Up for sale, another ridiculously-inspiring-to-play-through custom amplifier from the workshop of Hunter Amplifiers!
We're extra excited about this amp... one of our favorite things about being the sole dealership for Hunter Amplifiers is sometimes getting to play through the amps while they're in the prototyping stage and we love it when our customers (the best around!) walk-in while these prototypes are in the building! This amp made a few visits to our shop before completion, and we've all really enjoyed hearing everyone's feedback and hearing and seeing the amp evolve into the monster that it became.
I'll let Bob, the builder, take it from here:
"In the late 1950s, JMI/Vox created an effect unit inspired by the phase-shifting vibrato of the Wurlitzer organ. That vibrato made it into the early versions of their AC-10 amplifier. The JMI Vox AC-10 was an open-backed, hand-wired amplifier that featured six tubes: an EF86, an ECF82, an ECC83 (12AX7), two EL84 output tubes, and an EZ81 rectifier tube. The amp had two inputs, two channels, a tremolo effect, and a tone
control. The first channel was powered by the EF86 tube, while the second channel and the tremolo circuit were powered by the ECF82. The ECC83 served as the phase inverter.
In my take, the EL84s are replaced by 6V6GTs, the EZ81 is replaced by a solid-state rectifier, and the relatively uncommon ECF82 is replaced by the similar and plentiful 6KZ8. I've retained two channels, but I'm using only one input and a footswitch-operated relay to switch between them. I started with the original AC-10 schematic and then made the changes necessary to align with my choices. Then I came up with a layout, made the turret board, and populated it".
That all sounds fantastic, right? It's a new take on a classic amp, completely hand-built right here in South Central Kentucky. My favorite part about watching people discover this amp in-person is when they hit the Tremolo channel on the included footswitch and immediately start creating because they're playing and hearing things they weren't expecting. The trem effect adds a warm and lush almost chorus-like swirl to the typical tremolo sound... the best way I can describe it is similar to the Modulation on/off button on the ol' bucket-brigade-equipped MXR Carbon Copy delay pedals that would add an extra sweetness to the repeats when toggled. It's like that, but a bit softer and more usable and controllable.
Bob can explain it better:
"It's more than a simple tremolo effect that only varies signal volume, the vibrato produced by this circuit is characteristically warm and organic—a gentle, undulating modulation that seems to breathe life into the tone. When activated, the effect subtly cycles the pitch and slightly modulates the amplitude, imparting a cyclic, almost shimmering quality to the sound. It's not a brute-force effect; instead, it delivers a nuanced sweep that can make sustained notes shimmer with an almost vocal, expressive quality".
The amp is simple to use and sounds large with every type of guitar and every type of music we throw at it. There are LEDs on the front panel to indicate which channel is selected, and a green pilot lamp. The whole thing is housed in a solid Pine cabinet and wrapped in Tolex. All of that awesomeness is sent to a 10" Eminence Ragin Cajun speaker.
It's a one-of-a-kind build, handmade with love!
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