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These Go to 11 - The Guitar Amp Thread


dcbc

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18 minutes ago, tbone_ said:

Wait, that thing is only going to have two knobs? That’s awesome if true.

Yep.  I'm big on simplicity these days.  With one or two exceptions, I have a four knob rule on pedals at this point.

I've been wanting one of these for years.  12 watts.  Lots of headroom (especially compared to a 5e3 Deluxe).  Usually 10" speaker, but I opted for a 12" speaker since it's in the Deluxe sized cab and I can use a ring to go down to a 10" if need be. 

This guy is an absolute joy to deal with.  And people on the other guitar forums I read sing his praises as far as the end result. 

As an added bonus, he's less expensive than pretty much all of the well known builders I've seen.

https://www.littledawgamps.com/

 

 

Edited by dcbc
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Yep.  I'm big on simplicity these days.  With one or two exceptions, I have a four knob rule on pedals at this point.
I've been wanting one of these for years.  12 watts.  Lots of headroom (especially compared to a 5e3 Deluxe).  Usually 10" speaker, but I opted for a 12" speaker since it's in the Deluxe sized cab and I can use a ring to go down to a 10" if need be. 
This guy is an absolute joy to deal with.  And people on the other guitar forums I read sing his praises as far as the end result. 
As an added bonus, he's less expensive than pretty much all of the well known builders I've seen.
https://www.littledawgamps.com/
 
 

That is pretty hot.
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4 hours ago, tbone_ said:

Cool. What song would best explain that sound?

Pretty much any Steve Cropper electric guitar parts on the Stax records.

 

Jerry Garcia purportedly used one in the studio.

Keith Richards supposedly used one with a 12" speaker and 6L6 tubes on some Stones studio stuff.

 

Edited by dcbc
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Just got an email from Jim (the builder).  Chassis is all wired up.  Amp is sitting on the variac slow forming the new caps.  Once it's biased, it's going in the cabinet and getting wired up with the speaker.  Fingers crossed I have it by next week.

9-Wired-Up-Chassis.jpg

 

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We

39 minutes ago, Grandioso said:

dcbc, THAT IS AWESOME! Can you make me one except put it in a crazy ass repurposed radio or lunchbox style enclosure?

 

 

Well, it's done.  Of course, I didn't make it.  But Jim will make "lunch box" amps. 

Shipping Tuesday.   Really stoked!

10-Finished-Amp-Rear-Guts.jpg

Edited by dcbc
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2 minutes ago, Grandioso said:

I just want the head! Seriously, how much for one?

For the 5f10 Harvard,

$609 for the lunchbox. 

$889 for the head in a tweed head cab.

All the other amps and prices here:

https://www.littledawgamps.com/prices/

All of the cabs are build by Mather, which are of exceptional quality.

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15 hours ago, Chad Fuck said:


That is a sweet amp.

I listen to some sound clips of one.  The clean tones are good, but even in spite of the 12" speaker, it's still a bit raspy when turned up.  I had a 1977 Champ for a while, and enjoyed it, but sold it because I also had a 76 Princeton Reverb, which I sold because I also had a 73 Deluxe Reverb, which I'm not selling.  Basically though, in the Blackface/Silverface amp types, I don't see much benefit apart from portability in amps smaller than a DR.  Getting that Princeton Reverb to a point where it would keep up with a drummer without sounding like a ratty fart basically involved modding it up to be a baby DR anyway. 

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56 minutes ago, dcbc said:

I listen to some sound clips of one.  The clean tones are good, but even in spite of the 12" speaker, it's still a bit raspy when turned up.  I had a 1977 Champ for a while, and enjoyed it, but sold it because I also had a 76 Princeton Reverb, which I sold because I also had a 73 Deluxe Reverb, which I'm not selling.  Basically though, in the Blackface/Silverface amp types, I don't see much benefit apart from portability in amps smaller than a DR.  Getting that Princeton Reverb to a point where it would keep up with a drummer without sounding like a ratty fart basically involved modding it up to be a baby DR anyway. 

Interesting.  The "raspy" is what makes them appealing in my book.  I have an Fender EC Champ that is clean clean, but you can take it to Keef Richards just with the guitar volume.  It's my favorite practice/recording amp.

My go-to amp since high school is an early silver faced Princeton.  I've played it out many times with no problems keeping up with drummers.  Can't recall ever needing to mic it.

Still looking for a sweet 1x15 to use for pedal steel.  Y'all keep an eye out for me.   

 

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6 hours ago, Chad Fuck said:

Interesting.  The "raspy" is what makes them appealing in my book.  I have an Fender EC Champ that is clean clean, but you can take it to Keef Richards just with the guitar volume.  It's my favorite practice/recording amp.

My go-to amp since high school is an early silver faced Princeton.  I've played it out many times with no problems keeping up with drummers.  Can't recall ever needing to mic it.

Still looking for a sweet 1x15 to use for pedal steel.  Y'all keep an eye out for me.   

 

Princeton or Princeton Reverb.  The former has headroom for days.  The latter, less so without some mods in my limited experience.  With mods, it could do anything the deluxe reverb could do.  But I already had a deluxe reverb and it became redundant for me.

I'm one of those weird people who does not like the way the Princeton Reverb breaks up in its stock form.  The way the phase inverter circuit is causes one tube to clip before the other rendering a ratty, fizzy distortion.  Some people love it.  I never did.  One of the mods I had done to mine adjusted the PI to eliminate that. 

Here's a Lil Dawg Tweed Tremolux with a 15 in it instead of a 12.  

https://www.thegearpage.net/board/index.php?threads/lil-dawg-tremolux-reduced.2092395/#post-29435712

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14 hours ago, dcbc said:

Princeton or Princeton Reverb.  The former has headroom for days.  The latter, less so without some mods in my limited experience.  With mods, it could do anything the deluxe reverb could do.  But I already had a deluxe reverb and it became redundant for me.

I'm one of those weird people who does not like the way the Princeton Reverb breaks up in its stock form.  The way the phase inverter circuit is causes one tube to clip before the other rendering a ratty, fizzy distortion.  Some people love it.  I never did.  One of the mods I had done to mine adjusted the PI to eliminate that. 

Here's a Lil Dawg Tweed Tremolux with a 15 in it instead of a 12.  

https://www.thegearpage.net/board/index.php?threads/lil-dawg-tremolux-reduced.2092395/#post-29435712

Princeton Reverb.  

That Tremolux...man.  I'm tempted.

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Got the Lil Dawg 5f10 today.  Waiting for a gap of time to reinstall tubes and take it through it's paces.

Cabinet design is stellar.  Not a huge fan of the Badge, but that can be relocated if need be. 

Edited by dcbc
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Got the tubes in and played on the amp for a while.  The 6AT6 preamp tube was a NOS RCA.  The rest were JJ.  At first, I didn't realize he used a 3 way switch for a middle position standby.  Nice use of space. 
 
I grabbed my oldest to me Telecaster, an 89 with a normal tone pot that smells like pipe tobacco from its previous owner (and if it ever stops smelling that way, it's done).  Ran through some settings and cannot believe how much volume this little amp has on tap.  On the low volume end with the tone up, it's a blues machine.  With the volume up, it grinds gradually (totally different from a tweed Deluxe).  Still cleans up with a guitar volume roll off.  In short, I'm thrilled with this beautiful little amp without any upgrade components.  Tone for days and the gradual breakup that you just can't get with a 5e3. 
 
I own handwired tweeds from Fender CS, Clark, Victoria, Magic, and now Lil Dawg.  The Lil Dawg holds up on quality and tone with any of them and close to half the price.  I'm blown away. 
Chad, get the Tremolux. 
 
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12 minutes ago, Buzzrock said:

Those things look awesome but I can’t own anything with “dawg” in the name.

I know.  It's kept me from ordering one a few times, frankly.  My plan the entire time has been to relocate the badge (it's hideous) to the inside of the cabinet and slap a fender badge on the front for symmetry's sake or just leave it bare. 

Honestly, now I kind of want to leave it on.  It's just a tremendous little amp and deserves recognition, dumb name and all.  I've got six amps and I'm just shook by this little thing, which is the first new amp I ever have bought.

Coolest part, there was zero feeling of this amp/speaker needs to break in.  It was checking all of the boxes from the minute I figured out there was a middle position standby switch and that's why no sound was coming out.

Edited by dcbc
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Got the tubes in and played on the amp for a while.  The 6AT6 preamp tube was a NOS RCA.  The rest were JJ.  At first, I didn't realize he used a 3 way switch for a middle position standby.  Nice use of space.    I grabbed my oldest to me Telecaster, an 89 with a normal tone pot that smells like pipe tobacco from its previous owner (and if it ever stops smelling that way, it's done).  Ran through some settings and cannot believe how much volume this little amp has on tap.  On the low volume end with the tone up, it's a blues machine.  With the volume up, it grinds gradually (totally different from a tweed Deluxe).  Still cleans up with a guitar volume roll off.  In short, I'm thrilled with this beautiful little amp without any upgrade components.  Tone for days and the gradual breakup that you just can't get with a 5e3.    I own handwired tweeds from Fender CS, Clark, Victoria, Magic, and now Lil Dawg.  The Lil Dawg holds up on quality and tone with any of them and close to half the price.  I'm blown away.  Chad, get the Tremolux.   

The only thing dissuading me from the Tremolux is the low wattage. Not sure if it’ll have the balls needed that say, a Pro, would.

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1 hour ago, Chad Fuck said:


The only thing dissuading me from the Tremolux is the low wattage. Not sure if it’ll have the balls needed that say, a Pro, would.
 

It will have the balls. To double the percieved loudness, you have to increase the wattage by a power of 10. Now clean headroom on the other hand...

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10 hours ago, Chad Fuck said:


The only thing dissuading me from the Tremolux is the low wattage. Not sure if it’ll have the balls needed that say, a Pro, would.
 

This 10 watt Harvard build is easily gig worthy, moreso than my 5e3 Deluxe Build.  Can't remember, but is that Tremolux at 18 or 20 watt amp, or thereabouts?

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Cross post from the guitar thread, but I am very intrigued by this PositiveGrid Spark amp just as a bedroom practice thing.  I use their Bias FX software for recording, like the tones and this uses the same engine.  Is just in a presale hype phase, though, so I haven't seen any 3rd parties or reviews or anything.

 

Edited by Goredho
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On 11/18/2019 at 10:56 AM, Goredho said:

Cross post from the guitar thread, but I am very intrigued by this PositiveGrid Spark amp just as a bedroom practice thing.  I use their Bias FX software for recording, like the tones and this uses the same engine.  Is just in a presale hype phase, though, so I haven't seen any 3rd parties or reviews or anything.

 

I just pre-ordered one.  It looks like fun and something that will help me learn.  Ships in January.

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3 hours ago, tigol said:

I just pre-ordered one.  It looks like fun and something that will help me learn.  Ships in January.

Yeah, would love a report when you get some time with it.

Edit:  If it’s made with the same level of quality as their Bias Amp & FX 2 software (and it does use the same engine), it will be a good value practice amp.

Edited by Goredho
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