Mykesbass Posted December 25, 2016 Share Posted December 25, 2016 Ooh, just bagged one of these on Ebay - fancied one for a while and this one seemed like a sensible price. Will post a review once I get my mitts on it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JapanAxe Posted December 25, 2016 Share Posted December 25, 2016 I used to gig one of these. You can get some great sounds by blending the clean and dirty channels. Mine suffered a humongous switch-on thump though! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mykesbass Posted December 27, 2016 Author Share Posted December 27, 2016 Well just a quick noodle at home and it sounds great. Need to roll a lot of top end off, and yes, Japanaxe, the blend of both channels is great. Couple of proper Ipswich Celestions! Happy days! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RhysP Posted January 4, 2017 Share Posted January 4, 2017 Great amps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mykesbass Posted January 4, 2017 Author Share Posted January 4, 2017 Just had my guitarist use it at a rehearsal tonight - it sounded fabulous. Now just need to persuade him to use it at gigs! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MoonBassAlpha Posted January 8, 2017 Share Posted January 8, 2017 I had the retro-tone upgrade done on mine. This makes it articulate a lot more like a valve amp and gives a richer low end. My guitarist uses it on the clean channel with a clean ac30 model(Pod) and small amount of compression. Sounds lovely with a telecaster. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mykesbass Posted January 8, 2017 Author Share Posted January 8, 2017 [quote name='MoonBassAlpha' timestamp='1483873894' post='3210701'] I had the retro-tone upgrade done on mine. This makes it articulate a lot more like a valve amp and gives a richer low end. My guitarist uses it on the clean channel with a clean ac30 model(Pod) and small amount of compression. Sounds lovely with a telecaster. [/quote] May consider this down the line. Sounds pretty lush to my ears without the upgrade of about one and a half times the cost of the amp 😲 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MoonBassAlpha Posted January 8, 2017 Share Posted January 8, 2017 Sounds like you scored one for a very good price then! I thought people were getting wise to what good amps these are, and keeping the prices buoyant. They are pretty well made, eminently serviceable, and you can still send them to the chap who designed them for their 30+ year service! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mykesbass Posted January 8, 2017 Author Share Posted January 8, 2017 [quote name='MoonBassAlpha' timestamp='1483898325' post='3210959'] Sounds like you scored one for a very good price then! [/quote] Auction finished at 6 pm on Christmas day - that may have had some influence on the price!! It is also one of the 210 models, less common than the 112. A very happy man Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Browning Posted April 19, 2017 Share Posted April 19, 2017 Not sure where you are in West Sussex but Stewart Ward (Mr Session) is in Basingstoke so not the longest drive. He will (as stated) give you excellent service but DO NOT ask him about valves - even as a joke!! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twigman Posted April 19, 2017 Share Posted April 19, 2017 Our guitarist has always used an Award Sessionette 75 whenever he can. Perfect balance between the clean channel (clean) and the dirty channel (beautiful distortion)...switchable by footswitch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcnach Posted April 19, 2017 Share Posted April 19, 2017 [quote name='Steve Browning' timestamp='1492610441' post='3281612'] Not sure where you are in West Sussex but Stewart Ward (Mr Session) is in Basingstoke so not the longest drive. He will (as stated) give you excellent service [b]but DO NOT ask him about valves - even as a joke!![/b] [/quote] he's not wrong! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beer of the Bass Posted April 20, 2017 Share Posted April 20, 2017 [quote name='mcnach' timestamp='1492631507' post='3281892'] he's not wrong! [/quote] What happens if you do? I'm curious now! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Browning Posted April 20, 2017 Share Posted April 20, 2017 Let me know and I'll bring a chair and some popcorn. Stewart is very passionate about the unreliability etc of valves. They are the work of Beezlebub in his eyes and will gladly tell you why, at length! He's a lovely guy and super helpful but be warned, he's very evangelical. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcnach Posted April 20, 2017 Share Posted April 20, 2017 [quote name='Steve Browning' timestamp='1492683790' post='3282249'] Let me know and I'll bring a chair and some popcorn. Stewart is very passionate about the unreliability etc of valves. They are the work of Beezlebub in his eyes and will gladly tell you why, at length! He's a lovely guy and super helpful but be warned, he's very evangelical. [/quote] What Steve said. I like Stewart a lot. He's a very 'no-bs' kind of guy and he has some strong opinions which sometimes rub some people the wrong way. He moved away from valves at a time where solid state guitar amps were not considered to be 'proper' amps. I've heard some of his amps, and they sound pretty good (as well as being loud as hell)... We only met twice or maybe three times, and he still adds a little note when I've ordered a cable from his website I think Beer of the Bass would enjoy chatting with him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Browning Posted April 20, 2017 Share Posted April 20, 2017 Worth noting he's also an excellent guitarist and is quite a frequent visitor to local jams and takes a Blues Bay Session amp with him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mykesbass Posted April 21, 2017 Author Share Posted April 21, 2017 [quote name='Steve Browning' timestamp='1492610441' post='3281612'] Not sure where you are in West Sussex but Stewart Ward (Mr Session) is in Basingstoke so not the longest drive. He will (as stated) give you excellent service but DO NOT ask him about valves - even as a joke!! [/quote] I'm at the most easterly point of West Sussex!! The amp sounds fantastic. Not really interested in the upgrade at the moment, a footswitch is the next step. And yes, love his whole attitude on the website regarding valves. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevie Posted May 17, 2017 Share Posted May 17, 2017 This is the amp that persuaded me that guitarists didn't need valves, although it's still a minority opinion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mykesbass Posted May 18, 2017 Author Share Posted May 18, 2017 [quote name='stevie' timestamp='1495008852' post='3300315'] This is the amp that persuaded me that guitarists didn't need valves, although it's still a minority opinion. [/quote] It is quite a convincing argument. I'd happily gig it, and it sounds a lot better than the Blackstar in our local rehearsal room. Not sure what it would be like for high gain overdrive, but for crunchy blues/classic rock it is perfect. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beer of the Bass Posted May 18, 2017 Share Posted May 18, 2017 [quote name='stevie' timestamp='1495008852' post='3300315'] This is the amp that persuaded me that guitarists didn't need valves, although it's still a minority opinion. [/quote] Yes, I remember finding the old Sessionette in one rehearsal room we used to use to be pretty good sounding, and there are some valve combos that I like less. I think solid state guitar amps have trouble finding their niche in the market - there are lots of entry level combos that aren't all that inspiring, a few high-end modelling rigs and not too much choice in mid priced gear. I think that may be starting to change though. I'm still quite attached to valve amps myself, but in all honesty that may be because it's a technology which is quite approachable to the amateur tinkerer. I mean, if you were to build the most basic version of a valve amp taken straight from the old RCA or Mullard application notes it'll sound good as a guitar amp, while getting the same behaviour from a solid state amp takes some real design skill. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mykesbass Posted May 21, 2017 Author Share Posted May 21, 2017 [quote name='Beer of the Bass' timestamp='1495141738' post='3301662'] I think solid state guitar amps have trouble finding their niche in the market - there are lots of entry level combos that aren't all that inspiring, a few high-end modelling rigs and not too much choice in mid priced gear. [/quote] Only one that I am aware of is the Orange Crush Pro - young guitarist in my band has one and it sounds really nice. Also impressed by the Youtube demo by GAK. Yet to be convinced by a modelling amp. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiwi Posted May 28, 2017 Share Posted May 28, 2017 [quote name='Mykesbass' timestamp='1483891709' post='3210896'] May consider this down the line. Sounds pretty lush to my ears without the upgrade of about one and a half times the cost of the amp �� [/quote] Get them to mod for saturated harmonics. I've been looking for the best alternative to a Rivera era Super Champ and a Super Champ owner suggested one of these after a bit of modification. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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