Magnetics GA5-P power transformer for a
maximum of four watts. The GA5-P is part
of Mercury Magnetics’ fantastic Toneclone
Plus line, which is stocked with the company’s replicas of famous power transformers from the past. In this case, it’s a faithful
reproduction of the transformer in Gibson’s
1950s Les Paul Jr. combos. I was pleased
to see that the output transformer was also
a Mercury Magnetics model, an FTCO-M
that replicates the units in Fender’s Tweed
Champ amplifiers of yore.
The SE Mini doesn’t rely on modern
circuit design, but instead forgoes current
technologies for a traditional, handwired,
point-to-point circuit. Upon pulling out
the adorably small chassis, I was treated to
the sight of tidy wiring held together with
clean solder joints and tight mounting. And
the Components—F&T filter caps, Alpha
pots, Orange Drop capacitors, carbon-comp
resistors, two Xicon power resistors, and a
Cliff input jack—are all top-of-the-line.
Crimsontone touts the SE Mini as a practice amplifier, but it excels at hitting tones
in the ’60s classic-rock vein. With a Fender
60th Anniversary Telecaster and a feed to
the two 12" speakers in a Fender Twin
Reverb reissue, the Crimsontone’s clean
mode belted out seriously raw, garage-rhythm jangle with a dash of classic Neil
Young sting thrown in. The highs are crisp
and brash, with tight lows and a gritty midrange. With a Gibson Les Paul Studio, the
amp accentuated the midrange and softened
highs, but the amp still retained its bold
essence, staying tight in the low end and
having a nice, even sag. It’s not a sound for
everybody, but it speaks in the raw, unadulterated tones of no-holds-barred slingers of
the first classic heavy rock era.
It’s worth noting that, while the SE Mini
kicks with James Gang-worthy tones, I did
have to really work with my picking hand
to squeeze any real dynamics out of it. That
said, that’s not uncommon with most small-wattage amps, and it certainly doesn’t mean
that the amp isn’t touch sensitive. But if
you’re used to using a big Marshall to get
your ’70s tones, the SE Mini will feel like an
entirely different animal. The amp doesn’t
have excessive gain or saturation to hide
behind, so it assures that you hear every
single mistake. The sweet sounds that come
as a trade-off are well worth it, though.
Getting the most meat and bite out of
the SE Mini requires careful adjustment
of the Gain and Master knobs. With the
Gain Boost switch off, not much grit is
available from the Gain control. Rather,
it acted more like a voicing control, altering the feeling and response of the tone.
Most master-volume tube amps have a
gain structure that changes from tighter
and crisper to warmer and spongier as you
increase the Gain. Without the boost on,
the Gain control on the SE Mini reacts
the same way, but without adding huge
amounts of saturation. Kicking in the
Gain Boost adds a dose of rage to the tone,
and I thoroughly enjoyed playing quick
double-stops and soaring country bends
with the SE Mini’s overdrive-infused, high-midrange snap.
Predictably, the boost kicks up the volume a few decibels, too. And I discovered
by lowering my guitar’s Volume knob
just how well the amp cleans up at even
the dirtiest settings. The Gain Boost adds
noticeable touch sensitivity, too. I got
one of my favorite tones by dropping the
Telecaster’s Volume down a quarter of the
way and letting my picking-hand attack
determine the amount of overdrive.
If you’re looking for more aggressive
tones, it also pays to keep the Master at
or near its highest levels. At practice-amp
volume levels, the Telecaster sounded a
little thin, and understandably so—I wasn’t
pushing the single EL84 enough until
I moved the Master to 3 o’clock, where
there was a considerable volume jump. The
sweet spot on the SE Mini’s Master is just
a little higher, where it retains just the right
amount of definition, while maintaining
ample punch. Set the Master there and use
the Gain control to set the flavor of the
attack, and you’ll find a load of tone variation at your fingertips. Working within this
range helped me keep the Tele’s bite under
control and let the raw nature of the amp’s
voicing shine through.
The Verdict
Four watts may not be the right recipe for
tearing the paint off walls, but the SE Mini
uses a well-designed circuit and quality components to sound much bigger than it looks—
especially with a few 12" speakers at the
receiving end of its signal. Crimsontone’s SE
Mini is a great choice for lovers of dirty, jangly rock guitar tones. But, like tube practice
amps of yesteryear that needed to be driven
and played hard to achieve their fullest tonal
potential, it can require a more dynamic and
forceful touch to tap into its inherent dynamics. Still, there’s nothing quite like a healthy,
low-watt tube amp cranked to high heaven
for creating sweet, raw, rowdy sounds. In that
musical category, the SE Mini is a hit.
Rating:
Buy If...
you’re a fan of dirty, to-the-point gui-
tar tones at reasonable volumes.
