Garnet BTO 400 Head

I think this head was made in or around 73-74.It's a single channel amp & the only features are the pull boosts on the tone & vol.circuits & a crappy sounding fuzz called the stinger.

This is where this amp shines.I've owned many tube & solid state amps over the years & I've been playing for over twenty plus & I've yet to plug into a finer amp.I realise that this is a broad statement & that I've said it before,but this time I'm very impressed.I submitted a review for a BTO head before & raved,but this head is indeed better.I don't know why,as far as the circuits go,but the BTO 400 is more dynamic & sweeter sounding.The only thing about this head that I miss,is that my 70's Big Muff sounds like crap through it for some reason & it doesn't have tremolo,but I rarely use trem anyways,but crunchy rythyms are so sweet & it cleans up real nice with a sweet top end like a Vox by just a tweak of the volume control.I use an Earnie Ball pedal that I find works better than my guitar vol.I will use my early Garnet PRO for my fluid leads as it reacts to the Muff much better & is more compressed.

I traded a Traynor Mk.III head & a 2x12 cab for it so I'm hoping that it is at least as reliable.But with my experience with Garnets I've never had a problem.

I know Gar personally & have all my amps serviced by him & find him to be a remarkable human being.

Ive owned tons of gear over the years & I play mostly blues & hard rock.I can live without the use of my Big Muff through this head because it sounds so great on its own & I use it mainly for leads & metal riffage.Blues sounds so killer with a strat that it almost brings me to tears,its that sweet.

This is around a `1973 120 watt head., It is a versatile very loud amp, with plenty of headroom, it is a straight forward amp great for almost any style, but has a knack for being a hard rocker.It uses a 4 EL 34`s, and 2 12ax7`s and another tube that drives a fuzz unit(have not checked what that tube is)

I use a Gibson Les Paul with a hot PAF type pickups and a Guild S100(SG)with stock pickups.I can alot of styles but lean towards the heavier side.The amp is very warm and likes pedals, it has pullouts for all tones controls which make it easy to dial up anything you like.I also use a THD hotplate,so I can get the amp on the edge of break up, and then kick in what pedals I`m using to make a big fat ripping tone.
It can sound huge, but it also can be sweet.
It does the old Sabbath stuff very well,but it also sounds very modern, it has to do with the great sounding trannys in it.
It rivals or exeeds many `60`s Marshalls and Laneys in tone quality...but remains with sound all its own.

Well it`s been around a while and it is a basic amp, should be easy to maintain(very well made I may say) but I`ve only just got it.
I can only give it a 7.

The people who made this amp, knew what they were doing,I don`t know much about them, except they were a Canadian company from Winipeg.
I`ve heard that the builder of these fines amps is still at it.
But I have had no contact, again I can only leave a 7.

I`ve seen Garnets from time to time and never thought of using them at all.
I just happen to plug this guy in, and was blown away.
It records the best of all my amps at this point.
I would hate to lose it, I may have found my signature tone with this thing.I have spent much loot an high end amps, I may sell a few off for extra cash, I don`t need alot them with this amp...I`m very impressed

I bougt this amp from a hippy out of the buy and sell. He sold me the head and a cabnet with a 15" JL in it. I payed $275.00 for both and let me tell you, it was well worth over 275. The model # on the back is LB400F. It has 4 EL34s and 3 of those small tubes. I just had it repaired at Gar`s shop about 3-4 months ago. The 4 el34s were replaced at a cost of $120. I really like the pull out boost feature for almost every knob. The stinger is mighty awsome as is the whole amp.

Its a little noisey because the filter cap is too old and needs replacing. The output is beyond any other amps capable output level. It easily handles the lows and is so clean and crisp on the highs, it could give you a tumor. It really plays out the deep growl of a jazz bass. If I ever had a decent cabnet that could take the tremendous power of this amp, i`d rate it a 15 out of 10 cause ive never really heard it beat on a high quality cabnet.

This amp blew 4 tubes at once. Too much power?? The only thing I stress is that you carry spare fuses (5A) because I`ve blown too many to count.

Gar Gilles is the friendliest guy ever to build and fix amps (he knows his shit).

I also own a Transistor Garnet G60 that also has increadible power. If my BTO 400 were stolen, I`d cry. Its the most powerful, heavy to carry, heavy, heavy, loudest amp Ive ever seen.

IF YOU EVER FIND A GARNET BTO SERIES, BUT IT!!