We plugged the DB7 into a Schroeder
Sidecar 212 cabinet. Finished in red vinyl,
this cab has a distinctive, two-tiered face
and a tan grille that’s a fantastic visual
match for the DB7 and adds a sense of
architecture to its cool design sense. The
speakers are a set made up of two different
12" Weber speakers—an alnico Blue
Dog and a ceramic Silver Bell that are each
rated at 50 watts. The carefully matched
Webers aren’t the only thoughtful touch
in the cab—the speakers are wired with
Cardas Audio speaker cable, an expensive,
heavy-duty wire with lacquer-coated fibers
designed to prevent smearing of the different
frequencies. Similar wire is used
throughout the head.
The DB7 is a sustain machine, making the
plainest of sonorities a thing of wonder.
Gorgeous Clean Tones
When I plugged a Gibson Les Paul into
the DB7, I was immediately struck by how
quiet the amp was. Even with the volume
cranked, it didn’t emanate much unwanted
sound. But the simple act of hitting a first-position
chord on the guitar summoned
a tone that was uncommonly full-bodied,
sweet, and complex. The DB7 is a sustain
machine too, making the plainest of sonorities
a thing of wonder.
Stylistically speaking, we took numerous
approaches to probing the DB7’s
strengths—jazz comping with walking bass
lines, electrified country blues patterns,
and funk rhythms, among others. In every
instance the DB7 sounded warm and musical,
extremely balanced and responsive, not
unlike a really good, old blackface Fender.
Dialed in at around 2 o’clock, the boost
control added just the right amount of heft
for some meandering modal solos.
As advertised, the DB7 has a substantial
amount of headroom. Picking forcefully
with the volume set around 10 o’clock generates
a little overdrive, but it’s easy to clean
up the signal with gentler articulation on
the guitar and a little roll off of the guitar’s
volume, which creates a whole lot of territory
for expression.
Since the DB7 is intended to be an excellent
platform for effects, I plugged in a DLS
Versa-Vibe and a NerFuzz by The Tone God.
(See a review of the latter in this issue) The
amp did not disappoint in this capacity. The
Versa-Vibe’s swirling chorus and vibrato
effects took on an especially vivid character
through the amp. Some of the sicker presets
on the NerFuzz sounded even more dementedly
detailed through the DB7 than they did
with other tube amps. Played side-by-side
on clean settings, with effects or without, it’s
likely that the Schroeder would make a lot
of similarly powered tube amps sound comparatively
effete.
The Verdict
The staggeringly rich tone of the Schroeder
DB7 is sure to be inspiring to players of all
stripes. It’s super-easy to operate and it has
got a huge ceiling for an amp of 40 watts
that’s tailor-made for stompboxes. The DB7
isn’t cheap. But particularly when paired with
the Weber-loaded Sidecar cabinet, the DB7
is an instant classic—regardless of price.
Buy if...
you’re in the market for a valve amp that is clean, warm, and loud, and will interact well with your effects.
Skip if...
ultra-high-gain is your game, or you’re strapped for cash.
Rating...
