Peters Amplification Custom Dual Channel 50 Watt Head

I really don't write alot of reviews so here it goes. This thing has all the features a channel switcher could have except a solo button. It's a 2004 older/shorter head style, Gryphon/Halo channels. The website should tell you all the details, too many to mention. Very impressive.

Sound quality is very good but it needs just a little help IMO. Each channel has its own completely independent effects loop. I run a BBE in the Gryphon/dirty channel to give it more balls, and a 10 band EQ for the Halo/clean for more sparkle. In both cases I just add a tad of the effect for flavor without over coloring the amps true sound. Works for me. The only thing with 2 loops is that you have twice as many cables running across the floor so don't forget the tape.

If you have the drive on the dirty channel past noon it does get a tad noisy but not too bad. The only thing that bothers me is that the footswitch has a considerable "pop" when switching. Probably when you play at a good volume you wont care about it.

This thing is built like a brick house inside and out. No issues so far.

I called James himself and he was very cool to talk to. I only wish he didn't live in Canada because I was thinking of sending the head to him for an update, if the shipping isn't a killer I still may do it.

I've been playing for 20 years and always wanted a boutique head. This thing is as solid as they come down to the last detail. The inside looks damn near like a work of art. I've owned only top notch amps and this is right up there with the best of them. Its just different from the 800's and rectifiers I've owned. Just needs a little spice.
If it were stolen I would have to hurt someone. Great amp.

This amp was made this year in 2005.

It is very versatile, I have the Classic Overdrive and the Modern High Gain 2 preamp modules. It can go from death metal to AC/DC to blues to clean, very versatile.

This is a dual channel amp, however there are switches on each channel that give different sounds withing the channels. For instance the Modern High Gain 2 channel has a boost switch which increases the agressiveness. The Classic Overdrive channel has a three way switch that goes from a standard classic overdrive, to kind of a clean sound, to an overdrive that stands out more and has a little more growl to it. You can switch via a footswitch between the two preamp channels. It has a half power switch on the back, external bias points, a modern slash classic switch which changes the sag characteristics of the amp/tubes. It also has efx loops for channels 1 and 2. This baby uses 6 preamp tubes as well so the two cahnnels are really seperate.

I use this amp in my home studio, it has plenty of power.

It is using two EL34 tubes and six 12AX7 preamp tubes.

I am playing mostly heavy stuff to alternative heavy with an EVH Wolfgang, a Petrucci, an Ibanez Destroyer.

It suits my musical styles well, that is why I bought it. Notice I said styles, I play anything from AC/DC to out and out Death Metal, plus occasional like to play a little blues and clean stuff, this amp will do it.

The Classic Overdrive is really quiet, however the Modern High Gain 2 channel a little noisy, but no more than all the other high gain tube amps I have tried. That is what my noise gate is for.

This amp is really versatile and can go from a decent clean sound, even though this is not the clean channel design from Peters, to classic AC/DC distortion to Slayer type of distortion.

Yes they are built like a tank. I did have a little problem with my amp when I first got it, but it was not due to anything James Peters did. One of the resistors failed in the amp and James said that had never happened before, just my bad luck I guess. However James took it back replaced some hardware parts on it for me free of charge and completely redisgned the amp. He changed out the Modern High Gain cahnnel to the Modern High Gain 2 channel. He also removed the clean channel for me and replaced it with the Classic Overdrive Channel. James did all of this for free since I had a problem, what a great guy to deal with. So to me, that resistor messing up worked out great because I got an amp that suited me much better and kicks arse.

James Peters is a great guy to deal with, he is nice, extremely knowledgeable and strives hard to please his customers.

I had a repair done and James was awesome, he completely redisgned the amp while he had it at no additional charge.

Since these amps are hand built in Canada that is where you have to send them, back to James in Alberta. That is a little bit of a bummer due to shipping charges. But to me the trouble is worth it to own this amp.

I think my warranty is 2 years if I am not mistaken.

I have been playing for about 26 years total.

If it were stolen I would probably order another one.

I love the versatility this amp provides and the tone is awesome. I hate that if it messes up I have to send it to Canada for repair.

I compared it to a Framus, a Genz Benz. I did not care for the Genz Benz El Diablo and the Framus Cobra. I liked the Peters due to the fact it was a 50 watt head. The Framus does not have a half power switch and I don't need 100 watts for my bedroom.