The first Testament MK-I is all but finished, with the exception of the name-badge and the control markings. This is the Testament MK-I, a 20 watt, single channel, all-tube, hand-built amplifier. This one is housed in a tweed-covered mini-head-size cabinet, and features a triple-chromed chassis and black chicken-head knobs.
This amp also features custom heavy duty transformers and ceramic tube sockets with tube shields for the preamp tubes and tube retainers for the power tubes. The MK-I may be had covered in many different coverings and colors.
The Testament MK-I uses all Groove Tubes®, and the tube compliment is 2 Groove Tubes® Gold Series GT-ECC83's in the preamp and phase inverter, driving a matched duet of Groove Tubes® GT-EL84S power tubes in a cathode-biased output circuit, with a rear-panel impedance selector with the ability to match 4, 8, or 16 ohm loads.
Front panel controls are, from left to right, red power indicator light, AC Power On-Off toggle switch, Standby-On toggle switch, Tone control, Volume control, and 1/4-inch input jack.
Rear panel features are, from left to right, heavy-duty grounded AC power cord, fuseholder, 3-position heavy-duty rotary Impedance switch (4-8-16 ohms) and 2 1/4-inch speaker jacks.
Here are some crude pictures of the Testament MK-I:
The amps' dimensions are 14.5"W x 9 3/4"H x 8 1/4"D
Cheers!
Strat
Lookin' good, Strat! I admire folks that have the ability to create stuff like that. Very Nice! Chicken head knobs are a nice touch. :)
P.S. - Do you take special orders? :mrgreen:
Lookin' good, Strat! I admire folks that have the ability to create stuff like that. Very Nice! Chicken head knobs are a nice touch. :)
P.S. - Do you take special orders? :mrgreen:
Hey, thanks Katmetal! As soon as I'm able, I'll get some sound and/or video clips up. This amp surprised even me! This little guy is *LOUD* and really really sounds sweet!! I'm going to be sad when I sell it. It is extremely dynamic and detailed. It has a very spanky clean sound, good headroom, and transitions smoothly into distortion.
The distortion is very nice in that every note in a chord is well-defined and clear even at quite high levels of crunch and doesn't tend to "mud-up". I can really nail an "SRV"-type tone with no pedals needed at all, and at levels that make it practical to actually gig with in clubs. With some additional drive to the input, it goes into a great smooth singing creamy sustain-ful distortion.
As far as "special orders", it depends on what you had in mind. PM me and we can discuss details if you're serious. I can build anything if someone has the cash it would take. :lol:
If you'd like one of these MK-I's in a custom-covered cabinet, I can have the cab covered and styled in a wide range. I can have it covered and trimmed like a Marshall, or I can have it covered in "aged" tweed, or covered in a number of different tolex colors and textures, even snakeskin!
Cheers!
Strat
Having recently built my own 1/2-watt Mini Rig of Doom (from a kit), I have a great appreciation for what you've done, especially the thoughtful little details like ceramic tube sockets and tube retainers. Looks great, but you know we really need some sound clips! :wink:
"Everybody got to elevate from the norm."
As far as "special orders", it depends on what you had in mind. PM me and we can discuss details if you're serious. I can build anything if someone has the cash it would take. >Sigh< Well, I feel I have the cash for it, but somehow my wife doesn't see it the same way... :?
Here's a few new shots from a recent gig. The Marshall cab is a 4-10, and yes..it sounds as sweet as it looks!
Cheers!
Strat
That is a nice looking amp, Strat!
"A cheerful heart is good medicine."
Thanks Ricochet! The Testament MK-I sounded absolutely *gorgeous* through that Marshall 4-10. You ever had a situation where you were playing and everything was just right, to where the sounds coming out were giving you goosebumps and making the hairs stand up? That's the way that rig sounded and felt *all night*! I got compliments and questions about the amp from complete non-musicians that had just never heard anything like that before, especially not in a club from a local band. It was kind of nice to watch their reactions when I told them I built the amp myself. I think a couple of them are still not sure if I was pulling their legs or not. I did have plenty of guitarists offer to give the girl a "ride home"! :lol:
I did have plenty of guitarists offer to give the girl a "ride home"! :lol:
That's not what you want. You want "plenty of girls to offer the guitarist a ride home"! :P
Nice looking amp.
Pop music is about stealing pocket money from children. - Ian Anderson
That's the way it is, though. People talk about guitar playing being a great way to meet chicks. What it really does is introduce you to lots of other guys who play guitar. :lol:
"A cheerful heart is good medicine."
That's the way it is, though. People talk about guitar playing being a great way to meet chicks. What it really does is introduce you to lots of other guys who play guitar. :lol:
Ah... very true!
Great looking amp, Strat!
"There won't be any money. But when you die, on your death bed, you will receive total conciousness. So, I got that going for me. Which is nice." - Bill Murray, Caddyshack ~~ Michigan Music Dojo - http://michiganmusicdojo.com ~~
Wow, gorgeous amp strat, exactaly what Im looking for, but a few questions, would that puppy going through a 1x12, be able to play with a rock drummer?
and if so, whats your asking price?
thanks,peace
That's a great looking amp you built. 8) Looking forward to hearing some sound clips. :D
Dan
"The only way I know that guarantees no mistakes is not to play and that's simply not an option". David Hodge
Here's a quote from a fellow that came out to hear the Testament MK-I at an open-mic jam at Cruisers Pub and posted on another music forum about what he heard.
"Sick sick sick tone! I kind of figured since there are no tone controls, that you'd be stuck with whatever your guitar is putting out. Turns out that's what makes it so simple and badass. It's got OODLES of creamy tube goodness that I've never heard coming out of ANY amp. And for 20 watts, that little **** is LOUD!"
Keep in mind, that he heard the amp through a pair of crappy Crate 12's that I brought to the jam, NOT the 4-10 Marshall cab pictured above, which I used when we actually gigged at Cruisers Pub! Using that 4-10 Marshall cab, I actually got told to turn down, and that's only a 20 WATT AMP!!. :shock: (That venue has really loud bands play there too, and we weren't at our lowest or highest volumes as a group, so I was actually shocked!)
Cheers!
Strat
Hey man,
how much do you charge for one of those amps?
Or, have you thought of making just a tube preamp?
R
