Aiken Invader -- quite impressive!

[cibyl]

I picked up a used Aiken Invader 18w 2xEL84 with a matching 1x12 cab this past week. I've never owned an amp quite like this,...the tone is ridiculously good. I think it has the most authentic Plexi-type tone I've ever experienced, and every guitar you put through it sounds exactly like what it is -- such a huge sound for 18 watts too. Plenty of lowend punch. Has a built in attenuator that's fantastic -- The amp is set up like a NMV with two volume controls, one darker and one brighter that are internally jumpered. You can dial in a bunch of different shades of light to medium to pretty heavy hard rock distortion/overdrive. Has a Ali/Plex switch -- Ali (aluminum panel) is brighter with more gain and Plexi is,..well, Plexi. Warmer and slightly darker,...killer crunch. The amp has reverb w/dwell that sounds really nice. I can cop Zep, Black Crowes all the way up to AC/DC, early Def Leppard and Clutch tones with ease. Voicing is definitely vintage but with the right guitar the amp screams,...takes pedal well too. The 1x12 cab is great -- It had a 25w Aiken stamped (weber made I believe) speaker in it. Sounded great, very GB'ish but I put in an original 70's made Celestion G1265 in there and love it. Fat, warm, punchy with a bit more beef below.

I actually took it to band practice yesterday and this baby hung quite well, pretty loud for 18w's -- I actually had the attenuator set for -3 db most of the practice,...with it off I was louder than the other guitar player.

 

[ratter]

Slllllut!

How's it do at low volumes compared to the Emplex?

 

[cibyl]

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Slllllut!

How's it do at low volumes compared to the Emplex?

Hey Mikey, I was waiting for you to chime in. Low volume jamming,..better I'd say. The attenuator is ridiculously good -- using it instead of a master gives the amp a more cranked feel a low vols. Pretty ingenious on Randell's part. I stopped making these amps because the attenuator cost too much to integrate into the design. This amp would be right up your ally Mikey -- I actually think you'd love it.

Now that I have the Invader I'm seriously thinking of letting the Emplexador go -- they're both very similar tone wise. We'll see,...I honestly don't need all the shit I have. It's just fun to play.

 

[ratter]

Let me know if you do let it go...I might be shopping here soon...

 

[sled]

ha, Aiken Amps is just a short ride from me.

I checked the site and didn't find any clips. know of any?

[EDIT] I found some in the Artists section.

 

[cibyl]

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Let me know if you do let it go...I might be shopping here soon...

Will do,...just let me know if/when you might be ready. I'm in no hurry to sell it. The Emplexador has a great master vol and as I've said before it does the low volume thing quite well. But honestly, it really sounds ridiculous with the master at around 12:00 --

 

[krueger]

That speaker is actually made by Mojotone.

Randall makes great amps and is the nicest guy in the business!

 

[hairydangler]

I miss mine! Awesome amps! The attenuator is to die for.

 

[cibyl]

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That speaker is actually made by Mojotone.

Randall makes great amps and is the nicest guy in the business!

Ah, thanks for the info. It's a really good sounding speaker, but I wanted to be able to run higher wattage amps through the cab safely and the G1265 is a good compromise.

 

[* velcro-fly *]

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Ah, thanks for the info. It's a really good sounding speaker, but I wanted to be able to run higher wattage amps through the cab safely and the G1265 is a good compromise.

Get a 2x12 cab and load it with a Celestion Blue and Heritage Greenback and you will blow your mind how good it sounds.

Randall Aiken is the best.

Steve E

 

[yngzaklynch]

Bill I'll bet it's akiller little amp. I've always wanted to try one of his Sabres. Hopefully one day I will get to wank on one.


Mike maybe Bill's Top Hat is your answer. Seems like an interesting amp and if memory serves the insides are a work of art.

 

[cibyl]

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Bill I'll bet it's akiller little amp. I've always wanted to try one of his Sabres. Hopefully one day I will get to wank on one.


Mike maybe Bill's Top Hat is your answer. Seems like an interesting amp and if memory serves the insides are a work of art.

Hey Jim,...how's the family doing?

The inside is very simple and clean:

 

[ratter]

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Will do,...just let me know if/when you might be ready. I'm in no hurry to sell it. The Emplexador has a great master vol and as I've said before it does the low volume thing quite well. But honestly, it really sounds ridiculous with the master at around 12:00 --

I'm up in the air right now. I might go back to an SD80, may or may not keep my current Marshall, etc etc. I need to chew on it for a bit. But the emplex would definitely be a contender...

 

[yngzaklynch]

What up Bill. We're in Chincoteague Island VA. We all doing well. It's nice to be away from my job. The 14 year old is fishing of the dock and my wifes got our newborn. I changed 3 diapers in like 45 minutes. Damn does that kid poop Should have my Vintage Modern halfstack in about a week. If you like a really hotrodded Plexi with a ton of crunchyness try the VM. It takes some playing around with. It looks simple but it's trickier than an initial look would lead you to believe.

 

[ratter]

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Bill I'll bet it's akiller little amp. I've always wanted to try one of his Sabres. Hopefully one day I will get to wank on one.


Mike maybe Bill's Top Hat is your answer. Seems like an interesting amp and if memory serves the insides are a work of art.

If you remember scott/sickboy79, he had an Emplex that I got to play a few times. Killer amp...lots of Marshall in a box with a great master volume. And I'm not sure that you'll find a better built amp for the money. But again, the SD80 is kinda 'my' thing and I miss that about it...

 

[yngzaklynch]

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If you remember scott/sickboy79, he had an Emplex that I got to play a few times. Killer amp...lots of Marshall in a box with a great master volume. And I'm not sure that you'll find a better built amp for the money. But again, the SD80 is kinda 'my' thing and I miss that about it...

I cannot argue... You were always THE Budda guy. You always got great tone from yours. It is one of the finest tone machines I know of. No one would be surprised if you ended up with another SD80.

 

[cibyl]

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What up Bill. We're in Chincoteague Island VA. We all doing well. It's nice to be away from my job. The 14 year old is fishing of the dock and my wifes got our newborn. I changed 3 diapers in like 45 minutes. Damn does that kid poop Should have my Vintage Modern halfstack in about a week. If you like a really hotrodded Plexi with a ton of crunchyness try the VM. It takes some playing around with. It looks simple but it's trickier than an initial look would lead you to believe.

Glad to hear things are going well,...3 diapers in 45 mins -- you're like a "shedder" diaper changer. Enjoy the time off my brutha!

Let us know when you get the Vintage Modern,...I've heard good things.

 

[yngzaklynch]

Well without a boost it won't quite be where I need it for leads. However the fundimental sound of it is damn near perfect. So much crunch and way more gain than any JCM800 or Plexi I've heard. I know Slash is now endorsing these amps so I almost hate to state the obvious... but if I had to pick one rock stars tone that the VM most resembles it would be Slash's. But it is a hot rodded vintage Marshall type tone as far as I can tell. More like a Super Lead than a JCM 800. At least to my ears. FAT tone!

 

[cibyl]

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Well without a boost it won't quite be where I need it for leads. However the fundimental sound of it is damn near perfect. So much crunch and way more gain than any JCM800 or Plexi I've heard. I know Slash is now endorsing these amps so I almost hate to state the obvious... but if I had to pick one rock stars tone that the VM most resembles it would be Slash's. But it is a hot rodded vintage Marshall type tone as far as I can tell. More like a Super Lead than a JCM 800. At least to my ears. FAT tone!

I've alway loved Slashes tone so I'm sure I would love that amp. Speaking of Slash -- On Sirius Octane this past weekend they were playing a bunch of the new Velvet Revolver stuff and also mixed in old STP, Guns, etc -- they played this song by Slash's Snake Pit, I don't remember the name, but the riff and the tone were huge. Really good stuff actually. I actually like it better than the VR stuff.