Ugly Amps Ugly 18 6v6

This amp is a prototype head of steve's very cool all tube, hand built 18watt using 6v6 power tubes instead of el84's. (I didn't enter a price b/c it is a prototype model, but rest assured that any production model Ugly amp is easily worth twice what you would pay for it.) It has two channels, normal and bright, each with its own input. The beauty of steve's circuit is that the channels are perfectly voiced and not cluttered up by extensive and unneccessary eq and gain sections. I play soul-jazz-funk-blues-r&b. I can get every tone i want from this amp using only my hands and guitar. I've played small clubs/bars both inside and outside (unmiced)with this amp, and it has plenty of juice. I give a "10" for features because there are no unnceccesary bells or whistles which get in the way. I also know from personal experience with steve that if I wanted additional features added to this amp, he would accommodate--he is a very cool and creative amp designer!

No buzzy, fizzy preamp gain here--pure power tube clipping. With both channels dimed this amp can cop the duane allman thing. normal channel has all the sparkle and warmth of a fender deluxe it can get a little hairy like a tweed or back off the pick attack and get sweet round (but still bright)cleans like a blackface--blend in the bright channel and things can get a little "voxy" (although the el84 version naturally has more of the vox characteristics.)

Don't think that this amp sounds exactly like those old classics, though-I bought it because it has those classic tube amp qualities, and is a unique and very simple, user friendly interface with steve's own ideas about how an amp should be built and sound. This includes enough "transparency" that I can switch guitars without switching amp settings or having to compromise on amp settings to get two different guitars to work.

I haven't had the amp out on the road long enough to speak to long term reliabililty, but i regularly gig with it--no backup, no worries. (but like i said, i'm a "working musician" no roadies or doubles, just amp, guitar and a couple stomp boxes)

Warranty? Steve designed and built the amp--he'll fix it. period. I have had the pleasure of having long email and phone conversations with steve both before and after i purchased this amplifier, and it is clear to me that he cares both about the level of quality of his product and my satisfaction with it. This amp was a prototype model with 6v6's and after i received it, and played a couple dates, it wasn't quite how i envsioned it would be--steve listened to my concerns-payed to have the amp shipped back to him--made some changes and payed to have the amp shipped back to me-new and improved-EXACTLY the sounds I was hearing in my head! No buyers remorse here-I couldn't be more pleased with this piece of gear, or the customer service of this company.

I've been playing for more than 15 years--I use this amp for live and studio work with a variety of guitars and stompboxes. If this amp were lost or stolen, I would not be able to replace it b/c it is one-of-a-kind, but you can bet that Steve would be getting a phone call from me about my next one-of-a-kind! I tried out the regular Ugly 18, and it is a very sweet circuit, but i wanted the more "American" sound of the 6v6-my favorite power tube of all time :)!