FS: Redplate Aurora 34 Head in Black Tolex - 50w / 18W Variable Output - PRICE DROP

Chester

Hi guys

Need to fund another bout of  GAS, so am putting up for sale my Redplare Aurora 34 (UK spec)

This amp is in as new condition, with limited studio use only. There are no scratches or rips in the tolex. I am the original owner, and bought this amp new from Coda. Comes complete with 4 button footswitch and power cable, and will be packaged for shipping in its original box. It does not come with a dust cover. All original tubes with around 100 hours on them, so a lot of life left in the power glass

Looking for £1699 + shipping (Please pm me for pics and with any other questions)

For those that don't know these beauties, some promotional blurb and tone links below:

The Redplate Aurora 34 Head is a custom made, handwired 3 channel guitar amplifier, manufactured in the USA. It was developed with Brian Kahanek, who was looking for a more Marshall style response ..

".... I wanted to have them do something with EL34 after being blown away by their KT88 offerings. As a life long Marshall fanatic, I am amazed at how they got such great sparkle in the clean, while maintaining the creamy crunch and lead tones of a vintage Marshall (JTM-45 / JMP50)"

Based on the Redplate Astro Dust Duo model, driven by EL34 power valves, specification as follows (Channel descriptions by Brian) 

• 50 watt / 18watt selectable
• Clean (JTM45 with more sparkle) - 6 position mode switch selects base tone
• Drive1 (Broken up JMP50). Drive and Level pots on this channel are customized for top end cut (push/pull)
• Drive2 (Hot Rodded Plexi) - Glorious High Gain
• FX loop
• Spring Reverb
• Selectable Mid switch for total tone shaping
• Bright switch with 3 positions
• Tone stacks can be removed with the Presence knob
• Footswitch - can change to Tweed Mid setting with it for a bump in gain / Boost /  Channel selection

Highly versatile, and offers a huge range of tone shaping ability

 

Brian Kahanek Demos:

 

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What Redplate say about the ADD:

 

The AstroDustDuo  has 5 discrete sections:
Preamp • Drive1 • Drive2 • FX Loop• Reverb

Preamp - The AstroDustDuo has a simple preamp (Volume and Tone) with a 6 position rotary switch that selects the mode (character) of its output. It has two variations of Fender “Blackface”, two variations of “Brownface” and two variations of “Tweed”. In addition there is a bright switch that offers two brightness levels. The combinations possible between the mode and brightness switches allows for almost any clean tone imaginable with almost any type of guitar. Also, because of the simplicity and intuitiveness of the controls, setting it for a player’s tone preference is easy and immediate. Unlike a traditional 3-knob preamp there is minimal loading on the signal path so harmonics and sustain are emphasized with the overall effect of sounding three dimensional. This preamp is a proprietary design that is only available from RedPlate.

Overdrive – There are two separate discrete overdrive sections:

1. Overdrive section 1 is called “Drive 1“ and is the RedPlate version of the traditional style overdrive that many call “Talent in a box”. It is capable of a very smooth and rich sustain that makes every note sound so good you may not feel the need to play the next one. The Gain, Drive and Level are fully adjustable so you can go anywhere between a slight bit of “hair” to full on super distortion.

2. Overdrive section 2 is called ”Drive 2“ and is a RedPlate design inspired by the more modern “Marshall-esque” style overdrive section. It has similar gain, drive and level controls to the Drive 1 section, but also has the addition of Treble, Middle and Bass controls along with “mid boost” and  “raw” (stack lift) features. It is capable of the “scooped” heavy bottom sounds, yet retains a singing liquid quality in the notes and tone with a character that is especially sensitive to changes of a player's “touch”.

Having the two separate Overdrive sections is great because it allows a player to set up for two distinct solo tones, but some real magic occurs when you engage both sections at the same time. One favorite setting is to set the Drive 1 section for the most sustain / least distorted tone, and then set the Drive 2 section for extreme low bass and extra upper mids, then dial in a small amount of distortion so the guitar sounds like a bowed violin. It’s a tone that until now could not be done without using multiple amplifiers.

Effects Loop/Reverb - The AstroDustDuo has a built in serial buffered effects loop and spring reverb.

The interactions of the four gain sections (Preamp, Drive1, Drive 2 and FX Loop) lead to some fun experimentation possibilities with this amplifier – one example is to engage Drive 2 set up with little or no distortion and use its tone controls to further refine the overall clean tone of the amplifier

 

Features:

• 50 watts of 6L6 all tube hand wired power (Aurora 34 - EL34's)
• Fixed bias with external test point and adjustment
• Hi/Lo Power switch (50 watts / 18 watts)
• Tube buffered effects loop with active master volume
• All tube reverb circuit, reverb can be turned off
• 3 position bright switch
• Drive #2 has its own tone stack for more tonal variations
• Humbucker switch for setting low mid/bass gain in the input stage for different pickup types
• Pull pots on Drive and Level of Drive #1 allow for mid shift and high end smoothing
• Presence can be defeated
• 6 position mode switch for midrange character
• Smooth switch for two degrees of compression
• Tone knob can be turned off to defeat the tone stack for boost
• 4 button footswitch included for drive #1, drive #2, tweed and boost

 

Manual for ADD (& Aurora 34) here: https://www.redplateamps.com/uploads/1/6/1/6/16163768/astrodust_operations_guide.pdf

 

Tone Review for ADD here:

 

 

   

Wazmeister

@lukedlb ;

lukedlb

@Wazmeister ,
oh yes. I wish. 

lukedlb

When someone sells a redplate can only mean they already have or plan to have an absolute corker of an amp. Could it be another redplate?

Chester

lukedlb said:

When someone sells a redplate can only mean they already have or plan to have an absolute corker of an amp. Could it be another redplate?

Haha   Could certainly be the next one .. but not now. Just bought one of the Carol Ann's I've been salivating over for a year now (Triptik2 LP), which completes that ambition. Now need to sell this baby before the CC payment becomes due ..

Powerslave

Chester said:

lukedlb said:

When someone sells a redplate can only mean they already have or plan to have an absolute corker of an amp. Could it be another redplate?

Haha   Could certainly be the next one .. but not now. Just bought one of the Carol Ann's I've been salivating over for a year now (Triptik2 LP), which completes that ambition. Now need to sell this baby before the CC payment becomes due ..

I had a funny idea you might have acquired a new CA!

Peach blowing them out by the looks of things - are they done carrying them?

Chester

Powerslave said:

Chester said:

lukedlb said:

When someone sells a redplate can only mean they already have or plan to have an absolute corker of an amp. Could it be another redplate?

Haha   Could certainly be the next one .. but not now. Just bought one of the Carol Ann's I've been salivating over for a year now (Triptik2 LP), which completes that ambition. Now need to sell this baby before the CC payment becomes due ..

I had a funny idea you might have acquired a new CA!

Peach blowing them out by the looks of things - are they done carrying them?

They are apparently .. great amps, but I guess too few sales at that pricepoint to justify tying up a chunk of cash. Peach's margin expectations too high?? Probably, but they are priced about right at current levels .. so I needed to scratch that CA itch quickly! And sadly need sell the Redplate

lukedlb

I hope the Triptik2 proves its worth over the Redplate. Still, I bet my money on the redplate. They destroy all pedals in their path. Just plug in the guitar and enjoy.

Powerslave

Chester said:

Powerslave said:

Chester said:

lukedlb said:

When someone sells a redplate can only mean they already have or plan to have an absolute corker of an amp. Could it be another redplate?

Haha   Could certainly be the next one .. but not now. Just bought one of the Carol Ann's I've been salivating over for a year now (Triptik2 LP), which completes that ambition. Now need to sell this baby before the CC payment becomes due ..

I had a funny idea you might have acquired a new CA!

Peach blowing them out by the looks of things - are they done carrying them?

They are apparently .. great amps, but I guess too few sales at that pricepoint to justify tying up a chunk of cash. Peach's margin expectations too high?? Probably, but they are priced about right at current levels .. so I needed to scratch that CA itch quickly! And sadly need sell the Redplate

I noticed that the amps were relatively flying off the shelves at the sale pricing - good pricing for hand-wired, high-quality amps. At the previous pricing, a little tough to justify for enough people to probably make it worth carrying due to the up-front investment for the shop, as you rightly say.

I do think Peach's representation of these amps has been woeful, though.

Shame, though - another great amp builder no longer represented in the UK. The same thing happened to 65, and RP of course.

Anyway - back to your FS thread for a great amp. GLWS!!

lukedlb

How much were they going for in sale at Peach?

Chester

lukedlb said:

How much were they going for in sale at Peach?

Around 25% off the Trip2. Less off some others that have been in stock for a while. No room for a double importer / retail margin in this market, so buying RP or CA direct from the guys that make them is not a bad option in future  

Pm me if you have any questions on the Redplate. As you say, brilliant amp 

Chester

Bumpy..

Chester

Apologies in advance, but I'll be away for the next 3 weeks.  If anyone has questions regarding this baby, please bear with me as internet connections may be a bit patchy. I'll respond as soon as I can. Cheers

Chester

Price drop to £1699 + shipping