Sewell Texaplex 100

This Texaplex 100 was custom built by Doug Sewell a few years ago for Jimmy Wallace of Jimmy Wallace Guitars (www.jimmywallaceguitars.com), The Stratoblasters (www.stratoblasters.com), and the Dallas Guitar Show (www.guitarshow.com). It started as a head, but, with the attentive help of Doug Sewell, it was switched to a unique & beautiful blond & hardwood 1x12 combo that is extraordinary, in my opinion--even among all the high-priced amps I've owned (There have been a lot, and I'm not easily satisfied, by the way.)! It has the options of a great master volume circuit & a wonderful gain boost, which I understand will be standard on Doug's amps going forward. It has a custom "variable volume" footswitch, with a master of its own at Jimmy Wallace's request, that only works apparently with this amp--the fs is inscribed by hand by Doug Sewell with the amp's serial number. The amp uses 4 EL34's and 3 12AX7/ECC83 preamp tubes, currently NOS Brimars in V1 & V2 and a 12AX7EH as a phase inverter. The speaker in the combo is a Doug Sewell-recommended Eminence Texas Heat that handles well more than 100 watts & sounds fantastic in spite of its very reasonable price. The cab is a portable 19 x 19 x 19 that absolutely roars if you want it to. Volume, treble, bass, footswitch input, input, power on & standby are on the top panel while the master & gain boost switch are on the rear panel (You can adjust the mv easily without seeing it due to the type of knob--touch tells you how high you've set it.). No reverb on this one (I despise what reverb circuits do to an amp), but Doug also builds a Texaverb for reverb-lovers. When I bought this amp, those who sold it to me packed it very poorly for shipping, and it was damaged some. Although he had nothing to do with the sale, Doug insisted that I send it to him so that he could repair it, go over it completely & add all updates he's developed (some with PRS, by the way) since this amp was made. The prices he charged for his work were really, really kind. He was concerned with protecting his rep, even though he didn't sell me this amp himself. He really cares, and the updates did make it sound even better.

This amp can be very quiet with the gain boost off & the mv & preamp volume turned down. It has excellent low volume sounds, clean to plexi-type grind. For me, it especially shines with the gain boost engaged & the gain/preamp volume up---the mv at any volume, depending on how great the output desired. The overdrive sounds are fantastic--loud or low volume--and, believe me, this amp can roar! The hundred watts, though, is surprisingly manageable as it doesn't have to be crushingly loud to sound good. In fact, as I've said, it sounds great at any volume, including bedroom levels. The amp in general, and especially with overdrive, sounds amazingly robust, thick, & warm but still retains an articulate edge no matter the level of gain. This is the only amp I've owned in years that compares favorably with my beloved Roccaforte-modded Naylor SC38 & SD60 for OD, but the Sewell is considerably more versatile. If you like modded-Marshall, Texas-tone overdrive with the ability to get outstanding clean tones, too, I think there's little better than this amp. I like having the 100 watt output, though I initially didn't think I would, in reserve & affecting the overall tone even if I never come close to running this amp full-out.

It's built like the proverbial tank so I expect few problems. The cabinet is about as sturdy as you can get. Doug is great & FAST with regard to servicing, modding, etc., too.

It seems that amp builders are all from the same "stock" somehow. All I've dealt with--Bruce Zinky, Harry Straub, Guy Hedrick, John Landgraff, Doug Roccaforte, Danny Russell, Rob Pierce, Brian at TopHat, Joe Naylor, Bob Reinhardt, John Martin, David Smith of Dabeck, Doug Hoffman & on-and-on--all seem to be about the same type of great guy. Why is that? They've been amazingly accommodating, giving of their time & eager to satisfy. Doug Sewell is absolutely the best-of-the-best in this regard. I can't say enough about the communication, generosity &, most of all, the creative ability in amp building that Doug has provided me.

Even if it is never lost or stolen, I'll be buying more Sewells. I've been playing a long, long, long time. I've owned just about every amp brand made, if not all the models, and, like I said, few--almost none overall--compare, to my taste, to the Sewells. As another player put it, these are great amps that you can "gig the hell out of!" If it ever is the case that there's something I wish this amp had that it doesn't, I'm sure Doug could add it. And, finally, the prices of these amps at the moment are extremely fair--amps at 3 times the price I've owned, are not nearly as good, IMO.