Brownsville Thug Combo

This is a follow-up to my previous review. No, there's nothing wrong - I like this amp EVEN MORE the longer I've had it and it is definitely a keeper. The reason for the follow-up review is to tell you the mods I did to the amp. I replaced the stock speaker (which is pretty good) with a 150 Watt Fane 12" and replaced the stock 3-spring short tunnel reverb with a long 2-spring unit. Both of these mods made this amp even BETTER (I can't believe I'm raving about a solid-state amp)........!

The beauty of this amp is two-fold, first the clean channel is warm and resonant, exactly as you would want and I play with single coil pickups on my guitars. Warm, clear, full of tone and clarity, with no harshness or brittleness at all, and when it is turned up it is THICK and clean. The 2nd channel has 2 gain stages, both of which sound great, very long sustains, variable amount of preamp and power gain stages (2 controls plus a button to engage the overdrive circuit), plus a master volume to control the whole thing. The tone/gain circuit is so versatile that I can even get feedback at a low volume (and it doesn't howl - it sings). I've never been able to have this much versatility in a low-cost amp. The only other amps that compare are the high buck Hughes-Kettner Tube 20 which has great gain, but I sold it and kept the Thug so what does that tell you?

Built like a Sherman tank.....

None.

This amp was great in stock form, now that I've added a 150 Watt RMS Fane speaker and the longer reverb tunnel (which gave me about 50% more reverb than the stock tunnel), there's not anything that this amp can't do (except walk). I just LOVE it - what a find! My other keeper amps are a Vox AD120VT Valvetronix 120 Watt 2-12 combo (best modeling amp there is), and a Crate VC30 Class-A 1-12 combo, and the cheap Brownsville rates right up there. In fact, I find myself plugging into the Brownsville more - what does that tell you?

Picked this solid-state combo up on Ebay for $100 - what a great sounding amp! 2 channels with 2nd channel overdrive, shared eq on both channels, master volume, reverb, heavy duty 12" speaker. effects in/out, footswitchable channel select and overdrive on rear, heavy duty cabinet, quiet and not hissy, tons of gain, overdrive, feedback, and not raspy sounding....

I tried it with a Strat, Tele and a couple of Rickenbackers. This amp can handle them all. Can dial up the tone and gain you want. Perfect recording or club amp, no tubes but it sounds that good so who cares? Distortion can be over the top if you want it to, I am amazed that this amp sounds as good as it does, especially that it's Korean and sold for under $200 new - it beats the crap out of the Korean $200-300 Vox amps.

Has Accusonics 3 spring small tunnel, not deep reverb but sounds pretty good when cranked up to 8-10.

Built like a tank, no tubes, I suspect it will last. When I received it via FedX, one of the wires in the reverb tunnel was broken which I fixed.

None, out of business\ and not made any more.

If you see one of these pups on Ebay, SNAP IT UP, you won't be disappointed. Who cares if it's called a Brownsville Thug (no wonder they stopped making them), it's the sound that counts and this 12" 65 watt tone monster has it, period, end of story.

I bought this amp 2 months ago and it is awesome. I got it brand new for $130 bucks. I am very pleased with it. It is a great buy and has a great clean tone. I play almost everything from Metallica to Lynrd Skynrd. I play an Epiphone Les Paul Special 2 with Boss Metal Zone distortion pedal and the sound is to die for. I also have an RP100 which makes it sound good too.

I have humbucking pickups and mostly use the rhythm pickup and I have no comlaints once again...the distortion on the amp is ok. It's not really heavy enough for me and the type of music I play...but I can use it for the softer stuff.

I don't beat my amp to shit...so I haven't had any problems.

Sam Ash was great...they had great service and always have.

Best amp I have ever owned. You better go out and buy it!

65watt solid state. it has plenty of power for me. this amp spunds great no matter what i play.

i'm using a fender mexican deluxe fat strat floyd rose wit a zoom505 in the effects loop. the clean channel has a VERY nice sound and through my pos zoom 505 i can get it to sound even better. the drive channel's distorion isnt heavy enough but it still sounds good, except if i try to use my 505, then it sounds like shit, but thats the pedal's problem, not the amp.

i would gig with it without a backup, it seems very sturdy. ive only had it a month and it seems like it will last forever

no clue

ive only been playing for 2 years, but i still know what sounds good. if it was stolen i would kick that kids ass and take back my amp, but if i couldnt find him i would definatly buy it again. i just wish mine came with a footswitch, but i guess thats why mine was only $160 new.

Built in 2000 I believe, solid state 1 x12" combo with channel switching, boost function in overdrive channel, universal treble, mid and bass controls, master volume, headphone jack. Effects loop and power out on back.

Fender American Deluxe Strat (S/S/H) to Dunlop Crybaby Wah>Boss CS3 compressor/sustainer>ProCo Rat>Tech 21 Comptortion>Danelectro Danecho>Electric Mistress>Boss volume pedal>Brownsville Thug.
Let me preface this by saying I've been an avowed tube snob for most of the 34 years I've been playing electric guitar. I've played through and owned some great tube amps, many of the greats including Fender twins and Bassmen, Marshals, Vox's, Boogies, Riveras etc. etc. I just bought this Sam Ash Music Store-made thing for $179.00 and feel as if I just bought a Picasso for $5 at a yard sale. Never has my rig sounded anywhere near this good...this thing is warm, gutsy, loud, articulate and musical as hell. Truth be told, I haven't even used the overdrive channel yet, I like to get my overdrive from the Rat or Comptortion. And never have I heard either of these boxes sing so sweetly. I swear I can hear real tube overtone, juicy feedback, and pure balls sweating out of this bad boy. Mine was a floor model on sale, the last one in the store (48th St. NYC) and the salesman said they aren't making any more of them. IF YOU SEE ONE OF THESE FOR SALE, YOU MUST BUY IT!!!

So far so good. Transistor amps just keep going and going and going...

Never had a problem with Sam Ash. Their salepeople are good for the most part.

I am still in shock that I found this thing so cheap and it out-performs just about any amp I'e ever played through. Again, if you see one of these babies, pick it up. You will be astounded and will feel that you've found the Holy Grail.

Great Amp. A 65wat powerhouse, Effects loop, Preamp hookup is possible, 2 channels clean/normal, Is conpatable with a universal footswitch, And a headphone jack, Good size easy to take around.

I have a fender guitar and it sounds great with it. I can play anything from Nyc blues to Nyc hardcore. Smooth tone and ajustable reverb. Boost also can be aplied.

Very dependable. Its been banged around alot and still works fine.

Never had to deal with them.

GREAT AMP A MUST BUY!!!!!!!!!!!!1

Made in 1999, 2 Channels, Effect loops, Pre-amp with gain and level and boost. Foot switch, reverb, Clean channel with boost. Treble, Mid, and Bass. 65 watts and 12 inch speaker in a closed back cabinet.

From very bright to heavy bass, distortion and sustain is very flexable. Great sound for my 335. Nice and warm to the screaming willies. The clean channel is very clean and bright, sounds better than my old 45 watt Yamaha amp.

So far, so good. It was a floor model so it has been used some.

1 year warranty. Looks like it well made.

Overall it's a great value for the money. It suits my purpose very well. As I play blues and jazz it has a wonderful sound, from clean jazz to dirty texas blues.

Like the last person said, this amp can handle any style of music.
I play anything from Industrial to ambient and this thing is great.
It has alot of power for being a small 12' incher. You could easily
use it for small gigs or just to bother the hell out of your neighbors.

This thing is as clean as it gets. It has a great variety of tone
and distortion and doesnt get messy at loud volumes.

I dont jump on my amp or beat it with a hammer so I have to say it
is pretty reliable. It can easily with stand being dropped a few
times. Of course its not made with steal and iron...

Never had to deal with them. I guess thats a good thing.

I like this amp and dont have any negative comments about it.
For $230 bucks you will never get anything that sounds this good.
If your a beginner or if you just want something that fits in your
room, this amp is for you.

This amp can handle pretty much any kind of music. It has reverb, distortion w/boost switch, clean w/bright switch, and 3-band eq. Very versatile and LOUD, 65w to a 12 inch speaker. 3 footswitch controllers can be used. I only wish it had seperate eq for the distortion...

I play it with an Ibanez GRX-45 with a humbucking pickup and 2 singles. Cleans are clean, gain is wicked. nuff said.

Very sturdy, never broken yet, looks like it could take a lot of abuse :)

Bought from Sam Ash, they're all very helpful and nice, so uh, i give it a 10.

Sweet amp, loud for it's size, good for small gigs and band practices. Buy if you need a louder amp. I used to own a mere 20 watter. Hah.