Aiken Tomcat/Reinhardt 18...different critters?

[RGB]

Haven't heard the Aiken, (the features look very cool), but I'm really turned on by the Greg Martin clips on Reinhardt's site.

I realize the Aiken is a non MV head with a built in attenuator vs the MV Reinhardt, but was looking for a comparison from someone who may have played both.

Is this a case of Vox or Marshall?

[photios]

Surely someone has played both and can comment...I'd love to know too.

[RGB]

I'd also like to know why the Invader was discontinued, and what the differences are between it and the Tomcat. I found some Invader clips posted by a member and the amp sounded sweet....definitely competition for the Reinhardt!....and now the Top Hat offerings have gotten my interest too! Geeez!

I know there are Aiken guys all over this place!....hopefully someone will see this.

[RGB]

Now I see that, since yesterday, the Tomcat has been discontinued as well. Figures! Could this be related to issues with the attenuator? None of his remaining amps have one built in.....and this is the feature that impressed me most!

.....and I had just about decided that this may be THE perfect amp for someone like me. My biggest issue is that I know the tone I'm looking for and there are a buttload of amps that can do it, but I have to gig at such freaking low volumes that I can never get the tubes cooking on anything.....not even my Lucky 7!......guess I'm doomed to a life of tap dancing on pedals to get close to MY tone.

[reaiken]

Originally Posted by RGB

Now I see that, since yesterday, the Tomcat has been discontinued as well. Figures! Could this be related to issues with the attenuator? None of his remaining amps have one built in.....and this is the feature that impressed me most!

The main reason I discontinued the amps is because I was tired of them, and want to do something different. The Invader was basically a non-master Marshall copy with attenuator/reverb, and there are a zillion guys out there doing high and low-power Marshall copies. While the Tomcat is a completely original design, I feel it can be improved upon in a future revision. I stopped making it now because I just used the last of my stock of attenuator turret boards and don't want to make another quantity purchase since I don't intend to make any more of that version. Also, the 12AT7 input stage, which is a key part to the tone of that amp, is very difficult to manufacture because of the lack of good, non-microphonic 12AT7 tubes.

The other reason I discontinued the amps is because I recently had to move to SC to care for my elderly mother and I haven't had the time to get things set up here for any kind of volume production, so I'm "thinning the herd".

There are no "issues" with the attenuator, other than the fact that they take forever to build and wire in, and at the price we are charging for the amps, it is way out of line with the cost of putting it in, compared to the time to build the rest of the amp.

However, attenuators, along with power scaling, post-phase-inverter master volumes, and other forms of attenuation, do have two major flaws: one, the tone controls on the amp don't do a whole lot when the output stage is fully clipped, because increasing the bass/mid/treble won't increase the level of those frequencies at the output when they are limited to the clipping point after the tone controls. You are restricted to more subtle variations in tone, which is fine if the amp has a basic good tone to start with (after all, a million attenuator users can't be wrong!), but it does limit things somewhat. Also, you can't do a "proper" effects loop/reverb after the distortion, because the distortion occurs in the output stage or PI. Time-based effects like reverb and delay get too muddy and fake-sounding if they are used with an output-stage-based distortion (although they are fine if the amp is run cleaner). I want to experiment more with designing some unique "organic" sounding preamp-based distortion circuits that sound and feel like output stage distortion, but allow use of a "proper" effects loop/reverb circuit.

Don't get me wrong, though, I haven't given up on simple, output-stage distortion amps, I will continue to design new amps like that as well, but likely without the built-in attenuators. They are more "one-trick ponies", but there is something quite satisfying about a simple, no-frills, tone machine.

Randall Aiken

[dbeeman]

Tomcat and Reinhardt 18 are fairly different.

They both crunch and sound great.

Reinhardt has that 18 watt Marshall midrange crunch in the straight thru channel. The TMB side has a beautfiul warm clean and can be turned up for lots of gain. Quite flexible tone wise.

Tomcat to my ears has a very pure tone and a unique, "clean" overdrive. Very flexible top end tayloring with bright switch *works at all levels* - does not go away with volume. The cut and tone control seem to modify different ranges in the highs. Boost is a nice feature for pumping up lead work.

[spikeRI]

best attenuator I've ever used (tomcat owner)

[RGB]

Thanks for the clarification, Randall....I read a couple of glowing reviews and heard a couple of impressive clips and suddenly the TC is looking like the perfect rig for me. I hope there are a few out there....maybe I can pick one up someday.

....or maybe I'll wait and see what's coming up next in the low wattage amp category on your site!

Sweet amps, btw!

[Wayne]

Originally Posted by reaiken

Time-based effects like reverb and delay get too muddy and fake-sounding if they are used with an output-stage-based distortion (although they are fine if the amp is run cleaner). I want to experiment more with designing some unique "organic" sounding preamp-based distortion circuits that sound and feel like output stage distortion, but allow use of a "proper" effects loop/reverb circuit.

Randall Aiken

Randall, that sounds like a real interesting approach. I'll look forward to hearing the results.

Wayne

[Leonc]

Can't speak to the Reinhardt. The Tomcat has a relatively unqiue sound and a very cool set of features. Clearly a lot of Marshally qualities...but more sparkly. Very tweakable yet easy to dial in. Loves pedals. The attenuator works extremely well. No issues at all AFAIC. Great little amp.

[RGB]

Originally Posted by reaiken

I want to experiment more with designing some unique "organic" sounding preamp-based distortion circuits that sound and feel like output stage distortion, but allow use of a "proper" effects loop/reverb circuit.
Randall Aiken

This actually sounds like just what guys like me need. (Guys who have to play ridiculously quiet at gigs, so no matter what amp you're using you never get to the sweet spot)! I'm sick of tap dancing on pedals and would just like the freedom of a great sounding guitar/amp setup, controlled by the guitar's volume and tone knobs.

That's why the TC appeals to me, I guess.

[59model]

The soundclips on the Reinhardt site are killer!

[nolenuttt]

I've owned both at the same time-kept the Reinhardt, it was much louder, ballsier, and loved pedals equally-The Aiken's clean may have been a touch more rich, but both are great, and both amp builders are in the very top of both the amp building and the true gentleman groups-Can't go wrong with either-The Reinhardt is an amazing gigging machine!!

[RGB]

I love the tone of the Reinhardt clips, but I wonder if I would ever be able to get it to sound like that at the ridiculously low volumes that I'm forced to gig at. I figure if I have to run the master way down, the tone will suffer.

The built in attenuator is what has me looking at the Aikens....along with the reports from the very satisfied owners.

[daveS]

Just noticed this post . . .

I have a Tomcat combo and a Reinhardt 18 head.

Both Aiken and Reinhardt amps are great. I tend to use them for higher gain, humbucking type rock tones. For me, these are rock amps. The Reinhardt seems a bit like a Marshall 18W 1974X, but enhanced with a little more finese in the front end (preamp) of the amp. It really growls with a drop E tuned guitar. Plenty of gain on tap. Sounds a little "looser" than the Tomcat. The Tomcat had gobs of gain too. The attenuator is the most transparent I have played with (perhaps because it was designed with this amp in mind ???). The gain boost is quite handy and simply boosts the gain. Nice. The Tomcat, in comparison the the Reinhardt, sounds more focused and tigher . . . almost kind of Voxy or something. It's got a tad more sparkle. Some might say it has some Mashallesque tones in there but it's really a departure with a sound of it own IMHO. It's like the Tomcat can sing while the Reinhardt can growl. To draw relative tone comparison, I would say the Reinhardt could get you some early EVH and/or George Lynch (Wicked Sensation) tones whereas the Tomcat could get you some Brian May-esque tones. The one thing they both have plenty of: Gain.

I kind of wish I had a Tomcat head or at least a head box I could put the amp into. . . I really want to run it through a cabinet to get more bass.

Here's the Tomcat sitting on top of my Invader




And here's the Reinhardt with some friends



Cheers
-Dave