Allen TONESavor

I have the Allen 80 watt ToneSavor with 2 x 12 Reverend Alltone speakers and Philips 7581A power amp tubes. It is basically a Blackface Twin circuit with a bright switch and Treble, Middle, Bass EQ, but also with a "raw" control, master volume, and reverb with Dwell, Mix, and Tone controls. The reverb controls are similar to those of the Fender outboard reverb and the raw control has ten positions that progressively bypass the preamp tone controls, adding a lot more gain to the amp and flattening out the "Fender frequency notch". Even with the raw control off, the regular EQ controls are extremely useful, effective, and wide-ranging, much more so than on a regular BF Twin. With the Treble and Middle on 7 and bass on 4, I can get the quintessential Fender BF Twin sound, but the Middle control is really powerful and can shape the sound extensively. I've played this amp with a Les Paul, Tele, ES175, and LP Jr., and I have been able to dial in just the right tone for each of these very different sounding guitars. The Reverend Alltone speakers are a good choice for this amp - very Jenseny - not too hi-fi but not too papery either. Very detailed and responsive. I personally would never use the raw and master volume controls to get pronouned distortion. I like to hang around in the area just before breakup when the gain provides sustain without the buzz. Most master volume amps start breaking up with a fizzy buzz before enough gain occurs to provide sustain, or else the sound gets very muddy. The ToneSavor's master volume acts differently, actually adding a little bit of treble shimmer as the gain slowly increases. By judiciously tweaking the raw and master volume controls I was able to dial in gain characteristics of smaller BF Fender amps quite crediby. All of the controls on the amp are extremely useful, with no BS that gets in your way. I can't overemphasis how much I like just the regular Treble/Mid/Bass controls on this amp - they really do a lot.

I've been playing through a Victoria bassman for most gigs, but I needed an amp with more beadroom for big gigs and outdoor festivals. I was looking for a BF Twin but I'm so glad I got the ToneSavor instead. It has all the headroom of a BF Twin if you want it, but if you take it to a smaller gig you can easily dial in gain characteristics of a smaller amp that sounds completely credible. The amp's clean sound is just wonderful. On my New Year's Eve gig I had a Fulldrive II between the amp and my guitar, but the clean sound was so great that I opted to just play clean for a number of blues tunes that I'd usually use the Fulldrive on. The amp/speaker/power tube combination provides a lot of articulation and responsiveness, and I was able to alternate pick and finger pick much more easily at loud gigs. I have a slabboard Tele that has a really beautiful, transparent sound on the bridge pickup, but the pickup is really weak so I've used a Klon Centaur with that guitar in the past (mostly clean boost - maybe a touch of gain) for more responsiveness and drive. But with the raw control on the ToneSavor at 2 and the master volume at about 7, regular volume at 5, that guitar sounds really FAT. Conversely, I can plug a Les Paul into it and adjust the Treble and Mid so that it sounds ringing and transparent. This amp is completely different from the tweed bassman thing I've been used to lately but it is exactly what I hoped it would be - a great BF Twin sound that I could tweak for smaller gigs too.

I haven't had it long enough to comment on reliability. But it is a point to point amp built by David Allen, who has a great reputation with his customers. It looks very well made.

David Allen was very straight-forward over the telephone and explained everything about the amp clearly, without any "pitch" whatsoever. My amp came well AHEAD of schedule (inside of 3 weeks).

I've been playing guitar for 34 years and also teaching for many of them. I play jazz in small ensembles a lot these days, and that is my preference but I've played most all types of popular music over the years from big-band jazz, rock, blues, funk, new wave, R&B, country, swing, etc. I still play a lot of these rock/country/blues type gigs (essentially "dance" music) in various bands that call me. I've got a lot of guitars and a number of amps to accommodate these gigging situations, but I really needed a Twin-type amp for some of the louder gigs. Ironically, some of the louder bands I play with these days are "new country" type bands. Try playing a balad at metal-band volumes! Now with the ToneSavor, I can do this (why I AM still doing it is another question all together!). But, seriously, the ToneSavor really fits the scenerio where you don't know what to expect in terms of volume/headroom needs at the gig. If it's a small place, the ToneSavor can morph into a Vibrolux or Deluxe-type amp really well, albiet with more responsiveness and tighter bass than a smaller amp. I didn't set out to be overly glowing in my review, but I really have no choice! The amp is everything I wanted and hoped for.

I have the 80 watt version which I built from a kit. It's got plenty of features for a vintage-inspired amp; the raw control, three knob reverb, added mid control and master volume. Other than that, it's basically a blackface Twin Reverb circuit. I got the half power switch, and am using a combo @ 40 watts with 2 Weber P12N's, and an extension cab with 2 P10Q's for the full 80 watts. This makes for lots of combinations, depending on the gig. I built the cabs out of select pine and stained and waxed them for a very original look, along with Jenkins wicker grille cloth and cream chicken-head knobs. It's everything I want in an amp, others might feel differently, but it should be noted that I decided to get the perfect amp for me, regardless of cost, and this was my choice. Others I considered: Mesa Heartbreaker, SF Twin, BF'd and using the same speakers as I am now, or running my BF Vibrolux with another tweed or Marshall-type 40-50 watter with an external reverb. Through the process of elimination, I elected the Allen for features, portability, and construction (PTP). I didn't know about the sound, but am glad I took a chance, as you'll read below.

I play a Strat Ultra with Van Zandt Blues, an RI Tele with HD 54's, a Gretsch Tennessee Rose, and a Les Paul 'classic' with SD Seth Lovers. My effects are: Klon Centaur, ZVex Fuzz Probe, Teese RMC-1, Dunlop Uni-Vibe. Really, really big tone from this beast! Great "new vintage" tone, much as I would expect the now-classics sounded when they were new. I have never really played other boutique amps, but owned a '64 Vibrolux, which souded terrific. This is a different beast, what with the speaker configuration and four 6L6's. The raw control is really neat, but I usually leave it off. It adds lots of grind to the tone, and makes the tone controls less effective. Supposedly more tweed/Marshall-like, but I have no experience with those, so can't say if it's true. The overall tone is somewhat dark on this amp, due in part to the P12N's. Luckily I have the P10Q's to cover the highs, and I really like this combination. It's also the first time I have played an 80-watter, and must say that I like the headroom. This amp will not do modern; it's too warm, and you would want different speakers for that. I have only ever heard two silverface Twins in my lifetime, and a couple of RI's, but my amp beats them all. The Strat is particularly huge. The Tele is very 'down home' but can get nasty/gritty with the Klon and the Raw turned up a bit. The Gretsch is very gretsch-sounding thru this amp with reverb, but it's my least used guitar. The Les Paul sounds very big, but I find the neck pickup almost too dark at high volumes for some reason. All in all, I' m VERY satisfied and especially proud of having built it myself. I wish I could buy another just in case I outlive David Allen!

Hand wired by me, so I'd be quite surprised if anything goes wrong except for tube failure. Aside from one microphonic tube (not david's fault), everything worked the first time. I tugged on each of the solder connections, for crying out loud! This thing is built like the 50-year old classics!

"Incredibly kind and hlepful" describes David Allen perfectly. Talk about bending over backwards! I hassled him with questions for about 6 months before placing my order, and he always answered me politely and patiently. The fact that he's one of the only guys selling good amp kits sets him apart already, but his customer service is about as personal and professional as it gets. He did everything short of jumping on a plane to Montreal to help me!

The kit thing is definitely what sold me on this. I looked everywhere for the perfect amp for me, and came up empty after two months or so of looking. I didn't want to buy new, but I saw that I could save a bundle AND get the features I wanted in this Allen, so went ahead with it. The completed combo was out of the question, because shipping over the border would have been ridiculous, and I had the two 12's already, so figured I'd do everything myself. The building experience was contagious; I don't know what to with myself now that it's over. It took up all my time for about a month (that is to say that it was all I was thinking about -it doesn't actually take a whole month to build!), and now I wish I had another project. Well maybe I'll focus on playing now, rather than tinkering since I have pretty much the biggest tone in town! Sorry about that 10 folks, but you have to hear this! I've never heard anything like it.

This amp is loaded with great, usable features. Post driver master volume, 3 knob reverb, 3 band eq with bright switch, ' Raw ' mode. Highest quality components, point to point wiring, WEBERVST speaker, fingerjointed pine cabinet, rock solid construction, and easy tube biasing on the back panel. (David knows what's important to us musicians and sparkies.)

I built this amp from a kit and had the option to taylor it EXACTLY the way I wanted it, 40 Watt 1 X 15 combo with multitap Tx upgrade. Classic ' Blackface ' looks, and most importantly, TONE!!!

I feel like giving all 10's, but lets be real for a minute or two. A footswitchable ' Raw ' channel and vibrato this amp does not have. But, "You can't have everything.....where would you put it! "

Problem solved. Fulltone Supra-trem and a Tubescreamer.

I wanted a new ' Blackface ' amp to complement my '64 Super Reverb but gutsier, more like a Vibroverb. TALL order, but I got that and tons more with this amp. It's a 'VibroMarshTweedFace' if that's F'N possible. With the 'Raw' function on, it's very easy to dial up all you favorite sounds. David included a rotory switch pot that I wired in, so you can dial in the perfect amount of 'Raw' that you want. On the 1-3 notches you get SRV type Tubescreamer tone. Midway your talking Tweed. Past that all the way up, your in Marshall territory. " Shakin' All Over " PETE! It's great to be able to do this. You do lose use of your 3 band eq, but it still sounds full. The bright switch still works though if you want a little more top, and you can dial in more or less gain with the volume control.

The Weber C15N sounds awesome. Huge in bass, strong mids, and smooth up top. Not as dynamic chordally as 4 10's though. It took a couple weeks to loosen up. Not a very bright speaker but I didn't want a "icepick in the forehead" JBL anyway. I've got two D130F's in a cab for my Dual Showman Rev. so I'm not bs'n you here. It doesn't have that cleeen sound. The Weber is conservatively rated at 35 Watts so it's right on the max of the specification. We'll see how long the speaker lasts. I've had the amp for a couple of months now and I don't need to play on 10, so I think I'll be alright. If you do, you might need to go for the Weber California 15 which is rated at 80 Watts or another speaker configuration.

The 3 knob reverb is great. Subtle to Surf, or somewhere in between. Very rich, very adjustable.

Normally I go for that "Texas Flood" tone with the 'Raw' switch off. The eq is set @: Vol 5-6, Treb 7-8, Mid 2-3, Bass 3-4, MVol 5-7 Dwell 9, Mix 3-4, Tone 3. Bright off. Plug in your trusty Eflat Strat and stomp on a modded Ts-9 or Tonepump and off you go for a couple hours. Easy. Then plug in your Gibson girls if you want to really take a trip.

This amp is definately a 10 here!

No problems here. Like I said before, rock solid construction. David has got a great cabinet man. Nothing about this amp is cheesy or half assed. Top quality components, fit and finish. Will last a lifetime. Great tubes make great tone. Svet 6L6gc's, NOS Phillips 12AT7's, new JJ/Tesla's 12AX7's. (I had a microphonic tube, no problem. David sent me two! Cool!

This guy is the best. He's top notch. Stand up guy, knowledgeble in engineering, amps, and TONE. Tell him what your after and he'll get you there. The kit was smartly layed out. Very clear. It helps to have a technical background though. I do that's why I went for it. You'll save some serious cash and have a blast too. David is great with email and phone support. Very quick to reply. He also supplied me with a few different value caps and resistors 'till I got THE sound. No Charge!

What else can I say. I got twice what I expected for an awesome price. I didn't get attitude or excuses, I got a great amp that I'm not afraid to take out of the bedroom. D'you know what you'd get from a new Fender reissue for this kind of money??? HA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Foreign parts, dodgey workmanship, and crappy tone.

I had a chance to try out a few other "boutique" amps but none of them came close to what I wanted soundwise or pricewise. I bought this amp on Mr. Allen's reputation alone, thanks to the good folk on Ted Weber's ampboard (webervst.com), check it out man! You won't be dissapointed with Allen Amps. The great thing is that you have so many choices and the full support of an engineer and true craftsman.
It's refreshing these days to be able to get a superb value like this.
Thanks again David!

(No, I don't work for Allen: just a very happy customer!)

The Allen Amplification TONESavor is an all-tube single channel 40 watt guitar amplifier. It's heritage can be found in the Fender blackface amps of the sixties. I use it primarily for playing gigs in medium sized venues (capacity ~ 200), I do mike the amp into the PA system for uniform audience coverage.

My main electrics are Gibson (LP, & Flying V) and a Hamer Archtop Studio.We primarily play 90's music, but if we sense an audience wants something from the 80's we have a few in our reportoire.
I have been setting the preamp on around 4-5 and the master on whatever is appropriate for the room (around 5-7 in most cases) I have used some of the high gain settings and the noise level is better than most tube amps. This amp "cleans up" very well when backing off the volume knob on the guitar, a good sign of a quality amplifier. There is a "raw" switch that really kicks the amp into high-gain mode. I do front-end the amp with a Boss GT-5, but in many cases my sound is straight through.

Now I can talk about the really different thing about this amp. I BUILT IT! David Allen gets all the credit for a great design and technical support, but what I got was bags of resistors, capacitors, and potentiometers. I mounted the transformers and chokes to the chassis and soldered all the wiring connection. The documentation is very good. If you enjoy working on at projects like this, I highly recommend the kit because you can save a few hundred dollars and have the satisfaction of the completion of a hand built boutique quality amp. I understand why many of the amps out there cost what they do.
In my case the construction went flawlessly, the amp fired up like a charm and I actually gigged with the amp the day I completed it. Since I really know the internals of the amp and quality of the components, I expect this to be a very reliable work horse of an amp.
I didn't put a rating in because it is still very new. But having the amp work the first time after building it is a good sign.

When I ordered the amp I made some additions to the base design. I went with a heavy-duty output transformer and Jensen P12N speakers. David assisted me with these and within a short time the "project" amp arrived at my house. I did e-mail David with a question early on in the process and I talked to him to for around 15 minutes on the last day I was completing the amp. He gave me some technical advice and even changed one capacitor with another on the last day I was building the amp to make it better match my optional speakers (Jensen P12N's)
There's no question in my mind that David Allen knows his products very well and he already has a great reputation for product support.

I've been in and out of bands for 20 years (mostly in) , My other amps are a Vox AC30TB re-issue and a Soldano Astroverb. I would probably build another TONESavor if this one were lost or stolen.
I looked at other boutique amps in the "blackface" category. In this case the additional features of the amp and abilitiy to buy it in kit form convinced me to go with Allen. I also had special tolex ordered just to set the amp apart from the usual combos. I decided on purple levant tolex (from mojotone) and the amp was ordered with a purple jewel for the pilot lamp. Everything else is black with while lettering.
I expect this amp to get a LOT of use in the coming years.