Kendrick Black Gold 50

The Black Gold 50 is class a/b using 2 el34 power tubes.
3 knob reverb adds lots of versatitlity to the effect.
single tone knob is still pretty good.
4 individual inputs for higher gain is strange, but they really work

Makes me sound like SRV. Really like SRV. Scary.

Also roughs up into marshall land.

3D open back sound

The amplifier is basic. Tone, volume and not much else. What this amp does have is really nice sound. By using the Clean and Lead channels you can modify the sound quite a bit. I used a ABC box to run both together. The three knob reverb is to die for. I wish all amps with reverb had this much control. For the most part basic, but I think most players would be able to get their sound. I ran a Reverend box into it and was blown away. I would not buy a amp with one knob reverb again, you really have to try three knob.

I used a Tom Anderson Hollow Cobra and a Reverend Slingshot Custom through this amplifier. Playing mostly Blues I could not find any fault. The amp is clean and moves lots of air with the four ten inch speakers. This amplifier is plenty loud and it will stay clean (slight grind) with the right adjustments. It has a classic Fender tube type sound that is smooth and bright. A box of your choice would add distortion if required. The Clean side input is what I usally use and seems to work best when going to and from soloing. The Lead channel is a bit darker.

It seems well made, built like a tank. Mine is figer jointed pine covered with black tolex. I do not think you would have any problems. No problems with mine.

Very good response to my needs, which was ordering a cover. I have had no issues so no need for any service. I have only heard good things about Kendrick from other users.

I have been playing for 25 years and have used just about everything. This is my first experience with a non "Commercial" type amp. Hell this thing does not even have a serial number. I am very pleased. Nothing to hate about this amp but the weight, but I understand why it is there. I have had Fender and Ampeg amplifiers and this amp is better for my sound. I always wanted a amp with four ten inch speakers and the Fender Bassman reissue was on my list. I tried one and something was missing. Because of the reverb this amp sounds better. The construction is better too.

Made in 1999 and I'm told this one was the 'first' 2x12 version built in the 'Brazillian Canarywood'. At the time, the Canarywood cab was a $500 upgrade ( making this amp $2200 then ) and I'm starting to think it was almost worth it. Not only is it 'strikingly beautiful' but tonally the Canarywood cab just seems to have 'a tone of it's own'! I'm convinced the Canarywood cab does make a difference in the overall tone of the amp. It's very acoustical sounding. I say this because I have played the chasis through other cabs and of course the amp always sounds "great", but it's just "magical" through it's own Canarywood cab! The cabinetry work is 'out of this world' also! Now I believe, the price is the same for either the 'canarywood' or 'antique pine' cab.
The versatility of the Black Gold 50 2x12 seems well suited to many styles other than 'hard rock and metal'. This amp can 'get down to business' though. The 'three knob' reverb is delightful and the tube biasing feature is something EVERY Amp manufacturer should be offering but DON"T. There are four inputs here but no channel switching, just use an a/b box here and then you can grab what this amp is all about! Clean to mean. Each of these four inputs is distinctly different and just adds to the amps versatility.
It's the perfect "vintage amp" WITH the perfect Reverb! If I had anything negative to say about the amp here it would be this...It would be ashame to gig with this amp and have it chewed-up on the road because it is so beautiful. IT"S TOO PRETTY !
Have to go with a ten here!

I use various Fenders, Gibsons and early Deans and without exception, the BG 50 lets the personality of each guitar come through. This 'characteristic' is a must in my opinion and I judge ALL amps by it. The BG 50 excels at this and it just loves Strats! My style/tone is reminiscent of Tom Petty, Wallflowers, etc. so you know where I'm going...totally vintage! The BG 50 with the Kendrick 12's...one Black Frame and one Brown Frame delivers Fender Tweed Twin mixed with Vox AC/30 compression with a little Marshall 'Plexi' thrown in. In other words....just right! This amp even picks up AM radio...just like a vintage amp! That's always a good sign! It means simple design and 'glorious tone'. However, the amp is noisy 'just like a vintage amp'...there's always a price to pay for that wonderful old tone isn't there. Gotta go with a ten here!

Have not had the 'guts' to take this amp out to a bar yet. I'd hate to beat it up already. I play out but not all that often. Also, the thought of moving this 'behemoth' around town is rather daunting. This amp is built like a tank it would seem...very heavy as well. I don't really know what to give it here because I've owned the amp only a few months now. Guess I'll go with an eight and keep my fingers crossed!

I have had a problem with a 'rattle and or humm' when a low note such as an F, F#, etc. is played. I emailed the guys at Kendrick and told them about what it is I am experiencing and they were very helpful and seem to know exactly what the problem is. Apparently, according to Kendrick, inserting rubber grommets in the tube sockets will remedy the problem with the 'tube rattle'. They are sending out the grommets to me at no charge which I thought was pretty nice considering I bought the amp used! I'll let you know how all of this turns out in a later review but for now I'd give their customer support a nine.

I've been playing off and on for thirty years or so and have owned many amps in my day. As you can probably tell from my review, I prefer 'vintage tone' to 'modern tone'. I've sold most of what I once had...like an idiot! I still have some old Fenders and some older Marshalls and to be honest, the Kendrick BG 50 2x12 fits right in with the best of my so-called 'collection'. I feel I was lucky enough to get the 2x12 version as opposed to the 4x10 only because my favorite tones are Tweed Twins and Marshall Plexi's and I prefer the 'low-end grunt' one gets with 2x12 configurations and this amp has that in spades! Also, if the 4x10 is heavier than the 2x12 then I'm REALLY happy I got the 2x12 version. If indeed these ' rubber grommets' take care of my little problem then the BG 50 may well become my OVERALL favorite amp! It's that good!
If it were lost or stolen...first of all, too damned heavy to be stolen and if lost...I'd probably look into the Kendrick BG 35 2x12, in the Canarywood cab of course, because the BG 50 is actually too LoUd for me anymore. If I ever sold this amp that would be the reason...yes, I'm getting older! Still..it's a ten!

OK,this rig is built like the older tweeds in that it's simple.One tone knob,and beleive me with this amp that's all you need. Less is more when it comes to the tone getting from one end of the amp to the speakers in my book. Not for Boogie freaks that love multi-stage stuff that strangles the sound of your guitar.Two volume knobs. Two channels .Clean and lead. Each has two inputs,each input has a sound of it's own it seems. No channel switching but use an AB box and your there. Like the other review the three knob reverb is to 'die for'!!! I can't emphisise this enough with a 4x10 rig like mine.Four Kendrick Black frame speakers of course are included in the 4x10 rig although I will say I have thought about Putting in two P10Q's of some sort in the two top slots since I like a softer mellower top. But this is just me,you may did it as is....an it does honk!! It would have been nice to have a puss pull pot for a master like Kendrick offered on thier reissue Bassman's that you could pop in or out of the circuit but then the amp would be a little bit more I asume instead of the $1600 they go for.And Kendrick is smart here...they could have put more goodies in and charged 2100 bones or something but I feel they are trying to put the nuts in the buyers basket where it belongs,always good bizzness. I got a Kendrick anntinuator in the trade so I'm happy with that instead.Came in purple tolex and eggshell blond grill by request.Has self biasing and the self biasing feature should be on all amps and maybe some of the bigger companies will get hip to this.Then maybe not. It really is amazing and sets the avarage musician free to save on tech bills and tune his own rig with any tube he wants. Comes with El 34's in the power section.The 8 is for the best darn onbaord reverb I have ever heard.Just MHO.

Got to give it a ten because of all the differant modes of sounds I have been able to exude from this beast!! Had it for almost five months. I swear I can get several versions of plexi to bassman crunch and grind from the lead channel and still dial in the more humble sounds of a blackface when using the secound input on the lead side...or even a Jazz with bite.Since you can tune the bias yourself you can get the bias tuned for more overdrive or less in a matter of minutes ,you can do this!! In other words with some practice you can dial in a bias for more clean and tons and tons of headroom or go for a less headroom and enter the plexi zone which usually retains still alot of headroom. Amazing. I find the normal channel great for the tweed and basic Fender pro sounds....more smooth jazz here if ya want it.Add reverb to tast with the three knobs and it really takes off and swings with my Gretsch Roundup with bigsby. I bought this for the lead side mostly and when used with a tube screamer (or any other of your favorite pump box's) it can get downright scarry sounding!! I use a Les Paul and a Tele....my two favorite guitars and both real differant sounding guitars and this rig deleivers the goods with both.Also amazing.I would also say here THAT if you even condider buying one of these get the 4x10.I don't think I would have been as happy with a 2x12.Of course if you play country the 2x12 might be your cup of tea.

So far so good,still honking;-]!! Fingers crossed. But then I don't play out with it but use it in the studio. If I get an outdoor gig where I could let go I would though.Extra tubes and the usual back up kit for tube amps would come along though.

The guys over at Kendrick couldn't have been nicer. Took over four month's for em to finish my amp and send it but it was worth the wait. Got to talk along time with Gerald about the new line before I made the choice(was between a trade for the reissue Bassman he was building or the BG50 with a power glide ) so I have one from the first batch. Even sent me all the extra tubes I wanted. Comes stock with GT EL34's and I ask for Svetlana'a instead so I got the stock GT tubes in the amp and 4 matched Svetlana'a on the side...nice touch and a free book and a free video. What more could ya ask for. By the way Gerald ask me what color I wanted and I said purple and he suggested blond eggshell grill like on his older Texas Crudes and I said yaa,that would look great and it does loook killer! He wanted it to be red with black grill but I'm into purple. By the way Kendrick is offering all BG amps now in any color covering or grill you want in the last mailing I got from 'em at no extra charge,can't beat that with a stick! I guess my suggestion that he offer em like that worked,I had the gaul to tell him I hated the black yuky ones,LOL??

Get's a 9 'cause lets face it no amp deserves a 10....some guys may find it a hassle to rebiase and tune in all the sweet sounds the hard way and go for the easy fix with an amp with all the buttons and switchs but not the tone.I'd also like to say that this amp sounded totally awsome right out of the box tuned and bias at the factory so just plug in and then read the instructions on the options of biasing. I've been playing guitar since I joined a band in LA in '66 on the Sunset Strip and have loved electric guitars and amps ever since...hooked like everybody else. I've played through alot of rigs over the years. I now own a small ADAT studio and gig out a little but stay in the studio mostly. I have two Vox amps(AC30 in purple of course and a BerleleyIII) ,Fender or two(black face;-]) and just got a JCM2000 range Marshall since it seems I sold all my Marshalls when I got the Kendrick but missed 'em;-[ and use and old AMPEG porta flex amp for bass . The Kendrick BG50 really fills in the gaps....I can mimick all my favorite amps without having to buy 6 or 7 more for this place not that it doesn't have it's own sound and character.Really nails alot of Fender /Plexi road. Forget your modeling amp BS and get something like this. Dosen't have to be a Kendrick but a simple circuit with alot of sounds you can call up not by twisting a presence knob or pushing a button connected to a chain of preamp domino's but a simple circuit that can be tuned and fine tuned again and again and come out sounding a
little differant everytime. This is the magic Kendrick is selling. Your job is to spend the extra time learning how to get the sounds and find the sweet spots YOU dig. Once there nothing else matters!

Well, I guess the newness of the amp has worn off and I should post my opinion on the Black Gold 50 watter 4x10 rig. Oct 11 99,( Date Purchased). The amp is a most versatile combo. It has two different inputs, clean and lead; they are not channel switchable; you need an ABC foot switch to actually switch channels. It has only one tone knob; you can really dial in your tone with it. The reverb is to die for....(three knob reverb). It does have an extention output for another cabinet if you want to push some more air. I think one of the best features besides the tone and low end thump would have to be: the manual bias control; you can actually run any type power tube that you want; It comes stock with EL34's.

I am runing a Fat Fender Tele; with a Jazz Duncan in the neck and a Duncan vintage stack in the bridge. I run a Steinburger and Robin through it sometime; the Tele is my main axe...
I play all styles of music; I am running a route 66 pedal with it; you can get a fat brown kinda super tone; it will get that country honk; mellow jazz sounds pretty good; and even that harmonic whistle that rock dudes look for.

No problems as of yet.. I do not take a back up out; just extra tubes.

The gentlemen at the factory really bent over backwards to make me a happy customer. They did not have the case when I picked up the amp. It did take about a month to get it; but they overnighted it to me right away. They really know amps and I would recommend this amp to anyone wanting a boutique amp at a great price.

I have been playing a long time and currently play in the studio but occasionally play the club thang.. I think the amp is very well built and would but another one if something happened to it. This amp's sell for about $1600.00. I do own a bunch of other amp's; they all sound great and have there own personality. This is a great sounding amp for all of us tone freaks...