Players Talk About 45RPM Amplifiers
Hi Masterbuilders of amps!
How are You doing? I sincerely hope that everything is OK with You and that business is excellent.
I am still exploring the amp and finding new settings to get the best tone I can produce. The 45 RPM 5E3 Sky is an excellent amp.
This weekend I was invited to play with a band in a rather small town in SandeMord, Norway. The gig was great fun and I played mostly slide, lap steel and a Melobar.
But, the real fun was after the gig when I was invited to stay at a friends house in SandeMord. I have heard the rumours that it was very special amp located at this place, and a very special amp it was.
It was a 1982 Dumble Overdrive Special. This amp was originally made for David Lindley and full documentation was provided. Mr. Lindley did not like the 50 watt so he ordered a 100 watt. Well 3 dB is 3 dB, but he got more headroom out of a 100 watt amp.
As the amps junkies we are we had to test the amps. One Dumble Overdrive Special. One Two Rock TS1 and my 45 RPM 5E3 Sky. We used one speaker cabinet for all three amps with an EVM 12 L speaker from 1984. No pedals used, just guitar – chord and amp.
In “clean” setting the “competition” was very close. There is of course a difference in the 6v6 and 6L6 power tubes and how they sound. The Dumble amp won by the smallest margin possible, then the 45 RPM and then the Two Rock.
In the “overdriven” setting the 45 RPM was by far the best. The Dumble and the TS1 (both with 6L6 power tubes) sounded very much the same. The Dumble was a little better than the Two Rock at higher gain settings.
The third part was versatility. The 45 RPM does have all the tones you need just by using the footswitch – from the 5E3 to the Sky. Regarding the Dumble and the Two Rock You might find all the same tones, but then you have to tweak the amp for hours.
We were three persons doing this “test”. All three with years of experience regarding guitars and amps and the conclusion was that the best amp was the 45 RPM 5E3 Sky. So why pay 120,000 $ when you can get an amp that sounds better for much less??
Sound is a subjective matter and because of that people choose different type of guitars, amps and pedals. In this case it was three persons with the same taste regarding music, which type of guitars to use and which type of amps to use to get the best “tone” possible.
For me personally it was great fun, because I had the feeling when we started that the two other guys would prefer the Dumble, but that was before we started.
All three of these amps are some of the best you can get today and for playing rock’n roll, blues and country I find it difficult to get any better amps. On the top the 45 RPM. Take care and continue to produce the best amps ever built.
Med vennlig hilsen / Best regards
Leif E. – Excellent Guitarist in Norway
“45rpm amps – A new lease on my musical life!
Never and I mean NEVER in the history of my musical life, have I ever come across an amp that is so perfectly versatile, that it truly does everything GREAT!
I have been playing guitar for over 50 years and for many of those years, a professional musician.
The 5E3 channel is so warm and Robert Cray sounding (if you will), that I COULD PLAY ALL DAY in just that channel. But then there is the Sky clean channel; which is more glassy cleans and beautiful also all on it’s own. If that weren’t enough, there is the overdrive channel which sits on top of either the Sky channel or the 5E3 channel (you choose by footswitch how you want it). Then you can also add a mid boost and a pre boost; which basically strips the SKY tone stack off and gives you the channel raw and pushed.
Well, if that still isn’t enough, the guys at 45rpm have also included a BSC channel which is a British crunch channel which also sits on top of ether the 5E3 or the Sky channel; you choose by footswitch buttons.
But wait…. there’s more! Each channel has its own Master Volume as well as a Preamp Volume, so you can get literally ANYTHING you want…from crystal clear to Cray tone, Robben Ford or Larry Carlton Dumble kind of tone, or Brad Paisley, Billy Gibbons full on Marshall or Eric Johnson!
I have a renewed zest for my musical life to play guitar! I walk in and turn on the amp and I disappear for a couple hours at least!
I have owned virtually every amp worth having through the years and NEVER have I EVER owned an amp so versatile that I just cannot stop playing it.
Oh but wait…There’s MORE!!! It has a zero loss effects loop and the overdrive is SUPER QUIET! So you don’t have this ridiculous loud hum coming through your amp.
The amp is made in a 20W or 45W combo 1×12″, or a 20W or 45W head.
I am so amazed at the tone, dynamics, flawless workmanship and very fair price point for the quality. I can modestly say that this is quickly becoming the favorite amp I have probably ever owned (and that is literally speaking volumes!) I have probably owned over seventy or eighty different amps in my musical career, from many different Fender, Marshall, Vox, Sunn, and you name it boutique amps – I have to say this has rapidly become my VERY FAVORITE amp I have every owned! WOW!
I consider myself a connoisseur of many things; especially boutique guitars, amps and food that I feel I am qualified to make this huge claim. And NO, I wasn’t paid or received any kind of incentive for writing this. I am writing this testimonial sheerly out of my unconcealable ZEST for this amp and my new and renewed Vim and Vigor for playing!
Thank you all the guys at 45RPM for inventing a truly incredible musical innovation!”
Perry S. – New Sky 5e3 Combo Owner
” This is is the best amp I have ever plugged into in 45 years. It’s been a very long time since I’ve been this inspired and excited. Thanks again for creating such a truly wonderful and amazing amp.”
Steven B. – Guitarist, Composer, Producer, New Sky 5e3 Combo Owner
“The amp sounds lovely, man! Really nice overdrive sound especially.”
Mark Lettieri – Guitarist, Composer, Producer
“I’m inspired every time I play through a 45RPM amp. The sustain and touch sensitivity make the guitar and amplifier a single instrument and are constantly pushing my playing to the next level”
Curtis McDonald – Nashville Guitarist
“I love the amp! Both channels are so good. And then the Overdrive is awesome on both. Like having 4 channels.”
Mike Hermans – Guitarist, Demo Video Player Extraordinaire
“Just got done with a day of overdubs at Ardent Studios in Memphis. We were in Studio C which was built for ZZ Top. Got some killer tones. Pretty much all on the OD channel, a couple solos with a fuzz pedal in front…sounded amazing!”
Curtis McDonald – Guitarist, Sideman, Session Guitarist – Nashville, TN
“I’ve put this amp thru the paces over the last week in both the studio and live situations. Overall this amp is a serious amp for players with very discerning ears looking for the tones that before now were basically off limits to us mere mortals. Very dynamic and very responsive with tons of headroom and more options than any amp I have ever worked with.”
Craig Bennington – Guitarist, Producer, Songwriter – Longmont, CO.
“One of the things to note about this amp, that was a stand out feature to my ears, was its ability as a 50 watt amp to retain tonality at bedroom levels. This amp really does not fall apart when you lower the volume to an appropriate level as you stand right in front of it.”
Craig Bennington – Guitarist, Producer, Songwriter – Longmont, CO.
“The new 45rpm 50 watt amp, from the first note played, exhibits a musicality, a willingness to respond to every nuance of attack, vibrato and technique, that immediately made it an integral part of the music creation experience. It’s the rare amp that becomes a partner in your musical expression, an equal member, completing the tone chain from hands, through guitar and finally through the amp and out the speaker. Certainly one of the most expressive, dynamic, easy to use and complete-sounding amps I have played.”
Rich Lasner – VP, G-Rok R&D – Novato, CA
“This amp is really warm, harmonically rich and has it’s own voice. It sounds original and aggressive.”
Kevin Jarvis – Redwood City, CA
“Best channel switcher made IMO. I’m absolutely loving it.”
CC@DAG
“This isn’t a one trick pony, this is a wild herd of trick ponies.”
Frank Hayhurst – Sonoma County
45 RPM Music Technologies, Inc. ll 205 Ken Pratt Blvd ll Suite 120-2 ll Longmont, CO 80501 ll 303.309.0913 ll info@45rpm.com