Heritage Colonial Amp Video and Questions/Convo

[Dallas Marlow]

Hey All,

I just kind of wanted to get a convo started about a few things, first of all I wanted to wish ya'll a good weekend and hope everyones doing well!

Anyway, I just put up this vid on youtube of my Heritage Colonial because I had a few questions for everyone and wanted some opinions. For those that don't know much about this amp/brand it went out of business due to various reasons, and I actually got this amp in a trade, it's a 50 watt JTM45/Plexi/Bassman clone with adjustable preamp and poweramp voices to switch between the sounds as well as a solid state and tube rectifier. It's entirely handwired and uses MM Trannys, and I've honestly got to say this amp is just incredible. The one real down side is it has no MV so the thing is louder than piss especially for an apartment complex haha.

Question 1
The volume controls are no master and two for lack of a better term channel volumes it's got a "Bright" volume and a "Normal" volume, you can mix these together, or turn one totally off etc, but could anyone shed some light on how this circuit probably works for me? Is it just like a marshall two holer but rather than with two holes its just got two separate volumes or is it different?

On with the questions, As you can probably see in the video I've got a diezel sitting right next to this head, and as much as I love my Diezel especially for it's very unique voicing and tone it's like I just have this constant craving to hear this thing... it's so sweet and warm and the tone is very "pure" it's incredibly responsive and I don't know how else to explain it, it's just like it's actually got some characteristics that my diezel just can't do. What are your guys thoughts on this, because obviously the Diezel is a very high quality amp.

Question 2
Do you all think that the more complex the amp is, in a way takes away from the richness of the tone? And please before I get flamed, I love my Einstein and it's not going anywhere it fills an ENTIRELY different niche for my playing that the heritage just can't do... at least with out the help of some MAJOR pedals.

As for the clip it's just miced with my mac book pro, not the 57 on the cab, I don't have the technical know how to get that up and running and synced lol, I'm just not getting it done haha. The volume is also VERY low, honestly for any moderate/normal volume group playing this amp is just so piss loud, I tried the hot plate route but that thing sucks the life right outta this thing.

So anyway, my other thing was... how many of ya'll knew about this brand of heads? Up until I was offered it in a trade I had NO idea they existed, but let me tell you it's built amazingly well I've linked to some shots both internal and full of the amp it's not mine, but it looks nearly exactly like it... in all honesty I've never opened mine up no need to.

I wish this company had not have gone under, I played vintage JTM45's ,Plexis, and CAE heads, and Splawns, and all sorts of stuff at a tone fest last year and NONE of them in my honest opinion held a real candle to the way this head sounds. I've also played plenty of mesas, dual recs, roadsters, stilletos, lonestar, and a bogner combo... but still just doesn't touch what this amp does... I don't know what it is about it.. And I'm well past the honey moon peroid at this point, what sucks though is I haven't even had the chance to REALLY crank it and let it breath I only hear it at moderate vol levels, it gets sooo loud so fast.

Link to the pics:

http://www.amparchives.com/album/He...Heritage Colonial 50W SN 2C0705021/index.html

andddddd the vid..

So lets hear your thoughts and opinions and I hope no one flames me or anything it's just my ears and opinion!

 

[skoora]

I've always wanted to try a Heritage amp but never had the chance. As far as the vid goes here on the ol' Rigtalk some dirt goes a lot further I think. Do you still have the hotplate? When an amp is said to emulate some of the greatest amps for overdrive tones ever recorded It'd be nice to hear it working hard and giving up the goods. Thanks for posting the vid though as there's not really much on YT at all from Heritage amps. A dirty clip or vid would be sweet.

 

[Dallas Marlow]

I've always wanted to try a Heritage amp but never had the chance. As far as the vid goes here on the ol' Rigtalk some dirt goes a lot further I think. Do you still have the hotplate? When an amp is said to emulate some of the greatest amps for overdrive tones ever recorded It'd be nice to hear it working hard and giving up the goods. Thanks for posting the vid though as there's not really much on YT at all from Heritage amps. A dirty clip or vid would be sweet.

Yea I still have the hot plate but IMO it sucks the balls out of the amp, it kills the low end and freggin totally takes away from the touch sensitivity and dynamics/harmonics of the amp... I'll try and get a few clips of the bright channel later today, it's just insane loud lol... NVM + apt = neighbors going WTF is that! haha

 

[Dallas Marlow]

Damn apparently not a very exciting topic

 

[Giga]

It has always surprised me that amp didn't catch on much better. The NMV is a dealbreaker for me too tbh and the absence of an fx-loop is also a definite negative for me. I played it once at a volume my bandmates would kill me for and I thought it was great.

Have fun with your new amp !

Giga

 

[Dallas Marlow]

Hey giga,

Yea man this thing is piss loud and the NMV is kind of a pain, does anyone know how much a MV would change the tone of the amp if say I sent it off to friedman/fortin to have one added?

I don't mind no EFX Loop I really don't feel it's necessary esp with this amp not being super high gain.

Dallas

 

[jabps]

Hey All,

I just kind of wanted to get a convo started about a few things, first of all I wanted to wish ya'll a good weekend and hope everyones doing well!

Anyway, I just put up this vid on youtube of my Heritage Colonial because I had a few questions for everyone and wanted some opinions. For those that don't know much about this amp/brand it went out of business due to various reasons, and I actually got this amp in a trade, it's a 50 watt JTM45/Plexi/Bassman clone with adjustable preamp and poweramp voices to switch between the sounds as well as a solid state and tube rectifier. It's entirely handwired and uses MM Trannys, and I've honestly got to say this amp is just incredible. The one real down side is it has no MV so the thing is louder than piss especially for an apartment complex haha.

Question 1
The volume controls are no master and two for lack of a better term channel volumes it's got a "Bright" volume and a "Normal" volume, you can mix these together, or turn one totally off etc, but could anyone shed some light on how this circuit probably works for me? Is it just like a marshall two holer but rather than with two holes its just got two separate volumes or is it different?

On with the questions, As you can probably see in the video I've got a diezel sitting right next to this head, and as much as I love my Diezel especially for it's very unique voicing and tone it's like I just have this constant craving to hear this thing... it's so sweet and warm and the tone is very "pure" it's incredibly responsive and I don't know how else to explain it, it's just like it's actually got some characteristics that my diezel just can't do. What are your guys thoughts on this, because obviously the Diezel is a very high quality amp.

Question 2
Do you all think that the more complex the amp is, in a way takes away from the richness of the tone? And please before I get flamed, I love my Einstein and it's not going anywhere it fills an ENTIRELY different niche for my playing that the heritage just can't do... at least with out the help of some MAJOR pedals.

As for the clip it's just miced with my mac book pro, not the 57 on the cab, I don't have the technical know how to get that up and running and synced lol, I'm just not getting it done haha. The volume is also VERY low, honestly for any moderate/normal volume group playing this amp is just so piss loud, I tried the hot plate route but that thing sucks the life right outta this thing.

So anyway, my other thing was... how many of ya'll knew about this brand of heads? Up until I was offered it in a trade I had NO idea they existed, but let me tell you it's built amazingly well I've linked to some shots both internal and full of the amp it's not mine, but it looks nearly exactly like it... in all honesty I've never opened mine up no need to.

I wish this company had not have gone under, I played vintage JTM45's ,Plexis, and CAE heads, and Splawns, and all sorts of stuff at a tone fest last year and NONE of them in my honest opinion held a real candle to the way this head sounds. I've also played plenty of mesas, dual recs, roadsters, stilletos, lonestar, and a bogner combo... but still just doesn't touch what this amp does... I don't know what it is about it.. And I'm well past the honey moon peroid at this point, what sucks though is I haven't even had the chance to REALLY crank it and let it breath I only hear it at moderate vol levels, it gets sooo loud so fast.

Link to the pics:

http://www.amparchives.com/album/He...Heritage Colonial 50W SN 2C0705021/index.html

andddddd the vid..

So lets hear your thoughts and opinions and I hope no one flames me or anything it's just my ears and opinion!

If you've got more questions just go to Pauls myspace site and email him some questions. He's a cool guy and I'm sure he'll answer anything you ask. Paul's pretty much worked on every amp imaginable and did some really nice designs at Heritage. I went to college with Paul...nice guy and a helluva guitar player. In fact he was supposed to fix an old Marshall of mine but I just never got around to taking it to him. The Heritage stuff was really high end but just never caught on. I always felt they should have done they're version of a high gain modern amp ala Diezel...Paul certainly knows high gain but that's just not what he or Heritage was into. Holla at him.

 

[Dallas Marlow]

Thanks Jabps yea I read a post he made about the company and stuff he seems like a great guy thanks for the reply.

Dallas

 

[Dallas Marlow]

aha check out the related youtube videos... my friend just pointed it out

 

[hunter]

I never played their amps, but I do have a Heritage 2x12 ported cab and it's really amazing sounding at any volume and with any style. If they are as good tuning amps as they are with cabs, it's surely gonna be great!

 

[Dallas Marlow]

I never played their amps, but I do have a Heritage 2x12 ported cab and it's really amazing sounding at any volume and with any style. If they are as good tuning amps as they are with cabs, it's surely gonna be great!

Awesome, how does a ported cab sound? Is it ported like a bass cab for a car where it's like a tube with a hole in it, or are they made different for guitar amps? I want to say I've seen some other kind of ports that are square etc., how does sound compared to like a sealed or open back cab?

 

[hunter]

I never played their amps, but I do have a Heritage 2x12 ported cab and it's really amazing sounding at any volume and with any style. If they are as good tuning amps as they are with cabs, it's surely gonna be great!

Awesome, how does a ported cab sound? Is it ported like a bass cab for a car where it's like a tube with a hole in it, or are they made different for guitar amps? I want to say I've seen some other kind of ports that are square etc., how does sound compared to like a sealed or open back cab?

It has two short tubes towards the front, basically makes it sound bigger as it uses the bass pressure inside the cab to create more audible bottom end. It's not overdone, so it's very balanced on this cab. Makes it just a bit spongier than a fully sealed cab, so it's nicer on cleans and slightly breaking up tones, too. I love it for da brootalz sounds as well. I recently gigged with it as I couldn't take the Bogner 4x12 in the car, and I was totally surprised at how well it held up on a bigger stage!

 

[Dallas Marlow]

Thats wicked, yea I was thinking it would be insane awesome for cleans and the like, but was wondering if the low end would get to flubby when it's on a higher gain stuff. What head were you running it with and what kind of speakers are in it?

 

[hunter]

Thats wicked, yea I was thinking it would be insane awesome for cleans and the like, but was wondering if the low end would get to flubby when it's on a higher gain stuff. What head were you running it with and what kind of speakers are in it?

I have run several combinations:

G12-65 and H30 - lacking a bit of bottom end but great for 80s metal
H30 and Greenback - great allround tone, also surprisingly good at the brootalz
H30 and V30 - standard combination and works great for all styles.

I've been running many different amps through it and most of my youtube vids are made with this cab. Latest was the Steavens Poundcake 100 review here on the board, with a V30 and H30 in it.

 

[Dallas Marlow]

Nice man, I just recently got some G12H30's the english made green back 30 watters, in a cab from brad and they sound fantastic it's amazing the difference over a normal marshall cab, the build quality of this thing just makes it louder/warmer/punchier and tighter plus the speakers I'm sure help as well!