Sonicake Acoustic Preamp Factory - "Excellent representation (tone replication) and affordable"
Sonicake released another in its Factory line, the Acoustic Preamp, designed for all acoustic instruments, and not just a six-string. The features are straight-forward, and what you come to expect, a…
Roland GC-405 - "Clean as"
Picked one of these amps up cheap, its clean channel is awesome. It's surprisingly loud and has very little to no his or hum at full volume. It says it's 32W on the back. The 4x5 speaker setup is …
Hagerman Amplification Reactor - "Reactive Load for Amps up to 5W"
Leave it to Hagerman Amplification to design a boutique Reactive Load so small it fits on a pedalboard (or next to/on top of whatever small amp you’re using), ingeniously designed to provide a reacti…
DigiTech 2112 Studio Guitar System - "Digitech 2112 SGS ... AWESOME !!!!"
I used to use a Eleven Rack and I was happy with it and had to learn to live with the digital sound . One day, after I got my tax return, I decided to treat my self to some new gear. I went into a s…
Crate PowerBlock - "Crate Power Block was ahead of its time ."
The Crate Power Block can be use in Monophonic mode at 150 watts at 8 ohms or in Stereo at 75 watts at 4 ohms. On the front of the CPB, are the Gain, Treble, Mid and Bass knobs, an Input plug and He…
Crate DX212 - "Still thinking about this gem years later"
Possibly the most fun I’ve had on gigs was with this thing. Not as good as a great tube amp, and technology has come a long way but it did what it claimed perfectly. The models it had were spot on in…
Fender Princeton 65 - "65w Fender Princeton combo amp"
I dated a divorced lady whose ex husband bought guitars and amps but couldn't play a note. When they split up he left this amp behind. No knowing it's true value I gave her the £100 she wanted for …
KSR Amplification Vesta - "Three Channels, Unique Voicings, and with a Thick and Robust Amp-Like Sound"
One-hundred percent made in the USA, KSR’s VESTA preamp brings forward incredible amp tones that only require a cab or IR to sound fantastic. I’ll address the sound more, and later on (also check out…
Hagerman Amplification Half Watt - "Big amp sound in a small package"
If you are a tube snob, then the Hagerman Half-Watt is an ideal practice and studio recording amp. This is a cleanish amp, although it has some growl and burn when cranked or when playing hard, runni…
Driftwood Amplifiers Purple Nightmare Preamp - "2W Amp + Preamp with Killer Tones from Rock to Metal"
Now and again, gear comes along that blows me away, and I am sure others have had that experience. The Purple Nightmare Preamp (based on Driftwood Amp’s flagship Purple Nightmare head) follows suit w…
Universal Audio Dream '65 Reverb Amplifier - "Pure Fender Sounds in a Pedal - Authentic!"
I supposed I could joke about how this is a guitarist’s ‘Wet Dream,’ but the name Dream ’65 will suffice. Emulated from select 1965 Fender Super Reverb amps, as well as select speaker emulations, UA …
Universal Audio Ruby '63 Top Boost Amplifier - "Complete Amp-in-a-Pedal that Emulates Incredibly Well"
After having UA’s Woodrow ’55 (Fender Tweed amp emulation) for only a few hours, I knew I had to review the Ruby ‘63 (Vox AC30) and Dream ’65 (Fender Reverb Twin), the latter of which I will be done …
Universal Audio Woodrow '55 Instrument Amplifier - "Finally, Real Amp Tones in a Pedal"
Off the bat, the Universal Audio’s Woodrow ’55 is not a simulation but an emulation; and this is as close to something other than an actual amp sounding like an amp. Woodrow ’55 is based on the Fende…
Fender Excelsior - "Standing the Test of Time."
Strange amp, straight out off the sales floor from a local music store, Excelsior sounds fine at lower volumes (< 1/2) with just about anything with an output jack. Bright switch, volume, tremolo; ef…
Weber Mass 100W - "Game changer for tube amp tone on 50 watt fender bassman 1970"
This is a game changer for tone. I used to struggle to get the right tone with the right volume with my tube amp 6v6 1970 silverface bassman 50. Now I have sold my multieffect pedal and this is all I…