I think my next amp will be an Alessandro: Need some owner's guidance please

[skhan007]

Cool deal Joel. Thanks for the 6v6 review. I spoke with someone who confirmed through George that the BnT can accept KT66, EL34, 6L6, and 6V6. That's one diverse dog!

I also spoke with somebody on the phone today who has a Beagle. He told me that at about 12 O'Clock, it starts to break up really nicely and goes into that Vox/Marshall gain stage when cranked. I asked him if the Beagle will do a ZZ Top or AC/DC solo tone and he told me that it definitely would.

Still making every effort to try to play one in-person, but really wanting to go for a lower wattage one. Either the Plott, BnT, or maybe Beagle. The clips of the Beagle from the NY amp show was great:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cihQXPd_vHA

 

[Paul86]

Hi joel,
I'm dying to hear those clips!

 

[cnardone]

THat is my Beagle in the clip. Yes, it is awesome. Everytime i hear that clip, I think, I need a 2X12 for the Beagle.

As for the BnT with 6V6s, my understanding is that output tubes expect to see a certain impedance from the transformer They do not have to be an exact match, but how far apart the expected vs. actual impedance will effect the tone of the amp. It is certainly possible (I do not know) that George specifically "tuned" the amp to EL34s but left the impedance close enough for the other tubes to work.

 

[Ogre]

I have been playing for a living since 1970, and my favorite recording amp is the Alessandro Redbone Coonhound. It is LOUD when turned up, but the clean sounds are stellar. I am also fond of the English, which will get to grinding rock at more reasonable volumes. Highly recommended!

 

[kmcmichael]

rah3, I have never heard the Italian greyhound. Can you compare it to anything? I have a Commins.

 

[skhan007]

THat is my Beagle in the clip. Yes, it is awesome. Everytime i hear that clip, I think, I need a 2X12 for the Beagle.

As for the BnT with 6V6s, my understanding is that output tubes expect to see a certain impedance from the transformer They do not have to be an exact match, but how far apart the expected vs. actual impedance will effect the tone of the amp. It is certainly possible (I do not know) that George specifically "tuned" the amp to EL34s but left the impedance close enough for the other tubes to work.

Whoa! Very cool!! The Beagle sounds amazing in that clip- and camcorder clips typically aren't that good. So that amp must be the cat's meow in-person.

Let me ask you this simple question as the owner of both the Beagle and the BnT: Which of those amps will give me Keith Richards rhythm tones and Angus Young-type lead tones? I want the Alessandro amp I buy to do those tones when I roll my guitar volume up and down.

 

[rah3]

rah3, I have never heard the Italian greyhound. Can you compare it to anything? I have a Commins.

The Italian is stellar sounding, but I haven't had time to grab clips out of the recordings. As anticipated it also sounds different through different cabinets. I have 1 -12 Alessandro Black poplar cab with Celestion Century that sounds great with the Italian, also a Twin 8 Raezers Edge cabinet.

-RAH3

 

[deeval]

I gig with My Hi end BnT alot and it is staller tone,I use Mullard EL34,s and with a clean boost pedal it can push the amp into greatest early Marshall tone,but it has its own feel to it hard to discribe,it needs to be heard.
It works with single or Humbucks and loves to be pushed and fo 15 watts it can get loud, Our drummer is loud and it can keep up with him.If some one can walk me through how to do sound clips on computer I would love to post,some.

 

[cnardone]

skhan,

i am not sure you are going to get Keef rhythm and AC/DC leads in a single channel amp.

Like Deeval says, the BnT is closer to Marshall and the Beagle is closer to Vox. I bet that if you get a LP/SG through a Beagle with a 2X12 greenback cab, the Beagle will hint more towards marshall than the clip above.

I like both, if I had to sell one, it would be the BnT though. It is not as pretty in the cleans.

 

[skhan007]

skhan,

i am not sure you are going to get Keef rhythm and AC/DC leads in a single channel amp.

Like Deeval says, the BnT is closer to Marshall and the Beagle is closer to Vox. I bet that if you get a LP/SG through a Beagle with a 2X12 greenback cab, the Beagle will hint more towards marshall than the clip above.

I like both, if I had to sell one, it would be the BnT though. It is not as pretty in the cleans.

Thanks for this info. I think there are single channel amps that will do Keef rhythms and Angus leads- it's a matter of using the right amp with the right guitar and rolling back the volume on the guitar- for example, my Mesa Boogie will clean up with the volume on my Les Paul pretty well- just not to Keef tones. I know the Alessandro's are very dynamic, so I was thinking they might do this.

I'm going to go play a Beagle in-person next month, so I'll really look forward to hearing this amp and what it can do. On that youtube clip, your Beagle amp sounded REALLY good on the leads, which makes me believe that if it was pushed a bit, it would really rock the solo tones.

As for the BnT, I'm really encouraged by what Deeval has stated about going into early Marshall territory. I hope I come across a BnT for sale because I really want to check this one out!

 

[TDJMB]

And to add confusion: I think the B&T cleans are prettier than the English (I hope glman will forgive me!).

 

[glman]

it's possible - I heard the BnT cleans are to die for - BUT - I'm still waiting for clips!

 

[skhan007]

And to add confusion: I think the B&T cleans are prettier than the English (I hope glman will forgive me!).

To add even more confusion (to me anyway), I asked a couple of dealers which would get me that raucous blues tone (ala Angus Young or close to it). One said the Beagle (probably because he has one for sale), George A. responded to an email and said the Plott, and I've heard owners recommend me the BnT. I wish I could have all three!

So for me, it may come down to BnT vs. Plott. If I choose the BnT, then I must decide which tubes to put in the BnT!! Somebody on another thread recommended EL37's. Yes, EL37's. I never even knew they existed. I would hope KT66's would be the logical choice in the BnT, but who knows?!?

 

[Paul86]

And where's them clips?

 

[joel]

I bought a mic and have a audio interface coming to me in the mail. Maybe I'll get it all and be able to figure out how to use it next week. I'm a weak player & will be embarrased to post clips, but I figure I can run through some scales and I IV V chords with the amps at 1/4, 1/2, 3/4 for you to hear its voice.

I've had EL37's in my B&T for the last year. Mostly played for clean tone with them, as they're overdrive sounds a bit sharp to my ear. I just swapped EL34s back in, and I'm finding it fun! I'd use EL34s over EL37s for overdriven rocking tones. EL37s are in the 6L6 family I think.

Overdrive is hard to describe, but the tubes shine through. So think Plott=tweed deluxe, Beagle=Vox, B&T/EL34s=early Marshall before they got gainy. For AC/DC, I'd guess B&T would make you happiest. I've never owned KT66s, don't know their tone.

If you really want gain, maybe ask George to add a 12AX7 into the preamp. Doesn't the Bloodhound have that? If you talk to him, ask him if the Plott is really different than the B&T. They seemed different to me, but they had different preamp tubes and maybe I was fooling myself.

 

[joel]

By applying my extraordinary technical intellect and stunning musical tallent, it has taken me only 7 weeks to figure out how to record clips for you. Amazing, I know, I astound even myself sometimes...

Anyways, if you have well calloused ears to withstand my neanderthal guitar playing and recording ability, PM me with your address and I'll send you a cd. Mostly chromatics & 12-bar rhythm chords, but here's the cool part. You'll get to hear a Beagle, a Plotthound, a B&T. Being tickled with a strat and a PRS hollow-spruce. Loaded with a variety of NOS and modern tubes. Cheers! /jd