More Tiny Amps

(November 7, 2007) - Get those soldering irons warmed up. Blackheart Engineering has introduced its all-tube, vintage-styled Little Giant models (BH5H head, BH112 cabinet, and BH5-112 combo), following closely in the wake of the successful Epiphone Valve Junior amps and cabinets, low-wattage amps which proved ripe for modifications.

Blackheart''s Little Giant head (BH5H, MSRP $229.99), is a five-watt, single-ended Class A design powered by an EL84 and voiced through a 12AX7 preamp tube. The amp features a switchable pentode (5W) / triode (3W) selector and three-band EQ controls (plus volume), plus a 16-gauge steel chassis. Other noteworthy BH5H amenities include: 4, 8 and 16 ohm speaker outs, a solid state rectifier, a double-sided PCB for durability (a plus during soldering operations) and DC power to filaments for super quiet operation.

Built around a single 12" Blackheart speaker by Eminence, the BH112 (MSRP $201.99) creates the perfect half stack when paired with the Little Giant head -- in fact, the Little Giant half stack is offered at a package price of MSRP $431.99. Sporting two parallel 16 ohm speaker jacks and handling 75 watts of power, the closed back design and Blackheart speaker are the fruit of extensive research involving Crate and Eminence. The result is a very tight and responsive cabinet.

For those guitarists who prefer having their electronics and loudspeaker shacked up in the same cabinet, the Blackheart Little Giant combo (BH5-112, MSRP $399) offers all of the features and controls of the BH5H head with the addition of a built-in 12" Blackheart model 1216A by Eminence. This particular loudspeaker has an American voicing and is specially optimized for the BH5-112''s open back tuned cabinet.

For more information, visit their website at www.blackhearteng.com.