Articles

BUDGET BOUTIQUE Amps – What Are They and Why Should You Buy One?

You’ve finally made your decision to slap down some of your scarce cash on a reissue or new model tube amp built in the Far East for a BIG name manufacturer.

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What’s With The Low Prices?

Heatseeker hs-18: tube guitar amp, hand built, awesome tone, gig-worthy and versatile too ... for $950.00.  How???

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How We Create Great Tone

Mack Music believes that circuit design has a greater impact on amplifier tone than the use of rare, esoteric, mythical - EXPENSIVE components.
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We Love Our Handle!

It's not fancy.  It's not beautiful.  It's definitely not expensive. It is ... functional, unobtrusive, robust, definitely inexpensive!

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Tone Collectors.  Who Are They and Why Do They Need Our Help?

Humans collect things.  Hubcaps.  Teaspoons.  Calendars.  Paper.  Rocks.  Scissors.  Dead butterflies.  Guitars.  Guitar Amps.  Almost anything.  Not knowing anything about collectible teaspoons, we’ll focus on why many guitarists buy multiple tube guitar amps!

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Tube Guitar Amp Versatility

There is a wide spectrum of versatility when it comes to guitar amps. At the skinny end are one trick ponies that produce a single, signature, killer tone.  They’re great for performing a narrow range of music or in a recording studio, but it’s likely that you won’t be happy if you play songs with any sort of tonal variety … and you don’t have the cash to buy an amp for every tone you want.

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More Thoughts On Tube Guitar Amp Design

At Mack Music, we base our amp design philosophy on three beliefs. First, our goal is to provide the best value possible in a hand made, tube guitar amp. Second, we target our amps at a particular audience: rock and blues players. Third, our amps can gig if you want them to.

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Heatseeker Debuts On Stage

Saturday August 19, 2006 marked the stage debut of the Mack Music Systems Heatseeker guitar amp. That night the Heatseeker head with its accompanying 1 X 12 Mack Music cabinet was used by Rob Dobson, guitarist for the Granite Porcines at a hospital fund charity event.

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The Power Of The Power Supply

The power supply is either an overlooked or a misunderstood system within a guitar amplifier. It’s a contributor to tone generation and is important enough to investigate when buying an amp. On the other hand, tone hounds that adhere to the “vintage design is the only way to produce hot tone” mantra often misunderstand it.

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Heatseeker Sound Clips Recording Session

Recently sound clips of the Heatseeker hs-18 tube guitar amp were recorded by Mack Music's guitar-slinger friend Richard Smyth.  Dave Ferri's Orchard Studio was the recording venue of choice.
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The Player Behind The Sound Clips

Richard Smyth, a Toronto based guitarist extraordinaire, is the player behind Mack Music’s sound clips.  We think Richard's playing is killer and we couldn't be more pleased with his contribution.
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Safety

These are the three primary ways you can be hurt, maimed or killed when fooling with a tube amp.
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