Baltimore, MD (March 24, 2010) – Jeff Bober, founder and former designer of Budda Amplification, has launched his latest venture: EAST Amplification. He is launching the company with the Studio 2 head and 1x12 extension cab, soon to be followed by the Club 18.
Bober calls EAST Amplification the “natural progression” of his amp designs that began with Budda. “I’m very proud of what I did at Budda over 14 years,” Bober says, adding that he’s happy that Budda is out there, but he’s also excited to move on to something new.
Bober says that customers can expect a high level of support with EAST Amplification, saying, “I’ve always been one to interact with [my] customers… I really plan on keeping that in place.”
The company’s name comes from his East coast location along with a touch of Eastern philosophy.
Studio 2
EAST Amplification’s debut amp is the Studio 2, a full-featured 2-watt head with a matching 1x12 extension cabinet. The Studio 2 features controls for Gain, Volume, Treble, Middle, Bass, Presence and Master Volume. Bober says that the amp’s features give it a versatile tone that can go from clean to near-metal, hitting Pete Townshend and Larry Carlton-style sounds in between.
The amp has a 5U4 rectifier, three 12AX7s and two 12AT7s in a push/pull configuration, making it “sound huge at 2 watts.” The amps are hand built to order.
The Studio 2 also features an internal load with variable line
out. This allows the amp to be run sans speaker and connected via the
line out directly to the effects loop return or front end of a higher
powered amp, enabling the amp to reproduce
its signature tone at increased volume levels.
The head retails around $1350, the cab around $425.
Club 18
EAST Amps’ second offering will the be 18-watt Club 18 head with accompanying 1x10 cabinet. Bober calls the Club 18 a two-mode amp, with rhythm and solo modes. The amp is designed to maintain the same tone in the rhythm and solo modes, so players just get more of their desired tone when kicking it into solo mode.
The controls on the Club 18 are Gain, Volume, Treble, Middle, Bass and two Master Volumes. The Gain and second Master Volume are only active during solo mode. With the gain turned all the way down, the tone is the same from Rhythm to Solo mode. Users can then adjust the Gain control and Master Volume in Solo mode without changing the gain settings for the Rhythm mode.
Bober estimates that he will begin taking Club 18 orders in two weeks. Pricing is to be determined.
EAST Amplification is selling direct, and will soon be available through
destroyallguitars.com. Bober says there is currently about a four week lead time on amp orders.
For more information:
EAST Amplification Facebook
eastamplification.com (coming soon)