Swart Amplifier Co ST-6V6se Space Tone

My Baby Swart (#48) was made in 3/8/2006. The sound is incredible. I was lucky to buy it used at eBay for $597 and the tweed is impecable. Got new tubes set just as it came new and an extra 5Y7 (OEM GZ34 JJ) recto from Mesa Boogie to play with, which MESA says ..."Our 5Y3 is a true, authentic 5Y3 NOS (New Old Stock) equivalent, modeled after the original Phillips 5Y3 and is built to our exacting specification,
especially for the Lone Star Special - This tube produces a sultry vintage sag, creating a silky, smooth feel on the strings and provides the most sag of all
of our rectifier tubes." (http://209.85.165.104/search?q=cache:DxBLVJl6WP8J:www.mesaboogie.com/Product_Info/TubeReference/TubeRefGuide-06.pdf+who+makes+Boogie+5y3+tubes%3F&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=2&gl=us&client=safari)

Power is 5W but they are to be heard by your neighbors. But unless they're tone-deaf, they all agree its good tone. I specially like the Minimalist simplicity of this amp. I DID NOT know of this amp-brand 30 days ago, but the prestige and the credentials of Mr. Swart are the opposite. Audio engineer for the Eurithmics is good enough for me, and frankly, the chuminess of the Fender Corona-Mexican Relations are scarry. I own a Signature Series 2007 Eric Clapton Strat "blackie" and that guitar sings like a mix of a harp and bells with strings mixed all in a heavenly sound. Even if you just hit 2 strings. The 6V6 is a Musical Instrument that compliments the Strat.

This amp is THE Stradivarius of Amplifiers, and its on the way to the big Audiences, Venues and Forums. I mean, why isn't it in all concerts? Raw noise and bad hearing is why. This amp makes anything sound good. I'm looking for a 60's Silvertone/SEARS Dano, that were murder to play back then, i know, my neighbor Willie had one with the amp. Noadays they can be set right. The 6V6 must extract new life out of it. Also the LP sounds great on it.

Noise? No noise, just music...the closest thing to magic....Superb sound and tone. Tone so thick you can almost cut it like butter...

This amp is built like a brick house. It is made to look old but new. It looks distinguished and calm, ready to show what it has....pureness and glory of valve sound. No diodes, no transistors, no low power 24volt, but rather high voltage tubeness. The kind that kills you if you don't watch out. But can take a spark or two and keep going, because of no PC boards to fry at the slightest touch if you bridge it by mistake. No. This is the way it used to be, and they didn't know it back then. Orange caps, old stuff, still available, but for how long?

NOS= newly (discovered) old stock

This amp is 100% NOS made to last 100 years.

Mr. Swart answers all emails and finds time to deal with you and me like we were importatnt people in the world, and loves his customers. Both big and small.

I don't think it will ever need repairs. Maybe in 20 years i'll send mine up for an R&R of them old caps and resistors that may need to be replaced for newer (NOS) ones. I wouldn't let anybody else work on my Swart but Mr. Swart or someone under his eye.

I've had it for some weeks and if it were stolen i'd die....get another Swart....same 6V6 again. Plan to be buried with it....

I have a CRATE V16 Palomino which i love, but it doesn't compare. It's like a Rolex and a Seiko watch. I'll be retiring my V16 throu eBay soon.

Built in 2007, and sounds as vintage as any Supro,Valco,etc. The tone is the the reward and your playing techniques are comlpimented by the responcive interaction of the amp.
Just a single channel, nothing fancy but tonal character.
I have to claim it to be as versitle as an amp with tens of thousand knobs,just because those amps are pretenders of tone, and unable to match the soulfull tone of this single channel.

The amp produces warm tones even when pushed. Nice creamy tones with just the right amount of natural compression. Sounds spectacular with singles or hums, but my preference is singles.
The amp is built extremely solid,and produces zero noise at idle.

It seems to be a very solidly built amp, and of all the amps I have owned in my life,I can't think of any amp I have been so impressed with in both tone and cabinet build.

No dealings with the company or Mr.Swart. I would think the product would be backed with integrity, since it appears to be built with integrity.

2006 model,5 watts of all tube 6v6 power, 1 channel, volume and tone knob plus a feedback control switch.(feedback switch is by the 12ax7 tube and basically cuts the gain some when you need headroom or no feedback-sort of like old amps with 2 inputs) Tweed covering- 8 inch weber speaker with nice black speaker cover made of good fabric. Nice hand built solid pine cabinet. Good for home and small jams or recording. Would work great miked anywhere though. 100% valve (tube) powered and rectified absolutley nothing solid state.well modified fender design from the 50's. very easy to play and get a good tone on. and oh yes tubes are facing up in a very nice looking way. And it has a nice looking blue power light jewel. looks very timeless it is a modern classic. highly portable too.

Very versatile vintage style amp. I don't think anything else sounds quite like this. It is deceptively simple at first- the tone and feel of the amp since it is so easy to play, it is truly complex in tone an has it's own vibe and feel that will surely make you wanna step up and play stuff that is over your head. It is the best sounding amp I have ever heard or played. I have 11 years experience and have tried many things over the years. It is a wonderful better than an old fender type clean to start with at volume 3 or below with dynamics and a fullness you'd expect from a much larger amp. As you turn up the volume it covers every good vintage tone I've ever heard on the way up to 11 with it's own special sweetness. Yeah it has an 11- guess 10 wasn't enough for michael swart. If you want the best clean tone and the best natural distortion tone and where it sounds like both clean and dirt at once too then this amp can surely deliver that. It has the best touch dynamics I have ever experienced. How hard or soft you pick and strum really comes through the speaker in a very 3 dimensional feeling and sounding way. It feels alive it is so responsive- you can go from sweet and soft to screaming just with pick pressure and volume-amazing. The amp would be great for anyone looking for true vintage blues and classic rock type tones-it surely is not for metal. With a decent guitar the sky doesn't even seem to be the limit to this little beast. If you don't like the way this amp sounds I would be very surprised. It has a nice rich bottom end too-never flabby. Brilliant tone and feel in every way!! The best there is for fat blues and classic rock and clean too! Michael has other tubes if you want more headroom too just let him know if you need them. he will sell you a good tested set to change or just replace with the same type what you have. He only uses the finest quality components and I reccomend dealing with him for parts. This amp is definitley a giant amp slayer, tonewise anyway. So simple and pure.

I believe it is built very, very well. I haven't owned mine very long, but it should last. Ups dropped it right in front of me, but the way it was packed and built I doubt it did anything at all-didn't dent box just rattled it when it fell but you know they gave it worse abuse than that at the ups warehouse if you know ups at all-at least no holes in the box this time. Works and looks great so what could I say. Just you know they gotta make you worry a little right?
I would play out on this but more than likely would need to mic it. it is only 5 watts but still loud enough for a small indoor gig or jam depending on what else your band has I guess and how loud they are. More than likely you'd have to mic it into a pa. But it sounds very big and full for it's size just turn your back to it and see what I mean. you'll think it sounds bigger almost every time you turn around and play a while and be surprised how small it is when you look again-kinda neat.

Michael Swart is a nice guy- I haven't had any problems with my amp but he has been very helpful in both ordering and answering questions about his products.
He did what he said he would do on sending it to me so thats a big plus too.
I don't know him personally but he really seems to want his customers to be happy and appreciates you giving him feedback on his amps. I can't Imagine him leaving me hanging if I had a problem, he seems to care about what he builds and his customers.
He is a small company still I guess since he dealt directly with me but as good as his amps are I doubt you'll be able to deal straight with him much longer. These will sell big when word gets out.
I honestly don't know how long the warranty is. doubt I'll need to find out.

After 11 years I finally found what I was looking for in an amp all along.
It really makes playing fun again! No more eq knobs to waste time messing with. This amp just seems to make sense and go right where others went wrong. The tone and volume controls on the guitar and amp are very functional together so you don't need an eq trust me. Just a good guitar and cable. The tone is so complex I find myself not using effects also now. Compared to what else is available in this size and even bigger amps I don't think you can buy better classic rock and blues tone in an amp! If your guitar sounds bad on one of these space tones you probablly need a better guitar or lessons. Please try one for yourself though before you buy-since I doubt we all have the same taste in music and sounds. The amp is pricey at 800 dollars for 5 watts but I believe I got a good value because of the excellent materials used and the obvious amount of time and care put into each individual amp. Fantastic value- Wish I knew about michael swart sooner. 20 watt size with tremolo and reverb (all tube yes even the reverb and tremolo) is real nice too check it out if 5 watts is simply too small for your needs. If this amps tone and quality doesn't do it for you I would seriouslly wonder why not as long as you want vintage type tube tone. I know this place doesn't like glowing reviews and I am a very critical person (you'd know if you saw some of my other reviews) but credit is due where it's due and that's all I can say. Give the honest small guy a chance for once- you will be pleasently surprised!

I lent my friend my Boutique Tweed Champ amp that I thought sounded pretty good. He brought it back and I just happen to have my buddy's new Swart Tweed Space Tone (Baby Swart) so we did a sound comparison on both amps. The next day I put my boutique Tweed Champ amp on ebay. I could't believe what I was missing. The Swart's extra tone knob made a huge difference in the sound. The 5 watts sounded more like 20 watts with a rich thick organic sound. What a toneful little amp. For a no frills amp this is by far the best tone in a true class A amp I've ever heard. I purchased my own on ebay a week later. I like the size, the looks and most of all the tone. It handles pedals very well.

I usually play a Strat but have been playing a Gretsch 6120 (Setzer version) for the past few years. This guitar is capable of sounding great on a wide variety of different styles from Rock, Blues, Surf, Jazz and Country. The little Swart amp stays clean from 1-5 and then from 6 on up just starts to wail ala (Brian Setzer) with outrageous natural power tube distortion that puts a smile on your face. Lately I've been using the Swart St 6V6se tweed in a swing band I play in. It works great in rehearsals and puts out a strong tone against all those horn players. I'm in love with the sound of this amp. My Swart is an older one Serial # 17 and uses an Alpha volume pot. The amp starts breaking up on 3-4 and just gets insane distortion from 6 and above. I've been playing with the tone control and forcing myself to settle into using more treble. I can't believe how much bass this little guy delievers. Even with the tone up 75% it's still not too trebly. The tone is thick and full. The newer Swart amps use a CGE volume for a wider volume range which makes the amp even more user friendly. This just might be the perfect amp for those small gigs. It's toneful with out being loud. No one will ever tell you you're too loud. And you won't have to sacrifice tone for volume.

When I purchased the amp it had a blown speaker. The guy on ebay wasn't as honest as he should have been. Michael Swart offered to send me a replacement speaker but I loaded in an 8" speaker from Kendrick I had which I think beats them all. I've emailed Michael Swart a million times. He's a regular guy who stands by his product. He's a player who just happens to know how to get the best tone out of an amp. He's right here in the USA and when you call he answers the phone himself. It doesn't get any better in my book. I should mention that the Baby Swart is an extermely quiet amp.

There are a handful of amp guys out there who truly take care of their customers. They value their product that they sell and they value their customers. Each and every one. Michael Swart is one of these people. I wouldn't hesitate to send an amp back to him for repair or for a tune-up.

I've been playing over 35 years all styles of music. I've got all the old Fender amps, and some Kendrick amps. I've had Boogie's and Victoria's and even Gretsch amps. I've got a wide variety of guitars. If this amp were lost or stolen I would purchase another replacement amp. The size and tone make this a great all around amp. I don't miss the channel switching and DSP effects. This amp does what those other amps try to do, "sound great." Thanks Michael for sharing your knowledge and soulful tones with the rest of us.

This is not a feature laden amp. It has tone, volume, and a special toggle switch near the input tube to add some extra distortion. I got mine with the Weber ceramic speaker which Michael recommends.
I think you buy this baby knowing what it is and what it is not. The amp is perfect for home use, small club, and recording. I won't rate this area just so long as you know it is a simple amp with tone to the bone and not designed to be anything else.

I have played a Strat with Fralin blues pickups, Historic 335 with Lollar pickups, and a McNaught with Lollar p90's through this amp.
This amp can just about do most styles with an emphasis on blues and classic rock. It can be used for jazz if the volume is low enough. The higher the output of the pickups the more overdrive you get. Theway I used the amp was with a booster (Swart, or Keeley Java Boost) and kept the amp high, from 6-10, then just upped the volume knob on my axe when I wanted more overdrive. Sometimes I would just keep the booster on around 12-1 and roll the guitar back to 5-6. It gave very nice tones this way, and the natural compression of the amp was helped by the treble or mid boosting of the pedal. The little toggle switch really adds some grit and I think you will like what it does. The amp is very quiet even all the way up. I did make it sound better by going to NOS tubes, the JJ's are very nice but much vintage warmth can be had by going NOS. This amp is also fairly loud for only being 5 watts, and its all usable. The speaker took a few days to break in, and at first the amp was tight and a little sterile, that took care of itself with the tube change and playing the amp hard for awhile. Now it is sweet and a joy to play.

I don't think this will ever break... its really well made. Michael Swart really cares about his amps. I looked inside at the circuit and it is very well assembled with top quality parts.

At the time of this writing you can still reach Michael by phone or email. In the future he will probably need to hire a staff to handle calls and orders. He is very helpful and just a top knotch person.

I have been playing..... well way to long :-) As far as gear, its like one of everything. 12 guitars and 11 amps. I would get this again if stolen. I think it is the best of its type of amp even better than Dr Z's fine entry into this camp. I have the new Tweed version and I suggest that you get the same. Its a work of art and just a tone of fun to play. If you want a 5 watt amp you won't be sorry if you get this, especially if you use it with a boost. I now own this amp and its big brother the Atomic Space Tone, both amps are amazing.

For so few knobs it nails SO many tones...

I have always been partial to twin speaker amps. I like the air they push out, the fuller sound, all that jazz. But the Swart had all that and more. It had perfect definition from the highest highs to the lowest lows. My #1 is a 1962 Silvertone H62. Favored by jump and 50's blues nuts. Killer guitar, nails the out of phase tone that T-Bone Walker etc. got. Problem is it tends to be a bit boomy on the low end. I deal with it because in my larger band, an 8 piece jump, blues and R&B outfit, I need more bottom end and the power my Maz 18 puts out. In Hi Fi Royale it tends to be a little too boomy but the overall tone is so good I deal. Well the Swart took care of that problem. I played better than I have in a long time. I was inspired. For me the best word i can use is vintage. And I dont mean some knock-off, replica vintage. I mean this thing sounds like it came from Chess Studios circa 1955. Dripping reverb, and just the fattest swirling trem I have heard from an amp.

Seems to be built like a tank! You could easily knock a drunk bar patron upside the head and keep on pickin...

BONUS - It sounds just as amazing turning the amp around so you get the sound out of the back. Easier to get at the controls too...

And with all that it's one of the best looking amps I have laid eyes on. If it was stolen I would go on a rampage to get it back.

It has volume, tone, and a negative feedback switch. This is an All tube single-ended combo. Mine has a black powder coated chassis with a screen printed face plate that is different from the early versions with white face. Not sure, but I think Swart is not making the white version anymore though don?t count on this as fact. The power switch looks as if it could launch a missile. It has a really cool blue Jewel power light which is a blast at night. I love the tube glow in the dark. Its my only amp that features the amp and tubes so clearly. The style is totally cool, it is covered with a lacquered Tweed with racing stripes.

OK guys this bad boy is AMAZING! It?s a 5 watt Amp that just sounds awesome! This thing will smoke anything else I have for pure tube sound and distortion. Its really a little killer! It just has this thick huge warm tone that has that old crunch. You won?t believe it...and it?s quiet. This amp is perfect for recording because its only 5 watts, dead quite, but big and huge in tone, and is perfect for that Rock and Roll/Blues sound that all the rock stars pay for. I hooked a DD3 up to this baby and played some Lenny Kravitz solos. Sounded as good as Ive heard. When I unhooked the DD3 and added some reverb and played some Hendrix and then some Page it sounded just awesome! I don?t know if its the SE low watt simple but whatever it is it works

I have had the Swart amp for only about two months but so far, not even a sign of a problem. I have played it on stage and it sounds awesome with mic which is cool because its like playing a studio amp live on stage. Again I?ve had no problems with it and it seems built like a tank. So far no rattles either. Cant say that about some others in my stable. I might add another review after even more time but this thing will probably outlast my fingers. I decided to rate it NA to be fair but expect this come out well based on my time so far.

I?ve personally talked to Michael Swart and he has been very nice in helping me with what I needed. I called him and I told him what I was looking for and he actually listened to what I had to say. i.e. He wasn?t just trying to sell me what ever he had. He seemed to be really interested in figuring out what I wanted. He seems like a great guy and very knowledgeable. The times we have talked left me confident that if I ran into anything, he wouldn?t blow me off. I haven?t always had this treatment from music stores and this was the maker of the amp. The makes for the second time I have talked to the owner of a amp company and both times were positive.

What can I say for me its the best solution for my needs. Its under a grand and easily competes with all the other stuff: Carr, DR Z, Vega..all the boutique guitar amp manufacturers. If I lost it or if it got stolen I would buy it again. it has no noise. i turn it on and i?m like ?is it on?? The tone is its best trait and i can use it for recording or stage use(very portable). Its got that really cool vintage look and the design is just totally original. I?m pretty picky and I love this little amp. I waiting to see what other stuff comes from Swart as hes on my radar now. Highly recommended.

It features Volume, Tone, and a feedback switch (kind of like a grit/bright switch, you'll dig it!) Mine has an 8 inch Jensen MOD speaker which sounded excellent but you can also order it with a WEBER Signature series speaker. I deduct one point because the controlls are located on the back and while it makes the amp look super cool it kinda drives me nuts.

I love vintage vender champs and vibro champs so i was very excited to hear this amp and it didn't let me down. It gets its poweramp distortion alot quicker than my champ as you turn it up. When you crank it to 10 and engage the feedback switch, it gets this wild fuzzy compression that i've never heard on any other amp and its just awsome!

The clean tone is excellent, and its a very quiet amp. Works great with pedals to give you a cleanplatform to build your tone on.

Its point to point wired and as i looked inside, the soldering, wiring, and componants are all top quality. It will last year and years with no issues.

Michael is very helpful and friendly. I'm sure if there was a problem he'd be happy to help and more importantly since swart amp co is a small company you'll get to deal with a real person and not just a FAQ webpage like if you needed help from Fender

Its a very lightweight, reliable good sounding all tube amp. If you don't want to fool around with finding and fixing old valco, supro, fender champ, and skylark amps then the swart is a no brainer. Even though i compare it to the champ in tube layout and speaker size its a totally different beast with its own sound.

This amp, known as the Swart Space Tone, made in 2004 fits so many applications it's incredible. I play it this 5w Class-A marvel mostly at home for rehearsing and recording purposes. The amp has a single channel and I'm told is based on the Fender Champ circuit. It's single volume and tone controls are surprisingly sufficient. I find that if I crank the amp at about a 3/4 tone settings, then control the volume and tone from the guitar, it allows for the most tonal flexibility. And what really blows me away is that with a single 8" Alnico speaker, this little unit has more bottom end character than any Fender of the same category; the mids and highs are stunning.

Usually play my mid 90s Strat with standard pickups through the little devil. It's as quiet as any amp I have ever heard. With the volume up all the way, you hear NO noise whatsoever. This amp has really great tube distortion that I've not heard from such a small amp. Also the Gretsch Brian Setzer and Guild Starfire(s) sound great through this little wonder of an amp.

I have had the Swart Space Tone for only about a month. If I were still playing out, would definitely be able to use it close miked through the PA.

The Swart Amplifier Co seems to be in it's infancy. My amp arrived professionally packaged for shipment which tells me that the company is heads-up in the handling of their products. I am unsure as to the warranty, but have actually received email from the owner, Michael Swart of Wilmington, NC, a nice guy.

I have been playing for almost 40 years. I have yet to find an amp that compares to this one that is in it's limited class. If lost or stolen I'd very quickly get a replacement order in the works.

Whelp, starting to feel a little pressure, as this is the first review? Well, I have to say right up front that I just LOVE THIS LITTLE AMP! I have been putting off writing about it too long. There is nothing like it out there right now that has anywhere near this combination of style and tone in such a cool retro package. I borrowed a model to try from a mutual buddy and got off on it so much, I bought one of the first amps from Michael. The amp was made in late 2003 and I got a custom covering done with fabric I sent to Swart Amplifier Co (Michael actually did the custom covering for free - it only took a yard of fabric that I found at a funky as hell 50s style fabric store in our area).

The ST-6V6se is hand-wired, point-to-point in an attempt to go from component to component with no connector wire, the ?less is more? adage. This is actually my first new totally hand-wired tube amplifier not counting several vintage amps (which had the boards and turrets). My only other previous modern amp used a circuit board and had SS rectifiers. I wanted a new amp that had more reliability than the vintage models (didn?t need cap replacements etc) but still had the excellent tone. I also wanted something that could get that great sound/breakup at lower volume levels due to neighbor hell. It?s an all Class A, 5w single-ended, tube rectified amp in the tradition of the 50s Tweed Champ, Princeton, Supro (1- 12AX7, 1 ? 6V6GT, 1- 5Y3). It looks a lot like the Valco Supro amp of old and is totally unique in my view. This thing is BONE SIMPLE with very few thrills. The controls are in the back, my first amp like this, but I quickly got used to this. I also love the complete view of the valves all lit up! It?s one of the few amps that shows the tubes in full glow, facing upright.

My only features criticism is I do sometimes wish it had a headphone jack and one more output so I could go to a separate cabinet while running the 8?. I need to order one of those 1 into 2 outs to run my external cab. But this little thing sounds so BIG and soulful, that I really feel no hurry to go to this trouble. Mine also has the optional feedback switch to go from zero negative feedback to some feedback. The zero negative feedback position provides the best breakup; with the feedback engaged, you get a bit more compression and later breakup (it also rolls the highs off a bit). I sometimes miss reverb but adding all these features would take away what makes this amp so great to begin with? that Glorious Tone and tube distortion from a minimalist amp! I have to say the 6V6 is such a great little tube.

I got my Space Tone with the little Jensen MOD originally but have since added the Jensen Alnico. Michael suggested the little Weber Alnico but I got a deal on the Jensen from a friend. Again, this is a GREAT match!

If this little amp didn?t sound GREAT, I wouldn?t be wasting time writing this review! Besides the cool vintage style, this damn amp sounds as good as anything I have heard, especially NEW, where I don?t think it has any competition, at least no where near this cost. I admit that I haven?t heard all the latest custom amps but after looking all over the net, I couldn?t find anything at this price. It betters most of my vintage finds but many could use some work. I have preferred funky beater guitars lately but still play my USA Strat and my 65 Mustang. But I wouldn?t be honest if I didn?t say that I think some of the lesser-known guitars actually have better soul than something like the later model Strat (my Strat is a late 90s model). On advice from Michael, I picked up a mid 60s Silvertone ?Silhouette? and this thing just exudes big, ripe, tone with such robust breakup, it is mouth watering! What you lose in playing ease (the damn thing has the fattest neck this side of the offensive line of Detroit), you gain in that vintage character/tone, something many of these modern guitars seem to lack. The DeArmond pickups are GREAT for big, WARM, thick tone that makes these modern guitars sounds rather thin and sterile in my view. The Fender Jaguar style 64 Silvertone Silhouette is the paramount of big ole tone, just like the little ST- 6V6se! IT sounds larger, fatter, and with more body. Hooked up to the Swart amp, it?s one of my favorite matches as it?s dripping with ballsy body and tube soul. You just can?t find this kind of sound with most modern gear. I don?t mean to dismiss the Fenders, though. Both my Mustang and Strat are excellent with this amp.

I also have a 60s Bavarian Framus Hollow Body that is a feedback machine. You look at it, it reels off feedback! Again, I love this beast on the ST-6V6se especially when I sub the vintage NOS RCA 6V6GT Black Plate, another great rec from Michael. Although the stock Ruby 6V6GT is a very nice tube, there is nothing quite like the old valves, and the RCA Black Plate 6V6 is a beauty (thanks ebay). It?s got great breakup with excellent warmth and dimensionality. I now have a box full of different 6V6 and 6L6 options, and each has different characteristics with this amp. The RCA 6L6 has a bigger, rounder, tone but I still prefer the sonics of the 6V6. It?s nice to have the option, though.

The amp is VERY quiet which is another of the reasons why I wanted it. I have left it on by accident thinking the thing was OFF! One look at the back, and the glowing glass gave it away. I almost soiled my corduroys when I noticed I had left it on ALL night and half a day but it was fine, just a little warmer to the touch (it has a big power transformer between the output and the rectifier tube).

This amp is also the KING of late night use something I could never do with my past amps with any kind of tone. It has opened up a whole new time to make racket!

I have owned this amp for about seven months and have not had a single problem. I have played it more than any of my amps as well and left it on more than off! Even so, I will say that Michael Swart is one of the nicest guys I have dealt with and reason #1 why going with a small company has it all over the big guys. Michael has personally answered the phone every time and has even called me to ask how the amp was doing twice (probably because it was an early model). That is what I call support. He offered to add the extra jack and was going to give me a super deal on a Weber Alnico. Although I haven?t had to send it back, I know he would be there. As for tube life, I am on the original rectifier but I have tube rolled several 6V6 and 12AX7 so I am not the one to ask. So far, no rattles or strange behavior. I have played this thing at ?11? for too long to admit with no worries. So many amps rattle like a Mexican Maraca but the Swart seems good in this area.

See above! Michael is one of the best I have dealt with and very knowledgable and helpful with recs and advice. He doesn?t mind talking on his dime either. As I said above, have not had to send it back but am not worried if this comes up, based on my talks with Michael. I spent one hour talking with him about circuit design and came away knowing a lot more than did before. This kind of personal service is really rare. How often do you get the ability to talk with the designer of anything you own? He is great with the email too. Nothing but positive here.

Not much more that can be said that hasn?t been already. I recommend this amp highly and have really enjoyed my time with it. It gets the most use of any of my amps and has sort of lead to me playing a lot more lately. I had entered a down spell with my electrics and after I got this amp, I started playing them a lot more; now my acoustic sits dormant, even at late night when it saw most of the activity. I love the fact that you can just carry this little amp to anywhere you want without any hassle. I have played it outside on my porch and it has STILL managed to sound big and soulful. Everyone that comes over asks about it since it stands out so much. Also, it?s the only amp I own that I now LEAVE in the living room as it?s cool enough and a great conversation piece. I have lent this amp out several time and had to bug my friends to GIVE IT BACK! It?s an addictive little amp that grows on you the more you play. One small drawback is the length of time it took for my Alnico to break in. I will admit, this speaker sounds much better after playing it and playing it hard. A month later and it was still sounding better. The little MOD sounded great right out of the box.

Lastly, this amp has such great vintage tube sound with such nice breakup. It?s a soulful tone machine if there ever was one. It can be both biting and rich depending on your guitar, setting, and playing style, but is never guilty of that strident sound that so many modern amps have, even tube examples. This amp has also made me rethink the need for multiple controls ? this was one stumbling block but I now consider a strength. To sum up, it?s my favorite amplifier and has the most character and soul of any of my gear. I just hope Michael can keep it up!