Kendrick Black Gold 35 210 Combo

As you probobly know , this is a 2 channel (clean& lead),4 input(lo & hi for each channel)amp. Two 10" Kendricks at 35 watts. Mine is a creme tolex with brown grill cloth. The amp looks real nice,especially the grill. I don't fully trust the handle but the amp is not that heavy so I assume that will be fine. The corners are plastic with 2 screws and 2 what seem to be pins of some sort.The screws are a gold color which kind of hides them. The corners are not what I expected but Metal or heavy plastic would have detracted visually. The controls are difficult or impossible to see if you are standing and the amp is on the floor, but with such simple controls you can make adjustments blind.I would not set somthing this pretty on milk crates so I'll have to make somthing. One tone control. I love this feature! After having used it, wish all my amps were the same way.
The amp is an odd mix of simplicity and versatility. Simple controls,tone and volume. But you can link the two channels with a short guitar cord ( explained well in the product literature)and a get a tone of the two channels combined. You can use an A-B box for channel switching. The reverb is footswichable (comes with a footswitch).You get the idea. The reverb has three knobs. Mix, tone and drive. I haven't played with this all that much but you can get simple or radical 'verb goin on. The reverb is nice. I would describe it as a little softer or more natural than traditional fender reverb, but that might be the way I use it. It's got a quick bias feature for you guys who can't leave stuff alone, and that is also explained well in the literature. This amp does have some printed circuits in it, and that would be a big gripe with me if I wasn't so pleased with the sound. In truth, I was expecting "All-Tube, Point to Point".This is, after all, designed by a man who has written about the negative affects they (PCB'S) can have on tone.
The cab is old solid pine. Tap the front from the inside and it sounds like a drum! It has a line out and ext. speker jack.

One of the first things I noticed about this amp was how it brought out the character and nuances of individual guitars, or rather didn't mask it with complex circuitry. I am most pleased by the way it breaks up gradually and remains musical and tone-ful into overdrive. Have you ever listened to the tweed samples in "Line-Six" or "Sans-Amp" and heard that wierd buzzy break up? I don't know what they're sampling but, well, actually I do. I've had fenders that do just that and thats missing here. This amp records very well. Every thing seems easier. Stick a 57 in it's nose and go. Another thing that struck me was how it responds to dynamics in your playing. When you go to reach for a note, phrase, chord or whatever, it's there. Very responsive. I have yet to play this beside a loud drummer, so I don't know if the 35 watts will cut it but I strongly suspect it can. It's actually pretty loud.

Can't really say. I have not had any problems in the six months I've had it.Hope that handle holds out though. Would have loved to see a nice, heavy leather handle.

My cover was on back order for a while, and there was a mix up or somthing with the order.That stuff happens. They always returned my calls and were responsive . Sending some strings was a nice gesture.
The case is a very heavy cordura, an odd design but wraps it up nice.

If this amp were lost or stolen I'd freak.I like the small company thing. Every thing these days seem like it's made on Friday after lunch. Where no one amp does it all,I hope every guitar player out there has a couple amps that let you say what you want to say. This one covers a lot of ground.

Bought this amp used (traded) and was pleasantly supprised when It arrived!

Wonderful looking amp in Brown Tolex and really cool grill cloth that the web site and the sellers pictures didn't do justice. Amp appears to be about two years old..fairly well built

Very Cool Fender Vibe thing going on here..It has three knob Reverb, Mix, Tone, Drive.. nice to be able to dial in what you want..still not as rich as my '64 Deluxe Reverb but more versitile..

Single tone control which I LIKE! Just roll it on for more high end drive which is really neat or roll back to lessen the drive and sparkle to a really usable warm tone..

Two Channels each with two inputs..Clean, low & high..Lead, low & High.

What I like about this set up is that in my living room I can get a super warm clean sound with just a tad of breakup. If I play a low powered guitar (Dano U2) I can get it happening louder in the high gain input or if I'm using a Humbucker Guitar (PRS/ LP/ 335) I can use the low gain input to even things out a bit.

Turn up the volume and the beast comes alive and is ready to rumble..

All four inputs are slightly different and have their use.. now the Good part..

In my humble opinion this amp sounds like a Tweed Deluxe in the pre-amp section combined with a Blackface Vibrolux in the Power Section. I have both real Fender amps and this seems to be the set up.

I like the suggestion that Weber gives about puting the Guitar input in the Lead high, then using a patch cable between the Lead low and Clean high..this really turns on the Tweed territory tone!

The two volumes are interactive as you can lose gain on one channel if you turn up the other too far..and you increase gain if you plug in the patch cable as in the above example.

This amp is based on a simple older amp like design..where you have basically only one pre-amp tube (using both sides when the patch cable is installed) one Phase Inverter tube and two tubes for the Reverb. Changing these tubes (pre-amp and PI) really changes the tone structure of the amp. COOL!

Now I have a bitch..When Kendrick designed this amp they wanted an amp that was more price friendly with a boutique flair..like Champange on a Beer budget..fine.. however they used a PC board for the pre-amp/reverb/driver section with quality mounted full sized parts..so far so good.. HOWEVER they mounted the pre-amp, PI & Reverb tube sockets on the board with holes drilled through the chassis to stick the tubes in... Sorry guys this is not a good design, now I know they wanted to save buckola's here but I would pay an extra $35 per socket or roughly $150 more for chassis mounted pre-amp tubes..

When you mount the Pre-amp tubes to the board they have a much higher chance to be problematic and microphonic..so you MUST use a high quality tube especially in the first pre-amp socket or you will experience the "Buzz"..(just keep a good tube in there)

Power wise I'm glad I didn't get a 50 watter this thing can crank!

Another really cool feature about this amp is the ability to bias the amp with out removing the chassis from the box. I figured out how to do it really easy as I've worked on tube amps before, but, there is no instructions on biasing in the manual and a novice might screw up a good DMM trying to bias it without setting the DMM to the right tester selection (or at least blow a fuse etc.).

Overall I give this amp a high rating for features even though they are simple and stripped down with few bells and whistles..after all if you want bells and whistles you have 10,000 amps that have knob diareaha..This amp does what it's supposed to do..sound good while you're playing and makes you for get about twiddling with the amp..

I use a variety of guitars..Strat, Tele, PRS, etc..I play clean country, blues, and older style rock (ala 60's-70's & 80's)

This amp does the country, folk and Blues Superbly! If I want to rock I use a pedal, just like all the old Fenders (except Tweed Champs!).

This amp sounds great with different pedals, I have a Maxon 808 and a Reverend Drivetrain that sounds fantastic with this amp for the older moderate stuff..and a Marshall DriveMaster for heavier Rock style distortion.. This amp does not do heavy Metal well at all or Heavier Rock ala (Bad Co./ Arosmith/ Foghat) at the louder volumes.. It does the Older Rock really well (with aforementioned pedals) in the low and medium ranges..

This amp records very well.. I've only had a couple of oppertunities to jam and it cut through the mix well..

Haven't gigged it so can't say in that invironment..

Overall in consideration for what it's designed for I give the Tone High marks!

Can't say..I haven't had it long enough, but seems real sturdy and well built..

Never have dealt with the Company. I have all the Kendrick Books and have had quite a few of their speakers in my amps with good results.

I have heard (second hand info here) that they are good to deal with but sometimes they don't want to take care of problems..I guess it depends on the day/mood they're in..

Never have personally dealt with them myself..just what other have told me..

Playing: 31 years
Other Amp Gear: Hoffman, Kjl, Numerous Fenders, Old Oahu's and Airlines, altogether about 16 tube amps and 2 SS models.

Lost/Stolen: I'd find another used one because I've never had another boutique amp do the Fender thing so well but with it's own voice..BTW I've owned a bunch of boutique stuff in the recent past ..Victoria, Top Hat, Blues Pearl etc.. this ranks about in the middle of them.

I love the tone! Hate the pre-amp tubes mounted to the board

Nice amp..if you want superbly warm clean/ slightly broken up tone on a buget you can't go wrong with this amp..but find the 2-10 model over the 1-12.. they do sound nicer

Bought on year ago last month. Just a straight forward (handsomely built), 2-channel 2x10 combo w/ 3-knob reverb. Came stock with Tesla/JJ 6L6GCs,GE-JAN Phillips NOS 12AX7WA's, and a 5AR4 Chinese rectifier. Biggest feature here is the quick bias design capability. Lets you move effortlessly between 6L6GCs, Tung-Sol 5881s, or RCA blackplate 6v6s. Replacing the 12AX7 with a 12AXT& in the first gain stage and reduces any trace of hiss.

The tone is sweet, slight compressed and sings when fully saturated (Vol=1/2). I use Guilds (Starfire III and Blues Bird) and a mid-70s strat and tele. It does the Fender thing well. However, the Starfire humbuckers bring-out the best in this amp. The black frame 10s rely heavily on high-output pick-ups for maximum performance. I would definitely opt for the 2x10 vice the 1x12. This amp accurately reproduces your instrument and the driver's abilities, and is very touch sensitive. Great for low/mid-volume blues/jazz recording or high volume blues/rock/ with or without a pedal. I am not sure I know what a 10 sounds like (nirvana I suppose), so I'll be safe to give it a 9 so as not not to insult anyone.

One year and no problems. I have moved it around town a bit, but I haven't road tested it.

Kendrick staff helpful and friendly. No sales pressure. One year warranty a little short for the price. But I believe my purchase is safe.

A good solid amplifier. Well designed and constructed. Everything nice and tight, no squeaks, rattles, or hums. There is nothing that looks or feels cheap about-it. I would buy it again. I A/B this amp with my 1963 Fender Vibroverb RI with Tung-Sol 5881's. The Black Gold dials in the VI RI tone, but not vice-versa.