Simple Amp, opinions wanted

[bungalowbill]

Re: Simple Amp, opinions wanted

I'm thinking of a simple 5 knob amp, vol, treb, mid, bass and reverb. Deep switch and bright switch. Hi/Lo inputs Classic american surf tone.

Is there a market for it? :usa1:

If I had the cash this is the amp I would want you to build for me.... with 2 6V6's along the lines of a BF Deluxe Reverb. Maybe by the springtime I could cough up the coin.

 

[Fresh_Start]

Re: Simple Amp, opinions wanted

A Blackface Princeton Reverb with at least one more gain stage added and a 12" speaker... sweet!

I like the KISS approach, but master volume would be a plus for marketing IMHO.

Chip

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Simple Amp, opinions wanted

If you're going to keep the output down to 20 watts or less, you wouldn't nned a master volume...but on 30 watts and up amps, I think, it's a good idea to have a master volume. Lew

 

[aleclee]

Re: Simple Amp, opinions wanted

You know what would be seriously cool, and totally unique? A STEREO tube amp! Tube pre-amp, fx send, stereo fx return, and a power amp that can either run stereo or parallel mono.

[cough]Rivera[/cough]

They did that about ten years ago.

 

[ratherdashing]

Re: Simple Amp, opinions wanted

ratherdashing's idea sounds too complicated. just use a wireless transmitter and find a transmitter with two outputs for the box? it'd cost a lot less and sound better. or you could do it up italia mondial style and have stereo outputs.

That is nothing like my idea at all.

 

[ratherdashing]

Re: Simple Amp, opinions wanted

[cough]Rivera[/cough]

They did that about ten years ago.

Did it have a bias switch on each power amp?

 

[Jeroen]

Re: Simple Amp, opinions wanted

You know what would be seriously cool, and totally unique? A STEREO tube amp! Tube pre-amp, fx send, stereo fx return, and a power amp that can either run stereo or parallel mono. Head or 2x12 combo.

And here's the kicker: have one side of the power amp run 6L6's, and the other side run EL34's! Or put a switchable bias on both, so the user can decide: all 6L6, all EL34, or half and half.

Not entirely new, nor unique, but cool nevertheless.
Brunetti has the Star-T-rack, a 2x60 amp head. No switchable powertube option, but each half of the poweramp is switchable between some 20 watts class A operation or 60 watts class AB operation, dramatically changing the voicing of the amp. Not only can you use both halves at the same time, but you can also switch between them, essentially changing your 2-channel head into a 4-channel.

Then there's the Koch Supernova that's expected just after the summer. It's a five-channel (!) all tube monster, with four channels having completely separate controls and one sharing the EQ with another. Multiple, midi-assignable FX-loops, lots of other midi-capabilities, and you can choose between 120 watts mono or 2x60 watts stereo operation. Should be an incredible amp, but probably very, VERY expensive.

Rivera is mentioned above, but I don't think the TBR-1 was switchable between the two poweramps? It did have incredible impedance and wattage switching capabilities though. And that tone!

 

[ES350]

Re: Simple Amp, opinions wanted

Some of the most desirable amps out there right now are the tweed Deluxe, Vibrolux Reverb and Deluxe Reverb...people pay stupid money for these simple amps. Why? They sound very good, they are incredibly reliable, and they are SIMPLE. They are reliable because they are SIMPLE. They sound good because they are simple---one good basic tone that isn't trying to be all things to all people. Fender already went the route of adding MV, pull boosts, effects loops, blah blah blah---and nobody wants them.

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Simple Amp, opinions wanted

Boy....this simple 5 knob amp of Scott's has gained alot more knobs!:laugh2:

 

[Ken]

Re: Simple Amp, opinions wanted

Boy....this simple 5 knob amp od Scott's has gained alot more knobs!:laugh2:

Hahaha, I've been thinking that this entire time...

"Yeah, Scott, that sounds great but...could you put a rotisserie on it?"

 

[LesStrat]

Re: Simple Amp, opinions wanted

What I really would like is a 5W Franklin with 'verb.

 

[the guy who invented fire]

Re: Simple Amp, opinions wanted

well...a full tonestack, tone switches and built in reverb is not my idea of a simple amp but that said it sounds like an overgrown single channel Deluxe Reverb so go for it...

 

[Scott_F]

Re: Simple Amp, opinions wanted

Boy....this simple 5 knob amp of Scott's has gained alot more knobs!:laugh2:

Man, ain't that the truth! Thanks for the feedback gentlemen. Parts are ordered. I'll let you know how it turns out.

 

[ratherdashing]

Re: Simple Amp, opinions wanted

Not entirely new, nor unique, but cool nevertheless.
Brunetti has the Star-T-rack, a 2x60 amp head. No switchable powertube option, but each half of the poweramp is switchable between some 20 watts class A operation or 60 watts class AB operation, dramatically changing the voicing of the amp. Not only can you use both halves at the same time, but you can also switch between them, essentially changing your 2-channel head into a 4-channel.

Then there's the Koch Supernova that's expected just after the summer. It's a five-channel (!) all tube monster, with four channels having completely separate controls and one sharing the EQ with another. Multiple, midi-assignable FX-loops, lots of other midi-capabilities, and you can choose between 120 watts mono or 2x60 watts stereo operation. Should be an incredible amp, but probably very, VERY expensive.

Rivera is mentioned above, but I don't think the TBR-1 was switchable between the two poweramps? It did have incredible impedance and wattage switching capabilities though. And that tone!

Those all sound very complicated. I'm not suggesting a complicated amp, just a simple amp with two independent power amps. Here's an example:

Front Panel:
input jack
gain
bass
mid
treble
presence
master 1
master 2
power & standby switches

Rear Panel:
effects send jack
effects return 1 jack
effects return 2 jack
bias switch 1
bias switch 2 (make these hard to accidentally hit)
speaker jacks

That's it. No channel switching, no footswitch ... maybe reverb.

 

[drpietrzak]

Re: Simple Amp, opinions wanted

Sounds a lot like a vintage Fender or Marshall. Perhaps even my Traynor Bass Master.

 

[Falstaff]

Re: Simple Amp, opinions wanted

Ditch a few of the tone knobs and put in tube trem (or vib, whatever it is).

Edit: and a cupholder. Have any amps come with a cupholder?

 

[skyking]

Re: Simple Amp, opinions wanted

ya i like the cup holder idea, maybe with a built in coozy to keep my beer cold. ya that would be awesome! lol!

 

[idsnowdog]

Re: Simple Amp, opinions wanted

Maybe the cool tone controls like a Dumble.

 

[Scott_F]

Re: Simple Amp, opinions wanted

I am so going to add a drink holder to an amp one day... That'd be awesome...

 

[Mincer]

Re: Simple Amp, opinions wanted

kinda like a mesa blue angel, without the 2 different sets of power tubes. very cool idea.