#amps #guitargear #g+1 #tone
Well, it was an “Ooopsie, gotta pay attention to my online shopping cart a bit better,”
I thought I had it in my wishlist, instead it was in my cart at the time, and with everything else I was buying, I thought I was just “off” on costs – like something went up in price.
But then I had it in my possession, a super awesome surprise in my box from Sweetwater. Something small enough to fit as a Stocking Stuffer. Seriously, my JHS ABY pedal that was shipped with it, was about the same size in-box. And that’s a fairly low profile pedal.
So, they have a return policy right?
From February 1st 2024
I decided to check it out.
And those first impressions of this little amp shocked me.
First off – this right now, has the best #tones of a “tweed” type that I can make in my Uncle’s condo, with what I have (spring 2024)
when you consider what the “real deal” is worth, both new as a reissue but still built here in USA,
or a vintage
And they will be mine, they will be mine –
this is hands down one of my favorite tones, and it’s also in a size that’s usable for me – more on that in another article
It’s better than my Fender Mustang Micro, and better than my Fender Mustang MkII. I also like the simplicity of it, vs going into that horrible APP interface on the Postive Grid Mini 10W. The “tweed tone” isn’t really one of the standard presets that comes with, so requiring the APP means – NOPE.
However, it still seems a bit too, “toy,” in that the magnets for the little speakers don’t seem that heavy, and I’m worried about the actual construction inside to where I’m not sure if it could withstand being my go-to practice and portable amp… resistance leads to heat, heat leads to electronics suffering.
So yes, played smartly, it has beautiful, wonderful, warm, rich tones. But it’s still only 2w, which actually seems like ALOT for those twin 1” speakers.
Hence why I went on the hunt for the best portable practice amp, for me, and ended up with the Postive Grid Spark Mini. A review and ***link to Little Practice Amp article coming soon, once I’ve put more hours and especially MILES on it***
https://www.instagram.com/reel/C23J1G0vFiL/?igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
^-> so there will be an *** article review of my South Korean Schecter Silver Mountain in Blood Moon – affectionately nicknamed “Big Red” by my friends and I. But for this review on the little amp, all that’s needed to know is it’s tuned exactly the same as the Schecter PT Van Nuys below, but has much hotter ceramic pickups. So it growls and bites a bit more.
The fact a little, less than $60 amp, can show the character, and flavor of different guitars, that are actually, in the wide spectrum of pickups – very similar
- both humbuckers in both positions – bridge and neck
- Both Schecters set up by the same tech at Guitar Center with the same Ernie Ball Super Slinky 10s with the same action and feel
- Both played with my Ernie Ball Everlast “Pinky”
Yet, they can sound different?!?
https://www.instagram.com/reel/C3MFE1tLl1c/?igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
^-> this one especially, started me down the rabbit hole that got me thinking about what exactly Chris Stapleton is using as his amps or profilers. The tone of this tweed, vs Chris was so similar.
Also, there will be an *** article review of my Indonesian Schecter PT Van Nuys, nicknamed “Chip” by my friends and I. But for this review on the little amp, all that’s needed to know is it’s tuned and set up exactly the same as the Schecter Silver Mountain above, but has much tamer (but still pretty growly) pickups. So it has a beautiful tone but has that bite and growl when I want it to for blues and country especially.
And it’s being felt and heard on this little amp?!?
https://www.instagram.com/reel/C20gidUSxiy/?igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
Same settings on the amp, between the two guitars. I literally plugged one in, played the song, then plugged in the other, and played that song after.
Let’s face it, they nailed the circuit pretending to be a “tweed.”
I will review every other Tweed, compared with this little amp from now on.
Quilter, my Mustang, Mustang Micro, and every other tweed-like sound I can get my hands on.
Realistically, the Quilter of some type will be my next amp purchase, but that’s a ways off. My poor old back loves the idea of an amp weight half as much – and ignorance is bliss? These solid states sound great to me, partly because I haven’t spent 1000s of hours with a real valve/tube amp.
Chalk this one up as a WIN for FMIC. I love how it’s just like the real amps on the controls too, maybe a more simpler version like a Champ vs a Twin, but still – very TWEED. And I love that simplicity. This simplicity, let alone the TONE is why my “bucket list signature amp from Fender” is Chris Stapelton’s Princeton 1962 brown-panel reissue… probably. Maybe.
Volume
Tone
GO
However, and why I got the Positive Grid Spark Mini, and why I love my Fender Mustang at home – it’s still only like 1 or 2 watts total? It sounds amazing, and it definitely works… ish. “Toy” may be a bit harsh for this little guy, because it works, and works well. For what it is. But in the Jurassic Park expression for the magnets
“Is it heavy? Then it’s expensive.”
This isn’t. It honestly feels like a “toy” – but that’s too harsh a word – but a cute collectible to put on your desk at work. A fun “Secret Santa” gift, and in that, it’s EPIC.
I just personally don’t trust it for heavy playing, putting pedals in front of it, or recording for any length of time that creates heat and resistance.
It’s a cute, smaller than my XBOX controller, little and somehow STEREO, mini Twin. If you respect what it is, and appreciate what all it can be like I can
I wholly recommend and love this little guy as a gift for anyone for gifts. As I can say, it was the greatest “Secret Santa” gift I accidentally gave myself on Sweetwater, and I love it dearly.
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