Small Package, Big Tone
Good things come in small packages. It’s one of the oldest clichés in
the book, so it should come as no surprise that good tone can also be
had from a seemingly diminutive unit. 2009 was a BIG year for that, and
these are the best of the … shall we say, unhuge.
Komet 19
A “portable powerhouse” with loads of versatility and personality.
That’s how reviewer Steve Ouimette described the Komet 19 amp
head back in our September 2009 issue. Komet has made a very
nice name for itself with its high-quality components and construction, and its custom-designed output and power transformers. It
took all of that know-how and neatly stuffed into the Komet 19,
and the result blew Ouimette away. “It reacted like the power and
punch of a Marshall Superlead mixed with the chime and sparkle
of an AC30,” our reviewer gushed. “And it was loud and incredibly
dynamic, with the loudest strums nicely breaking up into great a
crunch tone. It belies its size with a gigantic range of tones that let
your instruments’ true personalities sing.”
MSRP $2295
kometamps.com Click here to read the full review
Cornford Roadhouse 30 Combo
Cornford has been making amps for quite some time now, though
never have they tried to compete within the ever-growing horde
of endlessly shrinking amps—that is, until 2009. And little did
anyone know they’d raise the bar as high as they did with their
Roadhouse 30 Combo. Although slightly bigger than most of the
competition is this class, the Roadhouse Combo (June 2009) wins
out handsomely by pushing 30 watts of sonic dynamite through
a 12" Celestion Vintage 30. Reviewer Kenny Rardin said, “I found
the Cornford Roadhouse 30 combo to be a great amp for those
looking for a professional-quality tone without the weight. It’s
a small package with a big tone, and it would serve the needs
of almost any type of guitarist. Whether it’s blues or screaming,
harmonic-laden riffs, this amp seems to do it all very well.”
Street $1499 (Combo); $1399 (Head)
cornfordamps.com Click here to read the full review
Watch the video review on premierguitar.com/video
Blankenship Amplification Mini-LEEDS21 Carry-On
Imagine getting punched out by the smallest kid on the block. The Carry-On, part of Blankenship’s LEEDS21 series of amps, does just that—and
more. It was designed to be a small, lightweight amp that guitarists can
lug around without breaking their backs, or losing any tone or wallop.
The Carry-On succeeds in both areas, delivering a powerful voice quite
uncommon for an amp its size. As reviewer Brian Barr puts it, the Carry-On is “the lunch-box version of a Marshall Plexi … voiced for the classic
British tone of the ’60s, but with modern updates that may make some
enthusiasts think twice about leaving the house again with their prized
vintage amp.” For the full review, turn to page 155.
Street $1499
Blankenshipamps.com Click here to read the full review
106 PREMIER GUITAR DECEMBER 2009
VOX Night Train NT15H Head
Big sound got really small in 2009, and one of the most anticipated
“small” releases was the VOX Night Train NT15H. Suffice to say, it
didn’t disappoint. VOX’s storied past met head on (no pun intended) with today’s trend to pack as much technology and punch into
ever-shrinking enclosures, and the result was sweet music to our
ears. Reviewer Jordan Wagner (August 2009) summed it up this
way: “It’s not often that you find a small-wattage head with cleans
that can compete tonally with some of its larger wattage brethren,
and also be as capable and convenient for gigging. It’s certainly
the best sounding small-wattage clean tone that I’ve heard so far.
Coupled with a fantastic overdrive that seems like an entirely different amp itself, the Night Train is really hard to beat if you’re in
the market for a low-wattage amplifier.” ’Nuff said.
MSRP $700
voxamps.com Click here to read the full review
www.premierguitar.com
