So, moral of the story: For those who want that Blues Jr or Supro small-wattage thing, but actually want the quality you may think you're getting from those (but aren't), and don't want to have to take your new brand-name amp to someone like Lyle to make up for its deficiencies so it'll last as long as an amp should, save up your pennies, buy one of these, and give your money to an amp builder who deserves it because he respects you as a customer and musician. (Or you can find a used Suhr Corso like I did.) Thanks for profiling this amp. I hadn't heard of Swart before, but I'm glad I have now.
I don't think a Supro or Blues Jr with an Amp Tech's attention is going to match a Swart. Its more than a few component swaps. It all depends on what you want.
@@PsionicAudio I'm hoping a Corso comes across your desk (and your channel) some day, just to see your take on it and how it compares with its Suhr big brothers. That said, I'm not holding my breath because 1) there aren't a lot of them out there, and 2) it's a Suhr, so I imagine it's less likely to make an appearance.
Lyle, I've become a regular watching every new video as well as diving into the archives. I bought one of these Swart STR Tweed's used, about a month ago after listening to all you had to say about them. I love it and really appreciate your observations. Thank you so much for you do!
What a nice example of what a single ended amp can be. I would consider this to be an heirloom quality amp that will be coveted by guitar players and enthusiasts 50yrs from now.
I feel like the people who complain about the amp criticisms probably dropped a lot of money on something they discovered will likely fail soon, or they’re just baby fan boys who don’t know any better Personally, if I’m researching and shopping for something expensive that I plan to use and keep for a long time, I want an expert steering me away from money pits and recommending the best options. This channel does that honestly and I truly appreciate being steered away from the mass produced junk with a fancy logo!
I’ve used a Pro for 16 years now and my Junior for 11. Just love Swarts. I had one of these and want as much of a fan, but I’d like to do one with a Blue speaker.
Man the whole people doggin you on your amp advice kills me. Your advice saved me from buying a Morgan instead of a Magnatone. I now own two Magnatones. Your advice is very appreciated. Screw the haters
I've had a Swart AST Master II for years as my primary amp. Absolutely love it. Glad to see the level of quality comes through in your walks trough. Get what you pay for.
I own an AST Jr combo that I bought new, locally, from a shop named El Diablo Amps. I recognize it as one of my better buying decisions. I absolutely love it. In fact, I love it so much that I'm thinking about buying the head only version of the same amp, to be used with my Milkman 1x12 cabinet that currently hosts a Celestion Cream Alnico.
A+ --- way to go Swart. I've wanted one these amps for ever and it's starting to feel like something I'm just gonna have to do before I die, or get too old to enjoy it.
I love how you "talk through" the amp as you go. I learn a lot, especially what NOT to do in various situations. While I have skills and tools to work on an amp safely, I lack sufficient knowledge in most situations. The little bits and pieces you share that are useful stick with me and help me know how to think about and troubleshoot. I think your opinions are unfiltered and from years of experience. I don't think you crap on amps, just calling balls and strikes like you see them. Please keep it up.
Very nice Amp, with clean wiring, and a beautiful esthetic. "De-popping" the switch was smart, and I hope Mr Swart chooses to include that modification in his Amps, thus making an excellent Amp even better. It was a interesting video, and fun to see a well-designed Amp. Generous of you to not charge the owner full price for the repair. I hope good things come your way. 👍
@@sixslinger9951 its actually not that pricey at all when you look at what American made, hand wired (p2p) tube amps cost. While you find PCB board amps for less, you don't see this kind of quality materials and craftsmanship at the price. Look at what hand wired boutique amps cost (Morgan, Carr, Dr z, Friedman, Mesa, Tone King, Two Rock, etc...) and you'll see that Swart is actually one of the cheaper options in that category. Hell, smaller Fender hand wired amps (Princeton's, Custom Deluxe, Deluxe reverb are $2400-3000+)
@@sixslinger9951 a 1965 Deluxe Reverb MSRP'd for $239.50. In 2022, that's equivalent to $2,284. Every single vintage Fender surviving today started with a musician making a value proposition decision identical to what all the Swart owners face today. Luckily there's people who understand value and the impact that an amp has on a player's tone.
I have owned several Swarts, and currently have a Space tone Jr head, that I play thru a 2x10 cab with Celestion Golds. It is the best rig I have ever owned in 40+ years of playing guitar. It has enough juice to be heard over a decently loud drummer. And I have called Swart amps a couple times and Michael Swart personally answered the phone. These amps are highly recommended.
You know what? I appreciate your vids. Screw the haters. You live and breathe audio, esp amps. Your opinions have been developed over years and years, and working with thousands of amps at the highest level. I say you can be as "snobby" as you want, you are one of the few who actually have earned it. But really, I have never thought you're trying to be a snob. It's not pretentious if you're not pretending. You simply know what you're talking about, and I personally don't care if you are emphatic about negatives. It's important to have highly knowledgeable critics such as yourself. Especially in this day and age where it seems like the majority of RU-vid reviews are essentially advertisements, and glowing examples of confirmation bias. I'm only getting my first combo amp on Tuesday. I'm just a home jammer, having taken back up the guitar after a 20-year absence during the pandemic. I got a Pro Jr. IV SE because they're on sale, and at 350 brand new it seems like a win. The speculation is the "Fender special" speaker is probably just the last Jensen relabeled. Other than that and the black clothes, it's supposed to be identical. Kind of like a Pro Jr. 3.5. In the future upgrading to a P10R would purportedly make it functionally the same amp as the regular PJr IV. But I'm not sure it's even going to be necessary. But what I will do is keep watching your videos, so I can keep learning. And when I am ready to step up to a real deal amp, I will be so much better off for you having shared your knowledge. And, again, thank you for not being just another glorified commercial on RU-vid!
What a great review and autopsy of that amp! Swart is not exactly an obscure brand among boutique makers, but man do they offer some superior value at the price for a hand wired and US made amp with premium parts. The little brother to this amp in the video, the “Atomic Space Tone Jr” (AST-JR) is an 8” monster and is about as good as it gets for a Champ style amp (with tube reverb) you can play around with at house volume.
Finally a Swart crosses your bench! I had an older AST I blew up (my fault, but you have to remove the chassis on those to change the speaker) that I eventually sent back to Swart for service. Really inexpensive repair bill plus Michael Swart was a doll to deal with. Eventually traded it on a Swart Antares that’s more my cup of tea. No speaker swap needed. Love that amp. I was a little apprehensive about this video in case you didn’t like it - kinda like bringing the new girlfriend over to meet the parents… 🙂
I have been waiting for you to work on a Swart! I have had my Atomic Space Tone (head), Swart's 18-20w amp, for about fifteen years now, and it is my number one amp. Other amps have come and gone, but the Swart remains. I am glad to hear your report on the excellence of the build, and that it matches the excellence of the tone.
As a guy who would like to learn to build things like amps...(ok ok, I know I probably ought to stick to tying flies) I really appreciate this channel. You give a very clear picture of what good work looks like and what it doesn't look like.
Nice! I have seen these amps around, but never heard one. They look very well made, and this one sounds great. I hope that owner learns his lesson and stops trying to kill his amp!
What a good honest review of the amp, it just shows you don't have shell out big money on vintage amps and I'm a seventy year old player who has played through old ones and now play through a small Soldano combo that been utterly reliable and extremely well built even though it has a PCB.which some amp snobs would turn their nose at. Keep up the good work Lyle.
So I was literally just turning this video on very passively while about to do dishes and turned my head away then shot my head back around when you said "change tubes while the amp was still on". What an entirely new next level of idiocy
Swart! Really excited to see you digging around one of Michael’s creations… I have an Atomic Space Tone Reverb amp that has been idle for a year or so, but will never leave my collection.
My swart ast (big brother to this amp) has been my main gigging amp (Buddy Miller seems to like them too!) - thing is going thousands of gigs now no issues
I really like the design of this amp. I like the way it's an incremental (or evolutionary?) variation on a tweed era amp, but improved. The way the chassis is bolted in, for example. It's a simple improvement that makes the amp more durable and doesn't make it harder to work on. I would wager the screws on the front panel that secure the baffle are also machine screws engaging with metal inserts. And so on. Just excellent.
Thanks. It was great to see a job well done. PS I experimented with a 5 watt Epiphone Valve Junior once upon a time and used it with a 2 X 12 cab fitted with really efficient Lorentz speakers. There were 6 of us on stage playing to about 200 people on New Years Eve and I kept being told to turn it down! 5 watts can really rock. I was playing clean rhythm guitar (strat)! ✌️❤️🙏🇦🇺
I'm not gonna lie, when I first saw this brand a few years ago I assumed they'd be like many other "boutique" amps with less-than-stellar build quality and components considering the price. I'm pleasantly surprised with the looks of this one! Great video
I really appreciate and respect what you do Lyle. I do not agree that you trash amps. Reality is hard for lots of people, especially when they try to justify a purchase they might have made. Simple fact is, many amps today are garbage, cheaply made to be disposable and everyone just keeps accepting it as the new norm for the industry. In reality, it should be a wake up call for manufacturers.
What a beautiful little amp. Lyle you don't crap on amps. I feel your honest from a tech and players point of view. You have been a tech for a long time and a player for longer so I value your opinions on amps.
I just bought the smaller brother of this amp, the Atomic Jr. 1 x 8 combo, and it's just as fine, especially run as a head through a 1 x 12 cab. It's put together differently, has one less 12AX7 gain stage (nothing the right boost pedal can't make up), and no standby switch. The controls are on the back of the amp, and access to the tubes is much easier, making a tube swapping dream (cold swapping that is, just go refill the coffee cup and enjoy the sounds of silence for a moment). Top quality sound and build with surprising versatility at a great price. Glad to see it passed the audition, as that was the model that inspired my purchase, going smaller after consulting my aching back.
Had one for a while. Great reverb. Looked inside, well built. Only quibble was previous owner had used an EL34 in it. The dropping resistors on the cap can were discolored. I would have upped the wattage in those locations as they were 2w (I think). Mine was real early tuxedo case one.
Was thinking about buying a Swart. Tried a few and they sounded great. But I was most impressed with the look. They do the "functional black box" several levels better. The only other brand that I can think of that tries to do this is Carr. How many tweed cabs does the world need?
That Swart is a very visually pleasing amp! What a looker!! I’m guessing the reverb is solid state driven? I didn’t see a transformer or a driver/recovery tube anywhere. It sounds good either way. What’s funny about boutique amp manufacturers not using pot star washers is that they usually come with the dang pots they use(CTS specifically). Is someone saving them to use as currency in a Fallout type world or what?
I have the same Audio Taper CTS on the Volume pot on a guitar...what do you recommend to allow a smoother response than the CTS? I'm surprised there are people (even here) who criticize...you are so methodical and thorough...not to mention experienced...such great videos Sir, thanks.
The “vintage taper” pots made by CTS for Mojotone and RS Guitarworks don’t have the issue. Neither do the Emersons. But all three have been hard to get this past two years. Alpha 3/8” bushing 24mms don’t have the issue but they are hard to solder to the case and they are only available in solid shaft.
We all wish that products we buy will last forever but reality dictates something far different. I have never gone out of my way to destroy anything Ive acquired,I have relied on the honesty of others to give thought and opinion. If you are constantly receiving problems and you are aware of issues AND remedies spread as much knowledge as you see fit. I don't you come off as being any more resentful to sub standard product or work as any of us should be,you just have the intelligence and experience to take a stance
Speaking of “the tubes may have been damaged” it’d be interesting to see you restore an old Mullard or GE tube tester, or maybe review a couple of the newer tube tester products out there.
I have owned and refurbished a bunch of vintage tube testers ---- many Hickok as well as a few Triplett, Heathkit, and B&K testers ---- but I've never seen a Mullard tube tester here in the States. I don't think I've ever seen a GE tube tester either. Bear in mind that the majority of the vintage tube testers don't test output tubes at anywhere near the voltage/current that they would be run at in an amplifier, and so they are mostly good for testing large groups of the same type of tube just to weed out the ones that have obvious shorts or are gassy or perhaps have interelement leakage. But, ultimately you don't quite know how they'll perform until you put them into the actual amplifier and drive them harder. As for the modern testers I don't have any experience with Maxi-checkers or the Orange tube tester or any of those, so I really can't advise you further...
@@goodun2974 the valve wizard seems to have made something using someone else’s code and an arduino, seems like it does actually test at full voltage, just in very short bursts.
3:00 I wonder if the PT is the same as he uses in his bigger amps. Maybe buying in a larger quantity brings down the price enough that it makes sense to use the same one?
I used a 3.3M from the switch center to the ground lug of the adjacent input jack. That way the grid never loses a reference to ground and hence loses its bias at the moment of switching. This resistor will be in parallel with any existing resistor to ground ahead of it when in either switch position, so you want a high value that doesn’t change the sound of the existing two positions. 3.3M-10M range is typical for this.
Not as such. Closest I have is this three parter on Fender reissues: Fender Reissue Amps Part One | The Pros | The Cons | How They're Made ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-88ZEGLPCIIg.html
Just one minor thing to carp about; the chassis doesn't appear to be marked with the value of the correct B+ fuse (did a P-touch label fall off?), and I don't care for where the fuseholder is located right next to the tubes: this could lead to premature fuse failure from excess heat, and scorched fingers if you don't let the amp cool for a minute or two before trying to change the fuse. Or perhaps that's two things I'm carping about.... Otherwise it looks quite nicely built.
If I had put that in the review people would say I was inventing things to criticize. ;) Maybe the fuse values are listed in the owner’s manual. I’m just glad it has a B+ fuse. They’ll only burn their fingers once.
@@PsionicAudio , who takes a guitar amp owner's manual with them to the gig ? 🤔 (Actually, it's probably online, since so few products include an actual paper manual anymore; or the manual Is the size of a postage stamp until you unfold it and then you need a magnifying glass to read it. If the amplifier in question is one of these new miracle products that has 100 different tonal settings, you darn well better have a way to access the owner's manual when you're setting up at the gig! I also wonder if men have a better track record of actually reading owner's manuals then they do at asking for directions when their significant other thinks they're lost...).
@@PsionicAudio , this also begs the question ---- since fuseholders are usually rated for AC volts and current, how high should the AC voltage rating on the fuseholder be if it's gonna be used for DC B+ of 400 to 500 volts?
@Psionic Audio would you recommend this amp for a beginner? I will be looking to purchase a new amp for my Grandson on his birthday. Thank you for sharing your knowledge.
Well, while it’s a hell of a lot nicer than what most of us start out with, it really depends on your grandson’s musical tastes. If he loves metal or modern heavily effected sounds, he’ll hate this amp. It would be “boring” for many beginners. And a fairly expensive gamble. Ask him what guitar styles he loves and wants to sound like, then let me know. Maybe I could help you find the right amp that would give him more immediate gratification and help him stay interested in playing.
@@PsionicAudio It would also be important to consider the grandson's home environment, his temperament, and whether he needs to stick to a low-power amp, or one with master volume, in order to not create discord with family, neighbors, or roommates...
Ya know, so many amplifier manufacturers, from boutique to mega-corporate, are building 1950's style amps with upward facing, rear-mounted control panels ---- and silkscreening the control panel in the same manner, as if the amp would be in front of the player on stage, instead of behind him or her. Why should players have to look at the knobs and controls upside down, in 2022?
