Smokey Amps?

[sumitomo]

Anyone ever use one of these amps?I am going on a trip out side the U.S. soon and thought it would be cool to take one of these amps,cause their not too much money,very portable,ect.Oh yea a company called Harmon Music puts them out.I have become a good shopper hanging out here.Sumi:D

[ShortBuSX]

Ive got one! Had it for years...I forget about it often.
A friend actually gave it to me out of the blue...I didnt even know he used to play.

[Bloozcat]

Uh...I've got one. I never play it, though. I think it's pretty much a POS. It has one tone, and that's sterile, harsh, trebly, spikey, clipped and just plain crappy sounding. Some of the advertising stated that it'll drive a 4X12 cabinet. Yeah, it'll do that, but all you get is a fuller crappy sound.

Maybe mine's just a bad one, I don't know. But, if they all sound like this, I certainly wouldn't recommend one.

[Rocket]

Here's some directions & a schematic if you want to build your own:

Circuit diagram:

http://www.redcircuits.com/MiniGuitarAmp.GIF

Parts:
R1______________22K 1/4W Resistor

C1______________10µF 25V Electrolytic Capacitor
C2_____________100nF 63V Polyester or Ceramic Capacitor
C3_____________220µF 25V Electrolytic Capacitor

IC1__________TDA7052 Audio power amplifier IC

J1,J2__________6.3mm Stereo Jack sockets (switched)

SPKR___________8 Ohm Loudspeaker (See Notes)

B1________________9V PP3 Battery or
3V Battery (2 x 1.5V AA, AAA Cells in series etc.)

Clip for PP3 Battery or socket for 2 x 1.5V AA or AAA Cells

Comments:
This small amplifier was intended to be used in conjunction with an electric guitar to do some low power monitoring, mainly for practice, either via an incorporated small loudspeaker or headphones.
The complete circuit, loudspeaker, batteries, input and output jacks can be encased in a small box having the dimensions of a packet of cigarettes, or it could be fitted also into a real packet of cigarettes like some ready-made units available on the market.
This design can be used in three different ways:

Loudspeaker amplifier: when powered by a 9V alkaline battery it can deliver about 1.5W peak output power to the incorporated loudspeaker.
Headphone amplifier or low power loudspeaker amplifier: when powered by a 3V battery (2x1.5V cells) it can drive any headphone set type at a satisfactory output power level or deliver to the incorporated loudspeaker about 60mW of output power. This configuration is useful for saving battery costs.
Fuzz-box: when powered by a 3V battery (2x1.5V cells) and having its output connected to a guitar amplifier input the circuit will behave as a good Fuzz-box, showing an output square wave with marked rounded corners, typical of valve-circuits output when driven into saturation.

Notes:
For the sake of simplicity and compactness, this unit employs a dual bridge IC amplifier and a few other parts. For the same reason no volume or tone controls are provided as it is supposed that the controls already existing on the electric guitar will serve satisfactorily to the purpose.
No power switch is used: the battery voltage will be applied to the circuit when the input plug will be inserted in the input jack socket J1. For this purpose be sure that the input plug is a common 1/4 inch guitar mono jack plug and J1 is a 1/4 inch stereo jack socket.
The output jack socket J2 must be a switched stereo type. The changeover switching is arranged in such a way that, when a common headphones stereo jack plug is inserted into the socket, the loudspeaker will be disabled and the mono output signal will drive both the headsets in series, allowing full headphone reproduction. When used as a Fuzz-box output, a mono jack plug must be inserted into J2.
If the amplifier is intended to be encased in a packet of cigarettes, standard loudspeaker diameter should be 57 or 50mm.

http://www.dansdata.com/images/cmoy/amp640.jpg

[ShortBuSX]

http://www.dansdata.com/images/cmoy/amp640.jpg

Now that looks pretty sweet! But I reckon it doesnt have a speaker built in to it?


Uh...I've got one. I never play it, though. I think it's pretty much a POS. It has one tone, and that's sterile, harsh, trebly, spikey, clipped and just plain crappy sounding. Some of the advertising stated that it'll drive a 4X12 cabinet. Yeah, it'll do that, but all you get is a fuller crappy sound.

Maybe mine's just a bad one, I don't know. But, if they all sound like this, I certainly wouldn't recommend one.

Part of me agrees with all the above.
But then there is the practical side of me that just figures that the Smokey's compact size does have it limitations, but that its uniqueness, portability(pocket sized), price and then considering the venue your going to be using this...makes this a pretty decent lil amp.

When my buddy gave me mine, he was having a cookout in the backyard around a campfire. Id brought over my new guitar to show it off to him, and to my surprise he handed me the Smokey. I was so damn tickled, Id never seen anything like it before, I couldnt help but plug in and start playing...I must have entertained them around that campfire all night...it was pretty damn fun and one of the funnest playing experiences Ive had. YMMV

BTW Ive never used an extension cab with mine...I dont really know what to expect.

FWIW, I keep my Smokey in my desk drawer at work...Ive got a Mini Strat, or other guitars that I bring in from time to time...its sufficient for the situation.

[sumitomo]

Thanks for the input guys,I think I'll get one it will be cool,cause I just gained freedom from smoking a little over a year ago and my brother in law just had to stop smoking also(he lives down in South America)so it will be cool to pull out a pack of smokes and plug a guitar into it also I plan to get a charongo so I can Tocando el Charongo.Sumi:D

[thearabianmage]

Thanks for the input guys,I think I'll get one it will be cool,cause I just gained freedom from smoking a little over a year ago and my brother in law just had to stop smoking also(he lives down in South America)so it will be cool to pull out a pack of smokes and plug a guitar into it also I plan to get a charongo so I can Tocando el Charongo.Sumi:D

Seems like you've made up your mind already, but, for what it's worth, I think Smokey's are pretty sweet for what they are. I use mine with a guitar equipped with a Chromacaster so there's a lot of control over the sound that comes out, from clean to distortion.

It's awesome just walking the back-roads on the hills with a guitar and a Smokey.

I will say, though, they aren't that hot with humbuckers. A bit too loud and fuzzy.

Just my 2c

:AOK: