Nad

[NWBasser]

Well, it finally has happened.

I got myself a toob amph.

I was fairly set on getting a Tweaker and I still think that's about the sweetest sounding amph ever.

But, I found a great deal on the local CL that I couldn't pass up since it was much cheaper than a Tweaker.

It's a Hughes & Kettner Edition Tube 20th. 20-watt class A EL84 combo.
The clean channel was quite messed up when I got it with a nasty buzz and rattle. A call to Eurotubes (excellent service!) and a full new set of JJ tubes along with some biasing brought it around and it sounds quite nice now. Not quite as much gain with the new tubes, but much better definition which is my preference.

I only really play guitar in the bedroom and practically never with a full band and thought 20-watts would be quiet enough. It does sound good at lower volumes which is what I was looking for, but I brought it to my guitarist's house during a rehearsal and cranked it to about 3 before I thought the house was going to come down. This sucker can get very loud indeed!:rockya :dance

It definitely has the "thickness" and full bottom that I was looking for and I'm very thrilled with it so far.:rar

[Radioboy950]

Very cool!

I've always had interest in this amp (and the 25th) and look forward to more of your comments after you've logged some jam time.

It's my impression that the clean and dirty channel work very well...and the amp sounds "big".

I bet JJ tubes sound very good in that amp, and you went to a great source for tubes.

Rock it!

[Telefinken]

MAOEmdPxTH4

[FrankenFretter]

:worthless

[kiteman]

Good job NW. :dude

[deeaa]

Congrats! That's a nice amp. I tested one quite a lot when I was looking at which Bluesbreaker type amp I want, but a real Marshall would have broken my bank. That H&K was a good contender indeed.

[NWBasser]

:worthless

I knew that was coming.

Tom's jamming on it right now and it's shaking too much for a pic.

IMO, amphs are better heard than seen. Well, at least I think sound is far more important than looks for an amph.

I gotta figure a way to post sound clips.

[Duffy]

I know what you mean NW about the Tweaker, I have the head hooked up to my Epiphone So. Cal. four twelve cabinet.

However, it's not the only amp. I'm playing my Jim P modded Blackheart Little Giant head thru my Epi one twelve cabinet to great effect; using my Epiphone 1960 Tribute Les Paul with the stock Gibson 57 and 57 plus pickups. This amp/guitar combination sounds super great. I'm using a bad monkey and a good reverb pedal in front of it. The tones are great and the overdrive with the bad monkey set low and the overdrive on the amp set just right, it sounds real real smooth and lets the guitar sing. Really like that sound.

I heard that H and K tube amp is a great amp.

Have fun with that baby. What guitar are you playing thru it?

[NWBasser]

Hey Duffy, I'm playing my Epi LP standard through it.

I'm really digging it so far.

The only gripe, which is a small one, is that I wish the clean channel would hold together a bit better. It seems to break up a little sooner than I would prefer. It has adjustable bias and I'm thinking a little tweaking there might get it.

[deeaa]

I fear that is largely the nature of the beast...no EL84 based amp really keeps clean at higher volumes..that's what makes the 18w amps so nice, the round yet even breakup largely governs their basic sound. I dont think glistening clear xleans will be an option...

[kiteman]

Hey Duffy, I'm playing my Epi LP standard through it.

I'm really digging it so far.

The only gripe, which is a small one, is that I wish the clean channel would hold together a bit better. It seems to break up a little sooner than I would prefer. It has adjustable bias and I'm thinking a little tweaking there might get it.

You can get tubes with higher bias points. Military grades are one and GTs with ratings at 8-10 are another.

[FrankenFretter]

You could try 12AU7s, or even 5751s instead of 12AX7s for your preamp. Might tame things a little, but then of course you're going to lose some of your gain on the dirty channel. Try biasing the tubes a bit cooler, and see what happens. Or just roll the volume off a little on your LP...

[Brian Krashpad]

Congrats! Looking fwd to pics.

[SemiHollow]

Congrats. Nothing better than bringing home a new amp

[NWBasser]

At last I got the time to shoot a picture of it.

http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f156/NWBasser_photos/fallphotos018.jpg

[Brian Krashpad]

Looks sharp!

Thanks for posting.

[sunvalleylaw]

Nice NWB! Congrats!