Visits

Tuesday, November 30, 2010

2004 - Vox Pathfinder 15r

Cool little amp this.
It was my first amp when I returned to frequent playing, also when I was working a bit more over the holidays.
Student budgets aren't exactly going to get me a Fender Twin.

The pathfinder is a great little amp, wish I still had one(heard that before?).
Simple solid state affair with an 8" speaker. nothing amazing there but it had a nice clean tone.
What was really impressive about this amp was the fact that for $200 I had spring reverb and tremolo.
Not many amps do real reverb in the lower range any more.


The tremolo was a great tool. It throbbed in that classic vox way. Sure it was in a cut down amp, but Vox engineers got this right! The reverb was nice and splashy too. This was before I got into my surf period. But I liked it enough and it was loud enough to be heard with a band, if placed at ear height. It meant my back wasn't breaking when doing shows and I was carrying, guitar, banjo and keyboard to shows at the time too.
I ended up selling it to get a powered foldback speaker. I really should've just kept it and not gone with the old back as it was impossible to hear myself even though that's what the thing was meant to do.

Ah well, live and regret.

If you can pick one up for cheap, then don't hesitate.
Nice wee faux retro amp.

Just because it ain't valve, doesn't mean it can't rock!

Thursday, November 18, 2010

1996 - Marshall Lead 12

The other day I was back home in capital city, well it's where I grew up though not quite home.
I met up with an old buddy, you know the one I sold all my gear to when I left town.
It turns out I sold him more than I can recall even owning.

After a bit of discussion he was telling me that he still owned my old small Marshall amp.
"you know, the one you modified to add an extension cab"

I scratched my head and couldn't figure out what he was talking about.

A few days later I realised it must have been the "lead 12".
25 watts, solid state, brown face.

Not a bad little amp from memory. Had a certain punk vibe.
I doubt it'd have got me much cash, but I guess I must've needed it. Just like the JCM800 I had, this had the brown grille cloth.

That's my favourite look for the Marshall amps.

None of this black or fancy silver thread for me.