Interesting British amp

ThePrettyDamned

http://www.guitar-bass.net/gear/hamstead-soundworks-artist-20-rt-review/

I saw these in my local shop (dropped off my guitar for set up today... Erk!), and by golly they look pretty.

Anyway, further proof that we need not pay import fees to get a stonking sounding amp? I'll let you know when I've tried one

Certainly sounds interesting - 20 watts from el34s and set to get dirty very quickly. Sounds like a great, fun amp and I can say they certainly looked the part.

samzadgan

ThePrettyDamned said:

http://www.guitar-bass.net/gear/hamstead-soundworks-artist-20-rt-review/

I saw these in my local shop (dropped off my guitar for set up today... Erk!), and by golly they look pretty.

Anyway, further proof that we need not pay import fees to get a stonking sounding amp? I'll let you know when I've tried one

Certainly sounds interesting - 20 watts from el34s and set to get dirty very quickly. Sounds like a great, fun amp and I can say they certainly looked the part.

apart from fancy features...the 20w and EL34 sounds like someone wanted to remake a Rocker 30...but yeah, it be interested to see how it sounds.

I am seriously surprised why more amps in that 20-30w range dont use EL34's...?

ThePrettyDamned

samzadgan;374904" said:

ThePrettyDamned said:

http://www.guitar-bass.net/gear/hamstead-soundworks-artist-20-rt-review/



I saw these in my local shop (dropped off my guitar for set up today... Erk!), and by golly they look pretty.



Anyway, further proof that we need not pay import fees to get a stonking sounding amp? I'll let you know when I've tried one



Certainly sounds interesting - 20 watts from el34s and set to get dirty very quickly. Sounds like a great, fun amp and I can say they certainly looked the part.







apart from fancy features...the 20w and EL34 sounds like someone wanted to remake a Rocker 30...but yeah, it be interested to see how it sounds.I am seriously surprised why more amps in that 20-30w range dont use EL34's...?

The rocker 30 is an astounding sounding amp, the dirty channel is a perfect cross between loose, stony grunge and just tight enough for metal when boosted.

I agree - the rocker 30 is actually the only other one I can think of!

Danny1969

Wow £1800 for a 1 x 12" 20 watt combo! Is that not a bit (well a lot) much ?

Dave_Mc

ThePrettyDamned said:

http://www.guitar-bass.net/gear/hamstead-soundworks-artist-20-rt-review/

Anyway, further proof that we need not pay import fees to get a stonking sounding amp? I'll let you know when I've tried one

Yeah at £1900 I'd be really worried about the extra ~£60 that would add...

ThePrettyDamned

Danny1969;374908" said:

Wow £1800 for a 1 x 12" 20 watt combo! Is that not a bit (well a lot) much ?

Yeah, I have to admit, it is a lot.

Then again, it looks great be a relatively original design and, frankly, folk have been paying mental money for bogner, Friedman, two rock etc. Why should a brit builder be cheaper?

I'm not suggesting it's cheap, but it is aiming at that sector of the market.

ThePrettyDamned

Dave_Mc;374910" said:

ThePrettyDamned said:

http://www.guitar-bass.net/gear/hamstead-soundworks-artist-20-rt-review/



Anyway, further proof that we need not pay import fees to get a stonking sounding amp? I'll let you know when I've tried one

Yeah at £1900 I'd be really worried about the extra ~£60 that would add...

Again, competing against bogner, two rock, Friedman... The price is sort of comparable. Not saying it's worth it, in the same way those amps might not be. But it's got an interesting feature set and might be genuinely useful.

martinw

ThePrettyDamned said:

samzadgan;374904" said:

I am seriously surprised why more amps in that 20-30w range dont use EL34's...?

I agree - the rocker 30 is actually the only other one I can think of!

Ahem, MJW Electra.

Sorry, spam.

RaymondLin

ThePrettyDamned said:

Danny1969;374908" said:

Wow £1800 for a 1 x 12" 20 watt combo! Is that not a bit (well a lot) much ?

Yeah, I have to admit, it is a lot.

Then again, it looks great be a relatively original design and, frankly, folk have been paying mental money for bogner, Friedman, two rock etc. Why should a brit builder be cheaper?

I'm not suggesting it's cheap, but it is aiming at that sector of the market.

Well, it is almost to the exact pound my bogner with cab costs, and it's 18w so in that respect, it is on par.

However, for a unknown builder, with zero reputation, it is a lot of money to entice someone to trust a brand with no history.  

ICBM

samzadgan said:

I am seriously surprised why more amps in that 20-30w range dont use EL34's...?

Because EL34s and their sockets cost twice as much as EL84s and theirs, and also draw more filament current so you need a bigger PT.

But while I think the effect of valve type on tone is often exaggerated, in my opinion there is a clear difference, and is one of the reasons the Rocker 30 (and other similar amps) sounds better than a typical 4-EL84 amp... other than for traditional EL84-type sounds!

The Blackstar HT-20 is 2-EL34 as well, if it matters.

ThePrettyDamned

martinw;374928" said:

ThePrettyDamned said:

samzadgan;374904" said:

I am seriously surprised why more amps in that 20-30w range dont use EL34's...?



I agree - the rocker 30 is actually the only other one I can think of!





Ahem, MJW Electra. :)Sorry, spam.

Better priced, too

I'm just happy to see more brit builders having a punt to be honest.

samzadgan

martinw;374928" said:

ThePrettyDamned said:

samzadgan;374904" said:

I am seriously surprised why more amps in that 20-30w range dont use EL34's...?



I agree - the rocker 30 is actually the only other one I can think of!





Ahem, MJW Electra. :)Sorry, spam.

I know...thats close to what ill be contacting you about next yeah...but i have some other funky ideas...

ICBM;374945" said:

[quote=samzadgan]
I am seriously surprised why more amps in that 20-30w range dont use EL34's...?

Because EL34s and their sockets cost twice as much as EL84s and theirs, and also draw more filament current so you need a bigger PT.

But while I think the effect of valve type on tone is often exaggerated, in my opinion there is a clear difference, and is one of the reasons the Rocker 30 (and other similar amps) sounds better than a typical 4-EL84 amp... other than for traditional EL84-type sounds!

The Blackstar HT-20 is 2-EL34 as well, if it matters.[/quote]

Completely agree...difference between el34 and el84 is huge and el34 is infinitely better in my opinion.

Re the blackstar...i looked into that a while ago after i stupidly sold my rocker 30, mainly because of the el34's...but it wasn't that great...isn't there some kind of solid state stuff going on with that HT range??

ThePrettyDamned

There is solid state stuff, but you're a big doom fan, right?

They're dark sounding (good for doom) but quite tight (not so great).

You're an idiot for selling the rocker 30. Luckily, they go quite cheaply still, and the mjw electra looks like something up your street so there is hope

ICBM

Yes, the Blackstar is a hybrid amp. That isn't bad per se, but as ThePrettyDamned said the voicing of the amp is dark and the dynamic response is tight, which you may not like if you liked the Rocker 30.

samzadgan

Yep...they are tight...tight as camels arse in siberia!

You say cheap...i sold mine for 300...6 months later the price shot up towards 400...makes me an even bigger idiot!

Yeah, but MJW will be saviour!

ThePrettyDamned

samzadgan;374968" said:

Yep...they are tight...tight as camels arse in siberia!

You say cheap...i sold mine for 300...6 months later the price shot up towards 400...makes me an even bigger idiot!

Yeah, but MJW will be saviour!

Yeah, I'm completely comfortable saving up, no matter how long it takes, and messaging Martin.

It'll be the only amp I need. I might want others, and may own others, but he's getting some money from me at some point, I just need to settle on spec and get the dollar.

The orion just looks so beasty... And I love the idea of something that looks cream, or tweedy (ie vintagey and tame) but hides a fire breathing twin channel metal monster amp.

Gassage

An amp is not a real amp without 6 KT88s

ThePrettyDamned

Gassage;374994" said:

An amp is not a real amp without 6 KT88s

Dont know about 6, but my mjw may or may not have a pair of kt88's. It is an option, but I'll need a lot of eduction from him as to what will work with what preamp wise (probably going for a nice clean style one, like a blackface, Dumble or hiwatt and something mental like a 6505, modded Marshall or something else with oodles of gain).

But a pair of kt88s is capable of producing serious power. Luckily, mjw amps all come with his master volume, and from a couple of bedroom volume YouTube demos, it sounds excellent at even whisper volume

Long way in the future though, but I'm hoping to order next year - even if it's a year from now, or longer.

Dave_Mc

ThePrettyDamned said:

Dave_Mc;374910" said:

ThePrettyDamned said:

http://www.guitar-bass.net/gear/hamstead-soundworks-artist-20-rt-review/



Anyway, further proof that we need not pay import fees to get a stonking sounding amp? I'll let you know when I've tried one

Yeah at £1900 I'd be really worried about the extra ~£60 that would add...

Again, competing against bogner, two rock, Friedman... The price is sort of comparable. Not saying it's worth it, in the same way those amps might not be. But it's got an interesting feature set and might be genuinely useful.

I was just pointing out that (unless there's something I'm missing, which is entirely possible) the customs % is actually a very small amount. The lion's share of the price added to anything made in the USA is VAT (I think ) ), and that's added to anything made in the UK (or the EU) as well.

jpfamps

Dave_Mc said:

ThePrettyDamned said:

Dave_Mc;374910" said:

ThePrettyDamned said:

http://www.guitar-bass.net/gear/hamstead-soundworks-artist-20-rt-review/



Anyway, further proof that we need not pay import fees to get a stonking sounding amp? I'll let you know when I've tried one

Yeah at £1900 I'd be really worried about the extra ~£60 that would add...

Again, competing against bogner, two rock, Friedman... The price is sort of comparable. Not saying it's worth it, in the same way those amps might not be. But it's got an interesting feature set and might be genuinely useful.

I was just pointing out that (unless there's something I'm missing, which is entirely possible) the customs % is actually a very small amount. The lion's share of the price added to anything made in the USA is VAT (I think ) ), and that's added to anything made in the UK (or the EU) as well.

If you are a serious US amp company then you will need a distributor to handle warranty obligation; this costs money which adds to the final price.

jpfamps

samzadgan said:

martinw;374928" said:

ThePrettyDamned said:

samzadgan;374904" said:

I am seriously surprised why more amps in that 20-30w range dont use EL34's...?



I agree - the rocker 30 is actually the only other one I can think of!





Ahem, MJW Electra. :)Sorry, spam.

I know...thats close to what ill be contacting you about next yeah...but i have some other funky ideas...

ICBM;374945" said:

[quote=samzadgan]
I am seriously surprised why more amps in that 20-30w range dont use EL34's...?

Because EL34s and their sockets cost twice as much as EL84s and theirs, and also draw more filament current so you need a bigger PT.

But while I think the effect of valve type on tone is often exaggerated, in my opinion there is a clear difference, and is one of the reasons the Rocker 30 (and other similar amps) sounds better than a typical 4-EL84 amp... other than for traditional EL84-type sounds!

The Blackstar HT-20 is 2-EL34 as well, if it matters.[/quote]

Completely agree...difference between el34 and el84 is huge and el34 is infinitely better in my opinion.

Re the blackstar...i looked into that a while ago after i stupidly sold my rocker 30, mainly because of the el34's...but it wasn't that great...isn't there some kind of solid state stuff going on with that HT range??

We make a low powered (ie 20-30W EL34 amp).

I prefer EL34s to EL84s (generally). 

One major difference is the fact that EL84s don't require much drive produce full volume cf an EL34 running at the same power output, which changes the balance of pre and power amp overdrive.

I also think that most manufacturers don't use EL84s optimally with respect to HT voltage and loading.

VOX got it right with the (original) AC30.