The amp that ended my GAS

[Agileguy_101]

The Epiphone, of course.

No, I'm talking about TW Express clone up top, the Athena. Hand built by forum brother zzmoore with a Edcor output transformer, =C= El-34 (at least from what I could see) and a red headshell. He loaned it to me (and the other two amps in that shot, along with the green 2x12) while he's fixing my Bassman.

I got to crank it for about two hours yesterday. Dear god, I love this amp. It's louder than holy hell - probably the loudest amp I've played, considering I'm running a 2x12. I can't even imagine doing a full stack with this thing. It's the most responsive amplifier I've ever played - you can have the volume at around 3:00, which is a metric ass ton of distortion, and get amazing cleans by rolling back your volume.

As for the general voicing of the amp - I really haven't played a lot of old Marshalls or clones, or amps of this vein, so I really don't know how to compare it accurately. I would say though that it's very marshall-esque, but smoother. Less bark to the mids. I attribute that to the hemp cones of my V30's though - I'd like to A/B it with a Plexi on a Marshall 4x12 with regular V30's.

Although I'm only borrowing it for the moment, it will be mine sometime this year. I know that while it's not going to work for the music I'm playing at the moment (hard rock/stoner metal), my roots are heavily steeped in blues rock and roots music, and that's where this amp is king. I know that when I go back to that, I'll want this amp. Honestly, it's inspiring me to start a blues rock band right now!

Side note - I'd like to give a shoutout to zzmoore. Throughout the time he's been working on my amp, he's been nothing but the highest standard of professional in every regard, so much so that I knew my bassman was in the right hands before I played it. Now that I've played the amp he made himself, I can't imagine taking it back to anyone else. It's practically half his for all the work he's put into it anyway Between this amp and my bassman, the only other amp I'd buy is something like a Jet City or something (barring $200 SF fenders or something equally insane).

Long winded, I know, but I'm so excited to have found such an amazing amp.

 

[MetalManiac]

Re: The amp that ended my GAS

If I were you, I'd swap out one of those hemp '30's for a G12H'30. Best of all possible worlds. Youll have smooth prsent mids, and a fat full low end with crunchy low mids and the clear articulate crisp highs of the G12H will blend well with the singing smooth highs of the Hemp 30.
Thats exactly the type of thing I'm doing in my '67 2x12 Bassman Cabinet for my Blackface '66 Bassman head, but voiced American instead of British.
I'll run a Ceramic G12K-100 paper cone Jensen and a Alnico Hempcone Canis Major Emienece for a American sound for a very balanced sound ( I think?).

 

[cakire82]

Re: The amp that ended my GAS

There is not such thing called END OF GAS but congrats for your new future amp.

 

[the guy who invented fire]

Re: The amp that ended my GAS

If I were you, I'd swap out one of those hemp '30's for a G12H'30. Best of all possible worlds. Youll have smooth prsent mids, and a fat full low end with crunchy low mids and the clear articulate crisp highs of the G12H will blend well with the singing smooth highs of the Hemp 30.
Thats exactly the type of thing I'm doing in my '67 2x12 Bassman Cabinet for my Blackface '66 Bassman head, but voiced American instead of British.
I'll run a Ceramic G12K-100 paper cone Jensen and a Alnico Hempcone Canis Major Emienece for a American sound for a very balanced sound ( I think?).

:smack: