John Landgraff 50 Watt Head

This is a follow up review to my first review of this amplifier. I reviewed Jim Destafney's Landgraff 50 watt head(#1) and was so blown away...I ordered one immediately. Well...I just received my Landgraff 50 watt head (#6 ZETA) in Royal Purple and spent all day challenging it. This amp does not feature any channel switching or "quick change" foot switches to announce its presence. It simply amplifies tone from your instrument and does not alter the fundamental frequencies. It does not come off weak or lack-luster in any way...just SoundsPerfect! This amp is a 4 input amp built like a Marshall/Bassman hybrid that goes further than the original design. John increases the voltage to the pre-amp to give the amp a sparkle that makes cold chills go down your spine. He as a two switches in the back that allows you to use both sides of the dual triode preamp tubes cascaded together for each of the two inputs. You can switch from normal configuration to cascaded for whatever "feel" "response" your fingers and mind enjoy. He added a switch on the front for me to have either normal preamp voltage LOW or his selected voltage HIGH so the amp is really versatile on how you want to set it up. The Bassman side is clean and lush with a High and Low input with a three way bright switch which he added for me. It had a crisp bright / neutral / lower bright that really enhances either single coil or humbuckers in a great way. The front panel is laid out just like the old style Marshall/Bassman left to right: power switch, standby, a cool purple jewel then presence, bass, middle, treble, High Treble Volume, Normal Volume, bright switch and High treble normal and low input jacks stacked and the Normal side high and low jacks.
On the back of the amp you have the cascade switches for each channel a 56k or 33k slope resistor selector which allows you to have the old Marshall sound or the Modern Marshall sound, Speaker inputs, then a switch that allows for a sweet or tunder selection. This has a warm, brown, sound in the sweet position and a booming crunch in the "tunder" mode. Next is the speaker ohm selector which John assured me that the transformer can handle 2-16 ohms even though it has 4/8/16 on the selector. Then it has a normal and triode mode switch for the output tubes to operate in either mode. Triode mode has the ability to take away some of the highs and allow the tube a different smoothness for tone. Then if this was not enough for the tone purest players...it has the ability to select either tube or solid state for a rectifier. Johns only caution is that you put the power on standby for switching the rectifier, the normal/triode mode switch and the front high/low voltage to the preamp section to preclude damage to the power transformer and switches.

I tinkered for hours moving switches around and could not find a bad tone through out the whole amp. Again, once you set your sound or input...this is what you play with allowing you to hit every riff you are inspired by. I believe having all the options makes this the most versatile amp you could ever own or record with. You have the best of Fender and Marshall in one amp that has tweaking devices in place to give the amp a greater character than the original design, plus the original design configuration. I was amazed at how much more dynamic and articulated both preamps sounded even sharing the same tone controls. This amp is to LIVE for!!! I use John Landgraff's Dynamic Overdrive and "MO-D" distortion pedal to heat things up although the Marshall side cranked has plenty of meat to carry your sound with any configuration of above switches set in any way you desire. The response and sound is immediate and recogizable in any configuration you set up. I can play rapid fire chickin pickin riffs to straight blues/country playing to hard rock with pure conviction. I have never heard an amp sing so great in all my life. I h

I played every guitar I own through it and it did not fall short of perfect with anything I threw its way. My strats and Les Paul and all my other guitars just loved what the amp did for their unique, individual sounds. I played some SRV and then some old ZZ Top and Van Halen and then Lynyrd Skynyrd with stunning similarities and nuances. Then pick attack in tube or solid state rectifier was so much fun to experience with the wide range of selections and tones. The ranges for all the tone controls are what you get..they are not tied together to where altering one effects the other in a negative way...this linear design just allows for more of everything you want and expect in tone. The gain that is natural on the Marshall side is very much Plexi-Brown sound but with articulation that allows your fingers to find every note you feel for. It coaxes you to play better and more of the notes you hear inside your head...I cannot stress this enough...it is an extension of your mind, body and soul. It has this uncanny way of knowing you and staying ahead of you while you play...very inspiring...much like flying!!

This amp will only need tubes more often than other tone sucking amp manufacturers because where most of them "COLD" bias the amp so the tubes will last...giving you a nasal, dead, feeling so their warranty cards last until the cheap tubes fail, John runs the plates at a higher voltage to give you the TONE. Johns amp will withstand EMP or brown out from a nuclear bomb without any troubles. He burned my amp in for 12 hours prior to me driving to Pensacola from Jacksonville and it was on an ready when I walked through the door. Jim and John had already closed down the store and waited for my arrival when I know they had other things to go and do...these men are the best in the business and are forever my friends. I am a fan of them as much as the business they are in and the products they sell. These amps will outlast us all!! God Bless You Both and many thanks to having the privledge to get to know you both!!!

Again, Jim Destafney and John Landgraff are a huge welcoming committee for any weary tone maven looking for shelter and a place to play out of the rain. They know tone and they really enjoy players trying out their amps and guitars...Jim will need a bigger place soon and John will need a vacation at some point...I OWN # 6 "ZETA" for life and to think there are already 22 amps ordered! I will go on vacation to Pensacola just so I can visit with them. I think their approach to the music business is absolutely fresh. Customer Service is spoken here with you as their primary concern. My hats off to the way they run business and treat people. I didn't even ask for a warranty...this amp does not need it...it is built for life...just feed it tubes and it will breathe life into you!

I have been playing for 20 years and have never experienced anything so devine in my career. If it was lost or stolen...I would cry for hours and get mine back through any means possible or order another one and wait up to a year if I had to. I hate the fact that Pensacola is 4.5 hours away and I can't be around Jim and John as much as I would like....Just like the PGA ads "THOSE GUYS ARE GOOD"

I ran a test on some friends using the natural amp gain from the 5150 IIs and running the John Landgraff distortion and overdrive through the clean side and the pedals made the amp sound better than it does naturally. It even feels better to my touch running it loud clean and when I need some sponge factor...kicking in those wonderful little pedals.... If you do not give this write-up a moments notice then you are missing the most valuable chunk of tone you could ever have...either through his pedals or his amps...I would be glad to demo or email anyone photos and I am working on some MP3 files with this amp recorded live with no effects, and with the two pedals.

This amplifier has a Bassman/Old Marshall circuit with all the whistles and bells you would ever want in an amplifier. With this amplifier I was able to cover Stevie Ray Vaughan to George Lynch instantly. I will say John Landgraffs Dynamic Overdrive pedal is the ticket to front ending his amplifier. It has a pull boost on the bright and normal channels, which can be linked without and volume decrease using the four inputs on the front. It has a Pull Plexi mod that allows the resistor that made the plexi sound so good to be used in or out. The rectifier section is switchable from tube to diode with a flick of the switch and it also has a sweet and Norwegian "TUNDER" mode....thunder from the gods...that John has incorporated in memory of his grandfather. This amplifier is not cluttered in design...just because it has all these options...you will quickly find your sound with it and set and forget it and play for hours only to realize there are so many other sounds to get. It had a switcheable PENTODE to Triode Mode which sets the ballast of how the tubes operate and respond to your touch. It also features two other switches that change the value of some resistors allowing you to dial in the old Marshall sound/Old bassman sound or newer models. This amplifiers articulates the sound to where you can control the thing from your volume knob of your guitar. Usually, amp tone tapers off when you shut the volume to ground....making the overall tone knobs on the amp sound thin and undefined.....this amp inputs in such a way that when you clean up your volume knob...the amp remains ON and ON. It articulates every nuance of your playing style and coaxes you to play better..it begs to be goosed!!!!

I play with strats with a humbucker in the bridge....and how many times have you switched to a neck pickup in a high gain setting on the fly and have your sound bottom out or get undefined???? This amp somehow adjusts to the pickups output and makes up the difference in touch and sensitivity without losing volume or clarity. This amps single note and chords are far more complex that Soldano, Marshall, Mesa Boogie, Naylor, or any boutique amplifier you have ever heard.
Most amps do a great job of loading up your signal and making it very much one dimension....The notes out of John Landgraffs amp makes you decide not to even want reverb....these notes sparkle and dance with every pick attack and subtle touch you could produce.....making this amplifier the best kept secret I have ever experienced. John is the best amp builder I have ever seen. The distortion range on this amp is great by itself...but I would recommend using his Overdrive pedal in the chain so you can play the amp clean and use the pedal for kicking it in. You will not exceed this amps personality EVER!!!!

This amplifier is built like a tank. It features a heavy aluminum chassis,Custom transformers and choke, and ceramic tube sockets...not to mention his coplaner layout inside. Everything is so beautiful inside and out....this amp is GODS choice for jamming with Hendrix and Vaughan!!!! John backs his work 100% and this amp will never be left alone once you play it and feel it and experience it!
James Destafney at Blues Angel Music in Pensacola, FL. (800-823-6302)is where you find this amazing, blazing amplifier. John Landgraff is on hand to demonstrate to you with ZERO snake oil involved...let your ears be the judge...and if you need anything to compare it to...he has 68 and 69 plexi marshalls and any amp you would ever want to try it next to his amp....you will not find a better made amplifier!!!!

James Destafney and John Landgraff at Blues Angel Music in Pensacola, FL. (800-823-6302) has it all covered. They are the best kept secret in the south...but not for long....his first 12 amplifiers are going at a certain price...and it is only going to be a few short months until it blossoms out of control and everyone will want to hock their amps on EBAY for one of these amps...I testify before the Lord on this fact!!!!!

I have been playing for twenty years and have never ever been thrilled with just plugging in and playing. I lost hope and almost sold everything I had a few years ago....this amplifier single handedly saved me in my quest for that elusive tone. This amp breathes and is so alive. I ordered one immediately and would wait 6 months if needed just to have one of the first few amplifiers. This amplifier does not compare to any overly manufactured cost cutting, tone sucking amplifier on this earth. PLEASE CHECK THIS AMP OUT and find what I am telling you to be the absolute truth...you will not be disapointed.