Bare Knuckle Pickups Forum
At The Back => Time Out => Topic started by: Twinfan on November 10, 2008, 12:49:31 PM
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To quote the front page of Martin's website:
"In development is the Martamp Orion, a twin channel four KT66 output stage amplifier. Giving sumptuous, complex clean tones on one channel, this highly versatile amp also delivers a classic, roaring crunch on it’s second, foot-switchable channel. If that’s not enough, a variable gain boost can be switched in for a third option, giving you all the high gain tones you could hope for. The prototype is in development now, so register your interest for production early in the new year."
The first twin-channel Martamp is in development :o
An all-new design created by Martin with input from some other guy who likes his amps and KT-66s. I wonder who that could be? ;)
I've also heard that the prototype will ultimately end up with that same BKP user....... ;) :lol:
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That wouldn't be the same BKP user that's gassing over washed-denim-look PRSs at the moment would it? :lol:
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I'm very skint at the mo and I've been warned that anymore purchases will lead to me being homeless but..... yes, I'd be interested in hearing that amp.
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:lol: Couldn't possibly say Andy!!!!
Seriously though, this is a very interesting new amp we've been speccing up. The prototype should be up and running in a couple of weeks, then the fine tuning of the voicing begins. We're both dead excited about it :D
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it should be called the arc... i imagine it will have to take two of everything at some point
at first it seemed a little strange that someone so set against the idea of a custom guitar would have such a custom amp... but i guess it helps when you can work so closely with the person doing it for you... and its easier to tweak the sound of an amp than it is to say change the neck shape of a guitar
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Definitely interesting, can't wait to hear how it sounds
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Don't forget the "TT" High gain variants of the Goldstar and Roadstar too.
Jonathan might be interested in that! :wink:
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I'm completely begginer at amps, especially tube amps... this one is made to have AC/DC alike tones? JTM100?
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this one is made to have AC/DC alike tones? JTM100?
It's not designed to sound like anything in particular, just sound 'fantastic'! The gain channel (without boost engaged) would be AC/DC to Van Halen type tones.
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:D
I really like the concept of it!
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mmmmmm..yeah would be homeless as well
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If we get this right, the plan is you'll ALL be homeless as you'll HAVE to have one! :lol:
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but have 3 amp's already *L*
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If we get this right, the plan is you'll ALL be homeless as you'll HAVE to have one! :lol:
Maybe if you do a 1 watt version...
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Hmmm, I have a feeling this amp could appeal to me, quite a lot. Just to check, do Martamps have a powerscaling option? I've read about so many cool amps recently, my memory has gone a little fuzzy as to what features where. Also, any idea on what the wattage is going to be?
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You'll NEED this one though ;)
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If we get this right, the plan is you'll ALL be homeless as you'll HAVE to have one! :lol:
Maybe if you do a 1 watt version...
I can do that. I have another new amp in development which will be about 1W.
there's no reason why it couldn't be identical at the front end to the Orion, but in practise you'd probably want something a little simpler. It could still be a channel switcher though.
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Hmmm, I have a feeling this amp could appeal to me, quite a lot. Just to check, do Martamps have a powerscaling option? I've read about so many cool amps recently, my memory has gone a little fuzzy as to what features where. Also, any idea on what the wattage is going to be?
Yes, it can have Power Scaling, although the intention is to have a good PPI master volume, that with good voicing will sound great at lower volumes anyway.
I don't want to give too much away about power etc at this stage, as there are a few options still on the table that affect the power output considerably. Suffice to say, the first iteration will have between 60 and 90 watts. :)
Ultimately I'm planning to do a full range of variations which will range from 15W to 100W.
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Hmmmmm..... Kt66's. Not too popular really at the moment. Not that it will make any difference whatsoever to either yourself or Martin, I'm sure !
KT's, but 77's or 88's maybe ? ... perhaps better for higher gain stuff ?
I've got it ! .... the amp needs to be switchable between quads of KT66's, KT77's and KT88's. It'll be a big, heavy bugger, but "so what" !!
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It's not just a high gain amp, it has to cover all bases. The KT-66s for the prototype were my choice, and as Martin says he will be offering the amp with different power outputs. Maybe via different output valves? ;)
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haha, sweet :)
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I'm still living in hope that this wouldn't be suitable for the ultra-high-gain broootalz (especially at the volumes I require!). Please! I can't afford to have amp gas again, I already have a great amp!
(but it's very interesting to keep abreast of the developments!)
Roo
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Can't wait to
see hear this.
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Who knows what it will be suitable for? ;)
Voicing will determine that in the near future...
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Hmmmmm..... Kt66's. Not too popular really at the moment.
We should care what's popular? :) Tone isn't like fashion! :lol: How many people strive to sound like Hendrix or Angus, yet you rarely see them queueing for a new pair of flares.
Anyway, what about the Vintage Modern?
The KT66 is actually tonally very similar to a 6L6, but better IMO. As such it makes a great basis for a clean sound, and a good clean forms a great basis for a great distortion.
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What he said ^
You should hear me gig my (KT-66 driven) JTM45/100 and then see what you think. I had a number of highly favourable comments on my tone at a 'DC gig a couple of weeks ago.......
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Amp GAS alert - and i have just about recovered from my Custom Strat GAS! The Orion does sound very nice indeed. As well as many guitars I'm also on the look out for an amp with a stunning clean sound - my Laney Lionheart (5w) does give me a very nice clean but I feel it is missing some chime 'n' sparkle.
I'm assuming that there is a Martamp out there that would deliver a crystal clear, chiming, sparkling clean sound? I'm not too bothered about more than one channel as I get most of my overdrive sounds from a fulltone OCD.
I'm very much looking forward to hearing clips of the amp Dave. Very much indeed.
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Hmmmmm..... Kt66's. Not too popular really at the moment.
We should care what's popular? :) Tone isn't like fashion! :lol: How many people strive to sound like Hendrix or Angus, yet you rarely see them queueing for a new pair of flares.
Or, indeed, a school uniform...
If we get this right, the plan is you'll ALL be homeless as you'll HAVE to have one! :lol:
Maybe if you do a 1 watt version...
I can do that. I have another new amp in development which will be about 1W.
there's no reason why it couldn't be identical at the front end to the Orion, but in practise you'd probably want something a little simpler. It could still be a channel switcher though.
That does sound interesting. My problem is, for all I know about guitars, I know next to nothing about amps :( . So trying to "spec" a custom amp for myself is very difficult, I don't actually know what I'd want.
All I know is, for me simpler = better.
Still, I'm very interested to see what you come up with!
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That does sound interesting. My problem is, for all I know about guitars, I know next to nothing about amps :( . So trying to "spec" a custom amp for myself is very difficult, I don't actually know what I'd want.
All I know is, for me simpler = better.
Still, I'm very interested to see what you come up with!
I tend to find I leave everything pretty much at 12 o'clock bar the volume, gain and resonance knobs on the 6505+, every other amp I've ever wned it's een the same eal without the resonance knob.
So a one channel machine with Loudness, Dirtiness and Looseness knobs would be swell. 8)
Simple IS the business.
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Don't forget the "TT" High gain variants of the Goldstar and Roadstar too.
Jonathan might be interested in that! :wink:
Yes - discussed that when you were building my Goldstar Power Amp
Does TT stand for twin tube?
Decided to avoid using my idea calling it the "Rockstar" in the end though (too many Nickelvback references?)
I must update the thread about my power amp exploits
I am loving the little 10w power amp Martin made for me.
I am using it with an EL34 (Well an American 6CA7 to be fair - just like EVH used to use)
It is plenty loud enough for home/workshop/studio use and the great thing is that I can have it working with the volume at around 5-7 on a scale of 10 and get a great sound whereas before I had to keep bigger amps barely off "1" and they were never working at their sweet spot.
I am developing a real thing for 10w valve amps - am planning more (will spill the beans once I get wheels in motion)
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Hmmmmm..... Kt66's. Not too popular really at the moment.
We should care what's popular? :)
Martin, I knew you wouldn't give two hoots about what is, or what is not popular at the moment.
I was just makin' conversation. :?
BTW, I think the VM has been a bit of a lemon in terms of sales for Marshall in the end.
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Don't forget the "TT" High gain variants of the Goldstar and Roadstar too.
Jonathan might be interested in that! :wink:
Yes - discussed that when you were building my Goldstar Power Amp
Does TT stand for twin tube?
Decided to avoid using my idea calling it the "Rockstar" in the end though (too many Nickelvback references?)
I must update the thread about my power amp exploits
I am loving the little 10w power amp Martin made for me.
I am using it with an EL34 (Well an American 6CA7 to be fair - just like EVH used to use)
It is plenty loud enough for home/workshop/studio use and the great thing is that I can have it working with the volume at around 5-7 on a scale of 10 and get a great sound whereas before I had to keep bigger amps barely off "1" and they were never working at their sweet spot.
I am developing a real thing for 10w valve amps - am planning more (will spill the beans once I get wheels in motion)
Glad you're enjoying the power amp. It is a great little thing.
The "TT" is a 60's motorcycle related thing, like Goldstar. TT versions being a bit hotter traditionally, so I suppose it stands for Tourist Trophy!
Rockstar was kinda cool too, but I wanted a name I could have as an add-on.
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Hmmmmm..... Kt66's. Not too popular really at the moment.
We should care what's popular? :)
Martin, I knew you wouldn't give two hoots about what is, or what is not popular at the moment.
I was just makin' conversation. :?
BTW, I think the VM has been a bit of a lemon in terms of sales for Marshall in the end.
I know, just nibbling slightly! :wink:
I agree about the VM. Having owned one, I think they've not realised that the clarity of a KT66 will allow the preamp voice to come through, and the typical Marshall pcb preamp can often sound very 2D IMO. However, compare a JTM45 with a VM and you can see there's nothing inherently wrong with the KT66. 8)
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So a one channel machine with Loudness, Dirtiness and Looseness knobs would be swell. 8)
Simple IS the business.
I like simple amps too. The Roadstars have volume and tone only. The new Roadstar Cub is a 1W version of this.
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Just on a break from practicing... I didn't buy my Roadstar for its clean tone, but I must say although this amp has limited headroom (in contrast to something with more than 18w), the clean tone is really top notch.
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Yes, the clean tone on these amps is better than most people expect. 8)
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Have you a rough idea of price so that I can start selling my kidneys please?
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Convenient. I have an empty space on top of my Martamp 2x10.
:D
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Have you a rough idea of price so that I can start selling my kidneys please?
..you won't have any left when you wife finds out *L*
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Convenient. I have an empty space on top of my Martamp 2x10.
:D
For Horsehead's kidneys?! :o
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:lol:
I believe price is as yet to be confirmed, but it won't be a "cheap as chips competing with the Chinese" amp. It's probably going to be what you would expect to pay for a hand wired, fully warrantied for 12 months, twin footswitchable channels (with boost) amp head. It's going to be up for competing with the best available, and as usual with Martin's stuff, customisable to your needs :)
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I said that without moving my lips.
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Have you a rough idea of price so that I can start selling my kidneys please?
Actually, I've decided that the inital 4 x KT66 version will be £1095.00, base price.
There will be other versions, and the next is likely to be a 50W 2 x EL34 version which I reckon will come in at about £950.00.
There will of cousre be various options and additions (althought the Orion is pretty well equipped) which will be priced seperately.
I'm sure you'll get enough for one kidney to cover the deposit at least! :lol:
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There will be other versions, and the next is likely to be a 50W 2 x EL34 version which I reckon will come in at about £950.00.
If I hadn't been made suddenly very poor, I'd be very seriously tempted by a 50W version. That sounds like a great price for the product, Martin. If more people knew about your amps, I'm certain you would be inundated with orders.
BTW, there was a thread over at TGP today enquiring about your amps.
To my knowledge, there's no-one of your calibre offering quality, hand-wired amps anywhere near your prices in the UK at the moment.
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That's what I was saying to Martin last night. He's too cheap ;)
And £1095 for the base Orion is a SUPERB price :o
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Thanks Alan. Nice of you to say. Fingers crossed your penury is temporary!
The price is speculatively low. After all, prices are one thing, but actual deposits are another. At the point when I get flooded with orders, I'll realise I was too cheap, until then....
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I've just come to update this thread and realised I hadn't responded to Wez's comment:
at first it seemed a little strange that someone so set against the idea of a custom guitar would have such a custom amp... but i guess it helps when you can work so closely with the person doing it for you... and its easier to tweak the sound of an amp than it is to say change the neck shape of a guitar
That's exactly it Wez. If the amp isn't right it can be tweaked, transformers changed, rebuilt, re-covered etc. I can get exactly what I want.
With a custom guitar, you sort of get what you're given. That's too much of a gamble for me!
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And here's the update I came to the thread for:
The prototype Orion is now up and running :o
According to Martin it's sounding great, just as both of us had hoped. There's some fine tweaking to be done to the tone, and it needs trying at gig volume, so we've booked the first test session for Friday night. I can't wait! :D
And Martin's expecting his first deposit for one soon!
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If the amp isn't right it can be tweaked, transformers changed, rebuilt, re-covered etc. I can get exactly what I want.
With a custom guitar, you sort of get what you're given. That's too much of a gamble for me!
Interesting point Dave - I hadn't thought of it in that way before.
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That's exactly it Wez. If the amp isn't right it can be tweaked, transformers changed, rebuilt, re-covered etc. I can get exactly what I want.
With a custom guitar, you sort of get what you're given. That's too much of a gamble for me!
that's funny, if anything i'm the opposite! :lol:
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I've just come to update this thread and realised I hadn't responded to Wez's comment:
at first it seemed a little strange that someone so set against the idea of a custom guitar would have such a custom amp... but i guess it helps when you can work so closely with the person doing it for you... and its easier to tweak the sound of an amp than it is to say change the neck shape of a guitar
That's exactly it Wez. If the amp isn't right it can be tweaked, transformers changed, rebuilt, re-covered etc. I can get exactly what I want.
With a custom guitar, you sort of get what you're given. That's too much of a gamble for me!
Thats a good point - which is why it is important to work out a pretty specific spec to reduce that variables as much as is possible.