Well, my new Kinsgley Deluxe 30T arrived, and I have to say that it is a giant killer in a petite little package. These are still the best kept secret in boutique-ville despite that they won the editor's pick award at GP magazine a few years back. With a clean channel that does that perfect el84 chime and with a dirty channel that does that high gain el84 grind perfectly, this is really a must have amp for any el84 amp nerd, plus the verb and trem are superior to boot, and the variable boost switch is serious gigger's dream. Highly suggested amp for anyone that is a fan of the inherent voxiness of the el84 tube. Just thought I'd share some kind words and some pictures here on TGP with you folks, and a more detailed review to follow at a later date. If you were considering a matchless or badcat, try out a Kingsley before you decide. In addition this badboy has an eq bypass switch, a pentode/triode selector, a bright switch and a 15w/30w selector and a global tone control in addition to treble, mid and bass controls. I have never heard an amp with this much tonal flexibility, from dark tweedish tones to bright voxy ones to everything Marshall and in betwen it's all here. There is a really a tone for everyone in this amp!!
Congratulations! I love my D32, which I got Aug/04. Put some NOS tubes in it and hear the tones transform into even more liquid gold. PS... I'm also originally from Ontario - Hamilton!
Thanks!! I will try some nos tubes later but am going to spend a few weeks with the stock JJ's to acclimate to the tone. I was tempted to go for the 32, but I really do not use channel switching and the boost is enough for me to make the leads louder. Simon sure does build his amps like a tank though. Have you looked inside yours yet?
I couldn't help but notice that you have a Vox head right next to it. How close to the Vox sound is the Kingsley? It is suppose to be a clone of a Vox right? I'm still trying to decide whether to go for the D32 or D30. I hope to place an order by the end of the week with Simon for one if I can get together the 50% down by then.
Good idea. Feel free to PM me for tube suggestions. I tried a lot of different ones in different positions until I found a magic combination. I love having two separate channels. I haven't looked at the guts yet, but I'm sure his work is excellent - I've seen pictures. I don't think so. That's not the impression I got from talking to Simon before I bought mine. It's just his concept of a 4xEL84 type amp, with his own updates and improvments and unique voicing. He also has a model with the same preamp, but powered by 6L6s.
I don't think it is supposed to be a clone of the Vox per se. It has something in common with the Vox ac30 tone but it has more tonal flexibility throughout the tonal spectrum and some more harmonic complexity. Having said that there are certain settings available where you would be unable to tell if it were a Vox or not, but like I said, with the triode switch and the gain channel you can cop tweed and marshally tones also. It is a fabulous amp with lots of tonal options.
I have a D30, but I've never played a Vox. How do you set the Kingsley to make it sound like a Vox? I wouldn't mind trying that to see what a Vox sounds like! I remember Simon telling me that the output section is very much like a Vox, but the preamp is his proprietary design and is probabla cross between Vox and Fender.
With the bright switch on and mid, bass and treble at 12 O'clock and the tone control all the way up, on the clean input channel with the volume at 10'Oclock to 2 O'clock the amp behaves very close to an AC30 imho (make sure amp is in pentode and at full wattage)
Congrats, a beauty! I too went with the D30 after going back and forth re: 32 or not, but I like the simplicity. And with Simon's boost switch in addition to the clean or gain input choices, you don't need a 2nd channel!
I agree, that boost switch does all I need for live also in terms of added gain. The Gain input is also wonderful to have but I just wouldn't use the channel switching option enough.
Another Kingsley devotee... also lived in Hamilton from 87-96. Perhaps you have to be Canadian to "get' these?
Rich, do you notice any difference between the new D30 and the old? I'm beginning to notice that some amps really have a break-in period, and wonder it's true of the Kingsley.
I'm not sure of the break in period. Simon mentioned to me he has to get them souding good right out of the box. So far I would say he has really improved the cleans even more - a bit more harmonic complexity and the bright switch is very refined and any hint of harshness is gone, not that there was much before. The distortion seems to be tighter and simply does not get buzzy no matter the gain level. The triode knob allows you to get a huge fat gain sound as does the eq bypass knob though the former being tweedier, even /13 10/20 -ish if you get my meaning. And the head is easy to move, so I couldn't be happier. Other than those refinements it is quite similar.
