KLD 15w hand-wired amp head - odd control query

Voxman

Planning to have a look at this today.  Bit odd as controls are at the rear, not front or top.  Its 15w, with Pentode Triode options.

But intriguingly it has two additional knobs - one labelled 'Sky' the other 'Earth'.  Anyone have any ideas as to what these do? 

Voxman

OK, found it - Sky is a Treble Boost Gain, Earth is a Bass Boost gain...interesting. 

midlifecrisis

saw that on ebay, its in barnet looks interestng but i dont need another amp

Voxman

Just checked it out, very nice guy (Tony) selling it (like me, a  'mature' player!) who I've actually met before as his band used to rehearse at the same place as us.  Had a nice chat & he showed me a couple of his Les Pauls too.

It's a nice little amp, in very good condition, and it was quiet with no hiss/splutter. I played it through a 4x10 cab but I found it wasn't perhaps quite as loud* as I was expecting it to be - tubes are all good (re-tubed around a year or so ago I'm told). Reasonable amount of clean headroom with quite a nice warm & very usable tone, and a respectable gain/crunch tone - but nothing that 'grabbed' me.  Unlike newer versions, no built in reverb or FX loop (as can be seen from pics).  The rear mounted control panel is a little awkward, & I had to turn the head around to tweak them.  I'm sure it was designed with the player standing behind the amp/cab in mind, ala certain Vox and Fender amp controls eg AC30, Bassman etc (but although reversed, at least those controls are on top).  

I wasn't looking for another amp but went to see it because it was local, I liked that it was hand-wired, and I thought it might be nice to have a little amp head that give me something different tonally.  In truth, I don't think it does and I felt that my 15w Laney Cub 12R with Celestion Vintage 30, reverb & fx loop is a bit more versatile, louder (Re volume of the 15w head, I'm probably a little 'spoilt' because the V30 in my Cub is 100dB, which is probably making it the equivalent of a 25-30w amp with a 97/98dB speaker), has a tone that suits me a little better (it has been re-tubed with JJ Hand-tested tubes that really make a big difference to clarity and a bell-like top end), and has a little more clean headroom.

But if anyone is looking for a nice 15w head, that's hand-wired, is quite compact & light, with useful features such as pentode, triode & variable power-modes, I think you could certainly do a lot worse especially with a £75 start price.  And the seller is very nice, and I'm sure would be a stand-up guy to deal with.  

Chalky

Got a link to the Ad, @Voxman ?

Voxman

Hi Chalky, surely...here u go

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/112277516635?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT

midlifecrisis

i bet it sells nearer £200

jpfamps

Not sure how you "hand test" a tube............

midlifecrisis

jpfamps said:

Not sure how you "hand test" a tube............

put your hand on it when its been on a while and if it burns your skin off its HOT