Surreal Amplification V.M. 50

Switchable choice of Master Volume or Non-Master Volume circuits, switchable Hi / Low channels, three-way switchable EQ section, switchable additional gain stage, attenuation, choice of color (not sure it makes it sound any different but kinda nice to not have yet another black amplifier). Great looking - people always comment what a great looking amp it is.

Awesome! Really. I switch between this and a '78 Marshall Super Lead and while in some ways they sound like the same family, the Surreal has a faster response, is less bright, and has more gain.

The response can't be over stated. I can set up a guitar turned down to 6 with a good rhythm tone on the Surreal and then just dig into the strings harder to get a little more kick and feel. It really translates dynamics better than any of the 8 amps I own. Then roll up the volume on the guitar for your lead and you pretty much can't ask for more.

Likewise, let's say you have it set up where you are pushing the gain with some heavier rhythm tone, all you need to do is start playing the guitar lighter and you get a lighter tone. Most amps pushed harder like that become very one-dimensional at that volume.

Since I also run a small studio, this amp gets a lot of use by other folks. For clean, blues, jazz, and country, this is the first amp that gets plugged in. But it does heavy well also - crank it up and this little thing will roar.

Interestingly I rarely run it in the Master Volume mode. It just sounds so good cranked somewhere between 5 and 9 with the attenuation kicked back down between 6-9. We have been able to pull any kind of rock sound out of it.

I've also heard some pretty awesome heavy East Bay Thrash sounds come out of this amp.

The extra gain stage is intended when you have the Master is at a lower volume and comes in handy for really sweet lead tones - that thing can drive a tone.

So far so good. Have had the amp for about a year and it has a few hundred hours on it.

Jim and I had a long conversation prior to my purchase to discuss options. I got the feeling from his questions he wanted to make sure the amp matched my style of play. Seems like a great guy and has always been very responsive.

That means a lot to me in an age where good service is very hard to come by.

I think the amp is great and will buy a 100 watt head from him if they ever one.