Demeter TGA-2 112 Combo

A BIT ABOUT DEMETER: James Demeter is something of a ?tone-circuit guru? in southern California, and instrument amplifiers are just part of his array of products. A studio-owner friend considers his Demeter tube DIs to be ?magic bullets?, and my James Tyler strat-style is equipped with his active/mid-boost preamp, which manages to make a great guitar sound even better.

THE BASICS: This 2004 Demeter TGA2-112 is a 100-watt tube combo amp, featuring 4 6L6 power tubes and a 12? Celestion Vintage 30 speaker. There are two channels (clean and dirty), both of which have a gain and master volume control. The dirty channel can be switched between ?edge? and ?solo?, making it sort of a 3-channel amp.

The top panel controls include a set of global EQs--?terble? (sic), ?middle?, ?bass? and ?presence?, as well as a buffered effects loop with send and return controls, and three switches that select clean/dirty, edge/solo and bright on/off (the former two can also be accessed by a foot pedal), as well as power and standby toggle switches. THIS AMP HAS NO REVERB.

The underside of the amp, accessible from the back of the cabinet, is essentially a second control panel, which includes: 4-, 8- and 16-ohm speaker outputs; a knob for controlling the gain between the ?edge? and ?solo? settings with a push/pull pot that activates a gain boost in the ?edge? setting; a two-position toggle switch that selects either ?Pentode/full power? or ?Triode/half power? ( turning off one of the pairs of 6L6s); a three prong ?shroud? power jack (for connecting to a computer-style detachable power cord) and a dip switch that can select either 110 Volt (US) or 220 Volt (International ) current; and send and return jacks for the effects loop and a jack for the footswitch. The lettering on the back panel is written upside down, apparently for those reaching over the top of the amp from the front; regardless, all backside controls are very difficult to see even in normal light, and impossible to see in stage light; a flashlight should be kept nearby on gigs.

The construction of the chassis is unusual. The amplifier section is bolted to a heavy-duty back panel, which is then attached to the cabinet with large screws with wide metal washers. The controls face upward and the tubes point horizontally towards the front of the amp, rather than vertically. (Because of the angle of the tubes, the speaker is set off-center.) A black metal grate on top of the amp vents heat; anyone who purchases this amp should immediately rid themselves of the habit of setting their glass of Miller Genuine Draft on the top of the amp--for reasons that should be obvious. This design precludes a heavy-leather handle (which I would have preferred to the stock rubber one) because the panel of wood between the control panel and the vent is not wide enough for the feet of the leather handle.

The amp is finished in a Marshall-esque brown with gold trim, control panel and grill; its unusual design not withstanding, this is a very attractive amp.

A BIT ABOUT ME: My own take on amps is different than most other users in that my true passion is jazz. While I do own equipment more commonly associated with jazz--hollow-body, Polytone--my personal sound is based on a solid-body--a Tyler tele-type with an alder body and Lindy Frailin humbuckers strung with .012s--though a tube amp, usually clean but occasionally with varying degrees of dirt. I also play some shows and sessions that require great sounds at reasonable volumes.

SO WHY THE DEMETER?: Oh man, is this a great sounding amp! The basic tone is warm and rich, with tons of personality and a ?burnished? quality. Demeter describes the circuit as being a cross between a Fender Bassman and a Marshall; not having owned either of these amps, I can?t speak to that, though the clean sound is definitely Fender-ish.

Following is more detail; I hope it?s useful info.

POWER TUBES: The 6L6s were once ubiquitous, but it seem that British-style ?valves? largely dominate current ?boutique? designs. (Is everyone just trying to redesign the AC30 or 50-watt Plexi?) The ?chime? or ?grind? of EL-34s or -84s is fine for what it is, but it is not my cup of tea. I much prefer the ?American? sound, with its smoother mid-range (certainly much better for jazz and the pop I play).

THE ?SAG?: Demeter?s circuit has a slight but noticeable ?sag?-- a feeling of having been thoroughly broken in, almost like a gentle compression. By his own admission, the power circuits are a bit under-powered, in a good way: the 50-watt designs are more like 43 watts, and the 100-watt version closer to 85. The amp can produce remarkable sustain, even when played gently through the clean channel--something I had never experienced in an amp before.

My fear was that such a ?soft? circuit might be slow, mushy or inarticulate--death for jazz, or any linear soling. However, the TGA is anything but; in fact, is very accurate and articulate, and responds extremely well to a wide variety of attacks. (Amps of this design, of course, reward skilled playing and are a bit unforgiving of the opposite. ) That Demeter could balance these two characteristics in the same circuit is really remarkable. This amp is truly expressive and tactile; it has a ton of ?feel?.

GLOBAL EQ: Whether or not the global EQ is a good thing depends on your perspective. If your dirty sound is radically different than your clean sound, then this might be a problem. If your dirty sound is an extension of your clean sound, as mine is, then this works perfectly well; it?s easy and straight-forward, and keeps the signal path relatively simple, which is good for tone. (Remember, even the best EQ pot sucks a smidgen of signal.)

The EQs are voiced very musically and, befitting a vintage-type circuit, have a reasonably wide range of tones. The amp does have an inherent mid-range characteristic which can?t be totally negated; this is not the circuit for sucked-mid metal but, y?know dude, so what? I generally leave most of the controls at 12:00 except the midrange which I keep at about 9:00, and then turn the bright switch on or off depending on whether I?m going for a pop or jazz sound. As I mentioned before, this seems to work great for most gain configurations. This amp is not freakishly versatile--it?s not designed to compete with modeling amps, like a Mesa Road King--but it has more than enough flexibility for my needs, while staying true to it?s personality--and sounding great, not just good.

GAIN Being mostly a clean tone player, I probably use the gain characteristics less than most users will, but they are there when I need them, and are terrific. Though I don?t use them for dirt, the gain/ master controls on the clean channel are a neat idea. The gain knob for the ?edge? setting, located on the underside of the chassis, is a bit tricky to adjust (I?m still getting the hang of it) and very tricky just to get to (don?t plan on making adjustments on the fly), but does add ev

This amp appears to be very rugged. The plywood cabinet is very solid, and the large rubber feet give it a secure feeling. All the parts seem very stable. I have not, nor do I need to, put it through brutal use, but it has held up beautifully so far, and I don?t anticipate any problems. Tube amps certainly require diligence and upkeep but, as we all know, they?re worth it.

Dealing directly with the company, and having them patiently listen to my needs, is part of what one pays for in an expensive amp. Adam, the business manager, was extremely pleasant and helpful; he sold me the 50 watt version with the understanding that I could upgrade to the 100 watt version if needed to with only the difference due, which is what happened. I may yet bug them a bit more if I want to try another speaker. I am quite confident that they will back their work.

I ahve been playing for almost 35 years, and professionally for over 20. Recent amps have included a Mesa-Boogie Studio Preamp into EVM 12Ls, a ?68 Fender Deluxe Reverb, a Poytone Mega-Brute and an AER Compact 60 acoustic guitar amp. I was looking for a straight-forward combo amp with the warmth of my Deluxe and the power and versatility to retire the ol? rack. I really don't need the effects and the stereo, and was sensing the inherently sterile quality of even the best-designed solid-state guitar power amps. I was also tired of schlepping around a 100- lb, 10-space rack, two EV cabinets and a pedal board--it's no longer the '80s, an I'm now in my '40s.

I had no real enthusiasm for purchasing a "boutique" amp, partly because of the cost, and partly because amplifier manufacturers are clearly not designing amps for the type of player I am. I was, though, intrigued by the idea of a beefier, more versatile version of the my beloved Deluxe Reverb, but found that even the double-power 6V6 designs were not powerful enough for my headroom needs. (The Tone King Meteor 40A had the best sound of that bunch; the Carr Slant 6V was much more versatile, but had a surprisingly scratchy, harsh midrange, not at all like my Deluxe.)

When I decided to look at 6L6 amps, I was surpised at how little was available, for reasons that I mentioned earlier. I respect Mesa a lot, and credit the Studio Preamp with keeping my old rig sounding at least close to a great basic amp sound, but I wanted to go a different direction.

The TGA2 is no lightweight, probably a solid 65 lbs. In fact, I gave myself a hernia lifting it--but only because I lifted it it (once!) very improperly, with the handles of a large duffle bag I was using in lieu of a case or cover. (Hint: don't do this.) More to the point, the TGA-2 is not only much louder but has a much bigger sound than my Deluxe Reverb--and is clearly more rugged--and has enough versatility to cover a wide variety of gigs. Best of all, as I have mentioned, is it's superb and distinct tone, which records extremely well and provides an inspiring sound for live gigs in jazz and other styles. Yes I would replace it, even if meant I couldn't also afford to replace the Deluxe destroyed in the same hypothetical catastrophe.

After a magnificent entree, salad and dessert, it seems a little picky to complain about the coffee and bread. But peripherals are important, and there are a few things Demeter could improve. (Remember, this is not an inexpensive amp.)

DETACHABLE POWER CORDS: Love?em or hate ?em, detachable power cords are here to stay. In some ways they make sense: unlike permanent power cords, damage doesn?t necessitate an expensive repair. And, with a flick of switch and a switch of the cord to Euro-type, you?re now rocking Luxembourg. The problem is that most computer-style cords (with the female ?shroud? type connector) are not built for the same wear and strain that amplifiers take. (Think about it: how often do you unplug your PC or printer?) The included power cord didn?t appear to be any great shakes, certainly not as reassuring as the rest of the package. Forget about finding a better one at Office Depot. However, I purchased a longer, heavier duty cord with better strain relief and a right angle shroud plug at a specialty electronics store for only about $6, but it was a hassle to find. Including a beefier power cord would be more reassuring to Luddite guitarists who habitually resist change, and only negligibly more expensive.

SPEAKER CABLE: Most boutique amp manufacturers use a visibly high quality cable to connect amp to speaker. The wire in the Demeter appears to be from ?the spool out back?. I say ?appears to be? because it could very well be just as good as Monster, etc.--but if it is, they should say so: ?We believe our own Smegma? Brand cable to be superior (yadda, yadda, yadda...)? Or just use Monster or other brand-name cable.

COVER: Amp covers re