Clara Amps OverDrive Rocket

This is a review of my 2008 Clara Amps Overdrive Rocket 50 watt head. This amp represents a collaboration between Keith McNeill and myself regarding what I wanted this amp to be from the ground up. As Clara Amps is a full custom "dream" shop (i.e., whatever you can dream up can be done), this was no problem. Because Keith had built me a 5E3 in 2006, we already had a well established professional relationship/ friendship, which gave me the somewhat unusual opportunity to test the 2 previously reviewed OD Rockets while they were being built! All this is to say that I knew what I wanted this amp to be and what I didn't want it to be more or less from the get-go.
In case you weren't able to guess it, this amp is based on the legendary Dumble Overdrive Special. Without wanting to start a lot of raging controversy (cuz that's not the point of this review), Alexander Dumble, like Keith McNeill, builds every amp to order, effectively making senseless any talk of "generic model X " or, even better, "my model X is an EXACT CLONE of ???fill-in-the-blank one-off owned by so-and-so that I've never seen, played through or closely examined".
So, where does that leave us? Many of the closely guarded trade secrets implemented and vociferously defended by Mr. Dumble have not remained secret into the internet age. Without getting into any specific details, YES, Dumbles DO have unique and special aspects built into their design (for which Mr. Dumble rightly deserves unqualified credit and recognition) and YES, those aspects of design can be repeated without having to slaughter any innocent chickens, virgins or one-eyed goats by the light of the full moon. Period.

That said, my amp is a single-channel 50-watt, 2 6L6, solid-state rectified head in blue suede (did I say custom?).
It has controls for volume, treble, middle, bass, overdrive and OD level (which only operate when the OD circuit is on), master, and presence, and switches for bright, pre-amp boost, and overdrive. At the rear, there is an FX loop (passive) and a switch to bring a little more dynamics into the tone. Internally, there is an adjustable trim pot to ???pre-attenuate??? the amount of distortion that hits the following OD stage. This has a huge impact on the perceived character of the OD. At low settings, it???s like kicking on a Tube Screamer. At higher settings, like you are going to blow something up, but in a good way. Lots of distortion, but not overly filtered and with lots of mids.
This is a gigging amp for sure and has plenty of power, although it can definitely be pushed into output distortion, but loudly. It has a very effective master volume control which allows for reasonably consistent tones at a wide range of output volumes. I have had the opportunity to use it at some pretty quiet gigs and it was excellent, although it sounds much fuller at louder volumes. This isn???t really a criticism, more of a volume, pushing air, laws-of-physics type observation.
More features than a vintage Marshall or Fender, but a child???s plaything compares to a modern Mesa. Fine with me.

I use a vintage Strat, Tele, and Les Paul, all with Jason Lollar pickups through this amp at different times. For my style, this is a truly wonderful amp capable of a wide range of tones. The amps voice is definitely adjusted toward the midrange, and I don???t mean maybe. If you crave at all times that characteristic ???dip in the mids??? of a blackface Fender (clean) or plexi Marshall (distorted) then you are in for a shock. Because the mids are where all the detail lives, every subtlety of touch, picking, and articulation comes through in frightening clarity, even at high levels of distortion. This is not for everyone. If you feel like you are struggling with your current rig to cut through the mix or simply want an amp that???s as expressive as you are, this could be a highly enlightening experience. The quality of tone at all volumes and settings is truly exceptional, and superior to any product I???ve had the opportunity to test at any retailer, including boutique brands. Warning: you may never go back!
The voicing, in addition to emphasizing midrange, seems to attenuate the lows that I associate with other amps I???ve tried, which I think allows it to stay so articulate. This isn???t a flubby amp. The jury???s still out on whether or not I will have Keith explore an option to bring a little more bottom into the tone when I want it (like on a switch for example). The tone is also a little more compressed than I have gotten used to from my Super Reverb, Marshall Bluesbraker combo and AC30, but that???s also part of what makes it sound cool. Ironically, although many do, I don???t use compression with my other amps because I always find the effect too audible. This amp???s compression seems more than inaudible; it seems integral to the design. I do a lot of recording and the best way to sum up the tone and dynamics of this amp is thus: turn it on, throw a mic up, play. It sounds, without ANY processing, exactly like what I end up having to do to my other amps with compression and EQ to get them to fit into the mix. If this appeals to you, this amp???s a winner.
The clean channel ranges from glassy and articulate, to the fullest, warmest articulate overdrive as the Master comes up. Speakers make a huge difference in this regard, but you are still going to overdrive the power section somewhat differently depending on the guitar you choose. The tone is not as ???gnarly??? as some vintage single-channel amps, but then that was the point of the design 35 years ago. You could play it clean all night and be very happy. Think John Mayer???s Continuum tone and you are in the ballpark.

Kick in the OD, and this is a whole ???nother thing. Everybody thinks about, talks about, and subsequently goes for Larry???s and Robben???s tones (look ???em up if you don???t know). This amp does that. At least, the amp part. Those guys rule, no argument. What really surprised me about this amp however, is how much it ROCKS! This is a rock machine. My guess is that more guys in southern California in the 70???s and 80???s who played Dumble ODS???s were rock guys than were jazz guys, but I???m only guessing. My favourite Dumble players are guys like David Lindley, Lowell George, and the highly under-rated Rick Vito. That???s Vito on Bob Seger???s ???Like A Rock??? solo and Jackson Browne???s ???Boulevard??? among many other hits. These were the tones that inspired my quest and I???m happy to say that this amp has helped me get there. The best news of all, however, is that I can get these very special and personal (and previously elusive) tones but when I plug into it, I feel like myself. I hear myself.
If you are looking for Nickleback, get a Mesa. Everything else, this works. I can get a dead-on Lukather ???Hold The Line??? tone with a Les Paul and actually a surprisingly respectable Angus Young tone out of it. Again, speaker cabinet and guitar make all the difference. Don???t ever forget that.

Not a single problem. I wouldn???t worry about gigging without a backup. To be fair, it???s only been about 6 months, but no problems in that time of any sort.

Tops. Keith McNeill is there for me whenever I need him. He supports his products. Satisfaction guaranteed.

I have been playing for 24 years and playing professionally for the last 15 (or more). I am an odd combination faithful traditionalist and progressive pragmatist. I like my Stratocaster to have 3 medium-low output, scatter-wound pickups in it, but only if that sounds the best. I have a straight up vintage style Les Paul (which I plan to be buried with (kidding)), but I also love my Steinberger Trans-scale Synapse with EMG???s and no headstock. Suffice to say, they don???t sound the same. I LOVE my Clara amps late-???50s Fender Deluxe clone (my coffin is going to be full) but I also like my little 60???s 5 watt Supro. As my playing has improved, so has my ear, and find that I have sought equipment that embodies tonal quality over all other attributes (colour, shape, smell, etc). I am not a gear trader, gear slut, nor am I a gear snob. I have owned my share of stuff over the last 20 some odd years, but have been reasonably consistent about always trying to go for the best I could at the time. This is sounding awfully quantitative all of a sudden, as if there is a ???best amp ever??? or something. I don???t think this is so. The 2 things I want to emphasize in the end are the distinct tonal SIGNATURE of this amp, which I believe comes out of the design, and the distinct tonal QUALITY of this amp, which I believe comes out of the attention to detail in the manufacturing, and the quality and suitability of components used. Considering the personal nature of the whole ???custom build??? process and the ability of the builder to adjust any aspect of the product to the taste???s of you the player, this amp represents an enormous value. I am very fortunate to have chosen to forge a relationship with a builder and designer of Keith???s calibre and reap the benefits of that relationship everyday. I can???t wait for him to build my next dream amp.
I am extraordinarily happy. This is a keeper.

I just picked up my 2008 Clara Overdrive Rocket HEAD ONLY. Took to a jam. Got ready to plug in my 2 OD/Distortion pedals (Zvex and Fulltone) to play with it, but didn't need to !

Once I got the amp set up right, which was not hard, I had all I needed for my style of music (R&B, Danceable rock, the odd heavier tune). The cleans are impecable, the OD is spectacular. The only knock I will give this puppy is that the boost is a true BOOST - it can really give you a jolt. I do wish I could adjust it down a touch, but rather than worry about that, I just turn my guitar down (what a concept, I know, I struggle with it...)

The amp is used for practice, jams, and gigging live. With 6V6's, it has plenty of power and versatility for all 3... With 6L6's it screams. The only pedal I use with it is a Diamond Memory lane for a bit of slapback.

My Strat with Vintage Vibe strat pickups sounds beautiful through this beast. I have plugged it into an Eminence Cannabis Rex and a Jensen p12C, both of them love this head.

The key to this amp is that every note, every harmonic, every overtone, shines through crisp and clear at all volumes, on both clean and overdrive.

I have 3 other Clara amps, all great for their individual purposes, but this one is just the icing on the cake. When you are recording, it's nice to have a champ, or a deluxe, or a class A, or an 18 watt available to you, for those unique sounds. But for sheer variety and tone, this amp takes over. It will be my main amp from now on. Maybe I should buy a combo ?

I would play a gig without a backup, this amp is solid. HOWEVER, that said, my own personality would not let me play a gig without a backup ! I know I'll never need it, but I always have one ready, as well as a spare tubeset.

I don't expect this amp will ever break down, but if it does, I fully trust Keith at Clara to back it up - he always has.

When you deal with Clara Amps, you deal with Keith. Other than the 5 I have purchased personally (of which I still own 4), I have also recommended these amps to many people, and almost ALL of them have purchased at least one, sometimes more.

Keith backs up his work.

Playing for 25 years, have owned about 20 amps in my life, including some great vintage gear (mid 60's AC30, 1959 Tweed deluxe, 1962 champ, 1967 bassman, etc...). When I got tired of worrying about the vintage stuff getting damaged, I looked for someone to build me something that sounded the same or better, but that I didn't mind gigging with. Clara amps filled that void for me. If this amp was stolen, I would replace it immediately, no questions asked.

I have compared this to quite a few other amps, and have found nothing like it in this price range. Most custom amp shops have ridiculous margins, because they know that as soon as they get a key artist using their product, it's value increases. Clara has some great western canadian artists using his gear, but the price still remains reasonable. Well worth every penny. If you are in Canada, this is a great option for you to get great value. If you are in Calgary, you have no excuse !!!

2007 OverDrive Rocket.
2-channel, 50 watt combo w/ 1x12 MojoTone Greyhound speaker. I've used it in 3 very different musical settings. With a rock band doing everything from James Brown and Motown to AC/DC I used a Music Man Silhouette. This is a combination I've used several times and plan on using as my primary rig for this type of date.
I recently used it on a bebop jazz gig with my trio and found the timbre great. I've always had a hard time getting higher frequencies to not sound harsh with playing jazz and often end up riding that fine line between the big jazz-tone and getting too muddy for note definition. The Clara has beautiful highs that sing, not shout.
Also recently used it on a recording session playing both Blues and Fusion on a Gibson 335. These recordings may turn up on Keith's site as audio samples for the ODR. The samples sound great, but still don't compare to what you hear standing in front of this amp! It truly makes playing natural and easy. Sweet, resonant and full of touch-sensitivity.
The channel switching between clean and OD is very useful and comes w/ footswitch. The only function on this amp I don't end up using is the Preamp boost for the clean setting. It takes away the rounder frequencies and the boost is too much. The boost on the OD channel is great. Just enough boost to cut through and the tone is still sweet.
The 50 watts has proven to be enough for the gigs I've done so far. If I end up playing a stadium size show, there is an extra speaker output I had Keith build into the back of the amp. Did I mention this is a custom-build? I specified a 50-watt combo setup w/reverb, extra speaker output and remote footswitch w/channel switching and boost capabilities(although I think the footswitch option is standard with most of Keith's amps).It's all tube and hand-wired, Keith does everything from the chassis to the cabinet.

I've used it with solid-body, full and semi-hollow-body guitars. This amp sounds great with single-coil pickups and double-coil. I have a couple of guitars that are a bit fussy with it. A Tele with Duncan Antiquity pickups doesn't like the neck-pickup setting. The low-end gets a bit muddy. I have another Tele with Lindy Fralin's that the amp loves, no issues. My Les Paul sounds great with it, the 335 is awesome and my Music Man Silhouette has never sounded better through anything else. It's my favorite, most versatile guitar/amp combination.
The clean setting is very transparent and makes the guitar's natural acoustic elements come to life. This, of course, is awesome for my hollow-body guitars playing jazz. It's also great for country, blues and funk tones. The clean channel stays clean and you have to really push the amp to get the clean to break up. If you want that gainy-clean sound, this isn't the amp for you. This one stays pure and spanky!
The OD channel is remarkable. The only other amp that comes close that I've heard is my Two Rock Signature Reverb. While the Two Rock is an awesome, very complex amp, the ODR is very user-friendly. Like the Two Rock, the ODR is based on the Dumble sound. It's VERY touch-responsive and really puts you into a close, personal place with your guitar. I wouldn't trade it for any other amp I've ever played.

I've only had the ODR for a couple of months, but I've done 12 gigs and 1 recording session with it and haven't found anything that doesn't give me absolute confidence. I'm convinced this amp is built like a tank.Like a tone-throwing, touch-sensitive tank.
I don't bring backup amps. I also had Larry at Lecover.com build me a cover for it to keep it in good condition.

Keith and Clara Amps is based in Calgary Alberta. He's very committed to finding the right sound for his customers. He wants us to use his amps.
I've had it in to Keith once to talk about its performance, anything I'd like different and options. We ended up swapping out 6L6 tubes(I think) for KT77s. It really brought out a beautiful presence in the high-end and warmth in the mids. The lows are clear, though could be tightened up a bit in the low A string to low, open E range on OD channel. Keith's already on the case. He's ordered a part to rectify this and I should add that the follow-up meeting we had where he swapped tubes and rebiased was free of charge. Like I said, he wants Clara owners to have the amp they will like and use. I've also learned quite a bit about amp-building in the process.
The warranty is for 5 years and includes everything but tubes. All in all, it's a great deal if you live in town. Otherwise, you're still covered but you'll have to put up a few bucks for shipping. Keith's very easy to deal with, a great guy.

I've been playing professionally for 22 years and over the years either own or have owned a Two Rock, a Bogner Shiva, Fuchs ODS, Guytron GT100 & GT30, Fender Blues Jr., Fender Twin, Fender Deluxe,Peavey Delta Blues, 2 Mesa Boogies, Hiwatt 50 and likely a couple more that I can't even remember.
I would absolutely get another Clara if this were lost or stolen. It's the most used amp I own. I will use other amps for certain gigs, but for most of what I play, the ODR is my first choice. If I had to pick one amp from all the amps I've had, this would be it.
I'm hoping that somewhere down the road Keith will find a way to make the clean channel boost a bit more useable. Other than that, I wouldn't want to change a thing.