[Harp-L] custom amp review or How I got the Tip of my Life

[rainbowjimmy@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

I had an old silverface Bassman (with a Carvin 2X12 cab--Celestion  
70/80s). Good enough for what I need, occasional weekend gigs. Tone is  
in the player. The amp was too loud and pretty sterile and cold, and  
there wasn't much difference between loud enough and too loud. What I  
wanted was a cool boutique class A cathode biased amp--something like  
a Victoria tweed but who can afford that and do I bring an amp for  
harp and one for keys?

So Steve, guitarist, buddy, and amp guru suggests I get Tube Amp  
Doctor tone bone replacement tubes from Mojo Tone. You just take out  
the two 6l6s, plug these in, bingo, an EL 84 (the Vox tube)cathode  
biased 9 watt amp. No biasing, no soldering, just plug them in.Uh  
right...I gambled and spent $105.00.

Holy @x##!!A brand new amp. Much improved. Still clean at the volumes  
we play, but definitely much warmer. Still wicked loud. The 2X12 cab  
has so much more bass than the little tweed champ. Keys sound way  
better. Guitar is like night and day.Truly a boutique amp.Played it  
all last night and got compliments from the band. Christmas comes  
early.Best of all, I've got a head/ cab combination so no piece of  
gear is more than 35 pounds. Nice when it's time for loading.

Is it really plug and play? Sort of. The adapter and the tube is just  
a hair too long so we drilled two holes through the bottom of the head  
to give us room to get the tube moved around and plugged in.I couldn't  
watch, I had to close my eyes.If I ever want to go back, just unplug  
the tone bones and stick the 6l6s back in.

And we played Gloria last night.

Rainbow Jimmy
http://www.spaceanimals.com
http://www.soundclick.com/theelectricstarlightspaceanimals.htm