Clark Amplification Congaree 410 Combo

The Congaree is a built-from-the-ground-up Harmonica amplifier in a 4 x 10 inch speaker set up. The amp runs two 5881's in 85% class "A" cathode biased at 40 watts. It uses a 5U4 for sag and feel and its preamp features two 12 AY7 and one 12AX7. The chickenhead knobs offer control on Bass, Middle, Treble, and Presence. There is a Bright and a Normal Channel, one input set up for crystal element harp mics and the other for dynamic or lower impedance mics. Power is Off-Standby-On config. The cab is solid pine, finger jointed, with a semi-floating baffle board. The cab is beautifully covered in aged tweed with oxblood grill cloth. The speakers are 2 x 10" special design ceramic and 2 x 10" Alnico magnet models...big sound, solid low end, very responsive mid range.

I highly recommend that the amp be fitted with Clark's "Regulator" feature that allows a 3,6, or 9 db cut between amp and speakers...giving rich, saturated tones at lower volumes. With this rig you can dial in a smaller room and still have power to spare for concert hall & large stage venues.

Clark ships with NOS tubes and can also arrange for a custom TUKI soft cover or hard Calzone road case. The amp is the approximate size and heft of a classic Fender Tweed era Bassman.

I can't say enough about the quality craftmanship and impeccable attention to detail that went into this amp. Harp players looking for a versatile, built-to-take-it rig, and one that will bring their natural tone alive without excessive, dampening coloration, should really give a Congaree a long, hard look. Mike Clark and Mike Fore took years to get this one right and their efforts pay off in an amp that truly gets it right. You can adorn your input with pedals, or not. Clark no longer offers a reverb unit on their tweed builds, so you may wish to look into a delay or verb unit. Otherwise, this one is sweet just as is.

If the amp could do all these things and weigh a bit less, I'd rate it a 10+.

I play with an array of mics: vintage crystal, CR and CM units from Astatic, Turner, & Shure (GBs, JT-30's, 707As, 430 Commando, 10D, U9S, and newer bullet style mics) as well as a MicroVox mini condenser. All work well and can be readily sussed out on the Congaree.
With a Regulator unit on board, the amp can work well in quieter settings as well as at full-tilt boogie, without or without being stage mic'd for PA. It's a quiet amp.

Harp players will appreciate being able to saturate for tone without getting muddy, piercingly bright, etc. The amp can bark, it can growl, it can play clean & sustain until long past your lungs have given up and gone home for the night. I've had it cranked to 8 & 9, standing right in front of the amp, bullet mic w/ volume pot nearly wide-open, and still no feedback....just sweet tone that will not hide your natural nuance and voicings.
And that's what does it for me, frankly. I'm truly tired of hearing harp players blaring mud and mistaking that for 'style', Chicago, Detroit, Memphis, or otherwise. T'ain't.

This rig can boogie, jump, jive, and wail with any amp vintage, new, custom, hot-rodded, or 'virtual'. My main work has been with a mostly acoustic roots band that is heavy on vocals...and this amp finds the right sound pocket quicker than anything I've ever played through.

Rock solid. Bomber gear. Mike Clark is an amp artist who builds gear for working musicians. You could put his product in a museum, but that would be a waste.
He doesn't b.s., doesn't schmooze, and damn sure doesn't cut corners.

You order through Bob at The Perfect Note (via the Clark website). Bob is a nice guy who knows his gear and will answer any question you have, as well as suggest questions you hadn't thought of asking. This is a small, handbuilt per each order operation. You put your money down, they start building. When it's done and done right, they'll ship it to you. Believe me, you'll be thrilled with the amp.

I've been playing for over 20 years. I've played through a barn full of vintage, custom, new and boutique amps, pedals, mics, PAs, etc. I own a few smaller vintage amps, too. If my Congaree was swiped, I'd beg-scratch-borrow to get another one. I love the way it sounds, the way it gigs, the way it looks. IMHO it outshines the Sonny Jrs, the Harp Kings, the Victorias, the vintage Fenders, the blah, the woof, the ya da ya da.