Allen Sweet Spot Combo

The Reverb and Tremolo on this amp are second to none. I wish the raw control added just a bit more gain, for low volume situations. Overall this amp has all the features I could ask for.

This is the best clean amp I have ever heard. Sounds great and chimey with my Tele. The reverb gets real deep if you want it. The tremolo can take you to outer space. I have the 6V6 tubes and when you get the volume up around 5 or higher it is an amazing sound. The overdrive is wonderful and natural sounding provided you can get the volume up a bit. If your starting a Suicidal Tendencies tribute band you might want something else. It is a loud 18Watts, I have never miked it at gigs. I play small/medium sized clubs.

I got this in 3/06. Gig with it every week since then, no problems. Seems very solid. I feel pretty good about Allens' ability and willingness to fix it if I ever need him too. It spends alot of time in the back of my car (too lazy to bring it in after late night jams) and still preforms like a champ.

David Allen is beyond cool. I was looking at his website for a LONG time b4 I saved up the cash and gave him a call. He was very helpful and answered all my questions. I have emailed him a couple times sine I got the amp and he is always helpful.

I previously played mostly Fender amps,champ,bassman,bandmaster, MusicMaster. I had a DR Z MAZjr. To me the Allen is better than all of them. If it was stolen It would take a long time to afford another one.But I'd do it. I would have liked to buy a vintage Deluxe or Princeton but they are expensive and the condition and originality are always a problem. This amp gives you great sounds and THE reliabilty of a new handbuilt amp, plus David Allen to help you out if you need questions answered etc.

I ordered my amp with the 6V6 tubes, 12" speaker and cream dials in march 05 and received it in April.
The features have Been covered well in the other reviews so I skip over that part.
The amp is plenty versatile for it's size (only a stack of Marshalls will really sound like a stack of Marshalls)Blues, Rock, Country, Rockabilly, Surf will all sound great with this amp. And if you put a FT OCD pedal in front of it you get pretty close to that stack of Marshalls sound. I never tried to play Metal or thrash.

I'm sorry but I don't know how to review this amp with out sounding like a sales rep. the amp is that good.
The first thing you notes when you turn on the amp for the first time is how quiet it is. And when I started playing I had the biggest smile on my face (but then the smile went away shortly when I realised that my 18 year search for the perfect amp had just ended). I only play at home so the size and wattage are perfect for me. the amp has way more volume then I need but still sounds full and rich and bright when dialed down to a volume that won't make my wife and dog howl. I'm playing mostly Rockabilly now (trying anyway)and my guitars are a 52 V.Reissue Tele with Texas Sp. pup(it's in the shop now having a Bigsby put on) a 63 Custom Shop Lake placid Blue Closet Classic Tele a 62 V.Reissue Jaguar and a Gretsch 6120JR.
My pedal board goes like this, a pedal power 2, TU-2, OD-9, OCD, CS505, AD-9, AD80 amp.
The two biggest surprise where the Vibrato and the input 2.
The Vibrato sounded so good that I took my FT Supa-Trem off my pedal board (and I really love the sound of that pedal).
The input 2 was great because for years I couldn't get my Gretsch dialed in just right with my other amps, but with it plugged in to the second input and the bright switch on, it's now becoming my favorite axe.

Rock solid!
Better than amps made 30 to 40 years ago, and WAY better than anything Fender is putting out these days!

You call or wright and you get the man him self.
you can't ask for better than that.

I've tried, bolt and sold a lot of amps, new ones, Vintage, Reissue and I still have my SF Princeton Reverb(with custom brown tolex cab, wheat grill cloth, BF plate and 12" speaker)and my Allen Tweed Accomplice(that I put together from a kit). But the Sweet Spot is just the perfect amp for me.
13 or 14 hundred dollars might seem like a lot but not when you see and hear what you get and definitely not when you see and hear what else is out there.
Yes! I would buy it again if lost or stolen.
I will always have a Sweet Spot.

My Sweet Spot was purchased new, direct from Allen Amps, in January 2005. Delivery was about a month after it was ordered.
Mine has a 10 inch speaker and 18 watts from two 6V6 power tubes. It is available with other speaker choices and can use 6L6 tubes.
I play blues and blues/rock. This amp has all the sounds I need (more below).
There are 2 input jacks, the first is a normal input and the second provides a 3db cut. There is a Bright Switch and Treble, Mid and Bass tone controls. Volume, Reverb, Tremolo Speed and Depth are the other front panel controls.
The back panel has switches for On/Off and Standby/On. There are two jacks for checking power tube bias voltage. Inside the amp is an easily accessed pot for adjusting the bias. There are jacks for the speaker and an extension cabinet.
I play at home and have all the power and features that I need.

I have three Telecasters; a '52 Vintage Reissue, an Ash American Deluxe and a Custom Classic which is set up for slide. All are stock.
This amp is perfect for the blues, blues/rock style I play. I prefer a clean amp that responds well to "dirt" pedals.
With the Bright Switch on, Treble on 6, Mid on 1 and Bass on 2 this amp has that wonderful, warm, clean Blackface "sparkle."
The Treble and Bass controls are like any other amp. But...the Mid control is something else. (David Allen calls it a Mid/RAW control). Turning up the Mid control unscoops the mids, flattens the EQ, and boosts the gain by bypassing the tone stack. The result is that a big, loud aggressive tone is just a twist of the knob away. The Bright Switch tames any "icepick" tones.
When not playing clean, I use either an Analogman Maxon OD-9 Silver Mod or an Analogman Sunface Sundial Fuzz. The amp responds to either pedal with subtle touch sensitivity, rich harmonics and a singing sustain.
The reverb is as good/better than any Fender reverb.
I don't use tremolo that much and this one is fine.
All the sounds I need are here. My search is over.

No problems in the three months I've owned it.
I have an SF Princeton and an SF Champ. These are wonderful amps but are over 25 years old. The constant need to repair/upgrade these older amps led me here. My Sweet Spot has higher quality parts assembled with more care than my Fenders.

David Allen is a gentleman who makes a superior product, at a fair price right here in the USA. The glowing Harmony Central reviews are all true. I've sent numerous e-mails, some incredibly dumb, and David Allen has answered all of them promptly and with patience.
It takes a leap of faith to order an expensive amp from someone thousands of miles away. I am completely satisfied with my amp and the support I've gotten from Mr. Allen.

I've been playing for almost 30 years.
I also own a National Style "O" set up for slide, a Gibson J-200 and some other Analogman pedals.
If lost or stolen I'd replace this amp ASAP.
David Allen has taken the Blackface Fender Princeton Reverb, one of Fender's best amps ever, and improved on it with higher quality parts, careful assembly and extra features. The Standby Switch, Bright Switch, Mid/RAW control and bias jacks all take a great amp and make it better.

The following is with apologies to mike p whom I have blatantly plagiarized, although I do not believe he will mind. I hope not. In fact I profusely thank him for providing such a detailed review. I told David Allen months ago that I would post a review so its about time. What follows immediately below and in the other sections began with a direct quote from mike p heavily edited to apply to my own particular version of the amp. Consider his comments to be a "template" I used for mine. Also, I take full responsibility for the entire review as my own opinion just so that if I offend anyone mike p has no responsibility for that. Okay, here's my review.

Made 2/5/04 by David Allen. mike p has very accurately described the amp's features so there is no need to reinvent the wheel here. Mine is also built like a tank but still is light to carry. It came with a single 12" Reverend ceramic magnet speaker that sounds very much like a "typical Jensen" to me. Great, smoooooth spring reverb, and I know this sounds fishy but I haven't used the tremelo!! So I can't evaluate it!! But I'll trust that mike p is dead on with his description. I'm taking my sweet time learning the amp but what I know so far is outstanding. I also tend to leave the bright switch on. My ears like a bright Fender sound. Probably because they are 54 years old and have been rode hard and put away wet. I think Mr. Allen told me the Mid control set at 3 is equivalent to the hardwired mids in a Princeton Reverb, and that sounds about right to me in a direct A/B comparison with a pristine 1964 Princeton Reverb driving a 1X12 Weber C12NT in a custom 1X12 cabinet. I find the MID/RAW control to be a very cool feature which adds a very useful new dimension in tone and edge or drive or whatever you want to call it. RAW describes it well. You have to try it. Its all so subjective. I like the RAW, some don't, its all taste which is subjective and that is a good thing. Mine also has no buzzes or rattles from the cabinet. mike p has accurately described most or all of the features: 6V6/6L6 capability with a rebias, etc., so no need to reinvent the wheel here. Mine has a green jewel lamp with off-white or "creme" "chicken head" knobs. I agree, the Allen faceplate is cool.

I had an original '64 BFPR and this amp can sound like that one, but thats just a starting point. I can't state it any better than mike p when he wrote "With the upgraded power supply and heavy duty ceramic magnet speaker, this amp holds together much better than the original at higher volumes. Very tight and the bass never flubs out. I've tried both 6V6s and 6L6s with excellent results. With 6V6s, the amp oozes with that tried-and-true Princeton Reverb sound." And, he writes, "The tone loses some sweetness with the 6L6s, but gains additional punch and boldness, while retaining a round and polished quality." Well put. Mine has the Reverend Alltone 12 which to me has a very typical "Jensen sound". I have a Telecaster and a Les Paul and both sound great with this amp. Only good stuff? Oh yeah.

The only problem was caused by an unfriendly operator, yours truly, who stuck a shorted 6V6 into one of the sockets. When I Switched from Standby to Play a screen grid resistor blew and the main fuse blew. Saved everything else. Cool. Probably due to the IMHO military grade construction. Total operator error. No builder should have to warranty against a shorted tube. You might ask the tube maker for reimbursement for repairs but I wouldn't hold my breath waiting for same. See customer support below. When I removed the chassis to send back for repairs I took note of the attention to detail and beautiful construction quality. Every solder joint is this perfect little silver dome.

12 on a scale of 1 to 10 just like an old tweed amp. It doesn't get any better than David Allen indeed. He always answers promptly and is always courtious and professional on the phone or in an email message. He repaired my amp and shipped it back to me the day he received it!! Read that last sentence again. And all he charged was his standard retail price for matched tubes (which I requested) even though he did all the repair work and rebiased the amp. Plus only $15 shipping. $60 bucks. I believe his basic $100 service charge plus the cost of the tubes would have been justified. He also has a wry sense of humor. Ha.

I've had Fender tube amps, Mesa/Boogies, and a couple other "boutique" amps. The Sweet Spot has everything I want in one compact package. If I ever need to get louder thats what mikes and PA's are for. I would definitely replace mine if lost, stolen, burned, crushed, twisted, mangled, rolled, spindled or mutilated, lost overboard, abducted by aliens, sucked up inside a tornado and smashed onto concrete from 2500 feet bursting into a hundred pieces, fried and melted down by an electrical surge, lost in a flood, dropped off the back of a 90 mph semi, etc. So I'd say yeah, man, go ahead and try an Allen.

Made in late 2003-early 2004 by David Allen. This amp is David's take on the classic Blackface Fender Princeton Reverb amp. This amp features superior quality, workmanship, and selection of materials. Just like the venerable BFPR, this amp has a single 10" ceramic speaker, high and low inputs, Bass and Treble controls, single knob spring reverb, and the sweetest tube tremolo you could ever ask for. However, this amp incorporates numerous upgrades over the classic Fender design which improve the performance and versatility without straying too far from Blackface tradition. The amp has a bright switch, which I tend to leave on for the classic BFPR tone. There is also the addition of a Middle control, which has a rather subtle effect, but can help tailor the sound of individual guitars to the amp. The standard amp has David's unique RAW control incorporated into the middle control, where from 1-3 the knob acts as a traditional midrange control, but beyond that the RAW feature is gradually engaged. This sounds like a great feature, but being a staunch Fender traditionalist, I opted not to have this feature included on my particular amp. Solid pine cabinet construction with plywood baffle. I get no buzzes or rattles from the cabinet, even when playing at full volume. The amp accepts either 6V6 tubes (18 watts) or 6L6 tubes (25 watts). There are bias jacks on the rear of the chassis and it's a quick operation to set the proper bias with the aid of an inexpensive multi-meter (20-25 mA for 6V6; 30-35 mA for 6L6). The amp uses a GZ-34 rectifier tube and 4 12AX7 tubes for the preamp, tremolo and reverb circuits (no 12AT7s!). Cosmetically, there are a lot of options available. I ordered mine in standard balck tolex with silver sparkle grill cloth, a red jewel lamp, and Fender 'skirted' knobs. From a distance it looks like a regular BFPR. Allen's faceplate has that old Blackface charm and the metal plate logo is conservative and classy looking.

Let me start out by saying that I used to own an original '64 BFPR. I loved that amp and found it perfect for playing at home. I sold it and later regretted it. With prices on even Silverface Fenders getting out of hand, I thought I'd give the new Allen Sweet Spot a try. This amp is everything that my '64 BFPR was and so much more. With the upgraded power supply and heavy duty ceramic magnet speaker, this amp holds together much better than the original at higher volumes. Very tight and the bass never flubs out. I've tried both 6V6s and 6L6s with excellent results. With 6V6s, the amp oozes with that tried-and-true Princeton Reverb sound. Turn the Bright switch on for the classic tone. With the bright switch off, the amp sounds flatter and has less spank, which works perfectly for taming the treble on the bridge pickup of my Fender Custom Shop 1960 Strat. Pop in the 6L6s, re-bias using the rear panel jacks, and the amp becomes a virtual 1/2 sized Vibrolux Reverb. The tone loses some sweetness with the 6L6s, but gains additional punch and boldness, while retaining a round and polished quality. The Allen C1060 speaker has a vintage C10Q-like sound, but with better bass response. I've tried Custom Shop Strats, Historic Les Pauls, and a PRS Custom through it and they all sound fantastic. The tremolo is every bit as volumptuous as on the original BFPR, but has a much deeper range. Only the good stuff here!

Seems solid. I've been playing it for 4 months with no problems. My old '64 BFPR was still going strong after three and a half decades of use. This amp is built to the same (possibly higher) standards, so I have no doubt that this amp will live forever.

As other reviewers have said, it doesn't get any better than David Allen. Whether it was before, during, or after the sale, he has always answered my e-mails promptly and was courtious and professional on the phone. The amp was delivered within the promised time frame and exactly to the specs I requested. He even kept in contact after the amp shipped to make sure everything was OK and to update me on a change to his e-mail address.

I've been playing for 18 years. My first amp was a 35 watt solid state Fender. I've owned Blackface and Silverface Fenders, Marshall JCM 900s, Marshall 590 watt and JTM-45 reissues, original Marshall Plexis, a Mesa/Boogie Mark 1, and a few boutique amps. Before deciding on the Sweet Spot, I carefully studied every amp that David Allen makes. I was initially inclined to get the Encore, which is styled after the Vibrolux Reverb. In the end, though, I opted for the smaller Sweet Spot. This amp has everything I want. I play at home for my own enjoyment and no longer desire or need 50 watt half stacks. The Sweet Spot takes me back to the days when I would just sit in my bedroom for hours with my Princeton Reverb and lose myself in the sound of the guitar laced with spring reverb and the hypnotic pulse of the tube tremolo. The best news is that it's not a Backbreaker (at least not the 1x10" version). It's slightly heavier than I recall my BFPR being, but it's still a "one-hander." David's amps are outstanding bargains, IMHO. There are many other one-man amp shops out there charging twice what David does for products that aren't as well built, and who don't offer the same level of customer service. I would buy this amp again, and have no reservations recommending any of Allen's amplifiers.

If you want those classic Fender Blackface tones and aren't playing gigs at Madison Square Garden, consider the Sweet Spot. While I still find myslef wanting raunchy Tweed and Marshall tones, I will leave those jobs to other amps. This amp is Fender Blackface-In-A-Box. If only my '64 Princeton Reverb was this nice I might never had sold it. I'm hanging onto this one. It's a keeper.