Clear as Black
Moving to the Blackface channel gave me
more headroom and clarity, making the
American Dream perfect for mating with
pedals. The combo revealed the full character
of just about every pedal I threw in
front of it. If you’re a guitarist who favors
pedal textures, this amp makes a perfect
blank slate.
Switching guitars to a Fender Stratocaster
made it clear why the combination
of Strat and Deluxe has always been
so revered. From the first chord, the
American Dream was bold, chimey, clear,
and powerful. The response of the amp
felt like an extension of my nervous system.
It was both immediate and springy,
giving me the feeling of the guitar being
played back from the amp. Typically when
I play with this clean of a setting, my amp
feels a little too unforgiving, but in this
case it was positively inspiring. At full volume,
the American Dream gave way to a
beautiful, blooming gain that was warm,
detailed, and willing to get rude with a
little force from my right hand.
When I switched to the 10-watt output
setting, I experienced an apparent, but
not huge volume drop. The most obvious
change was in the response. It became a
little darker in tone, but there was also a
spongier feel and faster breakup in the
tone. I liked this setting for pushing the
amp and getting some grit without killing
everyone in the house with volume, and I
could see the effectiveness of this option
for clubs. It’s a great feature and adds
useful tonal variety to what seems like a
very simple amp, when you look at the
front panel.
The Verdict
The American Dream reminds you how
much you can do with simplicity, and how
a few knobs can offer a wide world of
tone. The innovative cabinet design opens
up a new dimension in sound dispersion,
and the amp makes you never want to quit
playing. For all its clarity and richness, it
makes pedals sound terrific. And while it
isn’t a small combo, it doesn’t weigh a ton.
It’s easy to see myself taking the American
Dream along with a few pedals to just
about any gig and getting every tone
under the sun. One can dream, right?
Buy if...
you love classic American tones
and want a perfect blank slate for
exploring pedal tones.
Skip if...
you need a Swiss-Army amp to feel like
you’re getting your money’s worth.
Rating...
