New Amp: Blackstar Series One 104-6L6 and Carvin Legacy II

Guitar Center is having a 5% off sale for all used items, and I also get 5% cashback on my credit card this month, so I’m taking advantage of the situation by picking up these two amps I’ve wanted to try out for quite a while.

First up, the Blackstar. The HT series came out when I was in college and still new to guitar, and they were very popular - inexpensive amps that we kids could afford, and it seems like I saw an HT20 or HT40 everywhere I went. The Series One was the premium offering and thus out of our price range, but we always lusted after them - I remember when one of the guys at my local guitar shop got the S1-200 and we were all pumped to hear it, but I never got to play through it.

The original Series One line contained the quad KT88 200 watter, which had 4 separate channels sharing 2 EQ sections, along with the usual Blackstar ISF control. The 100w and 50w Series One models originally just had a single EQ section, but two channels - more like a Marshall DSL than a true multi-channel amp. That changed with the release of the 104 models, which included this 104-6L6 as well a 104-EL34 version. These have the same front panel appearance as the S1-200, but the descriptions allude to some circuit differences between the three models. However, I don’t have any proof, since circuit diagrams are very difficult to find for these amps. I suspect it’s because these probably contain just as many op-amps and diodes as any other Blackstar product, but since they were being marketed as the premium model, they wanted to at least pretend they were all tube, or at the very least obfuscate that information to avoid the internet backlash. I’ll happily change my tune on this if someone can provide schematics for me, of course.

Minor complaints about construction (these are made in Korea) and technical circuit details aside, it’s a very nice sounding amp. All 4 channels are quite usable, and it’s much darker than a standard Marshall or even the HT-100 I have, with much more bass on offer. I do find the ISF control to have less effect on this amp than on the HT, but perhaps that’s because of the darker voicing. While the appearance and marketing around this amp pushes it to be a metal amp, I really don’t feel that’s its best use case. It can definitely do metal, but I don’t really like the low end for chugging palm mutes and definitely not for more modern detuned tones. As for the 6L6 power section, I do wonder if I could just put in a quad of EL34’s and rebias it - I may give that a try sometime. Overall, it’s not a bad amp, but it doesn’t blow me out of the water and I actually think I prefer the HT-100, which cost me half the price (and it was half the price back at release too).

As always, more photos are available on the Blackstar S1046L6 Details page.

Next up, the Carvin Legacy II. This amp followed up the original Carvin Legacy, which is generally well regarded although I suspect some of that is Steve Vai’s influence. I’m not a big Vai fan, and honestly I don’t know much about him besides his guitar parts in the Halo 2 soundtrack. Either way, I’ve played the original Legacy and felt is was a great lead tone, and I liked that amp’s built in spring reverb.

The Legacy II came out in 2009, designed by Ben Fargen (who has his own line of amps such as the Miniplex and Olde 800), but only lasted until 2011 with very few units sold. At the time, this was the most expensive Carvin amp, and the most expensive they’d every made at $1599 each. These quickly dropped to a mere $899 closeout, before being replaced by the Legacy III.

I reached out to Ben Fargen for more details, but I never got a reply - I was curious what differences (if any) were present in the design compared to the Legacy I. What I do know is that the Lead channel on this amp is either identical, or nearly identical, to the original Legacy, which means it can do all of the tones that amp can do, and with the same limitations - specifically, this is an extremely dark amp. It is not uncommon to run the presence and treble controls at 8 or higher, while cutting the bass down below half to keep the low end articulation.

The Legacy II also lacks the reverb of its predecessor, but adds a “boost” channel. This might seem like a 3-channel amp, but it really isn’t - the “boost” channel is simply an added drive section on top of the clean channel. This also means that it depends on the clean channel controls, so even while you are on “channel 2,” the channel 1 settings affect your tone. Neither of these channels have a presence control, just a presence switch, which behaves like a bright switch at a set value. My primary disappointment isn’t necessarily that this sounds bad, it’s that I feel the potential is wasted. This could’ve been a built in boost, with customizable controls like a Tubescreamer or SD-1 (volume, tone, drive), and have it footswitchable on either channel.

One of my favorite tones from the Legacy I is the lead channel with a tube screamer in front, so looking at the front panel of this amp, I expected to be able to do that type of tone straight from the amp without an external pedal, but sadly that is not the case. This might explain why these didn’t sell very well, since they didn’t really add anything and I’d say between the two, I’d rather have the spring reverb than the boost channel

Still, it’s a nicely put together amp, and mine even has a Mercury Magnetics transformer, and it still has that great Legacy lead channel tone. I also have to wonder about the white tolex, maybe a custom order option, or recovering? More photos here.

New Amp: Marshall 6100 Limited Edition + Matching 6960LE Cabinet

Finally got my hands on this beautiful piece - a mint condition 1992 Marshall 6100 and the matching cabinet. These special amps were limited to 800 heads and 500 combos worldwide, and the story goes that they sold out within minutes.

These amps were originally designed as another model in the JCM900 series, following the 2100 (single channel), 4100 (two channels) and then 6100 (3 channels). Instead, is was separated from the 900 series into its own unique model, although some of the 900 DNA is clearly still present. The 6960LE Cabinet is equipped with UK-made Celestion G12T-75 speakers.

These special edition amps came with polished brass front panels, logos, and even the internal chassis, transformers, and tube covers! They also came with a signed certificate of authenticity and manual in a special blue folder.

It has one of the best clean channels of any Marshall amp, with a tone stack positioned prior to the gain stages a la Fender, plus a switchable mid shift and bright for more versatility. Channel 2 is a real highlight, and has aged very well even compared to more modern channel switchers. This channel has two switches, which can be combined to use “Modes” A, B, or C. Basically, each mode is supposed to replicate a classic Marshall sound, with a tweak to both the amount of gain and voicing, although it won’t be a substitute for the real models. Mode A is a JTM45, Mode B is a 1959 Super Lead, and Mode C is a JCM900, although the manual does not specify which 900 model - either way, it has a lot of gain, and it’s all tube (no diodes) so more of a precursor to the SL-X than anything made at the time of this amp’s introduction (The SL-X came out one year later in 1993).

Channel 3 is the lead channel, which fits somewhere in between Mode B and Mode C, with a substantial bass boost, especially noticeable on a Marshall. This channel also has a switchable gain boost and EQ contour, which is very usable - a scooped feel, but not so extreme that you get lost in a mix (depending on your treble/middle/bass settings). It can start to get a little flubby in the low end with the gain turned up too high, so I find it’s best to keep it a little over halfway and for more saturation, use a boost if required - or just use Mode C on channel 2 for metal rhythms. Later 6100’s introduced the “LM",” or “Lead Mod” which adds a lot more gain as well as some more aggressive shaping for more modern tones on this channel. Some 6100LM’s were modded back to this original 6100 spec, while some 6100’s were modded to the LM spec - best to check internally for that. Both amps I own are unmodified. I enjoy the 6100LM Lead mode, especially for high gain chugging and 80s metal rhythms, but the standard 6100 lead channel does have its own appeal, especially for more bouncy, thicker, solos and fills.

It’s a feature heavy amp as well, with MIDI channel switching, an effects loop with a front panel mix control, as well as an overall master volume (affects all 3 channels, very useful) and master presence. There is also a “high” and “low” compensation mode at the input for use with single coils or humbuckers, and these have a slight effect on the tone, but I usually leave them both off - same for the low volume compensation, which adds a little extra thickness and reduces treble to mimick a little more power section saturation but at lower volumes (note that the power section is not being driven at low volumes, it’s just a slight EQ adjustment).

On the rear panel, the amp can be switched to either Pentode or Triode power tube operation, a high and low power mode, as well as a speaker damping control (low, auto, or high). Rounding out the end of the features is an XLR line out and 1/4” line input/output jacks.

For more photos of this amp inside and out, see this page.

I also need to give Guitar Center of Oakland CA credit for this one, excellent packaging job on both the head and cabinet (boxed separately, thank goodness). I was really worried that this special piece would be damaged in transit from CA to FL, all the way across the country, but it arrived in top shape. Even the casters for the cab came separately packaged so they didn’t get broken either. Thanks!

Major Site Updates - Photos, Circuits, Descriptions etc

I know I haven’t done a video in quite a while, but I have been hard at work on the website. I’ve been building shelving to house my amps, taking photographs of every single amp I own including their internals, as well as cleaning up the guitar sections and adding descriptions of each item in my collection.

In addition, I’ve also added the schematics for a few amps, as well as other technical documentation if I have it available. Much of this stuff I’ve gathered across the web, or it was sent to me by someone, so I appreciate everyone who had a part in making this happen.

So what’s new?

First, new amp shelving:

Next, the amp internal photos, of which I found quite a few oddities:

I have to say, the soldered in Radioshack AA batteries from 1985 is pretty wild, and even crazier that they still work!

I’m still working through the website and adding descriptions to some of the guitars and other bits and pieces that I missed the first time through. The Kramer guitars section is definitely the most daunting task, but I’m starting to chip away at that. Hopefully by the time anyone actually reads this, I’ll be done.

I’m also working on a few other projects for TRG in the background too. The next thing I’d like to do is make some tone comparison videos between some of the amps, but I need something that’s a little lower effort content than my usual 45 minute presentations of the technical and historical details.

New Amp: Framus Cobra V5

I remember when these were all the rage for a little while, but I never got one when they were popular. This one popped up for sale at a good price and in superb condition (including the frequently damaged metal front panel).

It’s a 3 channel amp, made in Germany, and definitely geared towards high gain tones. That said, I find the clean channel to be very snappy and elastic feeling too, so it’s no slouch when it comes to versatility. Channels 2 and 3 can get plenty gainy, although they do have a slightly loose feel in the low end and can get dangerously flubby if you aren’t careful with the EQ, but bringing in a boost helps keep the saturation with a tighter feel if you prefer that. Each channel also has a switch, bright on the clean, and notch on channels 2 and 3. The notch function is more of a novelty function to me - it is far, far too scooped, to the point where it lacks all punch - but I think it might be useful for double or quad tracking, or maybe paired with another amp set to a more mids-forward tone.

There are a few odd quirks about this amp. The easy one is the effects mix control - even without any effects or cables plugged in, this has a noticeable effect on the volume of the amp and to some degree, the tone as well. Setting the mix right in the middle is the loudest and punchiest, and turned to either end makes the amp a little quieter, although that means you can turn the master up to compensate and I feel the tone is still nearly the same - at least, on my amp, I’d need to reamp some a/b clips to hear the difference. This might be more of a pain if using the amp with effects, but playing the amp dry it’s set-and-forget.

The next quirk is that the EQ on this amp uses a very non-traditional configuration. It’s commonly called a “Baxandall” EQ online, but technically that requires an active EQ section which this amp does not have. Instead, it is a “James” type EQ. This type of EQ is popular in hi-fi amplifiers, and some older Ampeg, Sunn, and Orange amps use a similar EQ arrangement which contributes to those signature sounds. Frequently, this design only has a Treble and Bass control, but this amp does have the appearance of a traditional amp with a middle control as well. Basically, this EQ arrangement provides a much wider “Q,” or range of frequencies affected by the control, while reducing the interactivity between them. The mid control of course steps on the frequencies of the other two controls a bit, but just from my first few days with this amp I can already tell there are some great sounds to be had with very strange looking EQ settings.

Note that this unique EQ design is only used on the Crunch and Lead channels. The Clean channel uses a more traditional Fender-style EQ design.

New Amp: Peavey 6505 USA Made

I already have a Chinese made 6505, but when I spotted this one online at GC for a mere $549, I went for it immediately. The way prices are these days, a full size 6505, especially a USA made one for under 600 bucks is a steal.

I did some A/B testing between the two, and while this one is a little more beaten up aesthetically, with a few tolex tears and a cracked plastic grille vent, this is the keeper. It is several pounds heavier than the non-USA model, so I suspect the transformers or chassis may be different. As far as sound, I can definitely tell a difference in the room - I’m not saying it will be better for everyone, but to my ear, I prefer this one, even in a blind test (I didn’t know which one was the USA model, to remove that bias). It just has a little edge in the low mids, where I really feel the palm mute chugs, and that’s one of the main sounds I want from a 6505. Of course, both amps are fantastic and the internal construction appears to be similar quality.

If you’re interested in this sort of thing, I have photos of the internals and transformers of both this USA model (2010) and the Chinese made version (2018) over on the Peavey section of the site.

New Amp: Hook Captain 34

Spotted this one online and didn’t know very much about it. After a little research and listening to some clips online, I figured it was worth the risk and pulled the trigger.

It’s an amp made in the Netherlands, and a quite expensive one at that. Early versions of the Captain were point to point wired, but this one has a PCB - it is a “V2.” The current production version is the “V3.”

It’s a 3 channel amp, but it’s not a super gain monster. It’s much more in the classic Marshall-esque territory in terms of available gain. Channel 1 is clean, but with separate gain and volume controls does a passable gritty crunch. This channel also has an EQ bypass switch which I find to be extremely useful - it does make the amp much louder, but I love the tone. Channel 2 and 3 are both overdrive channels, with a tiny bit more gain on channel 3 but both are fairly close - which is a little limiting since they share an EQ section as well as the “boost” and “edge” switches. It does mean the transition from channel 2 to 3 is not disjointed, so it’s great for setting a crunch and lead tone that makes sense. The drawback is it’s a little less versatile than it could be, for example I’d love to have the boost/edge switches only affect channel 3 so I could keep channel 2 as my lower gain/smoother sound, and channel 3 as my more aggressive tone - better to think of it as more of a “2.5” channel amp in my opinion.

As for the tone, it’s a bit on the dark side, smooth, and full sounding. The low end is a little loose without a boost, but very polished sounding. I wouldn’t call it American or British sounding really, it has its own thing going on. Presence and “Balls” controls are on the rear panel, along with a switchable effects loop.

New Amp: Mesa Triple Rectifier Multi-Watt

I saw this amp on Guitar Center’s used listing for a good price, and pulled the trigger. The store actually notified me that it was a return due to some damage, and waited for my confirmation before shipping it out - very much appreciated and I hope that continues in the future. GC has notoriously sent me some very damaged/broken equipment so this is a big step in the right direction.

Anyway, I got some photos from the store and decided to go ahead with the purchase. Upon arrival, the amp is in very good condition and the only damage is the plastic power socket was punched through into the chassis - if I had to guess, it was shipped with the power cable plugged in and it hit against the inside of the box, pushing it in. This did damage the socket itself, but a replacement plastic socket is only $3 online, and better yet it’s simply spade terminals, no soldering required - but of course, have to be very careful due to the high voltages. I’ve already ordered the replacement part.

Otherwise, it sounds and works great so far. I have some thoughts on the tone which I’ve posted on the amp’s page here: 2015 Mesa Triple Rectifier Multiwatt

My only complaint really is that the footswitch is missing, and Mesa charges $165 for a replacement, plus another $36 for the cable ($201 total for the footswitch system). You can manually change channels from the rear panel, but one of the highlights of getting a versatile 3 channel amp like this is being able to change channels easily! I’ll see if I can find a used footswitch somewhere, somebody has to have one.

New Amp: Mesa Royal Atlantic RA100

This amp was a bit of a long time coming. I played this head, a TA15, and a TA30 all the way back in 2011 or 2012 when they first came out at my local college town music store. I was playing a Marshall TSL at the time, and while I was impressed with the sounds they had, I was a bit of a gainiac and I really was just lusting after Dual Rectifiers instead.

So now in the present, I’ve learned a few more styles, rolled the gain back a bit, and I spend a lot more time doing mid gain rock tones and so on. I’d kind of forgotten about the Transatlantic series, and it seems they never quite took off or sold that way. Since then, Mesa had moved on and started a new “British” styled amp series with the Triple Crown, of which I have a TC50 model. It’s hard not to compare the TC’s with the RA100 since they share quite a few similarities, and it’s easy to see how the design of the TC evolved from the RA, but also how it is aimed a little more at versatility for a wider appeal, which is where the RA was lacking.

I’ve written more about my thoughts here: 2011 Mesa Royal Atlantic RA100

The most notable highlight to me is the built-in power soak, which can be set to a different level per channel. This is a true, speaker load attenuator between the power amp and the speaker, just like an external attenuator box (like a Weber or THD Hotplate etc). The amp is clearly aimed at vintage tones, and the power soak works amazingly for this - you can get some power tube sag and drive at reasonable volumes, or use it to get a little grit out of the clean channel. The only thing that I suppose would be on my wish list for an amp like this would be a switchable tube rectifier, in concert with the power soak that would’ve be absolutely fantastic to play with.

New Amp: Mesa Dual Rectifier early "Revision F"

This is definitely one of the best finds I’ve had in a while. I’ve wondered just how different the earlier revision Mesa Rectifier amps sound from each other, but I always figured any early revision is out of my price range. Luckily, I spotted this one at a local shop (Jimmy’s Vintage Music, if you’re in Florida I’d highly recommend you swing by his shop) and was able to get a very fair deal on it.

My favorite rectifier is my Rev G, which I preferred over the 3ch and Roadster’s I’ve had in the past. I only have a little seat time with this Rev F (it needs a little going over, it has some channel switching issues I want to clear up before I play it more) but my impression is very positive, especially in more mid-gain tones. It feels more saturated on the palm mutes, with a little more punch, but it doesn’t do the “wall of sound” thing quite as well. I read somewhere that these Rev F’s sound a little like if a boost was on all the time, and while that calls to mind the most awful of solid state amps to me (I started playing during the Line6 era after all) I kind of hear what they mean. There’s some shaping going on that just makes the mutes and lead lines a hair more punchy than the Rev G, with a bit more mids.

I also was reading that earlier revisions were geared a little more towards hair metal and where they thought that musical style was going next, and I definitely see that too. The story goes that when Rev G came out, it was voiced in a way that reflected the grunge craze taking off as more of a heavy rhythm amp. Either way, I think both revisions sound great.

This one also has the very cool chrome chassis and black faceplate, which looks great especially on top of my more standard black chassis/chrome faceplate Rev G. My serial number is in the 900’s and it does have the original Mk III spec transformers (Part #562100 and #561136). These transformers ran from the start of Rev F (around SN 500ish) to around SN 1300-1600, before changing out to a different model (#562105). Supposedly this is the more desirable, early configuration. I don’t have a later Rev F to compare, but either way count me very pleased with the amp. Now to give it a proper clean up and touch up a few solder connections so it can last another 30 years!

New Amp: Orange Rocker 30

My collection of Oranges is ever growing, and this is an amp I played once over ten years ago that stuck with me for years. I kept turning my nose up at the increasing prices, and finally I was able to grab one for a good deal.

This amp shouldn’t be confused with the Rockerverb series amps. Those amps are fixed bias, class AB amplifiers with 4 gain stages on the lead channel, and an clean channel with 2 stages and an EQ, plus spring reverb. I have a Rockerverb Mk III, which has EL34’s (same as Mk II), but Mk I Rockerverbs had a very unique 4x 6V6 tube configuration.

This Rocker 30 however is quite different. It is a cathode biased amp with a class A power section (well, as “Class A” as any guitar amp gets), with very few bells and whistles. No effects loop, no reverb, and the clean channel is actually just a single gain stage with a volume control - no EQ circuit whatsoever. Of course, no EQ circuit on the Natural channel, with the Class A EL34 power section, means it gets plenty loud.

The Dirty channel has a lot of gain on tap, but it’s a very classic sound. Much closer to a classic Orange than the Rockerverb’s more modern, tighter tone. With the gain set in the middle areas, it nails old school rock tones with solid low end thump. The cathode bias gives a unique texture to the gain tones, with lots of harmonic overtones increasing the fullness of the sound quite a bit. I’m really enjoying playing it and comparing it with my AD30, which has a similar power section but a much different gain structure and a tube rectifier. This is definitely an amp I want to talk about in a video, since the circuit is unique for an amp of this gain level and it has a really great tone to boot, and I want to do some comparisons to the classic sounds you can get from the OR50 and AD30.