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Topic: a question about Top Hat amps |
Steven Black
From:
Gahanna, Ohio, USA
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Posted 27 Apr 2004 11:42 am |
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| I played thru one of these expensive amps which are all tubes, and my steel guitar really sounded good, has anyone else ever used these amps? and what is the thoughts on them? these are custom amps, hand built. steveb. |
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Brad Sarno
From:
St. Louis, MO USA
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Posted 27 Apr 2004 5:29 pm
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I've messed around with a few at a local shop. Great stuff. Well built. Get's real good vintage sounds. BUT, like many of these "boutique" amps, I'm always left wondering why I should pay $2500 for a guitar amp that's merely a remake of an old Fender that you can get and restore for well under a grand. My comment on the real nice boutique amps is usually "great lookin amp".
Brad Sarno
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Steven Black
From:
Gahanna, Ohio, USA
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Posted 28 Apr 2004 2:48 am
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| Hey Brad, you are so right, the price was scary, and the circuitry is much like the old Fenders or the Marshall amps of the 50's and 60's. steveb. |
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James Quackenbush
From:
Pomona, New York, USA
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Posted 7 May 2004 6:05 pm
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Steven,
I guess it all boils down to what tone you're looking for ...Top Hat makes some really nice point to point wired amps that have similar sounds to a lot of different amps....Fender is only one amp that they make copies of ....The make a Marshall toned amp, and also a Vox AC30 toned amp that is really fine !!... Most of your newer amps are PC boards and are NOT as easy to fix or trouble shoot, nor do they have the tone of most of your boutique amps... If tone , and ease of working on your amp if there's a problem are on top of your list, then the high price is not so high after all ... There are many boutique clones of the 59 Bassman amp that are well under $2,000 .....Try and find a used 59 bassman in new condition for under $2,000 .....If you do, I'll take it !!!....Jim |
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Greg Derksen
From:
Alberta, Canada
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Posted 10 May 2004 6:25 am
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Twoamps that I think would be really great for steel, would be the TOPHAT Ambassador
100 WATT, and the Bruno Cowtipper 100 Watt,
What you would get are very finely tuned
Blackface amps with some nice features, both these guys would fine tune the circuit for
each guy, if you would ask, Greg |
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John Billings
From:
Ohio, USA
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Posted 10 May 2004 12:18 pm
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| I'm much more partial to Dr Z amps. They have their own sound. The Doc didn't copy old circuits for his amps. Of course there are similaritie, but he does some very interesting things that are more from an old hi-fi point of view. I have used my Maz Jr, with a Bluebell,for steel in the studio, and it sounds great. Not enough power to gig with, but great for at home or in the studio. I also have a Prescription combo. Good stuff, and priced VERY reasonably. [This message was edited by John Billings on 10 May 2004 at 01:19 PM.] |
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James Quackenbush
From:
Pomona, New York, USA
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Posted 10 May 2004 1:55 pm
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John,
I've owned quite a few different Dr Z amps, and like them a lot for guitar work, but they don't have the clean headroom for steel work that I like ....I had the first red Mazeratti that was made for Joe Walsh , and it RIPPED on guitar, but was not the amp of choice for steel work ...I guess the closest Z I had for steel work would have been the Maz 38 that I had Mike voice for jazz ....Good , but not great for steel .....Just my opinion ....Jim |
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ajm
From:
Los Angeles
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Posted 10 May 2004 5:11 pm
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I would hope that the Bruno would sound good no matter what you did to it. For the price it should sound good if you dropped it on the floor!!!!!!!!!! ;>)
I have never heard or played through one but I have heard that they are the cats meow.
For those that are unfamiliar with them, go to their website and check the prices. (For those here who have weak hearts consider yourself warned.)
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Artie McEwan
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Greg Derksen
From:
Alberta, Canada
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Posted 11 May 2004 6:32 am
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I own a DR Z Maz 18, and I think it is a great little Tele or Strat amp, its not even close to what I think is a great tone stack for a Clean Pedal steel sound, for raunchy
you bet, They are great tele amps that get that clean/dirty tone really nicely,
I've hosted quite a few amp shootouts and for the clean pedal steel sound, the Blackface Supers and Twin's just seem to have the right "Shape" to them, Silverface also,
The Bruno Cowtipper and Tophat Ambassador
I think would work really nicely for a super clean Sparkly tone, Haven't played a Bruno
but the Tophat I played sounded like a very refined Blackface amp, The Bruno's are supposed to be scary good amps, Greg |
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James Winwood
From:
New York, New York
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Posted 13 May 2004 7:19 pm
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Since there's boutique amps been tossed around, I'll throw in a shout for Two-Rock. Pure 3D tone and absolutely huge sounding.
Gorgous, blackface-esque clean channel and the overdrive morphs my steel into an fire breathing opera singer with the ability to get all tones between the two. Very Lindley. Dumble inspired circuitry. Have the 50-watt K&M Custom. If you are looking for the blackface on steroids and/or dumble thing in a modern point-to-point tube amplifier, here you go. I've spun out more than one boutique amp owning friend when I plugged them into this. Feel free to email me if you want. |
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