Peters Amplification Custom Dual Channel 20 Watt Head

Amp was made in 2004. I grew up on 70's and 80's hard rock and metal. This amp suits those styles to a T.

The Dual Channel, like its name implies, has two channels that can be switched via the supplied footswitch. Which two channels it has is up to you. This particular model has the Classic Overdrive and Modern High Gain 2. The modern high gain 2 is no longer it's own stand alone type. It's now a subset of the modern high gain line.

You have the option of zero to two effects loop. My amp has one effects loop shared by both channels. I purchased the 20 watt model because I mostly play at home. I have no need for massive amounts of volume. The 20 watt configuration gives me plenty of overdrive at a volume that is loud enough to jam with friends, but not so loud that your neighbors will call the police just as the amp is reaching it's sweet spot.

In addition to the standard tone and volume controls, this amp has some other features. The back has a low power and vintage/modern voicing switch. One thing I feel all amps should have are external bias points. Just plug your meter in and bias your tubes. No need to wait for your tech to do it. The front has a toggle switch that allows you to adjust the depth control or a damping control.

I play this amp with a variety of guitars with both single and humbuckers. I have never had an amp that allows each guitars tone to so clearly come through. It's very easy to hear each guitars voice. Both channels clean up very well by rolling the guitars volume knob back. Even the high gain channel gets really clean. Also, there is a toggle switch on each channel that allows you to adjust the gain. There is a large overlap of tone between the toggle and pre amp settings, which I like.

This amp easily cover most any classic rock and hard rock styles. It also smokes on metal tones, but not all styles. It's not really a dual rectifier sound.

The high gain mode on the Classic overdrive channel and the modern high gain 2 channel both exhibit noticeable hiss, even when my guitar cord is not plugged in. I have never owned any other high gain amps, so I can't say if it's more than should be expected.

I am no expert on reliability and can't say how reliable it will be just by looking at it. Only time will tell. I can say all the hardware seems solid and high quality. The amp cosmetics are perfect. It appears to be a solidly built piece of gear.

As good as this amp is, the support provided by James Peters is even better. I purchased my amp used, so I had some questions and emailed James. I wasn't really expecting much in response. I was amazed by how fast, detailed and friendly his replies were. He took his time to answer all my questions. He even informed me the amps warranty was transferred to me. Schweet! I would easily score this a 20 if I could.

I have been a hobby player for 25 years. I buy and sell a lot of gear. This one is a keeper. I would easily buy another if this was lost or stolen. I plan to buy another one brand new from James in the future.