Alessandro/Hound Dog Redbone

this one is a pre-serial number so around 1996 but probably earlier before the ensuing days of gibson's rediculous legal battle to dominate the guitar world with cheap products sold at boutique prices. one channel, treble, mid, and bass, and a stand by and power switch. plenty of power for anyone. 2 EL34s 1 at7 1 ax7 1 6SL7(or maybe it was SN7). it has no extra features because it needs none.

currently using a Resurrection guitars custom. the amp fits very well, but lacks a little sparkle, but i really do try to dial in that chime, it's just something i like. But as for the sound, the bass is larger than life, the mids punch you in the face with every pick attack, and the highs sparkle very well, we're talking vox tones but with a little less chime and much more character. not noisy at all unless your pickups are noisy. this amp can make any sound you want it to as long as you have the right cab in front of it, hell, even with the wrong cab i've been doing pretty good(marshall). the amp stays clean until about 12 oclock and then starts to get some really nice blues clipping and has so many shades of distortion that you pretty much pick which one you want. I've gone from muddy waters to zach wylde with this thing as far as distortion tones. using your guitar volume opens up a whole new realm here as well, you can see why there are only 3 tone controls on the amp, anything more would be just too much to master. the clean channel is nicer than anything out there that i've heard, including dumble(that whole "you can't get it and i can so it sounds like the best amp i've ever heard" thing doesn't work on me). I've heard a dumble winterland, and dumble overdrive 50, a whole slew of vintage amps, but the only amp to ever beat this one was a trainwreck of some sort, that's the brand not the condition of the amp. all in all, there's not really much more you can ask for without just making shit up, maybe a little more quiet, but then you don't get that giant pallette of distorted sounds and that massive sound it gives you.

when i got it it looked pretty beat to hell, but still sounded ok, i thought that the standby was broken but maybe i was just drunk. I sent it to Senior Alessandro anyway just to make sure everything was looking alright and to let him dream a dream of days gone by. said the amp looked fine and i had him put some new tubes in GE triodes 6CA7's, and a few dirty french tubes that sound swell. the previous owner aparently never had any trouble with it, and i don't either. ever, i gig the thing pretty ofteni've had the same tubes in the thing for almost 7 months now and there hasn't been any reduction in sound quality.

the company was pretty helpful, they're all pretty busy but still got the job done. what more can you ask for. no BS charges for maintenance whatever is wrong they replace and charge you.

i think it's a great amp, for the price and availability it's really unbeatable, i don't know of any other high end amp out there today that can really beat it other than that trainwreck, and those are pretty much limited to 5 a year so good luck with talking them into making you one with every professional on the planet looking for one. you gotta give the guy props for keeping it small. but overall, this is the only amp i'll buy aside from a resonably priced ken fischer design. if you get the oportunity to buy an alessandro at the price i bought it for you better take it, it's totally worth it not to get what you've been looking for your entire life. I've been playing for about 5 years, i'm 22 so i still have pretty good ears(do my tom dowd golden ears every now and then). My rig (will) consist of a resurrection guitars custom , running to a BSM majestic treble boost, and into a KWcabs 4x12 with fane alnico 12's. right now the only difference is the cab being a piece of shit marshall cab that a friend let me borrow for a while. even through the marshall cab the amp still sounds flat out amazing i can't imagine what it will sound like through the KW.

This amp is a '96 model, in an oak cabinet, with the word "Hounddog" branded onto the front. The back says "Redbone", along with impedance info and serial number, all hand-painted. No channel-switching, useless controls and switches, yada yada, this is an amp for serious players and connessieurs of pure class-A tone. Controls are volume, treble, mid, bass, all unmarked, because the controls are truly interactive. This amp is 55-watts class A, handwired on thick turret board with very neat wire runs, everything very tidy. Chassis is aluminum, power tubes are EL34's, preamps are 12AX7 & 12AT7, plus rectifier (I can't remember the type). All components, pots, etc. are high-end audio, top shelf. Removing back and two small clips allows the whole closed-bottom chassis to be removed for easy servicing.

I have several guitars, including G&L Tele, Epiphone 335, Gretsch, Godin, Shecter, Fender Strat, etc. I use a pedalboard with a number of effects I've collected over the years. I played professionally from the time I was sixteen to twenty-five years old, now I do hired gun gigs part-time in addition to my career. My most recent gigs are with a country band, a large show with massive sound/laser lights. The songs run the gamut from classic country to hard rock. I require that my rig be totally flexible and accomodating to encompass any style. I also use an old Dr. Z Rx head, which I love as well, and I use high-end cables, the best of everything I can get. I only play class A handbuilt amps, the audience deserves no less IMO. The Alessandro Redbone has the HUGEST bottom end of any amp I've ever played, while maintaining the top-end sparkle that class-A amps are noted for. Typical for amps of this type, the tone and breakup are controlled with your volume knob on your guitar. The amp goes from sparkling clean, through fifty shades of increasing harmonic breakup, to a beautiful creamy smooth overdrive. In this realm the harmonics are incredible, feedback is effortless and always in sweet harmony. Roll off the volume and it cleans up to that sweet sparkle top, grand piano bottom that makes any other sound anemic by comparison.

The first time I gigged with this amp, with the aforementioned band, it broke down and I had to use my Z for backup. HOWEVER, (this is where it gets good) I e-mailed George Alessandro that Sunday and he told me to ship it. He rec'd the amp on Friday, replaced a blown filter cap, and sent it back to me. Total cost was $50.00. There are very few people in ANY industry these days that take the kind of pride in their products that George does. He is a joy to do business with and a true professional. They just don't come any better. So, I've got to give him a "10".

I've talked to George on several occasions and we have some mutual friends/acquaintances. He is always a pleasure to talk to, an amazing gentleman. His amps carry a lifetime warranty, to the original owner I believe. HOWEVER, I bought this amp used off of ebay. When I rec'd the amp it sounded horrible. My local tech replaced the tubes and set the bias ( adjustment screw on chassis) but it still wasn't right. I called George and told him the story, and he told me to ship it up. He went through the entire amp, called me at home one night to see how I wanted it "set up" (!) and shipped it back to me. When I rec'd it back, it was without a doubt the best sounding amp I've ever heard, period. TOTAL COST FOR THESE SERVICES WAS NOT ONE PENNY. Try that with your Fender, Marshall, etc.!

I'm fifty-two years old, been playing since I was thirteen. I've owned numerous other amps, including a '69 handwired Marshall stack, blackface Fenders, etc. I've mentioned several of the guitars I use, along with a Dr. Z Prescription head (original-strength). I play through two 2x12 Avatar cabs, each with a Vintage 30 and a G12H30 "Anniversary"(great boxes, Dave!) Most of the gigs I do these days are fairly high profile, names you might know, and I have a ball with it now that I'm not trying to make a living at it. Pete Mitchell and Stephen Bruton are the two guys I credit with turning me on to the tonal bliss of class-A handbuilt amps. Pete uses a Redbone also, Bruton two Dumble O.D. Specials. The tone quality of these amps, and the Redbone in particular, is truly addictive. Once you begin using amps of this type there is no going back. Anything else is out of the question, IMO, and our audiences deserve the best. The Redbone is an amp for serious players only, that are capable of generating good tone with their hands, no channel switching necessary. If you are a bad player, it will EXPOSE you quickly and send you back to the woodshed where you belong! If you are a "player", it will transport you to that place where you are totally enchanted within your creative space and will coax out all the beautiful sounds that you thought were only in your head, and will make you a better player. The Redbone is less and amp, and more an extension of your instrument. If it were lost or stolen, I'd cry, then I'd call George and see what he had in the back! I've tried many, many boutique amps at our local high-end-stuff dealer. These amps are absolutely incredible, the best of the best. I get this same opinion from musician-friends that you would absolutely know the names of, these amps are without equal.

A rather misleading rating. The amp consists of one channel with Volume, Treble, Midrange and Bass. There are NO bells and whistles. The tone controls are extremely interactive and effective, so versatility is in no way limited. If you are looking for a Swiss army knife amp, look elsewhere. If by versatility you mean lots of great tones, look no further.

I use this amp with my Don Grosh Retro Classic (strat style) equipped with Lindy Fralin pickups. This amp has the most pristine clean sound you can imagine. Matched with the proper cabinet (I use a '68 Marshall basketweave with 4 G12S 50W) the word "magic" comes to mind. It has the biggest bottom end of any amp I have ever heard. The amp runs 2 EL34's for a 55 watt clean, 95 watt full output power rating. This amp projects extremely well. Set at the same stage volume with any other amp, the Redbone will dominate as you move further away from the stage. The amp does not break up until about 1-2 o'clock on the volume. At this point it is LOUD! I set it to lower volumes and use an original Tube Screamer for distortion.

Hard to say since I have had it only 1 month. It is built solid and I can't imagine damaging it under normal usage.

George Alessandro is one of the best people I have dealt with in the instrument business. Never too busy to talk and makes sure that he understands what you are looking for and that you understand what you are getting. A genuine pleasure to deal with.

Although the price is high, I will never need another amp. I consider this a lifetime purchase.