Mukana on soittimia seuraavilta yrityksiltä:
Testipenkissä Joulukuussa: Edulliset klassiset kitarat
Review: Fender Bassbreaker 18/30 Combo
Imagine a brainstorming session at Fender R&D in sunny California, sometime in late 1966. The brief of the day is to come up with a new guitar amplifier.
One of the guys speaks up: ”I’m kinda bored of sparkling TV cowboys and clean-cut entertainers. How about we design an amp for the Blues and Rock players? I’ve heard some little company in England has been doing a sort of Bassman-on-steroids thing, and it seems to catch on. We should try to come up with something that really rocks, too!”
In reality that meeting never took place, but what if it had?
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The new Fender Bassbreaker 18/30 Combo (list price in Finland: 799 €) could well have been the result of our imaginary R&D session.
The Bassbreaker 18/30 is like a visitor from a parallel universe, in which Fender has taken a turn in the mid-Sixties to design guitar amplifiers with a distinctly British accent.
This is a 2 x 12 Fender combo with a cool new trim, called Gray Tweed. The cabinet is built from birch ply, resulting in a combo with a still-manageable weight of just below 23 kg.
The Bassbreaker 18/30’s model name hints at the fact that this amp features two different Fender designs in one package:
Channel One of this two-channel amplifier is based on a Blackface Fender Deluxe and gives you 30 watts of output power. Channel Two on the other hand has been lifted from the earlier brown version of the Deluxe combo, and puts out 18 watts.
The Bassbreaker is an all-valve guitar amp with solid-state rectification, and it runs in Class A/B.
The preamp section is designed around a pair of 12AX7s, while the power amp uses a quartet of EL84s, instead of Fender’s more traditional 6V6 or 6L6 power tubes.
The back panel sports jack sockets for the channel-switching footswitch (included, as is an amp cover), external speaker cabinets, and a post power amp line level output.
In addition to the more ”British accent” of the Bassbreaker 18/30’s power amp valves, Fender has also opted for a pair of chunky 12-inch Celestion V-Type speakers, instead of the Jensen and JBL models the company favoured in the 1960s.
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The 18/30’s Channel One – the Blackface channel – offers you a full three-band EQ-section for your clean tones, while Channel Two (”Brownface”) is more spartan with its single tone control.
First, let me stress that the Fender Bassbreaker 18/30 is really very loud! This is a non-master volume tube combo, which lies in the same ballpark as similar amps, such as the Marshall 1962 Bluesbreaker or Vox AC30 combos, when it comes to sheer sound pressure levels.
The 18/30 really isn’t meant for living room use, because you need to raise Channel Two’s volume substantially, if you want to enjoy the combo’s tasty dirt. And this is despite the fact that this Bassbreaker combo shuts off two of its power tubes, whenever you engage Channel Two, in order to drop the amp’s headroom so it will distort earlier.
If high volume is an issue, but you still want a piece of that Bassbreaker action, I’d suggest you check out the Bassbreaker 15 combo, which comes with a master volume control.
At low volume settings both Bassbreaker 18/30 channels will give you clean tones, with Channel One having a brighter and more chimey voice, and Channel Two sounding a bit earthier. Thanks to the EL84 power amp, this isn’t your traditional Fender combo, but rather a mix of Fender character and UK-style mid-range growl and attitude.
Here’s a short clip of both channels set to clean (volumes between 9 and 10 o’clock) and played with a maple neck Stratocaster:
The demo song features two rhythm guitars – a Gibson Les Paul Junior (Channel One, stereo right) and a Fender Telecaster (Channel Two, stereo left) – and a lead guitar part, that has been played on an Epiphone Les Paul Standard with vintage-type EMG HZ-pickups through Channel Two (volume at 3 o’clock):
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Fender’s Bassbreaker 18/30 is a great-sounding guitar combo for the Blues and Rock guitarist, who knows how to coax great tones from an in-your-face non-master valve amp. The 18/30 manages to combine the best aspects of 1960s Fender amps with the chunk and grit usually associated with British designs.
The Bassbreaker 18/30 is too loud to be used as a bedroom or home studio amp. This combo has been designed as a professional tool for the gigging guitarist, who doesn’t have to ”turn it down” all the time.
*****
Fender Bassbreaker 18/30 Combo
MSRP: 799 €
Contact: Fender
A big thank you to DLX Music Helsinki for the loan of the review combo!
Pros:
+ workmanship
+ design
+ birch-ply cabinet
+ sound
+ high volume levels
Cons:
– high volume levels
Now on SoundCloud: Fender Bassbreaker 18/30
Fender Bassbreaker
• Two-channel all-valve combo with solid-state rectification
• Channel 1 – 30 watts Blackface Deluxe-style
• Channel 2 – 18 watts Brown Deluxe-style
• Two 12″ Celestion V-Type speakers
• Two 12AX7 + four EL84
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Demo Song
• Rhythm guitars: Fender Telecaster on channel 2 (left) & Gibson Les Paul Junior on channel 1 (right); both channel volumes at 10 o’clock
• Lead guitar: Epiphone Les Paul Standard with vintage-style EMG HZ-pickups; channel 2, volume at 3 o’clock
*******
Clean Sounds
• Maple-neck Fender Stratocaster (middle + bridge PUs); both channel volumes at 9 o’clock
Contact: Fender
Review: ESP LTD Thinline TL-6Z, TL-4Z + TL-6N
Playing an acoustic guitar live on stage in a Rock/Pop-band setting is not as easy as one might think. A large acoustic body that has a floor monitor pointing straight at it is a recipe for howling feedback.
There are ways to lessen the danger of feedback, like applying equalisation in strategic frequency bands or using a mechanical sound-hole plug, but the easiest road to pursue, by far, is using a thinline (or even solid-body) acoustic guitar onstage.
ESP offers a model range for just this purpose, called LTD TL (TL = Thinline):
The steel-string acoustic guitar goes by the model name TL-6.
The bass guitar is called TL-4.
And there’s the TL-6N, a nylon-string acoustic guitar.
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Kitarablogi received the bass and steel-string models in their most visually stunning versions – the ESP LTD TL-6Z (650 €) and the LTD TL-4Z (682 €).
Both instruments sport zebrano tops. Zebrano is an African hardwood with a very striking wood grain that is reminiscent of a zebra’s stripes (hence the name). Zebrano has been in use since the 1990s in some boutique-grade bass guitars, but it has recently been adopted for more and more acoustic guitars and ukuleles, too.
The TL-6 is also available in a plainer, maple-topped version (in natural or black).
The nylon-string LTD TL-6N (625 €) comes with a maple top, either with a gloss natural or a piano black finish (as reviewed).
These instruments aren’t super shallow acoustic instruments, instead LTD’s TL-range features genuine thinline construction.
The bodies are based on solid mahogany backs, which have large areas routed out from the front before the top is glued into place. A ”centre block” is left standing from beneath the bridge all the way to the end of the body.
A body chamfer next to the neck heel makes reaching the top frets a little easier.
The mahogany neck is glued together from three long side-by-side strips.
All TL-instruments come with quality tuning machines:
The steel-string instruments use Grover machine heads.
LTD’s TL-6N sports a set of open Hauser-style tuners.
On the TL-6Z the strings are fed through the back part of the rosewood bridge, which makes for much faster and easier restringing than a traditional pin bridge.
We find through-body stringing (with back ferrules) on the TL-4Z bass.
It’s traditional knot-stringing for the nylon-string version (TL-6N).
All top nuts and compensated bridge saddles on these TL-Series instruments are made from Graph Tech’s high-quality NuBone material, a man-made alternative to bovine bone.
Both the TL-4Z and TL-6Z come with a Fishman under-saddle-transducer and a TL-3 preamp.
The Fishman TL-3 features a built-in chromatic tuner and a three-band EQ section.
For the nylon-string guitar ESP has chosen B-Band’s T7 system, which features a tuner, a three-band EQ section, and a feedback-reducing phase reverse-switch.
****
Our review sample of the TL-6Z was the lightest guitar of the trio. Its thin body (5 cm) makes it sit nicely in your lap. This guitar’s strapped-on balance is also very good.
ESP call the neck profile a Thin U – I’d say the neck feels very comfortable, with a nicely rounded, not-too-thick cross section.
You can’t say anything negative about the workmanship on this guitar – this is a cleanly built guitar with a great feel, not least because of the smooth fret job.
Played unplugged, the TL-6Z isn’t very loud. In terms of volume it is on a par with an ES-335-style semi.
Plug the TL-6Z in, though, and it really comes alive. This is what this LTD is meant for, and the guitar delivers a quality piezo sound with plenty of dynamics:
The LTD TL-4Z-bass is a well-made quality instrument, and plays great.
The TL-4Z’s neck profile is similar to that of a Jazz Bass, but the LTD’s jumbo frets and flatter-than-vintage fretboard radius take this bass into a much more modern direction.
The basic amped-up sound of this bass is fantastic. Our review sample suffered from a mild volume reduction in the g-string’s output level, though. Usually, problems like this one are caused by a tiny piece of wood, caught between the underside of the bridge saddle and the surface of the piezo pickup, which prevents the bridge saddle from making full contact with the pickup. In most cases this is very easy to remedy.
As a builder of thinline classical guitars you have the choice between two options:
Some manufacturers equip a guitar of this type with an electric or steel-string neck, to make it easier for an occasional nylon-string user to switch between different types of guitar.
ESP has gone for the second option, namely for making a thinline instrument with a neck that feels like the neck of a full-blown classical guitar. The LTD-6N has the wide and flat neck profile so typical of most traditional nylon-string acoustics. In my opinion this is a good choice, because the neck profile has a bearing on how you approach and play such a guitar. This is a thinline classical that feels ”real”.
Because of the much lower string-pull of nylon strings – when compared to steel strings – the TL-6N is the quietest instrument of this trio, when played unplugged.
The TL-6N will win you over with its tasty amplified voice, though. The B-Band pickup system is a fantastic choice for a nylon-string guitar, because the B-Band pickup – which works similar to an electret microphone – won’t give you any of that infamous piezo quack, which tends to make nylon-string guitars sound rather annoying.
Here are two different versions of the demo song:
****
In my view, ESP’s LTD TL-Series is a great choice if you want to add acoustic guitar tones to your onstage arsenal.
The TL-Series features instruments that combine stylish looks, great playability and quality electronics into instruments, which will give you a fine range of acoustic tones in a live setting, combined with a far lower susceptibility to feedback.
****
LTD Thinline TL-6Z, TL-4Z + TL-6N
TL-6Z: 650 €
TL-4Z: 682 €
TL-6N: 625 €
Finnish distributor: Musamaailma
****
Pros (all models):
+ stylish design
+ workmanship
+ playability
+ amplified sounds
Cons (TL-4Z only):
– slight volume drop on g-string
Fender Offset – Uutuussarja tuo firman ”oppilassoittimet” takaisin
Fender Guitars tuo nyt firman vanhat ”oppilasmallit” 1950-luvulta ja 60-luvulta takaisin päivitettyinä versioina. Uutuussarjan nimi on Offset Series.
Offset-sarjassa on tällä hetkellä neljä kitaramallia, sekä yksi basso. Kaikissa soittimissa on lyhyemmät mensuurit kuin Fender-soittimissa yleensä. Kitaroissa mensuuri on 24 tuumaa (58,8 cm) ja bassossa luku on 30 tuumaa (76,2 cm). Kaikissa Offseteissä on nykyaikaiset medium-jumbo nauhat, sekä helppokäyttöinen, virtaviivaistettu elektroniikka.
Kuvassa näkyy vasemmalta oikealle:
Fender Offset Mustang, Mustang P90, Duo-Sonic, Duo-Sonic HS ja Mustang Bass PJ.
Offset-sarjan soittimet ovat nyt saatavilla Suomessa.
Testipenkissä: ESP LTD Thinline TL-6Z, TL-4Z + TL-6N
Akustinen kitara on Pop/Rock-bändin kontekstissa aina hieman haasteellinen soitin keikkatilanteessa, koska iso, akustinen kaikukoppa ja siihen suunnattu lavamonitori ovat herkästi feedbackia tuottava yhdistelmä.
Tarkalla ekvalisoinnilla ja mekaanisella kaikuaukon tulpalla pystyy kyllä vähentämään kiertämisen riskiä ideaalitapauksissa huomattavasti, mutta helpompi ratkaisu on käyttää keikoilla livetilanteita varten kehitettyä, lankkumallista akustista.
ESP tarjoaa nyt myös tällaisia soittimia LTD TL –sarjan muodossa (TL = Thinline):
Kuusikielisen, teräskielisen kitaran mallitunnus on TL-6.
Basson nimi on TL-4.
Ja nailonkielisen kitaran mallitunnus on TL-6N.
****
Kitarablogi sai testiin teräskielisestä kitarasta ja bassosta erittäin näyttävät ESP LTD TL-6Z (650 €) ja LTD TL-4Z (682 €) -versiot, joissa on upeat kannet zebrano-puusta.
Zebrano on afrikkalainen jalopuulaji, jonka vahva syykuvio muistuttaa seepran raitoja. Zebranoa on käytetty jo 1990-luvulta lähtien mm. useissa boutique-luokan sähköbassoissa, mutta viime vuosina puulajia on nähty käytettävän yhä useammin myös akustisissa kielisoittimissa.
TL-6 on saatavissa myös vaahterakannella (värivaihtoehtoina musta tai natural).
Nailonkielinen LTD TL-6N:ssä (625 €) on varustettu vaahterakannella, ja soitin on saatavilla vaaleana natural-versiona sekä kiiltävän mustaksi lakattuna.
LTD TL-sarjan soittimissa on aito thinline-rakenne, sen sijaan että ne olisivat ainoastaan hyvin ohutkoppaisia akustisia.
Soittimien mahonkirunkoihin on jyrsitty edestä suuret kolot, ennen kuin kansi on liimattu paikalleen. Tallan alta rungon päätyyn asti ulottuu TL-soittimissa ”keskipalkki” runkopuusta.
Kaulaliitoksen kohdalla runkopuuhun on veistetty kätevä viistotus, joka helpottaa otekäden pääsyä ylimpiin nauhoihin.
Mahonkikaula on kolmiosainen.
TL-soittimet on varustettu laadukkailla virittimillä:
Teräskielisiin soittimiin on asennettu nykyaikaiset Grover-koneistot.
TL-6N:ssä taas on sulavasti toimivat, Hauser-tyyliset, avoimet virittimet.
Teräskielisen TL-6Z:n ruusupuisen tallan takaosassa on reiät, joista kielet kulkevat läpi. Kielten pallopäät juttuvat reikiin, mikä on nopeampi ja varmempi tapa kiinnittää kielet kuin perinteinen tappikiinnitys.
TL-4Z-basson kielet taas vedetään rungon läpi.
Nailonkielinen TL-6N luottaa perinteiseen solmukiinnitykseen.
TL-sarjan satulat ja kompensoidut tallaluut valmistetaan Graph Techin laadukkaasta NuBone-materiaalista, joka on synteettinen vaihtoehto naudanluulle.
TL-4Z ja TL-6Z on molemmat varustettu samalla Fishman TL-3 esivahvistimella, jossa on sisäinen viritysmittari.
Volume-säätimen lisäksi TL-3 tarjoaa kolmikaistaisen taajuuskorjaimen.
Nailonkitaran tapauksessa ESP taas luottaa B-Band T7 -järjestelmään, jossa on viritysmittarin ja kolmikaistaisen EQ:n lisäksi vielä vaiheenkäännin.
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Testissä käynyt TL-6Z on tämän kolmikon kevyin soitin, ja sen ohut runko (5 cm) istuu hyvin syliin. Myös hihnan varassa tasapaino on hyvä.
ESP kutsuu tämän kitaran kaulaprofiilia Thin U:ksi – minä taas sanoisin, että se on oikein mukavan tuntuinen kaula, pyöreällä, hieman keskivertoa ohuemmalla läpimitalla.
Työnjälki on kiitettävää tasoa – erittäin siisti nauhatyö (22 jumbo-kokoista nauhaa) on tästä vain yksi esimerkki.
Akustisesti soitettuna TL-6Z ei ole kovinkaan äänekäs. Lankkuakustisen tuottaman äänen taso on samalla viivalla esimerkiksi ES-335-tyylisen puoliakustisen kanssa.
TL-6Z onkin tarkoitettu akustisen vahvistimen kautta tai suoraan linjasoitolla miksauspöytään (tai äänikorttiin) soitettavaksi, jolloin se todellakin herää henkiin. Tarjolla on todella laadukas ja dynaaminen piezosoundi:
TL-4Z-basso on laadukkaasti toteutettu lajinsa edustaja, jota on erittäin mukava soittaa.
TL-4Z:n kaulaprofiili on Jazz-basson kaltainen, mutta LTD:n jumbo-kokoiset nauhat ja tasaisempi otelaudan kaarevuus (= isompi radius) tekevät soittotuntumasta selvästi nykyaikaisemman.
Basson vahvistettu ääni on sinänsä erittäin laadukas, mutta testiyksilön hieman muita kieliä vaimeammin soiva g-kieli johtaa lievään pistevähennykseen. Usein tämänkaltaiset ongelmat johtuvat pienestä puulastusta, joka on päässyt tallan uraan, luun ja mikrofonin väliin, estäen kielen värähtelyn optimaalisen välityksen piezomikrofoniin. Tämä ei ole iso ongelma, vaan sen saa ratkaistua useimmiten hyvinkin nopeasti.
Tämän kitaratyypin ”klassisissa kitaroissa” kitaravalmistaja voi valita kahden koulukunnan välillä:
Jotkut valmistajat tekevät nailonkielisiä lankkukitaroita teräskieli-tyylisillä kauloilla, koska he uskovat tällaisen kitaran käyttäjän todennäköisesti olevan pääasiallisesti sähkökitaran soittaja.
ESP taas kuuluu niihin valmistajiin, jotka haluavat, että myös nailonkielinen lankkukitara tuntuu aidolta klassiselta kitaralta. LTD TL-6N -mallissa on siis aito klassisen kitaran kaulaprofiili, joka on tunnetusti teräskielisen kitaran kaulan profiilia leveämpi ja harteikkaampi. Minusta tämä on ainoastaan hyvä asia, koska soittotuntuma on sen ansiosta ”aidompi”.
Nailonkielten teräskieliin verrattuna heikomman kielivedon vuoksi TL-6N on akustisesti tämän kolmikon hiljaisin soitin.
TL-6N:n vahvistettu soundi kuulostaa erittäin terveeltä. B-Band-mikrofonijärjestelmä on mielestäni todella hyvä valinta juuri nailonkieliseen kitaraan, koska elektrettimikrofonin tavalla toimivasta B-Band-mikistä puuttuu täysin se useista piezomikrofoneista tuttu ärsyttävänkin naksahteleva atakki.
Tässä vielä kaksi versiota demobiisistä:
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ESP LTD:n TL-sarjan soittimet tarjoavat mielestäni erittäin toimivia ratkaisuja tilanteisiin, joissa halutaan tuoda bändisoundiin akustisia vaikutteita.
TL-soittimissa tyylikäs ulkonäkö, hyvä soitettavuus ja laadukas elektroniikka muodostavat toimivan kokonaisuuden, jolla saa vaivattomasti hyvän lavasoundin todella vähäisellä feedback-vaaralla.
****
LTD Thinline TL-6Z, TL-4Z + TL-6N
TL-6Z: 650 €
TL-4Z: 682 €
TL-6N: 625 €
Maahantuoja: Musamaailma
****
Plussat (kaikki mallit):
+ tyylikäs ulkonäkö
+ työnjälki
+ soitettavuus
+ sähkösoundi
Miinukset (vain TL-4Z):
– g-kieli soi hieman muita heikommin
Thomas Blug ja BluGuitar Amp1 @ DLX Musiikki Helsinki
DLX Musiikissa kävi eilen aito kuninkaalinen:
Saksalainen Thomas Blug, joka on saanut Fenderiltä vuonna 2004 tittelin ”Strat King of Europe”, tuli esittelemään omat, mullistavat BluGuitar-tuotteensa.
BluGuitar-malliston keskiössä on Amp1-niminen satawattinen kitaravahvistin, joka näyttää lattiaefektiltä.
Amp1 ei perustu digitaaliseen mallinnukseen, vaan sen etuaste toimi täysin analogisesti. BluGuitarin omalla Nanotube-teknologialla varustettu pääteaste toimii D-luokan periaatteella.
BluGuitar-vahvistin tarjoaa neljä ohjelmoitavaa kanavaa, sekä boostin ja laadukkaan mallinnetun jousikaiun. Amp1 toimii sekä kitarakaapin kanssa (esim. BluGuitarin oma FatCab tai NanoCab) että suoraan miksauspöytään tai äänikorttiin kytkettynä.
Thomas Blugilla oli mukana myös uusin BluGuitar-tuote – BluBox Speaker Emulator.
BluBox (tule myyntiin joulun tienoilla) on digitaalinen kaappimallinnin, joka tarjoaa 16 eri kaappimallia, sekä Position-säätimen virtuaalimikrofonin asennolle.
BluGuitar-tuotteiden maahantuoja on EM Nordic.
Review: Bluetone Shadows Reverb
For many guitarists the Vox AC30 is the greatest guitar amp ever made – bar none.
The combo was originally designed for the instrumental group The Shadows, but it became known worldwide as ”The Beatles Amp”. Over the decades, many other guitarists have favoured Vox’ best known design. Users include people like Brian May (Queen), Rory Gallagher and U2’s The Edge. Many Finnish Shadows-/Ventures-style bands (”rautalankka”) also favour the AC30.
Despite their legendary status, vintage Vox AC30s also do have their issues:
This large 2 x 12″ combo weighs quite a lot, making it a little hard to carry alone. Old Voxes also are non-master volume amps, which means that attaining natural distortion comes at the cost of serious sound pressure levels – often too much for small clubs and function gigs. Old AC30s also have all their valves – yes, also the power amp tubes – placed inside an almost completely closed metal chassis. This has led to vintage-Voxes getting an infamous reputation as relatively prone to catching fire.
(photo: Studiofreak/Photobucket)
Boutique amp makers Bluetone (from Helsinki, Finland) have recently come up with their special take on the beloved classic combo. Their new amp is called Bluetone Shadows Reverb, and it comes with a whole number of welcome improvements and modern features.
****
Bluetone’s Shadows Reverb (reviewed version: 1,950 €) is a single-channel all-valve amp loaded with a genuine spring reverb. The combo represents the company’s view of what constitutes a perfect Top Boost-channel tone, all presented in a much more compact format.
The Shadows Reverb is a class AB amp, and it offers between 15 and 30 Watts of output power, depending on the setting of its built-in Variac.
The combo’s cabinet is made from high-grade plywood. The Shadows Reverb is a good deal smaller and less deep than its classic forebear from the 1960s.
This reduction in heft is due mostly to the use of 10-inch Celestion Alnico Gold speakers in place of the AC30’s 12-inch speaker pair.
The speakers in the Shadows Reverb combo have been ”played in” for a number of hours (using an oscillator) to get rid of the typical tightness of brand-new Alnico Golds.
This Bluetone-combo uses three 12AX7-tubes, and a single 12AT7 in its preamp section.
The power amp runs on a quartet of EL84 valves. The Shadows Reverb is a cathode-biased valve amp, which means that replacing the power amp tubes doesn’t usually necessitate any rebiasing.
****
Yes, the Bluetone Shadows Reverb is ”just” a single-channel combo, but it is far from a single sound guitar amplifier. In large part this is thanks to the brilliant modern features Bluetone has incorporated into this homage.
The Shadows Reverb offers you two guitar inputs – High and Low – for use with single coil- and humbucker-equipped instruments.
The preamp features a two-band Baxandall EQ-section – with typically interactive controls for Bass and Treble – as well as a three-stage Bass Cut rotary switch, which offers you two fatter alternatives to the famously bright and wiry Vox Top Boost sound.
The onboard spring reverb sounds fantastic and is a real treat to work with, giving you everything from completely dry tones to Surf Music antics.
The power amp section comes with three controls:
Cut allows you to make overall adjustments to the combo’s treble output.
Bluetone’s Master Volume-control is placed after the phase inverter, right at the end of the signal chain. This allows you to get juicy power amp distortion at low volume levels, and with only minimal changes in the amp’s tone.
As mentioned before, the Shadows Reverb comes with a built-in Variac circuit. Although the Variac also has a bearing on the combo’s output level, it works in a completely different way to the master volume, namely by dropping the voltage the power amp runs on. Turning the Variac down will result in a good deal less clean headroom and more power amp sag.
Due to large public interest, I had to return the Shadows Reverb much earlier than anticipated, but I still managed to record two different demo tracks with the Bluetone amp.
The first (clean) track features rhythm guitar tracks played on a Fender Telecaster (left channel) and a 1970s Japanese copy of a Gibson ES-335 (Kasuga; right channel). The lead guitar part was played on a Fender Stratocaster. All guitar tracks have been recorded with an AKG C3000 microphone placed approximately 80 cm from the combo’s front:
The second track (overdriven) has been recorded with a Stratocaster. The distortion comes from the Shadows Reverb (no pedals used), and all tracks have been close-miked with a pair of Shure SM57s:
****
Bluetone’s Shadows Reverb is an outstanding boutique amp take on the Vox AC30 motif. Like all other Bluetone amps, the Shadows Reverb is carefully handmade in Finland to the company’s strict quality standards. This results in reliable top-drawer tools for the musician, with extremely low levels of hiss and negligible AC hum.
I had a great time test driving this combo. The Bluetone Shadows Reverb simply delivers all it promises with style and panache. The combo weighs approximately half of the original classic (AC30s usually weigh between 31 to 36 kg, depending on their specific vintage and the speakers they come loaded with). The reduced size means you won’t be having any problems lifting this beauty into the boot of a small car, such as a Ford Fiesta.
Thanks to the additional features of this Bluetone combo – like the Bass Cut and the Variac – you will be able to enjoy the great sound of the Shadows Reverb anywhere you want, be it at home or on stage.
****
Bluetone Shadows Reverb
Prices starting at approx. 1,700 € (reviewed version: 1,950 €)
Manufacturer: Bluetone Amps
****
Pros:
+ handmade in Finland
+ size
+ weight
+ valve-powered spring reverb
+ Variac- and Master Volume-controls
+ sound
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