Hughes & Kettner Edition Tube 20th anniversary

[Robert]

http://www.hughes-and-kettner.com/products.php?mode=prod&id=93

Someone recommended this amp to me. Maybe our German fretters know more about this amp? It's not very expensive, and so far the comments I've heard about it are very good. Around $650 at US music stores.

Specs:

2 separately variable channels: CLEAN with VOLUME; LEAD with GAIN + MASTER
3-band EQ
REVERB knob
1⁄4" input jack
SEND for connecting external effect devices, a RED BOX™ for a direct out feed or an additional poweramp
RETURN for effect return signals
FOOTSWITCH for connecting a footswitch for remote channel access
EXTERNAL SPEAKER for connecting an outboard cabinet
Poweramp: 20 Watt, 2 x EL 84 poweramp tubes
Loudspeaker: 12" Eminence® Rockdriver Cream
Dimensions: 56cm x 27,5cm x 46cm (WxHxD)
Weight: approx. 24 kg / 53 lbs

[TS808]

Robert,

I bought one of these about two weeks ago. I have a Valvetronix, but wanted a small, all tube combo also. The H & K is an awesome amp. I had owned a Blues Jr. in the past but found it to be too "boxy" in its tone. Took the chance on the H & K hoping the larger cabinet would add something to the small combo.

I'm MORE THAN PLEASED with this amp. The clean channel is great and you begin to get some breakup at around 10:00 on the dial. Excellent mids on this amp that interact with the treble knob. The gain channel will give you everything from a nice warm overdrive to high gain/hard rock tone. Again, doesn't sound shrill at all. I use this amp with my strats, and I never get that "ice-pick" tone even using the bridge pickup. I EQ it with the treble at 2:00, the mids at 1:00, and the bass at 10:00. The reverb is pretty good.

Definitely give it a try. I don't think you'll be disappointed. I like the simplicity of this amp alot. Definitely a better amp (in my opinion) than both the Blues Jr. and Crate Palomino 15 watt. Never compared it to the small Traynor YCV20.

The amp takes pedals VERY WELL, and sounds very good with my Boss OD-3 and DS-2.

[Robert]

Wow, thanks for the info! Do you think it is loud enough to gig with? I need some clean headroom for blues and country gigs.

How's the reverb?

How does it compare in tone quality to the Valvetronix?

[Cranium]

How can you compare it to the Blues jr. or the Crate V1512 (V16 for older model) those are $400 and this one is like $650 so its not a fair comparison, I think...

[TS808]

How can you compare it to the Blues jr. or the Crate V1512 (V16 for older model) those are $400 and this one is like $650 so its not a fair comparison, I think...

It's a fair comparison. Both in the 15-20 watt range, single 12" speaker, el84 driven, two channels. The only difference is the H & K has a closed-back cabinet. The YCV 20 by Traynor is also in the same price range as the H & K (another 15 watt combo). Shared EQ's on all. Comparing them on the basis of wattage and features, not price.

Heck, I've seen comparisons between the Flextone III XL and the AD120VTX based on the features, and they're about $400 apart.

[TS808]

Wow, thanks for the info! Do you think it is loud enough to gig with? I need some clean headroom for blues and country gigs.

How's the reverb?

How does it compare in tone quality to the Valvetronix?

The amp is loud for sure, especially the drive channel. For smaller gigs it should be loud enough and can always be mic'd. The amp doesn't give alot of clean headroom though...like I said, it starts to breakup at around 10:00 and the reverb is pretty good.

The Edition has alot more gain than a Blues Jr. and can really growl. I'm playing it with the gain at 9:00 to 10:00 with single coils and am getting a nice overdriven tone. With humbuckers, I think the amp would really scream.

Oops almost forgot...I like the tone a little better on the H & K than the Valvetronix, more dynamics and warmth (all tube). The Valvetronix has some excellent sounds too and is definitely more versatile, but the H & K just has a bit more dynamics.

I'd recommend it highly over the other amps I mentioned. Only thing that might not suit your taste though is the clean channel breakup.

[SuperSwede]

Sounds like the h&k amp is a amazing amp, your putting it up against my favourite low wattage tube amp of all times, the Fender Blues Jr :)
I wish I could afford to drag one of those honeys home!

The H&K edition blonde sounds really good for a solid state, and I have tried their tubeman pedal which sounds really really good. So a H & K purchase is probably a rather safe bet!

[Guitar-Chris]

Maybe our German fretters know more about this amp? It's not very expensive, and so far the comments I've heard about it are very good. Around $650 at US music stores.



I've never tried this amp by myself. But this model is well known and also loved by many guitarists here. So I think: give it a try.

[TS808]

Sounds like the h&k amp is a amazing amp, your putting it up against my favourite low wattage tube amp of all times, the Fender Blues Jr :)
I wish I could afford to drag one of those honeys home!

The H&K edition blonde sounds really good for a solid state, and I have tried their tubeman pedal which sounds really really good. So a H & K purchase is probably a rather safe bet!

The Blues Jr. isn't a "bad" amp, and I apologize if I came across that way. The only thing I found dissatisfactory with the Blues Jr. was the small cab. I really think in a slightly larger cab, that amp would have suited me fine.

[SuperSwede]

The Blues Jr. isn't a "bad" amp, and I apologize if I came across that way. The only thing I found dissatisfactory with the Blues Jr. was the small cab. I really think in a slightly larger cab, that amp would have suited me fine.

I didnt think you meant that either :)

Well, I have to try one of those h & k tube amps! I also want to recommend their red box if you want to direct record a amp with only line out / speaker out. sounds great!