Why should I not get a Swart AST Pro?

[Pale Rider]

I've been wanting a great small, grab and go amp for awhile-
I use a 1973 Fender Pro Reverb and mainly a Hex Amps Model T clone,
but I'd love a club and back friendly option-
also one good for home recording-

I occasionally still chase Neil Young's Dead Man tone, and the Swart seems to have a bit
of tweediness to it-love Buddy Miller too, so...

Any major issues from users/owners?

 

[Optimus Rhyme]

There is absolutely no reason not to get one. I recommend the Greenback Heritage 55Hz speaker in it for a more vintage sound. May be a little loud for home recording, unless you don't have any problems recording loud at home.

 

[wookiefoot]

I love the sound of these but I could never get over the controls being in the back of the amp. Sure you don't mess with them a ton, but depending on where you place the amp, it could be a PIA to adjust.

That's the only reason I can come up with.

 

[Pale Rider]

thanks!

keep any suggestions coming, or suggestions on a similar incredible amp....

 

[drpoyer]

I was never able to get a
swart (combo) to hang in a power trio playing at reasonable volumes. The tone was solid, the amp was responsive but like the 80s super champ the cab size just does not do the amp justice.

I Never noticed how lost in the mix it was till I had someone sit in while I webt out front. Then I realized that It just couldnt hang without a bigget cab. Very boxy and thin sounding with no cut in the mix. In the end I kept the super champ and run it with a 2x10 cab and its internal 10. This flexibility Works great for live, studio or home use. I suspect the swart would benefit from the same approach.

 

[e???]

The one I tried was like a Fender with the bright switch on. Hated it. Look to Victoria for tweeds, they build some really great stuff

 

[Pale Rider]

Thanks.

I'm not looking for a tweed really, more a sweet swirly 3D amp-
I love the reverb & trem of these amps-

I've had great AC15s, a Victoria Regal II,an old Princeton Reverb, and a 5E3, but I just want a small, all-in-one kind of thing-

I'd get another Princeton Reverb, but my Pro Reverb gets the most beautiful "Fender" tone, so I want
something for a bit of variety-something more Supro-y

 

[Heinz W]

"Bright" is not a word I would use to describe the Swart sound.

I concur about the 55hz speakers. My friend has a 2x12 loaded with them and it sounds great with my SST. The Swart cab with Greenbacks sounds great too.

To the OP, the only reason against getting an AST that I can see is what drpoyer said, it may not hang in a full band situation.

 

[minjason]

If you're looking for "sweet swirly 3D," the AST Pro does that in spades. I agree with the above poster that "bright" is not a word I would use to describe the Swart sound...it would be hard to characterize it as a tweed or a blackface...it's somewhere in the middle (maybe closer to a brownface Fender if I had to categorize)...it has a much more mid-focused sound than you would get with a traditional blackface but tighter than most tweed deluxes I've played when driven. I actually think it might complement the tones you get from your Pro Reverb very well. I sold mine because I wanted a little more headroom, but for recording and small gigs, the amp was stellar.

 

[SFT]

I have a Swart AST Pro that I might be putting up for sale. In a unique surf green/blue tolex. Love it, just have more amps than I can play these days and am in need of funds for another guitar purchase.

 

[the_Chris]

I've owned tweed-ish amps in the past (Tungsten Crema Wheat) and silverface/blackface amps (Vibrolux Reverb and Super Reverb) and the Swart AST Pro is definitely a mix of the two. As mentioned above, you're looking at more of a blackface amp with more mids (I've never owned a brownface era Fender, but I've gathered that's essentially what they are). The tightness of the bass is welcome (if you've ever owned a vintage Fender, it's not easy keeping the bass together - it's usually pretty flubby). With the Gold, it does have a nice shimmer/chime to the treble when completely clean, but with enough volume it starts to get a bit of hair and it becomes less pronounced. This is my first 6V6 equipped amp and I "get" why people like them so much. It's a very rich and sweet sounding tube, not very edgy or harsh and the Swart truly is a very 3D sounding amp and it's the exceptional reverb that helps so much with that.

I haven't gigged with it yet, but hope to in a few months. The amp is pretty small, but the AST Pro is a bit bigger than the original AST and should project a little better. The headroom concerns are probably more directed towards the Pros with less efficient speakers because I have an AST Pro Gold which came with a Celestion Alnico Gold stock and found it gets really loud while still holding together up to around 1 o'clock.

For smaller gigs I could see it working quite well, but for loud gig environments I'd question how well it'd hold up without being mic'd. That's not a knock on the amp, just a realistic observation given the size (1x12'') and wattage (20w w/ (2) 6V6s).

 

[ArtDecade]

It doesn't sound like a Blackface Fender Bassman. I like the Blackface Fender Bassman. That's why I don't have a Swart.

 

[Pale Rider]

Thanks-

I've only played one brownfaced Fender, and it was great-this seems like it might give me
some of the mids I love from say, an AC15, but everything, plus better bass response than your average vintage Fender

I EQ with more bass in my sound-tend to use neck pickups a lot, so it all sounds cool-
(play mainly Jazzmasters/Teles, an EGC, a Hammertone Octave 12...)

 

[Flatscan]

I dig mine. It is uber portable.

To my ears, it is "less to much less tweedy' than my STR-Trem.

It is great for recording.

The controls being in back can be painful unless you're using pedals.

For cutting, pedals can be of great value.

The headroom/volume issues are real depending on what you're trying to do.

[just mike it]


Note: it doesn't seem like a "power trio" sort of amp regardless.

 

[Pale Rider]

I think I'd ice a different amp in a band situation, or mic it live-

More for solo /home & recording work.

And I do use pedals, normally utilizing the clean platform idea

 

[Flatscan]

If you like the "Swart tone," then you're likely good.

Appreciating/integrating your posts, I would also check out the STR-Trem.

It's tweedy and has top-mounted controls.