Well Joe, I didn't quite know what was setting your hype detector off, and from what you're saying it seems like you don't like the idea of paying lots of money for an amp that sounds great but only does a couple sounds? So go buy a Line 6 that will do tons of sounds, but none of them sound as good as a nice tube amp. There are lots of amps out there that sound good at one thing and don't sound as good at other things....heck, most of the vintage amps are like that.
Conrad's amp is just as versatile as any of the old Fenders, but in my mind, that makes it somewhat of a one trick pony, and thats ok. The reason it is so expensive is Conrad builds them all by hand, and uses premium parts and a well thought out chassis arrangement, circuit layout, and top notch construction techniques. Mercury Magnetics transformers have a well deserved reputation for their products, but they cost more than double over a similar Heyboer, yet Conrad goes with the MM because they often sound better and his customers are willing to pay the price premium. His amp is in the price ballpark for a handmade amp of this type. Look at a Victoria or a THD or a Divided by 13 or whatever those things are and the price is similar. I wasn't going out of my way to hype anything...I was just trying to answer the guy's questions as honestly as I can and you come back and post a sarcastic remark that is obviously calling into question what I said rather than trying to help the guy. Of course thats going to get my gander up. Maybe that was your intention? If you don't have anything to say about a product from first hand experience, then why cop a superior attitude and attack someone who has played it? Do you have anything constructive to contribute as to whether the amp is good or not, or is worth the price or not?
Personally, I play a Vox AC30 and love it, but Conrad's Blues Jammer sounds pretty good to my ears too, and sounds better than my Vox for blues gigs, and it is certainly a more suitable volume for the smaller venues than my big Vox is. That doesn't mean I am going to go buy one and tell everyone they need one too because I can build my own amps and have things planned for that sound myself. I don't see where the hype is, and since you're the only one raising the point, that is why I said you have a problem. You always seem really grouchy and quick to point fingers and have a superior attitude on these boards, so maybe you have a quick trigger, but whatever. I'm not trying to hype anything or poke fun at anyone or ruffle anyone's feathers but it seems I've set you off. I don't see where I was insulting your intelligence at all? I told people to go talk to Conrad about it if they want to know more because I don't like getting into pointless arguments when I can spend the time doing something else more productive, like working on amps. Since you seem to treat this site as your personal domain where only you have the correct answers, then why should I waste my time further as you'll just keep bringing up more hype detector bullshit.
Further, you say "This is my definition of hype: a belief that more money paid for less is better than less money paid for more."
More features don't necessarily mean better tone. Many of the best amps I've ever heard have almost no circuitry in them. A '49 Pro, a Supro Thunderbolt, Fender Champs, etc. are all examples of some great amps, yet they have very simple tube circuitry. You take a Mesa Boogie Dual Rectifier as an example of a very complicated amp, and it's clean sound is horrible, and all it does is the one heavily saturated distortion tone. I have one of these and every time I play it I get pissed off at it and put it away again, since I want to be able to use it's clean channel but most amps sound better than it. I keep it around to do that one distorted, grungy tone, which is something that those Voxes and Fenders, and Conrads amp just can't do, and thats ok. Since everyone hears differently, one amp will sound good to one person, while the same amp doesn't sound as good to another. Thats why there are so many amps out there. If you don't think the guy should buy an amp like Conrad's, then point to whatever your definition of good tone is instead of attacking me for trying to answer someone's questions. I've got better things to do than to get into online arguments with someone I've never met who always seems to go out of his way to point out faults in other people.
Greg
