Small 5 Watt GAS (Swift Clip added!)

[phlip]

After months of humming and hah-ing I've hit the buy button on Ebay for a Rat Hot rodded Blackheart BA5H. It should be with me tomorrow. I haven't had a propper Valve amp since I got rid of my JCM800 years ago, so I'm looking forward to see how this little Class A head performs especially with the Power Scaling built in for low level but cranked sounds.
Ok I won't get speaker colouration at these levels but still I can always crank the shiteeee out of it when the wife and Neighbours are out.

I'll running it through a Epi 1x12 at the start but may upgrade the speaker or cab sometime in the future.

[dave_mc]

is that the valve junior cab? if so, what do you think of it? i've been meaning to pick on up as the price has dropped recently, a tried one a while back and seemed to remember it being pretty nice (especially for the money).

nice score on the amp by the way. :)

[kevincurtis]

I've been looking a his stuff and thinking it might be a good little amp for home use, so I will be interested in what you think of it, and clips of course :)

[TwilightOdyssey]

is that the valve junior cab? if so, what do you think of it? i've been meaning to pick on up as the price has dropped recently, a tried one a while back and seemed to remember it being pretty nice (especially for the money).

I have one that I keep at my singer's house for writing sessions. I usually go guitar > Smokey > Epi cab.

It sounds good enough for writing, but it's open back so you're not gonna get a tonne of low end from it.

[phlip]

is that the valve junior cab? if so, what do you think of it? i've been meaning to pick on up as the price has dropped recently, a tried one a while back and seemed to remember it being pretty nice (especially for the money).

nice score on the amp by the way. :)

It is the valve Junior cab but I haven't had it or used it long enough to form an honest opinion, aside from for the money it's better built than I expected and the speaker seems canny enough. I'll keep it stock for a while but given the excellent prices of good Celestions these days an upgrade is very probable.

[phlip]

I've been looking a his stuff and thinking it might be a good little amp for home use, so I will be interested in what you think of it, and clips of course :)

Of course :)

Before i bought I listened to a lot of clips of the stock head and it sounded very decent certainly better than the VJ and Harley Bentons, so given the mods and fixes done I'm (Hopefully not in vain) hoping it's gonna be a cracker. It's a risk of course but I've heard nothing but great stuff about the Andy Dokken modded 5 watters and the Power Scaling.

[MrBump]

I've been looking a his stuff and thinking it might be a good little amp for home use, so I will be interested in what you think of it, and clips of course :)

+1.  I shall be watching!

[Adam.M]

I can't wait to hear about this! i was after a Blackheart Little Giant as more of a pedal-platform but this would be absolutely ideal as a home amp (and pedal platform) if it sounds good! I'm sure it will with the 6L6GC, i wonder if you can make that a real 6L6... hmm. Not quite sure on the differences these days myself!

Wonder how well it could cope with a low B or A with the 6L6GC...

[dave_mc]

cheers phlip and TO. not overly worried about a lack of low end as i'll likely only be putting the VJ through it, don't need a particularly modern bass-heavy sound out of it anyway (assuming that's what you mean by a ton of low-end).

:)

[phlip]

I can't wait to hear about this! i was after a Blackheart Little Giant as more of a pedal-platform but this would be absolutely ideal as a home amp (and pedal platform) if it sounds good! I'm sure it will with the 6L6GC, i wonder if you can make that a real 6L6... hmm. Not quite sure on the differences these days myself!

Wonder how well it could cope with a low B or A with the 6L6GC...

'fraid I won't be able to answer that one as I bought the single El84 & switchable Rectifier model not the switchable output valve model as I'm not bothered about the extra clean headroom the 6L6 offers (I know there's a potential bottom end benefit on 6L6's depending on the amp). I'm more Marshall than Fender in my amp tastes.

[phlip]

Well the Head has arrived at work, Wont' be able to try it 'til tomorrow.
Build quality on the Blackheart is excellent and a swift bit of screwdriver work shows me the mods and rewiring have been done superbly by Rat/Andy Dokken. Of course no matter how well built or neat the mods are it's tone that matters. Bit it's looking promising.

[TwilightOdyssey]

Ratt/Dokken.

There, I fixed it!

\m/

[broken cord]

Ratt/Dokken.

There, I fixed it!

\m/

Sweet!

[phlip]

Ratt/Dokken.

There, I fixed it!

\m/

LOL Good one.

Anyway quick review, it's nearly pub time.
IT'S LOUD!!! REALLY LOUD!!!
Blimey without the power scaling this would be a wall cracker for anything but the cleanest cleans. HOWEVER the power scaling is great with every control flat out (Cracking DC sound like this) you can reduce the actual volume to something which wouldn't wake a baby. The tone does change a bit when you do this it gets a little bit of fizz at the top and a lot fatter with more overdrive, reducing the master cures this side effect if you don't want it. I actually like it though. I am talking at extremes here ie flat out to very quiet.

It's got nice cleans at lower levels and with a HT dual in front of it it absolutely RIPS!

[MrBump]

I've just clocked them on Ebay... they do look VERY tempting... 

You gonna post some clips?  It's only polite, you know...

Mark.