared to a new Mesa or Marshall is actually a lot cheaper
Archer_of_Fish
New member
Re: Boutique amps... pros and cons...
I never said elite. I said boutique....the 2 terms don't have to go hand in hand. Boutiques are small facilities, low production numbers, less reliance on PCB or computer generated production methods. ENGL, Mesa, Diezel are all PCB amps made in factories using pretty high tech means. All 3 are awesome (ENGL makes my favourite amps by far) and are as good or better than the offerings from small 'boutique' makers but their production facilities are hardly what cold be labelled boutique set ups.
Also, Mesas are everywhere they are very common amps. In Europe ENGL, Framus and Diezel are not rare amps they are common.
I never said elite. I said boutique....the 2 terms don't have to go hand in hand. Boutiques are small facilities, low production numbers, less reliance on PCB or computer generated production methods. ENGL, Mesa, Diezel are all PCB amps made in factories using pretty high tech means. All 3 are awesome (ENGL makes my favourite amps by far) and are as good or better than the offerings from small 'boutique' makers but their production facilities are hardly what cold be labelled boutique set ups.
Also, Mesas are everywhere they are very common amps. In Europe ENGL, Framus and Diezel are not rare amps they are common.
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Archer_of_Fish
New member
Re: Boutique amps... pros and cons...
I wouldn't call Fryette boutique anymore than I would Mesa, ENGL, Diezel or Framus. I've had one apart,
it looks like any other modern, multi channel amp. Take apart a Carr or a Zinky or a Harry Joyce and
you see boutique innards.
I would say there are many levels of amps, from cheap to one man Dumble sort of makers. When you
have PCBs and other elements the grey area begins.
Just my opinion, what others think is fine too
I wouldn't call Fryette boutique anymore than I would Mesa, ENGL, Diezel or Framus. I've had one apart,
it looks like any other modern, multi channel amp. Take apart a Carr or a Zinky or a Harry Joyce and
you see boutique innards.
I would say there are many levels of amps, from cheap to one man Dumble sort of makers. When you
have PCBs and other elements the grey area begins.
Just my opinion, what others think is fine too
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