Looking for Carr, Swart or similar.. Help a Newbie!!

[rjmulligan]

To All,

Thanks for a great forum..
I'm a 62 y.o. newbie to electrics.. but have been playing acoustic for MANY years.. long enough to acquire a taste for boutique equipment.

I now have a wonderful Ribbecke Halfling electrfic guitar and am using an Egnater Tweaker 15 head and cabinet which just do not cut it for sweet and full tone that I hear in my head. I've tried and really like the Swarts and Carr amplifiers.. does anybody have one such... or recommendations for similar 6V6 amps??

Now the hard part.. not much budget.. and extra gear.. but willing to talk trades or arrangements.

In Connecticut.. Condition is not important, but operational integrity and , of course, tone is..

Thanks, Regan Mulligan

[ajaxlepinski]

Welcome to the fold brother! At 53, I'm not too far behind!!!

That's an interesting shopping list.... 6V6's, good clean, warm tone, not too pricy, used is OK... going to have to put the thinking cap on...

Never played a Swart but, I hear they are warmer than Carrs.
If you can get to Manhattan, Ludlow Guitars has Swarts and a good collection of other boutique amps on the floor to try.

[izzy]

You aren't getting any younger -- so let me save you some time -- what you actually want is a Tungsten Crema of Wheat.

[video]http://youtu.be/3X1AOlkabwo[/video]

PS: At 55 I'm not getting any younger mahself, lolololol.

[ajaxlepinski]

You aren't getting any younger -- so let me save you some time -- what you actually want is a Tungsten Crema of Wheat.

PS: At 55 I'm not getting any younger mahself, lolololol.

Ha! Hope the new "kid" has a sense of humor!

[rjmulligan]

Exactly!! .. I should've marked the post as 'urgent!'

I will definitely check out the Tungsten.... but I don't think I've EVER seen one of those used..

I played a Carr Sportsman that I really liked... but a 2K for a new one.. that's too rich for my thinning blood.... and I have to save some cash for my medical marijuana..

Thanks, gang for the amazingly fast contributions to the thread

Reg

[rjmulligan]

So............ since you're being very generous with your advice.. How would you go about searching for a used amp of this type.. I've thought of a posting on 'The Gear Page' .. and here, of course..

Are there other forums or sources that folks in the know use??

I barely know where to begin other than contacting dealers.. and they seem to be interested in new sales only... or lack the used inventory.

BTW.. Thanks all, very much, for your help..

[skybluegary]

I now have a wonderful Ribbecke Halfling electrfic guitar

Thanks, Regan Mulligan

Pics, or it's a Yamaha!

Good Irish name!

[Ry Manchu]

You didn't specify your budget. The VHT 12/20 RT is pretty similar to the blackface-based Carrs. I have the head, but the combo is good. I like it better with 6l6s, but it sounds good with 6v6s.

[rjmulligan]

Well.. I very quickly learned after the Tweaker phase passed.. that a $500 budget does not present a lot of options. So I think, with selling the t
weaker and other miscellaneous stuff.. I could gt up to ~ $1000. I do not really play out .. or see it much in my future, so a small wattage amp ( < 10W ) is probably plenty..

As an aside.. can most 6V6 amps also accommodate 6L6 tubes?

Thanks,
R

[Ry Manchu]

I paid $552 for my 12/20 RT head, $299 for a Blackjack 212ST cab, $108 for a Weber 12F125 and $112 for a Weber 12F150T. You'd be hard pressed to find better tone for under $1100. Granted I tube rolled when I got it.

The recommended plate voltage is different for 6v6 vs 6l6. The VHT puts out roughly 12 watts with 6v6s.

[izzy]

I will definitely check out the Tungsten.... but I don't think I've EVER seen one of those used..

Guaranteed -- somewhere there is some DK type who bought one and is now selling it because "it's not metal enough, has no mv or fx loop and only has a tone nob -- fucking thing sucks.". lol

[ajaxlepinski]

Here's another option...
I recently purchased a Hi-Tone (Hiwatt clone).
This one has 6V6's: http://shop.hi-tone-amps.com/HT30-15-DG-HT30-15-DG.htm

Here's the review of their 100 watt version with EL34's: viewtopic.php?f=35&t=8858

[clipless bumper]

I will definitely check out the Tungsten.... but I don't think I've EVER seen one of those used..

Guaranteed -- somewhere there is some DK type who bought one and is now selling it because "it's not metal enough, has no mv or fx loop and only has a tone nob -- fucking thing sucks.". lol

one just popped up on my local CL today

http://philadelphia.craigslist.org/msg/4172067298.html

but it's $1,500 - so I don't think it is owned by a DK type......

actually - maybe it was, it has had the speaker swapped out for a Lynchback - not the first (or even 10th) speaker that pops into my mind for an amp like this.

[rjmulligan]

Thanks 'Mam?
That Tungsten definitely has the goods.. I listened to Greg V playing one on Youtube - though admittedly he was more demoing the Grosh guitar than the Tungsten.. but it sounded terrific.

You folks have been super helpful. Has my thinking crystalized? ... Not the slightest! but I am learning a lot and really discerning a landscape of similar.. but very individual 'instruments' .. They're clearly played just as much as the guitars are...

Thanks!