Product: Martin 110
Price Paid: UNKNOWN
Submitted
02/22/2007
at
05:48pm
by
David Boltz
Email: davidboltz<at>hotmail dot com
Features
:
8
Made by DeArmond (Rowe Industries) in Ohio in about 1960. 6 watts using 12AX7 preamp, 6V6 power tube, and 6X4 rectifier tube. Volume pot and tone pot. Two inputs, one is a bit brighter than the other. 10 Inch Jensen alnico speaker, replaced with Reverend AllTone 1025. Not many features, but that's what makes it sound great. This is the same amp as the DeArmond R5. These were also available with tremolo (DeArmond R5T), and in a 20 watt 2 6v6 version with a 12 inch speaker called the Martin 112. Black tolex, silver control panel, weird looking crossweave grill fabric.
Sound Quality
:
10
I play using a Mexican Strat with stock single coils, and it stays clean up to almost 3 on the dial. Once it goes over 3, it starts to break up, and the more you crank it, the more fat and awesome the tone gets. This is hands-down the greatest sounding amp I have ever heard, both clean and overdriven. It's extremely chimy in clean and has so many wonderful harmonics that it almost sounds like it has a slight tremolo sound. The distortion can't be beat. It's full and meaty and sounds awesome. It also loves taking pedals. Two different overdrive pedals sound awesome and my Yahama MagicStomp's many effects also sound awesome.
Reliability
:
10
I don't think it will leave the house much, but I wouldn't be afraid to gig with it occasionally and mic it through the PA. It doesn't seem to have ever had a cap job, and other than carrying a couple of spare tubes around just in case, I'm sure it will be very reliable.
Customer Support
:
No Opinion
No such thing since Martin and DeArmond only made amps for about a year in 1959-1960. You might check out Savage Amps, who thought enough of the circuit to build a reissue of the amp called the Macht 6.
Overall Rating
:
10
This is an amazing amplifier. The sound it generates can simply not be beat. I also have a Silverface Fender VibroChamp, and I used to think it sounded awesome. Well, I guess it still does, but the Martin sounds 10 times better. Tone Quest Magazine has written several reviews about this amp and said to "hunt one down with a vengeance" if you can find one. Unfortunately, these are extremely rare. If you ever run across one, get it!
