Two Rock Studio Signature impressions

Onpar

Anyone have any first hand experience with a Two Rock Studio signature?

Looking to upgrade my Fender Hot Rod Deluxe and keep coming back to the Two Rock. Seems to be just right.....head and cab, great cleans, good pedal platform. I have 'upgraded' my Hot Rod Deluxe in the past but always come back to it. Hoping something like the Two Rock will just blow the HRD away.

Nerine

I’ve owned a Two Rock. 

It wasn’t a Studio Signature. 

It was a Sensor 50 1x12 combo. It has since been discontinued. 

However, the hype is very real. It is one of the very best amplifiers I have ever owned. 

I gigged it (basically thrashed it once or twice per weekend for 2 or 3 years solid and ultimately for some reason I decided I fancied a change to a Friedman - something a bit more Marshally. 

It never once made an odd sound, it never went wrong, it always sounded fantastic, I never revalved it, it was proper loud, didn’t sound boxy, took pedals like no other amp I’ve ever owned, had “that” drive sound, mic’d really easily, was light, compact, punchy etc. 

There really aren’t enough superlatives. 

Essentially what I’m saying is that if the new Studio Signature is cut from the same cloth, which I suspect it is, it may well be the last amp you buy. 

They really are above any other amplifier I’ve ever tried. 

So much so that I have been looking at a TS-1 just recently. 

Love my Friedman, but Two Rocks are something else (if you want that sound.) 

I’m really not a fan of the Fender Hot Rod series. Every one I’ve ever heard has sounded really harsh to me, so for my tastes, the Two Rock would make the HRD sound like a toy in comparison. 

But that’s just my two penneth. 

Alex335

I spent a bit of time at coda checking out the new Two Rocks a good few months back.
wasn't really impressed with the combo as i think the cab size is a bit too small and sounded a bit boxy.
The head was better but I think it lacks a bit of headroom and volume for a 35 watt amp. not too much of a problem with single coils but even low output PAF type pickups i thought it started to push too early to get that lush clean at gigging volumes.
was hoping it would be a 35 watt CRS but in all honesty i thought it was a bit of a let down.

Plugging into the 50 watt CRS straight after ( same 2x12 cab ) only confirmed that. totally different experience, much bigger wider sound with more detail, massive dynamic range too all at similar volume, but then it is twice the price, and weight!..

Worth trying one out when things re open just dont plug into the CRS after....

Onpar

Alex335 said:

I spent a bit of time at coda checking out the new Two Rocks a good few months back.
wasn't really impressed with the combo as i think the cab size is a bit too small and sounded a bit boxy.
The head was better but I think it lacks a bit of headroom and volume for a 35 watt amp. not too much of a problem with single coils but even low output PAF type pickups i thought it started to push too early to get that lush clean at gigging volumes.
was hoping it would be a 35 watt CRS but in all honesty i thought it was a bit of a let down.

Plugging into the 50 watt CRS straight after ( same 2x12 cab ) only confirmed that. totally different experience, much bigger wider sound with more detail, massive dynamic range too all at similar volume, but then it is twice the price, and weight!..

Worth trying one out when things re open just dont plug into the CRS after....

So what did you buy in the end? Did you get the classic reverb? 

Alex335

Yes I picked up a CRS but moved it on a few months after buying.
phenomenal amp but I felt guilty about spending a small fortune on an amplifier.. 
Was also worried about taking £4K worth of amp out of the house for rehearsals or gigging so I had to let it go. 

Onpar

That's why I am thinking the Studio Signature might be a good compromise. 

bermudianbrit

If its fendery cleans you're wanting, how about a Dr. Z EZG 50? Its a beautiful thing.

Onpar

bermudianbrit said:

If its fendery cleans you're wanting, how about a Dr. Z EZG 50? Its a beautiful thing.

Good shout. But 50 Watts might be a bit too much. I only ever get the HRD past 3 so guess the EZG would be even louder. 

rsvmark

TR custom reverb sig owner here. Buy one. Awesome amps

CloudNine

Used to have the Studio Pro, fantastic amp, possibly the best Strat amp I have ever played, but it did not work as well with other guitars imo. Almost worth having for that Strat tone alone though.

Chester

Owned a Coral for a couple of years

Great clean / slightly pushed platform, but lacked the drive character I was after. It was a 6V6 driven 20W version, and I should have gone for higher output. Given recent upgrades, I'm seriously looking at a CRS 50W head, or a 2020 TS-1. Should be more like what I want to hear

ChrisCox1994

Those TR sensors were special. They should reissue them, buffered FX loop was great and the internal trim pots for the OD channel was a nice touch. 

wellsyboy

I had a Topaz back in the day when Two Rock were a smaller operation - ‘twas a thing of beauty and an absolute beast at the same time - really miss that amp

Nerine

ChrisCox1994 said:

Those TR sensors were special. They should reissue them, buffered FX loop was great and the internal trim pots for the OD channel was a nice touch. 

It had internal trim pots?!? WTF?

Why did I not know about this?!

ryanverbena

I own a Two Rock Studio Signature. It's been with me for about 6 months now and I have since sold all of my major amps (Deluxe Reverb, Bassman 59 CS, Bogner Goldfinger, Marshall SV20H). The cleans are everything I've wanted from my fender amps and the 3 way switch between the different gain structures adds so much tonal variety - the Schofield option in particular really pushes the mids and gives the amp a whole new character. 

It takes pedals incredibly well into the front end which really surprised me. I always assumed I'd have kept one of either the SV20 or GF to use as a dirty/overdriven setup but I A/B'd both of them against the TR with a bunch of different dirt pedals; both amps are sold. I was very lucky and picked this up mint from eBay for £1900, but I wouldn't hesitate to buy this again at full price. 

I run mine through a Marshal 2061CX with Celestion G12-65's and have been long mulling over the decision to pull the trigger on the TR 2x12 vertical cab. 

Having also played both the Bloomfield drive and the CR, I would say that either of those is an immense amp in their own right. But once price is factored in, and considering that you're upgrading from a Fender Hot Rod (also great amps), I think the Studio Signature is the best bang for your buck. 

Onpar

ryanverbena said:

I own a Two Rock Studio Signature. It's been with me for about 6 months now and I have since sold all of my major amps (Deluxe Reverb, Bassman 59 CS, Bogner Goldfinger, Marshall SV20H). The cleans are everything I've wanted from my fender amps and the 3 way switch between the different gain structures adds so much tonal variety - the Schofield option in particular really pushes the mids and gives the amp a whole new character. 

It takes pedals incredibly well into the front end which really surprised me. I always assumed I'd have kept one of either the SV20 or GF to use as a dirty/overdriven setup but I A/B'd both of them against the TR with a bunch of different dirt pedals; both amps are sold. I was very lucky and picked this up mint from eBay for £1900, but I wouldn't hesitate to buy this again at full price. 

I run mine through a Marshal 2061CX with Celestion G12-65's and have been long mulling over the decision to pull the trigger on the TR 2x12 vertical cab. 

Having also played both the Bloomfield drive and the CR, I would say that either of those is an immense amp in their own right. But once price is factored in, and considering that you're upgrading from a Fender Hot Rod (also great amps), I think the Studio Signature is the best bang for your buck. 

Cheers man! I just need to find a bargain now

AndyJP

I used to have the Studio Pro 35.  Which I guess is like an older incarnation of the studio sig?  It was a great amp but didn't have a great deal of headroom with a drummer.    Was using low output single coils into a 1x12 zilla with a celestion g12-65h.  

But that speaker only has an output 97db.  It was superb with an EV 12l 200 watt speaker but couldn't be bothered lugging that about.

So I sold the amp. At that time I wasn't able to switch speakers myself. I can do that myself now. So wished I'd experimented with more speakers before selling. But have a victory v40 deluxe now which I like lots.

icu81b4

Would love to get a Two Rock amp, the studio signature looks great.