Barebones Amps...?

JookyChap

Just noticed these - anybody got any experience of them?

Dave_Mc

Never heard of them... their prices on speaker cabs seem not too bad. Only 5 watt amps, though?

Also I saw they had some technical articles on the site, but I didn't get as far as reading them )

ICBM

Unfortunately they have the ugliest home-made-looking corner protectors in history on the top corners, where they will snag on things and aren't needed... and none on the bottom corners where they're actually needed.

Given that I have no confidence that anything else about them will have been thought out properly. Harsh possibly, but that's just how they come across.

JookyChap

@dave_mc Me neither

@ICBM Must admit I never noticed that at all... They were listing them on gumtree and saying they are handwired etc. but I've not noticed that on their site either.

Dave_Mc

Good spot on the corner protectors, ICBM. I didn't even notice that )

ICBM

Dave_Mc said:

Good spot on the corner protectors, ICBM. I didn't even notice that )

I think a working lifetime of trying to remove horrible cheap metal corners that idiots have screwed onto vintage Marshalls and suchlike without leaving visible damage has made me overly sensitive to them .

It was literally the first thing I noticed. Without them, the amps wouldn't look too bad - although the quality of the vinyl fitting on the edges (most obvious on the red one) is very poor.

martinw

ICBM said:

It was literally the first thing I noticed. Without them, the amps wouldn't look too bad - although the quality of the vinyl fitting on the edges (most obvious on the red one) is very poor.

Me too.

Good luck to him at those prices!

Dave_Mc

ICBM said:

Dave_Mc said:

Good spot on the corner protectors, ICBM. I didn't even notice that )

I think a working lifetime of trying to remove horrible cheap metal corners that idiots have screwed onto vintage Marshalls and suchlike without leaving visible damage has made me overly sensitive to them .

It was literally the first thing I noticed. Without them, the amps wouldn't look too bad - although the quality of the vinyl fitting on the edges (most obvious on the red one) is very poor.

)

xHymnal

would probably also help if they put the grill cloth on straight: it looks wavy! NOT a good look! 

Nerine

Bleurgh.

stickyfiddle

I actually know the chap who makes them- he's the other guitarist in my old band and a lovely bloke. The prototype for the little one sounded very nice this time last year.

ICBM

stickyfiddle said:

I actually know the chap who makes them- he's the other guitarist in my old band and a lovely bloke. The prototype for the little one sounded very nice this time last year.

Could you pass on these comments please! The amps may sound nice, but they're terribly let down by awful finishing and just look badly made, rather than hand made. This is meant as a constructive criticism, even though I know it sounds harsh.

If he can't get the covering right, maybe he should consider plain wood cabinets? That would suit the 'Barebones' name very well in my opinion, as well as being less work. And quite possibly sounding better too… really! And maybe wicker grilles or something that doesn't show unevenness as much.