Product: EKO Prince
Price Paid: UNKNOWN
Submitted
12/27/2006
at
11:19am
by
Jan Willem Eckhardt
Email: jw<dot>eckhardt at wanadoo<dot>nl
Features
:
7
It's build around 1970.
It's a two-channel 25W tube-amp. It is not possible to switch between channels.
Channel 1: Vibrato (intensity+speed settings), volume, "alti" - high, "bassi/medi" - bass/mid control
With a footswitch, it can be switched on/off.
Channel 2: Volume, "alti" and "bassi/medi" controls
It has 4x 12AX7 in it. 1 for the vibrato, 2 are used as pre-amp tubes, 1 is used to split the signal to the power-amp tubes.
Poweramp: 2x EL84.
It has no standby-function. After turning it on, it will be playable in about 15 seconds.
Came originally as a 1x12 combo, closed back.
I use it as a practice-amp in my appartment. It is also sometimes used as a clean/bluesy amp on stage.
Modified this amp, so it can also be plugged in into an old '70's 4x12 cabinet.
Sound Quality
:
10
It has an extremely transparant sound, but the tone-controls do have a lot of effect.
It amplifies the signal exactly. You can hear the diffence between any guitar plugged in. You can actually hear huge differences between pick-ups and single/humbucker pick-ups used.
No build-in distortion. With hot pick-ups, it is quite easy to overdrive the first pre-amp stage. Since the volume-control comes after that, using a little booster-pedal can give some great bluesy/jazzy sounds
I use it on a Gibson Sonex with Zebra-humbuckers, a Epiphone SG with Seymour-duncans and a BC Rich with single-coils.
Also used on stage with some Fender Strats. Great for early brit-pop sounds.
To get the sweetest sounds, you'll need a guitar with hot pick-ups. But if you want crystal-clear clean at a low-levels, or even at a nice back-line volume, then it works great too.
Btw: Backline-level means: Turn the amp up to about 2/3 to 3/4. It is then just loud enough to be heard on stage, but it needs to be mic-ed to get everybody else to hear it!
Reliability
:
4
It's an old tube-amp. Sometimes, a cap blows. Sometimes, it hums a little or makes some loud popping noises.
I have had a channel failing on me during a gig, but luckely it has two... Still, it needs a back-up amp, just in case...
Customer Support
:
No Opinion
Overall Rating
:
9
I have played for about 13 years. I'm also working as a sound/light-technician in a theater, we occasionaly have band-nights.
I also play a Peavey Bravo 112 and a DanElectro Californian 100W head.
Pre-amps: Mesa Boogie V-twin, Rocktron Gainiac, Boss ROD10, ART SGX2000
I just LOVE the extremely warm sound. Dim the lights, and you feel instantly at home.
If it were stolen, it would be easily traceble. It's the only EKO-amp I've ever seen. Even now, I am looking for a back-up. Just like my other main-amp (Peavey Bravo), it is impossible to find one however...
