SWR Strawberry Blonde Acoustic Amp

[Justaguyin_nc]

Anyone have any hands on experience with this amp?

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/produ...mps?sku=482030
Warm tone full of crisp acoustic flavor!

The SWR Strawberry Blonde Acoustic Combo Amp is the little sister of the California Blonde and it's great for all kinds of acoustic instruments: violins, cellos, acoustic basses, mandolins, and guitars. The Strawberry Blonde amp features aural enhancer, spring reverb, a side-chain effects loop, balanced XLR line out, extension speaker jack, top handle, an SWR custom 10" speaker, and a hi-fi tweeter. SWR covers this acoustic combo amp in Blonde Tolex and tops it with a strawberry-red faceplate for a distinctive look. The Strawberry Blonde from SWR fis 16"W x 18-1/2"H x 13-3/4"D and weighs 40 lbs.

[tot_Ou_tard]

No experience, but I've heard good things about it.

[r_a_smith3530]

Guitar AND bass? Hmm! That's a stretch. Anyway, the case looks quite familiar to me, kinda like a white Tolex version of the Workingman's 10 bass amph. Traditionally, guitar amps seem to be of the open back design, and bass amps tend to be built on the closed back design (cheaper 15 watt and below practice amps excluded). I wonder what this puppy looks like on the other side?

BTW, for the record, SWR does make decent bass amps.

Just some misguided ramblings at 3:00AM!

[Justaguyin_nc]

Well, I think I need something like this... or maybe the Roland AC60? Why do I need it? Ummm.. cause thats what we do here.. buy buy buy.. I'm just wondering why I think $500.00 is ok for an acoustic amp but shiver at spending over $300.00 for an electric amp...

R_A the back on the SWR is closed kinda... its ported on the front bottom... I had a pretty good local player tell me these amps are awesome for Acoustic.. I was looking for more opinions...

[Tim]

I'm just wondering why I think $500.00 is ok for an acoustic amp but shiver at spending over $300.00 for an electric amp...

Justa - The answer to this question is actually in your name. The word is "justification". That's all you need for the reason why you spend more in one area then we do in others. It's the justification to "feed the need".

[Justaguyin_nc]

Well, it's on it's way... Seeing I could not get a vox da5 for another 42 days due to backorder... I found a good price with warranty on one of these and UPS already has it comming to me... If I don't like it.. I can always send it on its way again...

R_A... I noticed SWR no longer makes the Workingman 10.. but this sure does seem to have those features and setup... plus balanced xlr out to di and probably different tweeter at least.. Kinda liked the setup with the headphones.. and the output always hot when on even in mute... I think the guy that told me about this amp is more excited then me.. he already restrung a guitar in anticipation of helping me break it in... lol..

here is the back and controls shot..

[warren0728]

wow....it definately has it's own look! Will be interesting to hear how it sounds.

ww

[r_a_smith3530]

I'm just wondering why I think $500.00 is ok for an acoustic amp but shiver at spending over $300.00 for an electric amp...

A friend of mine made an interesting observation on this once. What he noted, and I have to agree completely, was that many guitarists think nothing of spending big bucks on a really great guitar, but then come up short when it comes to the amplification end. He went on to point out that what an audience listens to (be it in your living room or Madison Square Garden) is what is coming out of the speakers attached to that amplifier, and if you cheap out on that final link in the chain, then that is what the audience is going to hear.

As to your question above, I cannot completely answer this. Today, being a bass player/former guitarist who still owns more guitars than basses, including an acoustic, I have to wonder why you would buy a separate amp for the acoustic in the first place? My acoustic (an old Epi OO) sounds just fine through my Classic 50 on those rare occassions when I've had to play it amplified. When I played my acoustic on stage, it was either through my pre-amp, then through a D.I. box, and finally through the venue's PA system, or else I played it miked and then through the PA. BTW, that is how the guitarist I back up does it today. He plays his electrics (including a Barrington solid-bodied electric classical) through his Peavey Delta Blues 210, and his $4,000, luthier-built acoustic through the house PA via a direct box.

I guess that you answered your own question though, when you said it was related to a desire to spend, spend, spend (read G.A.S.). Of course, I have to ask, why not take the $300 you would spend for an electric guitar amp, combine it with the $500 that you seem willing to lay out for an acoustic guitar amp, and buy one really sweet $800 amp that will serve both purposes? Wouldn't that make much more sense?

Anyway, congrats on the new amp.

[Justaguyin_nc]

why not take the $300 you would spend for an electric guitar amp, combine it with the $500 that you seem willing to lay out for an acoustic guitar amp, and buy one really sweet $800 amp that will serve both purposes? Wouldn't that make much more sense?

Anyway, congrats on the new amp.

I actually found this for just over $300.. hmmm.. but to get an end all amp..I would think it would be the cyber-twin.. but thats $1200.. and ya know..I am sure I would want something to go with that also...

I think my reasoning for an Acoustic amp is a more Clean sound..(hate to say this here.. but not everyone likes distortion) plus the tweeter.. there must be some reason they sell amps for acoustic and bass.. hmmm... bassman... used mainly by Guitar players... I guess it's just the sound we look for that plays in our minds...

[r_a_smith3530]

Hey, Justaguy, is the power switch on the back side of the amp, and is the headphone switch back there too? Just curious. I was looking at a used Workingman's 12 at a local shop a while back, and at first myself and the shop owner thought the thing was broken until we realised it was set to headphone. The Workingman's were ported in the front too. That's fairly common on bass amps from what I've seen.

BTW, you can get clean tones from regular guitar amps. My guitarist selected his Classic Series Peavey specifically for this reason. He detests distortion and always uses the clean settings. I too, like yourself, prefer a clean sound when playing acoustic, but I also like the warmth of a valve amp, and just have never found a solid state amp that gives me the sound I like, which is funny, because just about all PA amps these days are solid state, including the one we use for gigs. That said, for bass, I'm happy to go either way. My Crate is solid state, but I've played through an Ampeg SVT CL and like their sound too. My dream amp for bass is the discontinued Peavey Classic 400. One day I will find one of these babes.

Anyway, again congrats on the new amp.

[Justaguyin_nc]

Hey, Justaguy, is the power switch on the back side of the amp, and is the headphone switch back there too? Just curious. I was looking at a used Workingman's 12 at a local shop a while back, and at first myself and the shop owner thought the thing was broken until we realised it was set to headphone. The Workingman's were ported in the front too. That's fairly common on bass amps from what I've seen.

The HeadPhone mute is on the front along with the power button... It's sounds pretty darn nice to me.. and can get very loud in this living room.. Very quiet amp when not playing thru it.. took 3/4 turn up before I heard the slightest humm from it.. When you first power it on you can actually feel the power inside... Great bass, mids and treble... The spring reverb seems pretty good as well as Aural Enhancer (Some sort of blender)... Weighs in at about 40 pounds... it seems to be built like a tank.. nice spring kickback on the bottom tilts it off the floor a bit... The XLR out to the computer sounds clean also.. Im quite happy on this "FIRST" day with it....

It does'nt make me play any better but it surely sounds like the mistakes fit in..lol least to me.... I thought this was an ugly amp.. but now as it sits here.. it has alot of character... not quite as bright as those pictures.. I think we both will adjust to each other quite nicely.. Hey, it even likes my Tele and squier_51 for an added bonus.. Im sure it could be used for a bass to.. hmmm..now I know I seen a Hofner clone someplace...

[r_a_smith3530]

It's good to see the power switch is on the front. I always think it's a bit strange to put this on the back side of the amp, but several manufacturers do it.

Hofner clone? Epi makes one for starters. There's another company that makes 'em and Sam Ash has them, but I forget who right at the moment. The Epi version was the better of the two I tried. Unfortunately though, not my cup of tea, but then neither is the SG looking bass that Epi makes.

[Justaguyin_nc]

Well, this amp is now gone... It was a wonderfull sound and probably of very good quality.. But... I wanted something to sound Willie Nelson/Jerry Reed instead and in the end... While messing with the Fender Cyber-Champ and listening to the parts of the SWR I liked , I was able to dial in what at this time I actually wanted in sound (little Vibratone thrown in)... I am now leaning to the idea its hard as heck to beat a modeling amp if you take the time with them.. I would still suggest this amp in a minute to someone wanting acoustic sound and recording.. it was full of life.. very well constructed and at the street and used market price a good deal which resells rather quickly to I might add..

[Nelskie]

Tone aside, it still looked like an old air conditioner.