Bray Amps??

  • Thread starter Thread starter guitarmike
  • Start date Start date
guitarmike

guitarmike

Well-known member
Every so often you see a Bray amp for sale on the bay or here. Has anyone owned one? How does the quality stack up to the big boys here? I'm not talking tone per se, I mean what do you think of his build quality vs a Friedman, Fortin, FJA, etc?

His 45/50 sounds pretty good.

 
I have owned one in the past. Seemed to be made very well. Pm me if you want to discuss the tone.
 
His work is good and so is his customer service. I'd say the tone is decent but not great. Loosy goosy on the bottom end and extremely bright.
 
LP Freak":1dgwa4r2 said:
His work is good and so is his customer service. I'd say the tone is decent but not great. Loosy goosy on the bottom end and extremely bright.
Click to expand...

Yep. My take, as well.
 
I have a Bray JTM45.

The build quality is superb.

Great amp.

I'm not dialing the tonage in the vids around. Seems every vid is trying to hit the VH tonage.
 
I have a bray and hands down one of the best modded Marshall type amps I have owned. Definatly more of cranked plexi on steroids then a modern toned metal machine which is probably why some here didn't care as much for them. He is not a garage hack but is a real engineer who has been doing this for yrs and also is a player with a great ear. His work is never subcontracted out or sloppy and he can tailor your amp to your taste. Mine has his mod 1 with vintage/hot switch and dual sound option, also has harmonics switch, resonance knob, line out, and dual footswitchable master volumes which is a must have for me now for gigging.Best master volume hands down and can sound like a fully cranked plexi at whisper volume levels!! All of his add ons are real world useful and amp looks stock pretty much with push pull knobs for switching. He has mods and designs for metal if that's what you want but most clips out are of his mod 1 type brown sound/vh stuff. Been gigging mine for yrs now and never even had a hint of a problem. Might have him build me a 45/50 amp with the new mod 1 plus with some add ons and dual masters. The plus mode is footswitchable and has double gain on tap. The 45/50 has switchable tube/Ss rectifier switch stock which looks a cool option.
 
His clips sound really good and you can really hear how the amps clean up and respond to dynamics. Too bright? Maybe in person, but in the clips that brightness just sounds like a great old Marshall.
 
glassjaw7":1r5oxqzi said:
His clips sound really good and you can really hear how the amps clean up and respond to dynamics. Too bright? Maybe in person, but in the clips that brightness just sounds like a great old Marshall.
Click to expand...
I've owned more than one and they were all the same. I'm talking bright with the treble off and I'm a fan of high end too. His clips are somewhat misleading.... kinda like the Mod5 clips.
 
LP Freak,
Can you explain what you mean about the Mod5 clips?

LP Freak":1pr4djir said:
glassjaw7":1pr4djir said:
His clips sound really good and you can really hear how the amps clean up and respond to dynamics. Too bright? Maybe in person, but in the clips that brightness just sounds like a great old Marshall.
Click to expand...
I've owned more than one and they were all the same. I'm talking bright with the treble off and I'm a fan of high end too. His clips are somewhat misleading.... kinda like the Mod5 clips.
Click to expand...
 
It just seemed the clips always sounded better than the actual amp....probably do to Marks killer chops.
 
I got ya. So you've owned and/or played a Mod5? Kinda like Mark Cameron making the best clips of his amps that I've heard. Built or modded the amps to their taste and style and they sound better than anyone else through them.
 
guitup too":2jgurxsn said:
I got ya. So you've owned and/or played a Mod5? Kinda like Mark Cameron making the best clips of his amps that I've heard. Built or modded the amps to their taste and style and they sound better than anyone else through them.
Click to expand...
I've owned every mod known to mankind. :lol: :LOL:
 
LP Freak":2u5nmgw9 said:
glassjaw7":2u5nmgw9 said:
His clips sound really good and you can really hear how the amps clean up and respond to dynamics. Too bright? Maybe in person, but in the clips that brightness just sounds like a great old Marshall.
Click to expand...
I've owned more than one and they were all the same. I'm talking bright with the treble off and I'm a fan of high end too. His clips are somewhat misleading....
Click to expand...

+1
 
guitup too":2o2qqzty said:
Kinda like Mark Cameron making the best clips of his amps that I've heard. Built or modded the amps to their taste and style and they sound better than anyone else through them.
Click to expand...

I kind of disagree with that. Yeah, they'll sound great through the amp but a quality build will sound good no matter who plays it.
 
DON'T DISCOUNT THE CAB THAT DAVE USES .... !

In ALL his clips that I've heard, he's using the same "old" 25 Watt Greenback Cab .... I also think he uses that Cab when "tuning" his Mods ( ? ) ....

I bought one of his kitchen sink 1987x's and until I bought a Greenback Cab I just couldn't get the tone ANYWHERE in the same ballpark as the clips he sent me while he was doing the work ....

I sold my 2 x 12 and bought a older 4 x 12 w/ some reissue English Greenbacks ..., and voila ..., instant Bray tone !

Other than that ..., I think the build quality is top notch !
 
R.D.":3dr4knrx said:
DON'T DISCOUNT THE CAB THAT DAVE USES .... !

In ALL his clips that I've heard, he's using the same "old" 25 Watt Greenback Cab .... I also think he uses that Cab when "tuning" his Mods ( ? ) ....

I bought one of his kitchen sink 1987x's and until I bought a Greenback Cab I just couldn't get the tone ANYWHERE in the same ballpark as the clips he sent me while he was doing the work ....

I sold my 2 x 12 and bought a older 4 x 12 w/ some reissue English Greenbacks ..., and voila ..., instant Bray tone !

Other than that ..., I think the build quality is top notch !
Click to expand...
Yeah, that definatly is a good point. I am using an old Marshall 2x12 for small gigs with my bray loaded with blackback 30's from the 70's and it sounds excellent. I don't find his amps overly bright, but what I do like is that they aren't voiced with emphasis on lows and low mids. His Marshall mods still sound very much like a Marshall only better, which is something many Marshall mods loose and I have had almost all of em.
 
I have a Bray modded 1959HW. One of the best sounding hot rodded Marshall's I have ever heard or played. I am constantly being asked what was done to the amp by fellow guitar players. I also do not find the amp to be bright at all.

Dave is also a top notch guy focused on customer service and satisfaction.
 
plexipwrd":28mrkdw9 said:
I have a Bray modded 1959HW. One of the best sounding hot rodded Marshall's I have ever heard or played. I am constantly being asked what was done to the amp by fellow guitar players. I also do not find the amp to be bright at all.

Dave is also a top notch guy focused on customer service and satisfaction.
Click to expand...
Yeah, I agree. With the channels internally jumpered it is easy to dial in or out brightness or bass with the channel volumes/gain knobs.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top