NAD: Secret Agent!
Posted: Sat Dec 12, 2015 3:30 pm
It's amazing.
Quickie demo here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KUS_LRPh10w
From Ty's ad:
Quickie demo here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KUS_LRPh10w
From Ty's ad:
After extensive R&D, I'm proud to offer the Secret Agent Amplifier from Pierce Custom Instruments! I've been working to combine the best Fender tones from the 1960s into one powerful grab-and-go combo, and I do believe I've succeeded...
The circuit starts with the Fender 6G2 Brownface Princeton - including the hallowed bias-vary tremolo from that era! - and adds in Blackface-styled reverb. Tone is then refined to tighten up the bass response, create a bit more clean headroom and add a Dwell control for additional tone shaping over the reverb signal.
Everything is handwired on fiberglass eyelet board with quality components. I use CTS pots and dual-covered wire (cloth over insulation) so these amps are built to withstand a gig at Bob's Country Bunker. This amp is built with vintage-spec carbon comp resistors in the signal path, and all the resistors in the power circuit are metal film for durability.
Output is around 14W into a 10" speaker with a cabinet that's slightly larger than a Princeton or Blues Junior, and it sports a full-size 17" reverb tank. The speaker is a Weber 10F150T, which is a great pairing for this circuit and adds a bit of volume over Alnico options.
The tone is incredible. Cleans are warm and full, and it winds up into overdrive beautifully. The uncluttered signal path of the 6G2 perfectly straddles the mid-heavy Tweeds and sparkling Blackface clean. It responds beautifully to your guitar's volume knob and your pick attack, and it will get flat-out mean when you cut it loose. Throwing a clean boost in front of it makes things even more fun, goosing the preamp into a tighter sound with more single-note definition.
The reverb is the ultimate addition. There's plenty of sproing on tap, but I've added the Dwell control lets you pull things back into a more tasteful space that's closer to a room/hall reverb than the typical Fender sound.
And the tremolo? Oh, the tremolo... I've owned the pedals that try to replicate this sound, and let me tell you that "try" is the operative word. This tremolo is not-to-be-believed. It makes Blackface trem sound like an on/off switch - Pure Duane Eddy, and I've wired it with plenty of sweep on both Speed and Depth controls to get whatever version of vibe or seasickness your ear desires.
Physical dimensions
20" wide X 18.25" high X 9.5" deep
35 pounds w/ a 10" speaker
For the cosmetics, I drew inspiration from the "Tuxedo" editions that existed between the Brownface and Blackface eras. I've always thought the Tuxedo 6G2 Princetons were handsome bastards, so the Secret Agent sports lacquered black tweed with wheat grill cloth, Cream knobs and a black leather handle.
Additionally, this amp is sporting an upgraded mix of NOS and current production glass. The tube complement is as follows:
Rectifier: NOS JAN 5U4GB
Power Tubes: Matched pair of NOS Sylvania 6V6s
Preamps: JJ 12AX7
Reverb Driver: JJ 12AT7
Phase Inverter: JJ 12DW7