One thing that has been enjoyable for me as I research different amplifier heads each week is learning what tube or valve options are out there. Some amplifiers have 6L6 tubes, some have EL34 tubes and some have the KT66 tubes. What does someone like me (with limited understanding of the tube types) do with this information? Perhaps someone like me needs to get themselves an amplifier head like the THD Univalve that lets you switch the tubes quickly and easily without a need to re-bias the amp. Cool right? … 52 Amplifier Heads, week 14—THD Univalve
Category: Amplifiers
52 Amplifier Heads, week 13—Hughes & Kettner TubeMeister 5
If this website had colour in it, I’d say that this week’s amplifier was well suited for the blues. Because it glows a lovely shade of blue from … well, everywhere. But this website doesn’t allow colour and the Hughes & Kettner TubeMeister 5 deserves a better introduction than that. Unfortunately, I write as I think and I rarely go back to amend something once I’ve put it out there. I get the feeling though that if I’d purchased this amplifier head I wouldn’t go back on that decision either.
There we go. Article saved. … 52 Amplifier Heads, week 13—Hughes & Kettner TubeMeister 5
52 Amplifier Heads, week 12—Jet City 20HV
This week’s amplifier head is the largest amplifier I’ve looked at so far in this weekly series. I’m still comfortable including the Jet City 20HV though because of the awesome Aerosmith video they include on the amplifier home page. Well, there are other reasons too, but I’d need an entire article to cover them all. Luckily, I have this article! … 52 Amplifier Heads, week 12—Jet City 20HV
52 Amplifier Heads, week 11—Ampeg GVT5H
I’m not sure if you knew, but I recently made a music that I don’t hate (I’m trying very hard to turn made a music into a popular saying by the way). What I perhaps didn’t make as obvious as I should have was the fact that the bass on this track was recorded in AmpliTube on an Ampeg (emulated) bass amplifier. This is all lovely you’re no doubt thinking, but what does that have to do with this week’s amplifier head article? Well impatient person, this week I’ve discovered the Ampeg GVT5H amplifier head and it’s for the six string variety of guitar. My favourite. … 52 Amplifier Heads, week 11—Ampeg GVT5H
52 Amplifier Heads, week 10—Matamp Mini-Pro
There are a few amplifier manufacturers in the UK. I won’t name them, but I’ll assume you know one or two. Not residing in the UK (and not being as aware of these things as I should be) I hadn’t heard of Matamp. After discovering their Mini-Pro (or Mini-Mat as it’s referenced on their website) and the way they put together their promotional PDFs, I can say I’m a fan. … 52 Amplifier Heads, week 10—Matamp Mini-Pro
52 Amplifier Heads, week 9—Reeves Custom 12
This week’s article was a difficult choice for me to make. I had a couple of options to choose from at Reeves Amplification. There is the Custom 10 or the Custom 12. I decided to go for the latter. If Spinal Tap can go to 11, I figure I had better go to 12. … 52 Amplifier Heads, week 9—Reeves Custom 12
52 Amplifier Heads, week 8—Hiwatt T10HD
With all this learning I’ve been doing lately I figured it was time to take it back to the basics. I’m not an overly skilled guitarist. In fact, I’m barely a skilled guitarist. I need an amplifier that can provide me with some good tone. That’s all. If I need to add anything else, I can do that using any one of my current guitar pedals. If I start with a good tone though, surely the rest is icing on the cake. The Hiwatt T10HD could give me that sponge cake base I’m looking for!
That’s a terrible intro. Hopefully the rest of this article isn’t as half-baked. … 52 Amplifier Heads, week 8—Hiwatt T10HD
52 Amplifier Heads, week 7—Orange Signature #4 Jim Root Terror Head
I’ll be honest. As I continue with this weekly article series, I increase my knowledge of tube amplifiers. Some amplifier heads have tube preamps. Some have tube poweramps. Some have both. Amplifier heads like the Orange Signature #4 Jim Root Head have tubes for the poweramp, preamp and the FX loop. That alone makes me want this head! … 52 Amplifier Heads, week 7—Orange Signature #4 Jim Root Terror Head
52 Amplifier Heads, week 6—Marshall DSL15H
This week I thought I’d focus on a brand I’m already familiar with. Perhaps you are too. Some guitarists have actually heard of Marshall Amps (just like some people have heard of Fender and Gibson). I’m familiar with the brand because I have a couple of their solid state models. One is small (15 watt) and the other is insanely tiny (1 watt). The all valve amplifier head I’ve decided to focus on today is the DSL15H and I’ve little doubt it would blow my solid state amplifiers away (as awesome as they happen to be). … 52 Amplifier Heads, week 6—Marshall DSL15H
52 Amplifier Heads, week 5—Ibanez TSA15H
The first real guitar I owned was an Ibanez. I still have that guitar actually. I love it. I’ve loved the Ibanez brand since the guy that taught me how to play power chords let me use his. Knowing how awesome Ibanez guitars are, I can only imagine how awesome their amps could be. This week I’m imagining the Ibanez TSA15H. In my mind, it’s awesome! … 52 Amplifier Heads, week 5—Ibanez TSA15H