Komet Amp Thread

[skhan007]

It seems like the Komets always move really fast. They should, they’re remarkable amps.

You guys need put your Komets for sale in Gradual mode. They've been selling before I can react, so I suspect you've been in Fast mode.

 

[Ryebosome]

Yeah, there was an Aero listed a few weeks ago for a steal of a price. I knew it would be gone before I could even have the money talk with my wife, and sure enough it was.

 

[56Tweed]

Yeah, there was an Aero listed a few weeks ago for a steal of a price. I knew it would be gone before I could even have the money talk with my wife, and sure enough it was.

There is another Aero that has flipped 3-4 times here over the past 18 months. I saw it recently on Reverb for $3500 (used) even with cosmetic issues.

 

[skhan007]

How often do we see the K60 HD in the wild?

 

[beckstriad]

How often do we see the K60 HD in the wild?

I was keeping a pretty close eye out for one, and mine is the only one I’ve seen recently. I’m sure others have seen them more, but they don’t seem to come up for sale often. The 60s in general, it seems.

 

[stratovarius]

If you see a K80, snag it!

 

[beckstriad]

If you see a K80, snag it!

I was going to say, those seem even rarer along with the Constellations. Tells me what special amps they all are.

 

[stratovarius]

I was going to say, those seem even rarer along with the Constellations. Tells me what special amps they all are.

I believe there were twenty numbered ones and a few named ones.

 

[skhan007]

@beckstriad and anyone else in the know: If you could compare/contrast the K60 with the Aero 33, what would you say?

I totally understand the EL84 compression, chime, etc. thing, as I own a couple of hand-wired old Bad Cat amps. These are in the "Vox on steroids" category. Is the 33 also in that category? Does the K60 or 33 have more gain on tap? Will the quality of my life improve and gates of Heaven open with the purchase of a Komet amp?

 

[beckstriad]

@beckstriad and anyone else in the know: If you could compare/contrast the K60 with the Aero 33, what would you say?

I totally understand the EL84 compression, chime, etc. thing, as I own a couple of hand-wired old Bad Cat amps. These are in the "Vox on steroids" category. Is the 33 also in that category? Does the K60 or 33 have more gain on tap? Will the quality of my life improve and gates of Heaven open with the purchase of a Komet amp?

Ha ha! I don’t want to set the expectation quite that high. I’ve never played a Bad Cat, so I have to admit ignorance there. The 33 and 60HD are fairly similar to me. I wouldn’t call myself an EL84 guy, though. I much prefer EL34s and 6V6s.

There is a bunch of gain on both of those amps, but, to me, they excel at more than that. They both have that incredible harmonic complexity where they just feel like they could go off the rails when at volume, but can be controlled beautifully and sustain forever. Their beauty is in the ability to go from that to rolling the volume knob back and getting a very sweet mid-gain crunch down to a beautiful clean all at the same time. I love that the 60HD can be dialed to get either of those sounds on its own, too.

 

[skhan007]

Ha ha! I don’t want to set the expectation quite that high. I’ve never played a Bad Cat, so I have to admit ignorance there. The 33 and 60HD are fairly similar to me. I wouldn’t call myself an EL84 guy, though. I much prefer EL34s and 6V6s.

There is a bunch of gain on both of those amps, but, to me, they excel at more than that. They both have that incredible harmonic complexity where they just feel like they could go off the rails when at volume, but can be controlled beautifully and sustain forever. Their beauty is in the ability to go from that to rolling the volume knob back and getting a very sweet mid-gain crunch down to a beautiful clean all at the same time. I love that the 60HD can be dialed to get either of those sounds on its own, too.

Thank you! I believe the 33 would be easier to come by on the used market (unless it's possible to talk somebody into selling me their K60HD!!), but it's OK and I can be patient. I'll try to search out more clips of the 33. Really curious to know if the 33 will be similar/redundant of my Bad Cat Black Cat (4x EL84 Vox on steroids) or if it's a completely different animal despite using the same tubes. That might be something only I can determine after purchasing, unless other Komet owners can comment.

If there are any TGP East Coast Komet owners, let me know if I can hear your amp in-person. That would be greatly appreciated.

 

[stratovarius]

Be patient and wait for what you really want.

 

[beckstriad]

Thank you! I believe the 33 would be easier to come by on the used market (unless it's possible to talk somebody into selling me their K60HD!!), but it's OK and I can be patient. I'll try to search out more clips of the 33. Really curious to know if the 33 will be similar/redundant of my Bad Cat Black Cat (4x EL84 Vox on steroids) or if it's a completely different animal despite using the same tubes. That might be something only I can determine after purchasing, unless other Komet owners can comment.

If there are any TGP East Coast Komet owners, let me know if I can hear your amp in-person. That would be greatly appreciated.

I can’t remember if Simon Gotthelf has a demo on the 33, but his Komet reviews in general are stellar. They show the wide range of tones available.

 

[Ryebosome]

Thank you! I believe the 33 would be easier to come by on the used market (unless it's possible to talk somebody into selling me their K60HD!!), but it's OK and I can be patient. I'll try to search out more clips of the 33. Really curious to know if the 33 will be similar/redundant of my Bad Cat Black Cat (4x EL84 Vox on steroids) or if it's a completely different animal despite using the same tubes. That might be something only I can determine after purchasing, unless other Komet owners can comment.

If there are any TGP East Coast Komet owners, let me know if I can hear your amp in-person. That would be greatly appreciated.

I haven't actually tried a Komet either so this is total conjecture, but I suspect the Trainwreck ancestry would differentiate it from the Black Cat. The Black Cat (I think?) probably doesn't do that endless sustain, clean-to-mean thing quite like a Wreckish amp.

 

[rhinocaster]

Be patient and wait for what you really want.

This is good advice....I've owned a number of Komet amps and currently have a Silver Cloud but I've ALWAYS really wanted a Songwriter and continue to think about moving the Cloud head and cab for just that.

 

[stratovarius]

This is good advice....I've owned a number of Komet amps and currently have a Silver Cloud but I've ALWAYS really wanted a Songwriter and continue to think about moving the Cloud head and cab for just that.

I did just the opposite. I sold off a K80 and a Songwriter in order to finance a complete Silver Cloud rig (including an AmbiKab Jr) and pay off some bills. I do miss both of those amps, but I still feel like I made the right decision.

 

[blazzrock]

Were you given an ETA on that? I'm going to pull the trigger on a Vimana or a K60 at some point, just curious what the wait time could look like.

As I understand it, they build each model in batches. They are hoping to start the next batch of K60’s around the end of July. I think they said they were building Vimana and Pulse Jet’s right now. Not sure if they were all spoken for.

 

[Matt Coffman]

This is good advice....I've owned a number of Komet amps and currently have a Silver Cloud but I've ALWAYS really wanted a Songwriter and continue to think about moving the Cloud head and cab for just that.

What about the Songwriter calls to you?

I play predominantly clean, and the Songwriter has a reputation for amazing cleans...but then so does the SC/Vimana. Curious to hear more about your experience with these amps as I've never had a chance to hear them other than in demos here and on YT.

 

[rhinocaster]

What about the Songwriter calls to you?

I play predominantly clean, and the Songwriter has a reputation for amazing cleans...but then so does the SC/Vimana. Curious to hear more about your experience with these amps as I've never had a chance to hear them other than in demos here and on YT.

It really just comes down to voice of the EL84 inspired Fischer designs that I'm most interested in. I love the big, bold sound and breakup (at quite loud volumes) of the K19s I've had but they do end up hitting me in a way not totally unlike my tweeds. There is a wonderful richness and complexity but I can't find the EL84 voice that I want to hear when I'm playing designs with those tubes. The K19 can cover lots of ground for me and could be an "Only amp" pretty easily but I'm not limited to that so I keep looking.

I had a Concorde as well and it was glorious. Actually closer to what I'd want than the K19 even with the 34s in it. The Silver Cloud is magnificent .... again, more in a big bottle Fender kind of way though.

I haven't played a Komet that did not impress me mightily. Still, from my experience and Simon's demos, I think the Songwriter is the one that would really ring my bell and give me something I don't really have from other amps in my collection.

 

[56Tweed]

I find the songwriter pretty unique. While its clean, it isn't sterile. Great punch and it can do things a bunch of my other amps can't do. While I'm typically not much of a pedal platform kind of guy, I'm finding the Songwriter sounds really good with transparent OD or even a a germanium fuzz. I'm hoping to get a chance to record some fuzz tones this weekend.