Back to Basics
Like things old school? These hot pieces of gear not only give you
access to timeless sounds, but are dead simple too—the kind of simple
that keeps you playing instead of twiddling knobs. So quit thinking
and start jamming! These tools will help you do the talkin’.
Fender ’57 Champ
Even when you’re Fender, it’s
tough to top a legend. But
sometimes coming close can
yield amazing results. That’s
certainly the case with the ’57
Champ—a reissue of one of
the mightiest little amps ever
built. While Fender Champs
of several eras might make
short lists of the best recording
amps ever, the 5-watt,
6V6-driven 5F1 circuit on which this reissue is based is treasured for
its class A circuitry and lack of negative feedback loop. In practical
terms, that gives the ’57 Champ (
January 2010) an impressive combination
of low end and punch. To reviewer Bob Goffstein’s ears,
“the volume was beyond what I would expect from 5 watts.” And he
found the proprietary Weber Alnico speaker “punchy and sweet.”
Goffstein also used the ’57 Champ in the studio and for re-amping
purposes—which reminded him “why every studio needs a Champ.”
Add to all this a sweet, down-to-the-letter, period-correct, tweed-covered
cabinet and handwired circuitry, and it’s easy to see why so
many players have welcomed this little gem back with open arms.
Street $999
fender.com
Jaguar Junior
The Jaguar Junior (
May 2010) is an amp for folks
who like things easy.
But that doesn’t mean it
doesn’t do a lot. In fact,
the Jaguar is one of the
amps that seem to have
a little something funny
going on somewhere
behind the curtain (if we
may reference the Wizard
of Oz). It seems way louder than its 17 watts, and it’s got a much
wider sonic palette than its Master Volume, Volume, and Tone knobs
would suggest. It even has a Pentode/Triode switch that enables you
to power the amp down to 7 watts. As reviewer Pat Smith found
out, it’s got a startling amount of headroom. He was moved to note
that “set for clean, it is everything you’d want: big, fat, tight bass
response with a clear-but-not-harsh top end. Jazzers who like tubes
will really dig the Junior. The touch sensitivity is very good, and you
can get such a nice dynamic range here.” He had a lot of fun dialing
up dirtier tones with the Master Volume, and he remarked how
much tone variation could be achieved with crafty use of a guitar’s
volume knob and on the earthy distortion tones available with guitar
volume wide open. Smith described the dirty Jaguar as “classic, gritty
grind—think Billy Gibbons or George Thorogood.” Combine that with
enough clean headroom to do everything from jazz to jangle, and
you’ve got one very versatile kitty.
Street $1747
jaguaramplification.com
Nik Huber Krautster
Some of the most timeless and
unquestionably coolest electric guitars
ever are the dead simplest. Guitars
like the Telecaster and the Les Paul
Jr.—they don’t get any simpler. And
most attempts to improve on that
formula attempt to do so by making
matters more complex. That’s why
we love the Nik Huber Krautster (
May 2010) so much. This mahogany slab of
subtle simplicity makes no apologies
for its lack of frills. And it even ups the
simplicity ante on the Tele and the Jr.
by eliminating a tone control. But that
doesn’t mean the Krautster skimps on
craft. No mein freund, this dressed-down
and mighty German is flawlessly
crafted with a gorgeous curly maple
neck that meets the body in an impeccably
designed and executed heel
joint, and it resonates like a mother
even when unplugged. It does have
one dirty little secret, and that’s a volume knob that also works as
a coil-splitter, turning the Häussel humbucker into a single-coil. An
affront to simplicity? We think not. It sounds too dang cool. Reviewer
Chris Burgess found the Krautster “extremely sensitive to touch and
playing dynamics,” and he noted that, with the Volume knob all the
way up and an amp primed with gain, the Krautster “simply shines.”
Street $2680
nikhuber-guitars.com
SkinPimp MKIII
The Mk. III Tone Bender was one of
most essential ingredients in Jimmy
Page’s early ’70s tone recipe. Like
most fuzzes of its day, it was not
a complex circuit, but its beautiful
simplicity gave shape to some
of the most iconic hooks and licks
in the rock encyclopedia. So it’s
always a surprise that there aren’t
more Mk. III clones out there—and
that makes it even more of a treat
when a really magnificent one like the SkinPimp MKIII (
February 2010)
comes along. While the Skin Pimp MKIII yields access to the sounds
that sent Zeppelin aloft, there’s also a 3-way Frequency toggle that
helps tailor the MK III for more contemporary distortion settings.
MKIII tester Jordan Wagner used the toggle to “dial in some of the
most fantastic, midrange-heavy fuzz this side of
Master of Reality.”
Needless to say, Wagner also found the MKIII capable of the classic
snarl that makes vintage pedal junkies seek out the original Mk. III.
He remarked on the note articulation, raspy bite, and “one of the
best vintage Jimmy Page tones I’ve ever come across, including that
sharp bite Page had in his pick attack that is so elusive in fuzz pedals
of today.” A whole lotta love, indeed.
Street $250
skinpimp-handcrafted.com