Product: Allen Tube Reverb
Price Paid: US $500
Submitted
03/04/2001
at
09:07am
by
Jeff
Email: jball at ix<dot>netcom<dot>com
Features
:
10
I bought this unit because I wanted to add reverb to my Top Hat amp, which doesn't have reverb. I considered buying a vintage Fender tube reverb unit, but the prices of these have gone out-of-sight. I'm buying as a musician rather than for an investment. When I saw David Allen's website, I also assumed (I believe, correctly) that a modern engineer may have been able to significantly improve the classic Fender design. The unit contains a reverb 'dwell' control which most amps don't provide and which is very useful. So this unit gets a 10 here. It also uses a long tank, as opposed to the short tank that many amp manufacturers supply. David Allen evidently has redesigned the power supply and provided better filtering than the original Fenders had.
Sound Quality
:
10
This is a seriously beautiful sounding unit. David cautions that the units are ground loop noise-prone, and offers several possible solutions to that problem. I wound up modifying the unit with an output isolation transformer. That added $70 to the total price of the unit, but it was well worth it. It is the most lush reverb I've ever heard. It sounds so good my temptation is to over use it.
Reliability
:
No Opinion
I was able to buy the unit as a kit and build it myself very quickly. If you have any technical background at all you shouldn't fear Allen kits. The instructions are top-notch. If you do this yourself, the reliability will be largely in your hands. The parts he supplies are fantastic. He even uses the same heavy cloth covered wire that you see on older amps. Everything is 'over' designed . . . it's made to last. I'm sure when he wires one of these himself, that a careful, professional job is the result.
Customer Support
:
10
He responded quickly, thoughtfully, and personally to every email I sent. Since everything about the kit met or exceeded my expectations, we were only talking about how to go farther--to remove ALL noise from the unit.
Overall Rating
:
10
He went way over the top to make sure that the tolex and grill cloth would match my other amp. This was an unexpected courtesy. Don't buy one of these if the sound you seek is easily met by a Boss type digital reverb. These are for those of us who want a vintage sound with a modern level of reliability. Don't hesitate to buy any Allen amp or kit.
