I've just ordered this amp

[kiteman]

http://guitars.musiciansfriend.com/product/Kustom-Defender-5H-Guitar-Amp-Head?sku=423624

This looks cool and ought to be fun. :)

I got a box full of tubes to do swaps with like I did when I had the VJr.

[FrankenFretter]

Hmmm...that looks pretty interesting. I'm anxiously awaiting your review. Have you played one before? Seems like the picture of simplicity, like the VJ.

[mrmudcat]

update when ya get it and pics /clips.........ive been eying these lil buggers

[duhvoodooman]

Crap!! You just HAD to post this, didn't you.... :thwap :nono: You've already got me thinking, "Hey, it's only a hundred bucks...."

[MAXIFUNK]

Crap!! You just HAD to post this, didn't you.... :thwap :nono: You've already got me thinking, "Hey, it's only a hundred bucks...."


I know exactly never saw this before tonight but for 1 C note what do I have to lose. HMMMM............

[kiteman]

Exactly, heh heh. :)

[DeanEVO_Dude]

I got mixed feelings about it...
Kinda looks like a PA amp or home stereo amp with a handle... I don't know that I like the all-metal construction (where is the wood and tolex!?), it looks weird.

*edit* Seems the Descripiton and the Specification pages have different info... One says EL34 and the other says EL84. *edit*

I must say, it is unique. Having an EL34 power tube (instead of EL84 or 6V6). At $99 seems killer! If I had a speaker cab I might just have to say to myself, "get over how it looks, it is cool anyway!"

[DeanEVO_Dude]

<dissapointment>
Seems the specifications page is right... EL84. Just like every other single-ended, 2 tube amp (that doesn't have a 6V6 in it). I was hoping for something interesting there... :(

[kiteman]

<dissapointment>
Seems the specifications page is right... EL84. Just like every other single-ended, 2 tube amp (that doesn't have a 6V6 in it). I was hoping for something interesting there... :(

Yep, just like every other single ended 2 tube amps. :)

However, you'd want this one instead.

http://vhtamp.com/avsp16h.html

[DeanEVO_Dude]

Yep, just like every other single ended 2 tube amps. :)

However, you'd want this one instead.

http://vhtamp.com/avsp16h.html

Uhhh, yeah, right... 4 times the price! LOL
I checked out the vid... nice tones. But still a 6V6.

Are there no low-powered amps that use 6L6 or EL34 tube in a single-ended design?

[kiteman]

I haven't seen one... yet. :)

[FrankenFretter]

What about the Pico Valve from Jet City?

http://www.jetcityamplification.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/JCA_Pico_web.jpg

"-5 watts, with a 1/2 power mode for full power-amp distortion at volume levels which won’t upset the neighbors.
- Full tone stack – treble, middle, and bass controls.
-Preamp and Master Volume controls for dialing up just the right amount of overdrive and output level. Unique topology which allows the user to swap the power tube at will – use nearly any octal-based tube without the need to re-bias the amp."

[deeaa]

http://guitars.musiciansfriend.com/product/Kustom-Defender-5H-Guitar-Amp-Head?sku=423624

This looks cool and ought to be fun. :)

I got a box full of tubes to do swaps with like I did when I had the VJr.

At that price, I'd buy one in a heartbeat as well!

[Kazz]

I with DVM....thanks a whole lot for posting this on Mothers Day Weekend.....now I have got to have one...and am surely going to get killed :-)

[kiteman]

Happy Mothers Day. :)

[kiteman]

Today's the day that they deliver but it's been pushed up two weeks.

:what

[kiteman]

Well, someone got one.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2q5EDaXzN-0

[kiteman]

It's finally in shipment, should have it Tuesday. :happy

[FrankenFretter]

It's finally in shipment, should have it Tuesday. :happy

Sweet! Looking forward to the review.

[kiteman]

Yea, There'll be a review before I change the tubes. :drool:

[kiteman]

Ok, it's in and too bad you can't see the big grin on my face. :happy

I didn't have a chance to play it much because my sis's home sick (what timing) and she quit her job but that's another story.

First of all, I looked in the case and saw Chinese tubes, same as that came in my Blackheart head. Fired it up and just plugged in the guitar, no pedals and cracked the volume just under 9 oclock. What I heard was sweet and loud that I thought this can't be 5 watts. I hooked my Blackheart 1x12 cab with a 75 watt speaker to it and it's pushing air. Turned the volume to past 10 oclock and got a little crunch (sweet) and the speaker's thumping. Loud as hell that my sis yelled, duh.

At that point I took the Kustom off and put my Handsome Devil back on the speaker. I dimed the power tubes and put it on 7 watts. Playing with the gain knob I got similar results but it's more mellow (and sweet yea :)).

The Kustom sounded really good with the Chinese tubes that I can't imagine how it'll sound with better tubes but that time will come. Right now I'm gonna jam on it as it is when I have a chance.

[Katastrophe]

Good to read, Kiteman. For under $200, that's a steal!

[kiteman]

Good to read, Kiteman. For under $200, that's a steal!

Try under $100. :)

Here's the inside look.

http://img692.imageshack.us/img692/8614/s5030031.jpg (http://img692.imageshack.us/i/s5030031.jpg/)

[Eric]

Try under $100. :)

Here's the inside look.

http://img692.imageshack.us/img692/8614/s5030031.jpg (http://img692.imageshack.us/i/s5030031.jpg/)
Hmm. I only see one tube, right in the middle of that right-hand PCB. Can you clue me in to where the other one is? I'm guessing that I'm looking at the EL84.

[kiteman]

The 12AX7 is in the can.

[Eric]

The 12AX7 is in the can.
The silver jobby on the bottom of the PCB? Can you tell I know a lot about electronics???

[deeaa]

Yep they are usually held down with that type of aluminum 'can' holders. EL84's mostly with a sort of spring attachment if any.

[kiteman]

The silver jobby on the bottom of the PCB? Can you tell I know a lot about electronics???

Right and I know as much as you do. I have an interesting tube book on order. :)

http://books-videos-music.musiciansfriend.com/product/Kendrick-Tube-Guitar-Amplifier-Essentials-Book?sku=907726

[marnold]

Often at least one of the preamp tubes will have that cover to shield it from RF, as I understand it.

[kiteman]

Often at least one of the preamp tubes will have that cover to shield it from RF, as I understand it.

Also to prevent microphonics. All my tube amps have the pre-amp tubes shielded.

[kiteman]

Ok, did some more tests and the pedal's (Adrenalinn III) too much for it. I had to cut the output level way down from 50 (unity) to under 20. The amp seems to have sensitive input. The guitar alone is plenty already.

I put the Mullard RIs in it and it's staying in there for now. Nice clear tone from them.

Now will the amp be good for bedroom playing level? Hard to say as the darn thing's loud. I barely cracked the volume to get the comfort level. I'm sure it's putting out more than 5 watts when cranked. I didn't play it long as my ears are ringing.

All done in my bedroom so when I have a chance to take it out I'll know more and more tests to be done on my Windsor 4x12 cab.

Damn, my ears are still ringing. :)

[kiteman]

Here it is again, too strong the input that I had the pedal to zero volume and it's still putting out loud. I guess it doesn't like the pedal very well.

Something ain't right if this amp is going to be as loud as my 15 watter. I pulled the tubes and put the Chinese EL84 back in. I put my RCA 5751 in the preamp. That made it a lot better and I have more range with the volume. It sounded good with the guitar and it'll jam when you crank it. I still think that it's putting out more than 5 watts.

Tried the pedal, not very well. The effects sounds overwhelmed.

Now to the amp gurus, Changing a resistor will change the impedance of the input? This sounds like the high level and too much of that. Rather have the low level input. Thanks.

[kiteman]

Now that I put my HD head back on it sounds different. Something happened to the speaker. It sounds cleaner and not as much sustain as it used to have. My noise gate is now on 2 instead of 4 to get some sustain back.

I jammed on it though and my playing sounded cleaner and I had fun to tell you the truth. :)

Not as noisy as I used to be so what the hell happened to the speaker ??

Broken in?

I can tell you that the Kustom was hard on it. I gave up trying to hear my drums when I was playing on it. That's with the 5751 and cranked up around 10 oclock to get the tone.

At any rate it'll be my project when I get the book. I'm gonna tame that sucker. :)

[deeaa]

This thread sounds so much like what I went thru with my Valve Jr. almost word for word and same tube changes. I ended up changing the transformer and some resistors as well, and then sold the amp finally :-)

These type amps are probably much the same. Awesome tone, but it's also such a tone that isn't very usable in general terms and many applications, there's always something to tweak about it, right? Like with the Valve Jr, with the right speaker and guitar and right volume you'd get marvellous tones - but where to use that tone? It was way too loud for home playing when the tone came, and way too quiet for band. Superb tone, yes, but on which songs would it have been usable? Very few for me.

I would very much like to get one of these amps...I'd have learned my lesson and I would use it as a poweramp only, and not spend aeons tweaking it forever, because no matter what you do, the basic properties of the amp will never change.

[kiteman]

This thread sounds so much like what I went thru with my Valve Jr. almost word for word and same tube changes. I ended up changing the transformer and some resistors as well, and then sold the amp finally :-)

These type amps are probably much the same. Awesome tone, but it's also such a tone that isn't very usable in general terms and many applications, there's always something to tweak about it, right? Like with the Valve Jr, with the right speaker and guitar and right volume you'd get marvellous tones - but where to use that tone? It was way too loud for home playing when the tone came, and way too quiet for band. Superb tone, yes, but on which songs would it have been usable? Very few for me.

I would very much like to get one of these amps...I'd have learned my lesson and I would use it as a poweramp only, and not spend aeons tweaking it forever, because no matter what you do, the basic properties of the amp will never change.

I had a VJr and it worked well. Controllable and take pedals very well. Swapped tubes on that and got different flavors. This amp sounds much better than the VJr but no control, too sensitive and too loud to be a 5 watt amp.

I probably blew the warranty fiddling with it so it's my modding platform now. There's too much gain in there somewhere that the sound is over saturated. Using the 5751 made it more controllable but I think there's too much gain in the output stage. Most likely a bad resistor or cap.

I'm going to sit on it and wait to see what others have to say about theirs.

[kiteman]

Hah! It was my pedal that made it sound bad. Did a factory reset and all is ok.

By the way I ordered two tubes, an AT7 and an AY7. :)

[Eric]

Hah! It was my pedal that made it sound bad. Did a factory reset and all is ok.

By the way I ordered two tubes, an AT7 and an AY7. :)
What, that Adrenalinn III? Did that account for the change in the cab sound too?

Glad you got everything resolved.

[kiteman]

What, that Adrenalinn III? Did that account for the change in the cab sound too?

Glad you got everything resolved.

That it did. The cab sounds fine whew. I don't know what happened to the ADIII but I'm glad it's ok, just had to rewrite my patches, not spend another $400. :)

The defender still won't handle pedals but the tubes I've ordered will be the judge of that.

[kiteman]

Ok, got my tubes in. Tried the AT and still pretty loud. No luck with the pedal.

Tried the AY and it's much better. About as loud as the VJ amp was and the pedal worked as long as the volume's under 10 oclock. Any more and the effects washes over. Sounds like too much gain somewhere.

Now the fun part, plugged the guitar straight in and dimed the volume. Sweet power tube distortion from the Mullard RI. :)

Now I'm thinking the amp will work nicely with my keyboard. The line output from the keyboard are not very strong.

[deeaa]

Didn't it get cold with AY or AT? I've a bunch of those, AY, AT, 588x, etc, lower-gain variants of AX anyway, and in my amps using them also makes the sound go cold and tinny :-( except the H&K CreamMachine which works best with, well, most anything else than an ax. At some point I was so much into testing different tubes I have a big box filled with pre- and power tubes.

I may have to get myself one of these amps some day...

[kiteman]

I guess it did sound cold but more tolerable. I haven't heard about it from others to make a comparison. I can't find out if it's defective like a bad cap or something.

[kiteman]

Here's why this amp is so wild, from a review on MF:

Tested output ranges from 4-16Watts RMS. Volume is actually 2nd stage gain, power amp is full power. Two cons: no attenuator setting and amp is too loud for reasonable room use. Contains 12AX7B high gain preamp tube from China.

[TWANG]

I bought the KD5H.
I have modified it already, a fair amount.
Changing R9 to 270 Ohm for Sovtek tube.
A few silver mica caps and sprague orange drops.
also put a 470 Ohm 5W cement block in .. R12 I believe it is.
the first R on the B+ where R10 is on the vj's.
also a conjunctive filter.
and a tone *treble* pot.

If the amp is too hot for your pedals.. I use a fulltone fat boost and it's just peachy.. you should add a lo input.

Eventually I'll add gain and master volume and nfb.
I want to do all of this with the exisiting transformers.

I get break up now around 9:00 on the volume dial. And I can push back the highs nicely to reduce so much string noise. I can also increase it for tons of jangle chime etc...
The CF smoothed out the distortion a bit, very nice.

Still getting 319 at pin 7, so I may take the 470 Ohm up a bit.
I'd like 310 I think.

I'll get some pics up pretty soon.

For my money it seems to be a bit squealy compared to a vj..
that is, it will feedback.. in certain registers.. if I'm close to it and it's set loud..moreso than any vj I've done.
But with a metal cab and often I have the top off..that's fairly understandable.

I'm doing another one after this, this is my mod test unit, with a 6V6 and a Weber OT, so I'll post about that, too.

Got it for 80.00 shipped at GC using a coupon.
way good deal at a hundred

[TWANG]

http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff83/TWANGthang/Kustom%20Defender%205H/kustom001.jpg

the following picture contains an error.
the white cement block should not be there.
working on too many amps at once.
it goes on the other end to the right
the CF is connected between the OT plugs.
on mine when you unplug the OT you unplug the CF with it.
http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff83/TWANGthang/Kustom%20Defender%205H/kustom001-1.jpg

[kiteman]

Yo Twang! :)

I'm Wrenches on the Agile forum. :D