Business closed       

  Phone :-

          01474 350856

             Mob :-

          07909 168070

             Email :-

 HandWiredAmp@gmail.com

The Guitarist Review by Nick Guppy FEB 19 issue - HOMEGROWN TONE

 

Feel & Sounds

As usual, we tried the Classic Blues 30 with a variety of guitars, including a Strat fitted with regular output Duncan Alnico Pro ITs and a Les Paul loaded with an old pair of PAFs. Sonically, Lane is right on the money, with a Bright channel crammed full of harmonic zing and perfect for humbuckers. The warmer Normal channel is great with single coils, especially our Strat's neck pickup. The shared EQ controls interact smoothly with no annoying peaks, and you  can link both channels together with a short patch lead for more tonal range and a little extra gain, should you need it.

 

Turning up the amp thickens the tone nicely as the KT665 start to add their own magic, with an addictive squashy response that's enhanced by the GZ34 rectifier. Played with a Les Paul, it comes close to the 'Beano' album lead tone and sounds authentic for other hits from that era.

Unlike some vintage heads, it isn't too fussy about loudspeakers. We tried it with three different cabs loaded with Celestion, Eminence and Tone Tubby drivers, which all produced similarly impressive results covering a wide range of classic rock and blues sounds, from nearly clean jangly rhythm tones to singing sustain and harmonic feedback with the volume controls maxed out Doing that experiment with a 100-watt Super Lead would loosen the fillings in your teeth. Thankfully, the 30-watt rating makes things more controllable, although with no master volume controls, an attenuator or an overdrive pedal pushing the front-end could be useful for home or studio use.

 

Verdict

Vintage guitars can be fun, although plugging into 50-year-old valve amplifiers can be risky. Overheating transformers, dried-out capacitors, resistors drifted from their original values, degraded wire insulation and dry solder joints all add up to Turning up, the KT66s start toadd their own magic, with an addictive squashy response unreliability and reduced safety, so it makes sense to use something new.

 

Today, most hand-wired JTM45 boutique clones come from the States, so there's a subtle irony that as Brexit and tariff wars push the pound's buying-power down and US prices up, we're looking once again at a homegrown, sensibly priced alternative, for similar reasons to those that influenced the original's creation over half a century ago. Aimed at classic rockers and players who want to experience the tone of the British Blues Invasion, the Classic Blues 30 doesn't disappoint. Most definitely one to try

 

 David Lane's tribute to the Marshall JTM45 is his Classic Blues 30 - like the original, it's a pure valve design

 

price. £999.00

 

Nick Guppy - The Guitarist    RATING 9/10

 David Amplification _UK- Manufacturer of  - Handwired Valve Amps

 

Above are 2 pictures showing my latest project a 20 Watt Combo with a 10" Celestion Green back speaker. 3 ECC83 2 EL84 and Rectifier Valve EZ81 . So a light weight Amp (16 KG) with great tone based on the JTM45.

 

Hi I'm David Lane , I have worked in the audio industry for over 35 years including working for companies such as Marshall and PM components. I have always been passionate about amplification and the preservation of vintage valve amps, so a have my own valve amp repair company to keep those amps alive.

 

I was asked by one of my clients if it was possible to build a vintage amp with todays components but still retain all of the tones and feel of a 60 year old amp. I thought that was an interesting project and so began my journey of building an amp that sounds and feels like a 60 year old vintage amp but without 60 years of wear and tear. So after a few years of trial and error I think you will agree that we have achieve that goal, with a truly hand made amp.

 

Boutique amps may be expensive but between the amazing tone and outstanding resale valve they are surely worth the investment.

 

So give me a call for prices and to discuss your specific requirements.

    

Based in Kent England, David builds superior clones of classic Hand Made Valve amplifiers like the Marshall JTM45

  

as used by Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix, Gary Moore, Angus Young and Jeff Beck . Called the David Amplification - Classic Blues 30, these amps were hand built from the original schematics and David manages to lovingly and faithfully reproduce that classic sound.  It’s the hand wired valve amps  JTM45's GZ34 rectifier valve that helps create the organic output stage compression with clean sustain that is associated with the ‘Bluesbreaker’ head. Modern PCB amps do not have a rectifier valve but the much cheaper and lower quality option of a Solid State rectifier.

Jimi Hendrix used Marshall JTM/45 100 heads with Kt66 Valves on his early Albums

Eric Clapton Also used the JTM/45 100 heads with Kt66 Valves

  

Everything built from the ground up including the case and metalwork and completely hand made ( Point to Point, PTP) with the highest quality available components, the tone produced by these amps are a wonder to behold with some guitarist saying that Davids Amps produce a better tone than the orginals. (Probably because they are brand new)

  

So why the demand today for an amp design that is 55 years old? Handwired (PTP) V's Printed Circuit Board (PCB)

  

All David Amplification tube amplifiers are hand built using UK, European and USA sourced components from respected suppliers like J.J tesla valves, R.S components, Cliff jack sockets, Mallory, Alpha, and Welwyn resistors.

  

Dave also offers a service to modify your existing hand wired amp.

 

for price and to arrange to tryout this wonderful masterpiece

Please Contact David, Email  HandWiredAmp@gmail.com

                                       Phone  01474 350856

                                       Mob     07909 168070         

  

  

 

David Amplification - Youtube Channel for HandWired Guitar Amps

  

  

 Amplifier Repair Specialist

David Lane

Valve amps are every guitarists dream equipment but what do you do if your beloved gear has developed a fault. David Lane is a very experienced audio engineer who's CV includes being project manager at the prestigeous PM Components, manufacturers and suppliers of vacuum tubes. David's knowledge of Valve and solid state circuitry is second to none, particulaly Marshall, Fender and Vox and therefore is the perfect choice for all your amplifier repair needs including core services, backline amps for guitar, bass and keyboards.

  

  

  

RECOMMENDATIONS

 

Hi Dave, I thought I would drop you a line to let you know how impressed I have been with the amplifier you have built. I have been playing professionally for over 25 years and I think I have played through most of the big name amps around. The amp you have built is indeed the Holy Grail in both sound and build quality. It brings me back to the halcyon days of yore when all we did was plug in and the magical and inspirational sound just happened. The tone and feel of the amp is amazing and once it's up and running it's hard to put down. The sustain and response under my hands has to be experienced and puts the big boys 'boutique' amps to shame. I think that today's new players are really missing out by using their all singing, all dancing amps which are Jacks of all trades but master of none. Keep up the good work and I will certainly be recommending your amps to my fellow tone freaks.

With best wishes - John Director , The British Pop Invasion show.

 

Alan Bandy, Prompt TV Repairs Gravesend Kent

 

Amplifier repairs

“ We specialise in repairs to Plasma, L.C.D T.V.'S and satellite/ aerial installations, we do get offered many other items for repair including guitar amplifiers P.A. equipment etc. In order to offer our customers a comprehensive "one stop shop" we contract these to David Lane who provides us with an efficient repair facility for these items.David has an amazing knowlege of Valve / Tube Amplification ”

 

  

         David Amplification UK - 73 Winchester Crescent, Gravesend, Kent DA12 5RZ

  

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