Budda Stringmaster Head

Mine was a very early model made in 1997

It's quite versatile and responds to pedals well.

The effects loops make integrating studio quality reverb and delays a joy. The power soak (level control) is post phase inverter and comes in quite handy!

You can switch speaker CABINETS! This makes for unbelievable versatility! Send your cleans to a JBL loaded 2x12, send your leads to a 1x12 Altec, or a 4x12 loaded with vintage 30's!

It's got to be the loudest 30 watts on the planet

seperate eq for both channels would have been nifty, but this amp is voiced so perfectly it doesn't need it

This amp is the juiciest clean. The fattest overdrive I've heard in person. I've played through some wonderful rigs, but this amp is IT.

The construction on this amp is completely bullet proof

Jeff Bober the fellow who designed the amp and founded the company returns your service calls personally. SAME DAY! The absolute best customer support I've had with any music gear. No phone button tap dancing here!

I've got a basement full of vintage and modern gear. The Budda is one of the few amps I won't part with for any price.

I only wish they were still being made so I could easily find a spare!

The other reviewed seemed to have done a good job with the features description, so please refer to theirs for the details. The Stringmaster is a fairly basic amps, it doesn't have a million knobs and the cannels share the EQs - it's a plug and play amp with fabulous tone. only wish is that it has reverb so I can toss my crappy reverb stomp box that I'm have only b/c of this amp....

The clean sounds slightly Mesa-ish to me, minus the midrange honk. It's definitely not fenderish for me, personally speaking. A very smooth and beatiful clean tone. Will roughen up a bit when cranked, but it always stay musical. Overdrive channel is a bit fatter sounding, and fuller than the clean - also very very musical. Other reviewrs have said it sounded like the Robben Ford/Dumble tones sounds - I've never played a Dumble, but it does remind me of Robben's nice overdriven sound on some records. What a marvalous amp! This thing is LOUD - don't be fooled by the 30W label. Even though both channels share the same EQ, I found that this amp musical throughout the entire EQ range, which is to saythat both channels sound good even without custom EQ settings. I'm playing mine through a marshall 4x12 cab and it sounds just amazing to me. I also own other buddas, and have owned Marshalls, Fenders, etc.

Amp heated up noticeably in extended usage - I'm talking about hours of use at a time though, the entire night for example. The amp hasn't failed me despite the heat though, except for once when its headroom suddenly got squashed after 6+hours of usage - I turned it off for the night and tried it the next day, and problem went away, never had that prioblem again. That was just an one time thing, maybe I was playing too lound and for too long (?). Everything is very well mounted and constructed. quality parts and quality workmanship - plus, Jeff at Budda always responds to you withint he day on email, and immediately on the phone.

Jeff responds within the day everytime I've emailed him with questions! Absolutely unbelievable service! If there's a problem with the amp that was Budda's fault, they will pay for shipping both ways (although I haven't had to use it). I've called them several times to ask about another Budda amp of mine, and they were always curteous to a fault, and very very helpful. Great human beings.

Awsome tone machine for blues/overdriven sound. it won't do metal, but it will do Robben ford and the dumble thing well.

i have a 1997 ptp 30-watt stringmaster head. 2 channels that can be switched through a simple 1/4" jack. a f***ing awesome parallel effects loop with flawless send and return controls. i will never use the cab switching, how many people will carry an extra cab with them? i use this amp for hard rock, blues and clean jazz runs. enough power here for club playing and un-miked jams. 3-12ax7, 4 el-84 and a rectifier rounds out the tubes used. the power attenuator is very useful for the high gain channel but could attenuate more.

sounds? the clearest, warmest and most organic clean channel i've had in an amp. the high gain channel is a non-master vol and will require high levels to get the tone which works great in a jam or a club gig. using the channel-switching does result in a loud pop but nothing's perfect. i use the budda phatman for lower vol playing and it sweeps the floor with my marshall 2204 which i sold after aquiring this stringmaster. true touch-tone with my les paul standard at high vol rolling vol to get an infinate range of breakup. this stringmaster is now my #1 amp. i sold my old fender twin, the clean channel is that good! no grainy, lifeless or un-inspiring sounds can be found in my stringmaster. a simple perfectly laid out design. you bedroom players need look elsewhere! pure organic tone with cheap sovtec tubes! this amp rocks!

the back panel output jacks are cheap and mounted on a thin circuit board while the front pots are real handwired to a real ptp turret board. a lightweight aluminum chassis. the power tubes have no retainers so will require checking. overall high quality construction not a 70's ptp hiwatt but way better than a 80's marshall. most troubles could be repaired easily. amp works flawlessly after cleaning and lubing pots and tightening everything up. amp is over 6 years old and looks showroom new. won't be loaning my #1 amp out to anyone! hand made in usa goes a long way with me. alot of quality here but were still not in harry joyce territory. if power tubes had retainers i'd have given amp a 9 but since it does'nt i'll give an 8 because i'll have to check that they're seated every dam time i transport it!

talked once and e-mailed a couple times and was shocked that they replied so fast for a 6 year old amp that is way out of warranty. don't forsee any troubles with amp but a schematic for what is my main amp would be nice to have, budda does'nt offer a schematic so you could be sol if you blow a transformer and nobody knows the specs to get a replacement if the company goes away! i'm getting a little paranoid but i'm going to play this amp as long as i'm on this earth. of course alot of the boutique amp manufacturers don't offer schematics for their amps.

i own a few other lesser amps that i use to feed my budda's slave out, hey i'm not rich! i use a minimum of stompboxes but when i use them the parallel effects loop works better than any other of the 30 tube amps i've been through, no tone sucking!!! you marshall cult folks should get off your high horse and try some real tube tone you diode lovers! the only thing amp needs in a phatman pedal but i prefer mine on the floor rather than as a gadget stuck in my amp sucking my tone away! always wanted a $10,000 dumble but who is going to pay that much for a gigging amp?

I believe this is a 1998 or 1999 model (the last year it was made). Uses EL-84 tubes, a big ole rectifier, 4 12AX7 pre-tubes, 2 channels and no reverb. Has kind of a quirky cabnet switching system--kinda cool--but I've never really tried it out to full capacity. The overdrive channel has a 3 way boost--middle position is normal--while raising it up boosts mids and lowering it boosts highs and gain--very cool and usable for slight variations of tone. Overall sound is clear, punchy, and dynamic. Single notes sound positively HUGE, chords have detail that other amps do not bring out--and this is with a 2x12 cab!! I've not gigged with this one, but that's where it needs to be used because it's FREAKIN' LOUD!!!! Loves to opened up, kinda like a Ferrari is "just getting going" at 130 m.p.h. Budda does something to make these things have a class A sound (I'm told they are A/B) and to really "Feel" the power tubes working--this is, hands down, the "biggest" sounding amp I've ever played---period!! I can't give high features marks, because this amp doesn't do "everything." If you want that, get a Rocktron or a Line 6 pod pro. If you want chromosome rearranging, varmit destroying, voice-of-GOD tone--look to a Stringmaster!!

This amp is best suited to Rock/Blues/Jazz Rock types styles. It is VERY responsive and doesn't have as much "sag(or should I say Lag)" in the attack time as many tube amps I've owned and played (slowdano!). Amp has a very-Fenderish vibe. I think Metal/Thrash/Dethmetal dudes would not care for this one very much. The clean is one of the best "Non-Fender" cleans I've heard. Very lush, chimey, and 3D. Keep in mind, this is a non-master head, so you really have to crank it to get dirt. The overdrive channel is non-master too and is VERY loud. I use a Budda Phatman to get the sounds I'm after and I HIGHLY recommend it. I hate to say it, but It's almost a must have piece of gear for this amp. I'm currently using 2 Hamer sunburst guitars with Seymour Duncans and a Hamer Phantom Custom with Duncans as well. Amp is dead quiet and very musical on all settings. Seems to like most any effects you put in front of it as well (it really likes Fulltone and Budda stuff!)
The main words here overall are "musical and powerful!!"

Amp seems to be well made, just like all the other Budda gear I've come in contact with (I also have a Twinmaster). EL-84's are cheap, so I don't anticipate any big problems. Haven't gigged much lately so the verdict isn't in quite yet on the reliability factor. This amp is like fine wine anyway--you don't drink Don Perigon everyday, now do you???

I met Scot and Jeff (the two brains behind Budda) at the 2000 NAMM show in Nashville. They were really the highlight of the show, both were very personable and LOVE what they do. I mentioned to Scot that I heard alot of similarity between my '66 Bassman and the Stringmaster. He said that the Stringmaster was basically their version of a Dumble with a slight twist--not my words, folks! After all, a Dumble is essentially a "Steroided out Fender" anyway. He couldn't (and neither can I) understand why this model didn't take off, given the demand for the Dumble and similar type amps. The Stingmaster is now discontinued. I feel confident that Scot and Jeff would be most helpful in any situation that would arise with this amp.

I've played over 15 years. I've owned Bogner, Alessandro, Soldano, Real Tube, Fender, Marshall, Carvin, Metaltronix, PRS (HG-70), and the list goes on. If it were lost or stolen, I'd ABSOLUTELY hunt another one down and get it--in fact, I'm trying to hord a few up as we speak--why spend $10,000 on an amp for a sound, when you can spend a fraction and get the same thing? Budda is starting to get a big following, but the Stringmaster is truly the "Rodney Dangerfield" of their amp line--these things are phenomonal!!
I did notice that the Twinmaster didn't sound alot like the Stringmaster. The SMaster is bigger,less grindy, and sweeter. Reverb would be VERY cool on this one, but the Budda guys are more concerned with TONE! I almost hate to bring up the inevitable "Robben Ford" sound thing, but I do have to admit, the Stringmaster is VERY close sound wise in many respects. I know it's a popular sound, but if you don't sound much like him to begin with, NO amp will help you! This is, unquestionably, one of the BEST values for this particular type of sound available today--no b.s. Don't let the "30 watts" scare you off!! I recently had a friend show up to a jam with a little 1x12 Twimaster combo and it was doggin' out the guys with the big 100 watt Marshalls. I heard Budda is coming out with a 80 watt head--I think I'll buy one and go take over a small 3rd world country.

I think this amp is very fully featured for a Boutique amp but its still a boutique amp...Front Panel...on\off and Rest switch...Parallel effects loop mix knob...2 band eq(controls both channels)...1st channel Volume knob...2nd channel volume and Gain knob....and a 3 position Boost switch for the Gain Channel. Back panel...Series effects loop...Parallel effects loop with send and recieve level control...Slave out with level control...2 Main speaker outs with 16/8/4 ohm switch....2 alternate speaker outs with same. Footswitchable Channels, Effects loop and Cabinet switching from Main to Alternate. The Cabinet switching can also be assigned to the 2 channels allowing you to voice your rythym and lead sounds differently. I would prefer the Budda have an eq for each channel and a master volume. I've had the amp 7 months and those features would help at GIGS. Buddas philosophy is that those features would compromise the TONE

TONE TONE TONE....Channel 1...Fat Tube tone akin to low gain Fenders that breaks up slightly when the volume is raised but easily controllable with your guitars volume knob....Channel 2...Throw out the Marshall honey I've got a new Bag...From Crunch to glassy distortion and all beautiful....You have to play it to understand...The Notes have weight...2 concerns.....so so loud (Master Volume?) and the separate eq's for each channel would help make the amp more versatile

Its an all tube amp thats firmly built but Tubes break. Gigging heavy I carry a spare set of tubes and a spare marshall head as backup. Also the power cord goes right by the huge rectifier tube and i guarantee one day I'm gonna forget and break the tube right off!

I gave them a call with some questions the day after I bought it and they were very cordial and helpful. The distribution is so small they had even heard of my purchase and knew my name...what a refreshing feeling compared to dealing with a monolith like Korg which took 6 months to send me a replacement part.

I love my Budda. I play an '87 Les Paul Custom through it and am happy as a Pig in Mud...I would definitely buy it again...You have to play this amp if you love old style distortion that had character and detail as opposed to todays modern generic 5 stage designs