I'm pretty sure back in the day when I got my AC15 the handwired ones were about that sale price...KNNZ wrote: ↑Wed Nov 22, 2023 7:26 am coincidentally I've been GASsing for a AC15 handwired model, Music Planet has got Black November sale going and this seems to be an okay price?
https://www.musicplanet.co.nz/vox-ac15h ... n-spk.html
where have all the fancy amps gone
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Re: where have all the fancy amps gone
Slowy wrote: That's the problem; everything rewarding is just such hard work. Regret takes much less effort.
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Re: where have all the fancy amps gone
Maybe we've the low volume, boutique builders to thank for the betterment of corporation amp quality? Not only in challenge to an aspect of market-share, but in the pushing up of price acceptability in the market (education?), and, their R+D to refine tone recipes (externality). If a corporate amp exec can poach some of the R+D found in the more market successful boutique builds and make further margin due to factory scale, then making better amp offerings to the market can happen at a lower price point, whilst having a higher, more exclusive brand offering above that again that can go head-to-head with the indie, boutique dudes.
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Re: where have all the fancy amps gone
I have a theory that once they all played a Katana they basically lost the will to build amps any more. It was just too good!
Slowy wrote: That's the problem; everything rewarding is just such hard work. Regret takes much less effort.
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Re: where have all the fancy amps gone
It has been a strange time in big-name tube amps recently. Fender seem to have gone all-in re: modelling and not introduced anything vaguely interesting otherwise. Marshall are sensibly targeting the lower-wattage market with the Studio series. Mesa have introduced two of my favourite amps of all time (Cali Tweed and Filmore) but their "modern" offerings are all quite uninspiring. It feels like the market is moving away from big wattage, but it's hard for many players to spend big money on an "only" 20W tube amp.clubhouse wrote: ↑Wed Nov 22, 2023 11:01 am Maybe we've the low volume, boutique builders to thank for the betterment of corporation amp quality? Not only in challenge to an aspect of market-share, but in the pushing up of price acceptability in the market (education?), and, their R+D to refine tone recipes (externality). If a corporate amp exec can poach some of the R+D found in the more market successful boutique builds and make further margin due to factory scale, then making better amp offerings to the market can happen at a lower price point, whilst having a higher, more exclusive brand offering above that again that can go head-to-head with the indie, boutique dudes.
We need another Auckland/Northland gearfest. I miss the warmth of tubes and unshowered men in crowded rooms.
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Re: where have all the fancy amps gone
Hiwatt still has big wattage for big money.robthemac wrote: ↑Wed Nov 22, 2023 12:12 pmIt has been a strange time in big-name tube amps recently. Fender seem to have gone all-in re: modelling and not introduced anything vaguely interesting otherwise. Marshall are sensibly targeting the lower-wattage market with the Studio series. Mesa have introduced two of my favourite amps of all time (Cali Tweed and Filmore) but their "modern" offerings are all quite uninspiring. It feels like the market is moving away from big wattage, but it's hard for many players to spend big money on an "only" 20W tube amp.clubhouse wrote: ↑Wed Nov 22, 2023 11:01 am Maybe we've the low volume, boutique builders to thank for the betterment of corporation amp quality? Not only in challenge to an aspect of market-share, but in the pushing up of price acceptability in the market (education?), and, their R+D to refine tone recipes (externality). If a corporate amp exec can poach some of the R+D found in the more market successful boutique builds and make further margin due to factory scale, then making better amp offerings to the market can happen at a lower price point, whilst having a higher, more exclusive brand offering above that again that can go head-to-head with the indie, boutique dudes.
We need another Auckland/Northland gearfest. I miss the warmth of tubes and unshowered men in crowded rooms.
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Re: where have all the fancy amps gone
keen for a Auckland gearfest but only over the next school holidays please
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Re: where have all the fancy amps gone
end of December or January
Fendery tones but thiccc fendery tones, more warmth, works great with single coils, P90s, Jazzmaster style pickups, but for humbuckers I find I need an EQ pedal to make it less bassy/boomy if that makes sense
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Re: where have all the fancy amps gone
Sounds like the Cali Tweed. How much of the toan is in the speaker and cab, do you think?
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Re: where have all the fancy amps gone
That's a good question, I don't have the answer to that yet, I do have another cab with V30s so maybe i could swap cabs and see if the toan changes, but when I have some free time!!robthemac wrote: ↑Wed Nov 22, 2023 2:38 pmSounds like the Cali Tweed. How much of the toan is in the speaker and cab, do you think?
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Re: where have all the fancy amps gone
I pulled my 9 pounder out today for a testdriverobthemac wrote: ↑Wed Nov 22, 2023 12:12 pmWe need another Auckland/Northland gearfest. I miss the warmth of tubes and unshowered men in crowded rooms.clubhouse wrote: ↑Wed Nov 22, 2023 11:01 am Maybe we've the low volume, boutique builders to thank for the betterment of corporation amp quality? Not only in challenge to an aspect of market-share, but in the pushing up of price acceptability in the market (education?), and, their R+D to refine tone recipes (externality). If a corporate amp exec can poach some of the R+D found in the more market successful boutique builds and make further margin due to factory scale, then making better amp offerings to the market can happen at a lower price point, whilst having a higher, more exclusive brand offering above that again that can go head-to-head with the indie, boutique dudes.
When faced with quality, I recognise it every time.
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Re: where have all the fancy amps gone
Jay, mate; nobody needs to know that.Jay wrote: ↑Wed Nov 22, 2023 3:36 pmI pulled my 9 pounder out today for a testdriverobthemac wrote: ↑Wed Nov 22, 2023 12:12 pmWe need another Auckland/Northland gearfest. I miss the warmth of tubes and unshowered men in crowded rooms.clubhouse wrote: ↑Wed Nov 22, 2023 11:01 am Maybe we've the low volume, boutique builders to thank for the betterment of corporation amp quality? Not only in challenge to an aspect of market-share, but in the pushing up of price acceptability in the market (education?), and, their R+D to refine tone recipes (externality). If a corporate amp exec can poach some of the R+D found in the more market successful boutique builds and make further margin due to factory scale, then making better amp offerings to the market can happen at a lower price point, whilst having a higher, more exclusive brand offering above that again that can go head-to-head with the indie, boutique dudes.
Beyond a critical point within a finite space, freedom diminishes as numbers increase. This is as true of humans as it is of gas molecules in a sealed flask. The human question is not how many can possibly survive within the system, but what kind of existence is possible for those who so survive.
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Re: where have all the fancy amps gone
You can get arrested for that.
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Re: where have all the fancy amps gone
You guys, what were you thinking? 9 pound Gibson I was talking about
When faced with quality, I recognise it every time.