It’s really remarkable just how loud and
bass-heavy the Galaxy can get, too. It’s
got
a lot of low end, even when using the
cabinet with the optional legs—which were
added to counteract transference of bass
frequencies to the floor (a situation that can
often spell trouble in a recording session).
Even so, I preferred leaving the Bass knob
set between 8 and 10 o’clock—I simply
couldn’t believe how much low-end power I
got without things sounding boomy!
Using a 1978 Greco EG-700 Les Paulstyle
6-string, I was able to make the
Galaxy’s Lead channel come alive with a
brazen, unbridled tone that was simply
flooring. The highs were just as sparkly
and harmonically juiced as they were in
the Rhythm channel, but with a midrange
that snarled like a Rottweiler. There’s a real
unique character in the Lead channel’s mid
frequencies, and it’s most obvious in the
rather bright upper end of its spectrum.
It was almost as if there were two midrange
frequencies at work—one that had a
squishy, chewy character, and another on
top that was clear and sharp. And it’s just
as apparent in wide-open, AC/DC-esque
chords as in lead lines—and with both
clean and dirty tones.
Even with the cab’s open back design,
palm muting yielded tight, percussive tones,
and there was enough gain on tap to enter
early-’90s hard-rock territory. To produce
that much overdrive, I turned up the Lead
channel’s Volume to around 1 o’clock—
which was
blisteringly loud. That’s where the
Ironman attenuator became a big help: It
enabled me to lower the volume while also
allowing the speakers to breathe and the
tone to remain tight and full.
What about reverb and
tremolo? The range of the reverb effect is
extensive—this thing can get wet—but I
preferred keeping the knob just under the 9
o’clock position to retain the note definition
I prefer. The tremolo circuit was equally
impressive, but I hoped for a slightly slower
minimum speed at times.
The Verdict
Tone King’s Galaxy is a tone monster, with
deceptively versatile tone lurking within its
sparse features and simple control layout.
Its touch sensitivity, ample volume, clean
Rhythm-channel headroom, and smooth
Lead-channel overdrive were a joy to experience.
While it’s capable of loud cleans and
great tones at lower volumes, the Galaxy
loves to be cranked and get dirty. It’s a great
choice for blues, rock, and country, but it
really hits it out of the park with alt-country
tones. In this reviewer’s eyes and ears, it really
doesn’t get much better than the Galaxy
for vintage Fender and Vox flavors, which
really makes the Galaxy ready for just about
anything—on this world or any other.
Buy if...
you need killer clean tones reminiscent
of blackface Fenders and a lead channel
that crunches with the best of ’em.
Skip if...
you prefer more modern tones.
Rating...
Street $2595 (head), $995 (cab), $1745 (cab w/ attenuator) - Tone King Amplifiers - toneking.com