Price Paid: US $1,895
Features: 10
In terms of features, it is a wise man who also knows when something is not needed. This amp has four inputs - bright and normal for both high and low output guitars. There are two volume controls. Only one is operable depending on which output is selected. The tone control works with either output level. For a guitar amp of this quality this is all you need! There are hundreds of stomp boxes on the market which allow you to personalize your sound. Adding more signal routing to this amp would likely take away from the sound (see below). Wayne Jones was a very wise when he selected the features for this amp!
Sound Quality: 10
The Sound, this is what it is all about! To describe the sound of this amp I will compare it to two other amps I have. A Carr Mercury and a Vox AD120VTX. The Vox is a modeling amp and is designed to sound like many differt amps. It does a pretty good job of this, but for someone thinking of purchasing a handmade tube amp, they are looking for an amp that will produce a beautiful warm glowing sound that adds distortion with all the subtle shadings of a beautiful oil painting. The Vox and other modeling amps just can't do this. These modeling amps reminds me of a low resolution computer monitor. If you view a continuous spectrum of colors it will look choppy and the colors don't blend. Playing the Headstrong amp is like painting with oil paints. The colors / tones blend and evolve in an organic way.
In term of the Headstrong versus the Carr Mercury I can say that the Mercury has many features like different wattage setting, reverb and the tone controls divided between treble and bass and a boost control which allow distortion to be produced at lower volumes. The Mercury certainly has more features than the Headstrong B112. However, the main point must be restated. When buying an amp of this type it is about tone!!! While comparing the Mercury and the B112 I would switch back and forth between the two amps. It was quite obvious that the Headstrong has a more beautiful tone. It is more open, warm and natural sounding. The Mercury sounds more veiled and boxy. It just doesn't sing like the Headstrong B112. This is not to say the Mercury is not a great sounding amp. It will easily put many other handmade tube amp to shame. It is more a matter that the Headstrong B112 is so outstanding. Note: the guitars I play are Fender 1959 Master Design Stratocaster by John English, American Vintage 1952 Telecaster, PRS McCarty with soapbar pick-ups.
I think it is interesting how many smaller companies are out there who make absolutely stunning, quality products. Sometime we just have to look a little harder to find them.
Reliability: 10
So far so good. Quality of workmanship is absolutely impeccable!!!!!
Customer Support: 10
Wayne responds to emails promptly and is easily contacted by phone. I love this kind of service.
Overall Rating: 10
Submitted by Bill Bailey at 10/25/2005 23:19
Price Paid: US $1650
Features: 9
Made in 2004. 18 watts, class A. Weber Alnico speaker. Really an amazing recording amp, but i can use it at most gigs as well. Best for blues, alt/country, more modern jazz. The main feature is TONE. A Bright and a Normal channel, sharing a Tone control, with a Hi & Lo Inpedence input for each channel. No channel switching, effects loops, headphone jack, or reverb/tremelo. I sometimes enjoy reverb, but i don't miss it since i enjoy the great TONE. I use this amp to record and at gigs, and if needed a sm57 dropped down in front of the weber will fill up most larger venues. Headstrong also makes a 35 watt amp with 2 x 10" webers and i have played that as well, and it does have more clean headroom, but this is THE reproduction of a tweed deluxe, which is a holy grail of tone, IMHO. All hand wired, built by a player (Wayne Jones) for players. Check out his website, he is a fanatic about everything that goes into his amps, and personally spent hours selecting the Telefunken 12ax7 that went into the preamp. And as other reviews state, i would give the amp a 10, but if you need tons of features (Channel switching, reverb/tremelo)do what i do, get a pedalboard with true bypass switching to preserve the TONE, but the best sound is guitar-Klotz cable-amp.
Sound Quality: 10
I mostly use humbuckers (ES-335), which make this amp really loud, but my Jerry Jones DC-3 really sings as well, for strat style tones.
This amp is dead quiet, and really captures vintage tweed fender.
The tone control is surprisingly active and will affect the perceived volume. You will be blown away at the volume on 2 and the tone on 5. it only gets better as you crank it. keep in mind these are class a watts, and Wayne sets the amps up to run smoking! I can get zeppelin-esque tones when i go above 5 on the volume. Really a blues amp, but didn't hard rock start as blues (ie. Cream, Jeff Beck, Hendrix...?)
Reliability: 10
I expect this amp to be super reliable, it is all hand wired, point to point, using the best quality parts (read Boutique) and Wayne had worked on my 1961 Gibson GA-5T and basically rebuilt that from the ground up...so i trust him to the max.
Customer Support: 10
Wayne Jones does repairs and restorations as well, and he spends enough time with a customer (talking shop/tone/speakers/you name it) and was always available to hear me tell him what i wanted and always deliver it...and he has on this amp as well...talk to him and you know that nothing leaves his shop with his name on it that isn't perfect.
i believe the warranty is 1 year on parts. lucky for me i'm a short drive away, but i'm sure any repair guy who has ever worked on a vintage fender can take care of any repair this may ever need.
Overall Rating: 10
I have been playing 35 years. I do session work, and would use this on any gig. I have owned or own Marshall, Vox,Reverend, Fender amps(Concert,Bandmaster,Twin,Deluxe) Matchless, and Gibson (a smoking GA-5T) This is a must have amp. I am not really a collector, but if i had an unlimited supply of $$$, i would have one of each of his amps, and may ask him to build me a 35 watt head. I have gotten away from over powered amps that you cant get any power tube tone from in favor of an amp that sounds like it is on 7 or 8 and the soundman won't want to tell you to turn down...and it won't break your back to carry it. I smile whenever i play this amp!
Submitted by Tom Leiner at 03/24/2004 22:04
