More on the Pritchard Jade Dagger

[jzucker]

Eric Pritchard heard about my forsale ad of his amp and contacted me and told me about a "chime" upgrade he was now putting as standard in his new amps. I went ahead and sent the amp to him for an upgrade and got it back yesterday. It's simply fantastic. It further blurs the distinction between tubes and solid state. I doubt that I or anyone could tell that this is not a tube amp. With the latest change, it adds the high end sheen and sparkle that you get from a great, '60s tube amp. It also works great with pedals.

Great job by Eric. Anyone who thinks that you can't get this tone out of a SS amp should definitely go hear one of these amps in person.

Jaz

[Blueser]

Jack,

Any chance of posting some clips of the amp with the mod?

Thanks,
B

[Ben Furman]

So you're officially back in the fold?

Rod is out, so it looks like just you and carltonh carry the torch now?

[carltonh]

Hmm. I might have to send my Sword of Satori in too. If Eric is reading this, are you going to the Dallas Guitar Show? Despite having 4 kids 4 and under now, I'll try to go.

I just got a Weber Impedance Matcher and was able to plug the Pritchard into my 16 ohm 4x12 cab. Wow. As much as I love a combo, I also love the deep sound of a 4x12, and the Pritchard sounds just as great through a 4x12.

[carltonh]

Jack, maybe a tangent, but it looked like you decided to get rid of your 2x12 of Legend V12s. Did you find speakers you liked better for what you want?
I'm anxious to hear the new Eminence neodynium guitar speakers. One of those may pull the weight of a Pritchard combo down to 30 lbs.

[Sam Evans]

If Mr. Pritchard brings an amp or two to Dallas, I'd make the trip from Austin. My only interest is in great sounding amps. Tube or SS, it does not matter to me.

[landru64]

i am in the fold. i have rod's amp. i got the upgrade, as well as some fixes which unfortunately should have been done before i got it. i've owned this amp for like 2 months but yesterday when i got my chassis back was the first i've really been able to play it. it's really good, especially with the upgrade. before, i felt (as i think zucker did) that it needed to have the crunch or boost on all the time, but now it's a winner one any setting. the vox setting is really very remarkably like a vox. but they're all great. what i really like about it is that sort of an idealized tube amp. it has a quality in the bottom that i find in solid state amps that i prefer... a tightness and resolution. almost no tube amps do i really like in the bottom; that's why i've typically enjoyed the bandwidth limited designs like my several blues pearl amps. but now, i don't feel i have to compromise.

pretty sick stuff. i'm even considering selling this and getting the sword....

i'm going to try to show it around to some of my friends without telling them what's in it... just to screw with them...

hats off especially to eric for being so helpful along the way.

[scottl]

Having Jack, Andrew, and Carlton makes for one mighty big and respectable fold!!!

Seems like I need to try one again!!!

[steinny]

Clips please.

The clips on the Pritchard site are fairly pedestrian sounding.

[Ben Furman]

Originally Posted by steinny

Clips please.
The clips on the Pritchard site are fairly pedestrian sounding.

Amen. What I'd like to hear is each of you TGPers playing your favorite settings. The reports always go something like how the amp out-Fenders a Fender or out-Marshalls a Marshall, etc. Given that there are so many variations on those circuits, I'd like to have some sonic context for those kinds of comparative statements. This has nothing to do with dynamic feel or "tubiness" or any of that kind of superlative that can't be translated in a recorded clip. It's simply a matter of what "flavor" each of the voices leans toward and how adjustable the tone stack for each really is.

There aren't enough users of these things with good experience, and Eric's website, however well-intended, is totally hyperbolic. That's why the burden of proof falls to the you - the experts.

[jzucker]

I will do some clips but note that I am not a Pritchard endorser so it's really not my mission to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the amp is great. Additionally, while others may have made statements per Ben's posting, I don't think I've ever said it out-fenders a fender or out-marshalls a marshall.

Every amp has some unique aspect about it that is possibly fabulous and other aspects that are perhaps less desirable.

My take on the Jade Dagger is that it sounds remarkably similar in character and vibe to a '60s BF fender amp. Wonderfully touch sensitive and quacky and chimey and with the interactiveness normally equated with tube amps.

Frankly, I'm less interested in whether it exactly nails a particular tone and more intersted in whether it can get a large variety of sounds with a large variety of guitars. So far, I'm very impressed. It sounds good with my Archtop with flatwound .012s, my Strat and a TS9, my HR Fusion with light strings and a zendrive as well as my Larrivee Acoustic guitar. The latter is even more remarkable when driving a full range cab (I'm using a EA-CXL-112)

[Ben Furman]

Thank you, Jack. Please accept my apologies for the generalization. {Slowly removes foot from mouth.} Glad the amp is exceeding your expectations again.

[jzucker]

Originally Posted by Ben F.

Thank you, Jack. Please accept my apologies for the generalization. {Slowly removes foot from mouth.} Glad the amp is exceeding your expectations again.

I wasn't offended. I was just explaining that it's not a priority for me to do clips to sell eric's amps at this point.

Maybe if he'd put me on his payroll...

[r9player]

I'd love to hear some clips too.

[scottl]

But Jack, you gotta start somewhere. Eric is a small builder now. Show the loyalty and support at this stage and who knows what comes your way when he is the next big thing

Now get recording! LOL

Originally Posted by jzucker

I wasn't offended. I was just explaining that it's not a priority for me to do clips to sell eric's amps at this point.

Maybe if he'd put me on his payroll...