52 Amplifier Heads, week 42—Koch Studiotone

Regular readers of this weekly series will know that I’m looking for my first tube amplifier head. I’m not in a band and I’m not after something to shake the dust from the window sills. I am after some good tone though. Ideally something that records nicely. Clearly I need a studio tune. Or perhaps a Studiotone by Koch. Same diff perhaps.

That’s lame. It’s late. You get what my mind is still capable of at this hour.

The Studiotone is a 20 watt head that features not one or two channels, but three channels. Nice right? There is clean and overdrive (as you’d expect) but there is also the additional overdrive boost channel (which must be an overdrive channel that has been given a hand up to get it over that wall of sound we often hear about). OK, it’s not, but it’s still cool.

This amplifier looks small and it looks basic, but it is seriously an impressive and very complete package. I’ll prove it in the best way I know how. With a sexy little list.

• 3 channels (clean, overdrive and overdrive boost)
• 2 x EL84 powertubes
• Two front panel voicing switches
• 4, 8 and 16 ohm speaker outlets
• Effects loop
• Recording outlet with speaker simulation
• Reverb
• Clean channel volume
• Overdrive volume and gain
• Bass, Middle and Treble controls
• Footswitchable

That’s a whole lot of cool. As I mentioned when I began this very short but sweet article, recording is something I’m interested in. Having the recording outlet with the speaker simulation appeals to me greatly. This amp could be a winner. It’s certainly appealing to me.

But nobody cares what I think. People care about the sound. “Prove it’s a decent amp” I hear people saying. Well, there are these videos I suppose. The first one is quite lengthy and showcases quite a few different tones and settings in this amplifier head. This second video is short and sweet (like the built-in reverb). The second video also features an ape with a pocket watch. Nothing says good tone like an ape with a pocket watch.

Disclaimer: I’ve not played through this head. I have not experienced the sound or tone of this head other than through video. That doesn’t matter. It looks awesome, it’s obviously played by winners and I want one.