I have been periodically visiting the Swart Amps web site, as well as Fat Sound Guitars- any word on some sound clips? Look forward to any information, and some first hand accounts on the merits of the amps. Thanks -Steve
Hi, I was just at FatSound today, and played the 20 watter. It was great ... as Stu stated: "a little bit of blackface, a little bit of tweed, a little bit of Marshall, some Supro, and some Brownface too. But it's got it's own thing going on." All I know is that it sounded great! It's got a great reverb, and a vibrato circuit that reminds me of my Brown Princeton ... psychedelic!! But the cool thing is that you can go from a lush, crystal clear clean sound, to balls-out rocking crunch chords with the flick of the pickup switch. Plus, it's 20 watts, but not overly loud. Some 20 watters are REALLY loud ... 65 amps, Aiken, %13 come to mind. This amp isn't that loud. But it's got a really beautiful pallette of sounds that are available to you with just the twist of a knob, or the flick of your pickup selector. And while not overly loud, it does sound VERY full ... it doesn't lack any of the frequency spectrum. IF I were in the market for a small, grab and go amp for small clubs of recording ... this would be hard to pass on. VERY HARD. I wasn't looking for amps today, but this one definitely turned my head. Sorry that I can't be more helpful than that. You'll be hearing lots of good stuff about these as days go by. Bottom line ... it was a fun amp to play ... I didn't want to stop. Have fun, Dennis E.
I have a Swarts coming in about 2-3 weeks, can't wait. Seems like the perfect amp to sit and just play. Stu is just knocked out by them and I trust his ears and descriptions. He hasn't steered me wrong yet.
Thanks for your responses. I currently have a Rambler and a TopHat Club Royale - I enjoy both a great deal for their clean(Ram) and break up(CR). I have always loved 6v6's and am thinking the Atomic or even the Space Tone might get me both flavors in one amp without pedals.The power rating is not a concern as I am soley playing at home. The CR at volume is a bit more power than I really need. The Rambler I use on triode mostly, and if the Swart matched or exceeded its cleans the decision would be clear to me. Can anyone speak in terms of comparison to the Rambler cleans? Thanks again- Steve
Stephen, Michael Swart just delivered three more of the 20 watters yesterday. All three of them sound even better than my personal Swart....the first one I played and then bought on the spot. He made a few minor tweaks and the model is now in it's final version and ready to ship. He changed the volume and tone pots to audio taper style for a wider useable range and has come up with a chassis shielding solution that does not effect the tone out the back of the amp. This is, hands down, one of the coolest amps of all times. Yes....I'm a dealer, but most on this board know me well enough to know I only recommend amps I truly believe in. The cabinet design is very compact yet it has a sound that is at least as good coming out the back as out the front. This lends an amazing 3-d quality to the sound and makes the little guy sound simply HUGE. The clean tones are pristine, swirly, lush and almost.....erie! The overdrive tones are achieved at reasonable levels and are focused, tight and full of bloom and sustain. I've also never played an amp that revealed so much of the guitar's nature. Everything is picked up by this amp. The deifinition is over the top yet there is zero stiffness to the feel. A nice combination!! The reverb circuit is fantastic in that it not only sounds perfect, but when you turn the reverb off at the footswitch the tail continues until it's finished. This allows for seamless transitions from reverb-effected clean tones to dry overdrive/crunch. The tremolo is perfectly gauged too and when you turn it on via the footswitch it sounds as if a Hammond B3 thru a Leslie just kicked in behind you with all the growl and explosiveness that would imply. Really and truly....simply fantastic. For those who may read this simply as a plug for a line I sell I hope you will understand that I am posting this as a guitar player who is an amp fanatic first and foremost and who is currently experiencing a major rush over this amp. I want to publicly thank Michael Swart for creating an amp that gives me a shot of adrenalin every time I play, helps get my creative juices flowing and for bringing the design to my shop for it's launch.
Dennis, It was great to see you yesterday! It means a lot to me that you dig the Swart. You have some awefully great gear and the chops to back up your opinions. Thanks for helping to spread the word about these amps.
It's really my pleasure. I don't post often ... just when something actually strikes my fancy, and someone needs that information. The Swart did all that! And I appreciate the kind words, Stu. Coming from you that means a lot to me. It's always a blast to stop in and see what's up. I don't come over too often because I really hate torturing myself looking at all that cool gear. Anyway, you'll sell a heap of these ... I hope Mr. Swart is ready!
One of these days I've got to get to Fat Sound, hell, I probably own at least the bathroom!! 2-3 weeks and I'll see what all the fuss is about!
Bathroom?! Heck G......you paid for my car! Anytime you want to come for a visit I'll pick you up at the airport....you can stay at my house...eat my food and drink my beer!!!
Fat Sound is a great place to visit. Too many years ago was the first and last time I set foot in Stu's Emporium (on the advice of Dean/PinkStrat). English guy from Capitol walks in off the street and buys up Stu's entire inventory of Scalar strings in 10-46. I doubt if Stu would remember but I felt totally at home there. Funny thing is that just a couple of miles away is a CD Mastering suite that is the only one in the World that Pink Floyd will use (or would); interesting area indeed. Best Pete.
Pete, I clearly remember that....mainly because I kicked myself for months for letting all the Scalers go! I had to go back to using D'Addario's!! Well.....at least we can get the Snake Oil strings now!
I'm really getting psyched about the Swart amp. It sounds like the next amp on my must buy list. I get to try one in a week or two if things go as expected. Stu-I've said it before but it's great hearing your comments on the GP.
I'm in. On the list as of today. Thanks for the gear page input and the guys at Fat Sound Guitars for their help. steve
I was down at fatsoundguitars today checking on my Swart, and DAMMIT, he had three but not even one for me! But, he assured me that mine would be there soon enough. Stu and Mike were putting one through its paces and man! what a fine amp! I'm a Matchless guy myself, but this "little" amp rocks. Just like the others have said, there are so many tones available at just the flick of the pickup switch, twirl of the guitar volume or the stroke of the pick attack. And, it truly is tough to say whether is sounds better out of the front or the back. It makes for a really big sounding amp without overpowering SPL. Very nice amp Stu, extremely responsive to the players style, and truly is an instrument in its own right. Rick
Hey everyone - I grabbed a Swart from Stu to give it a go at a gig with my band Hi Fi Royale. (www.hifiroyale.com) We are a 4-'s and 50's jump, rock, and blues outfit and when I played this thang in the shop I got weak in the knees. Not since getting my Maz 18 (also from Stu/Fat Sound - Is there really a reason to buy anywhere else?) have I actually heard an amp that I wanted to play through live. Stu was kind enough to lend me his personal Swart. I got out there plugged it in and just wept. I have always been partial to twin speaker amps. I like the air they push out, the fuller sound, all that jazz. But the Swart had all that and more. It had perfect definition from the highest highs to the lowest lows. My #1 is a 1962 Silvertone H62. Favored by jump and 50's blues nuts. Killer guitar, nails the out of phase tone that T-Bone Walker etc. got. Problem is it tends to be a bit boomy on the low end. I deal with it because in my larger band, an 8 piece jump, blues and R&B outfit, I need more bottom end and the power my Maz 18 puts out. In Hi Fi Royale it tends to be a little too boomy but the overall tone is so good I deal. Well the Swart took care of that problem. I played better than I have in a long time. I was inspired. For me the best word i can use is vintage. And I dont mean some knock-off, replica vintage. I mean this thing sounds like it came from Chess Studios circa 1955. Dripping reverb, and just the fattest swirling trem I have heard from an amp. We kicked into T-Bone Shuffle, We play a drop dead version from T-Bone Blues circa late 50's early 60's. It was as if the record was playing. BONUS - It sounds just as amazing turning the amp around so you get the sound out of the back. Easier to get at the controls too... And with all that it's one of the best looking amps I have laid eyes on. One of these amps will be in my permanent collection very soon. Stu - Dont you need about $1700 worth of design and web work anytime soon??
Lenny, my buddy, I was just up in RTP and tried out a Swart (well acutually the guy at the shop tried it for me..Stu knows what I'm talking about). Wasn't there long enough to give you a shout (day and a half). Nice to see you on here. These amps are really great. My one recommendation is that the jack for the speaker output be moved. If I remember correctly it would cause the cord for an external cab to go over/around the tubes. It's a little hard to get to. Nice amps otherwise.
It's on my radar. Which is the first step for me -especially amps. I've turned guitars around left in right {except for my mainstay Nocaster} ever since I started hanging around the Gear Page but I hardly ever role an amp and I take forever to commit to one. I've talked to Stu about a Maz Jr. at least three times. But that fish is finally frying... Anyway, I've been reading about these amps for a while now and I'd be curious to hear how it compares to a Victoria Tweed - style amp. Or is it more Blackface like a Deluxe Reverb? The specs and reviews sound like it could go either way. Thoughts?
