Hughes & Kettner Amps

[IndyWS6]

Greetings All...
Long time lurker, first time poster

I don't think I've ever seen any threads about Hughes & Kettner amps, or any for sale/trade on this forum. I'm just wondering what the general consensus is on H&K stuff. I know they aren't as "high end" as some of the amps routinely discussed here, but they aren't Crates, either (no offense intended...). Thoughts? Opinions?

 

[~Abstract~]

I think the Triamp is pretty "high end"...and it sounds amazing.

 

[IndyWS6]

Thanks for the response...

I currently have a Switchblade 100 head and, for what I do (playing to an audience of one in a spare bedroom...), the Switchblade works well, even though it is stupid loud! I had a chance at a used Triamp Mk II, but passed on it. Regrets... I just haven't seen H&K mentioned here and wondered what the consensus was...

 

[SFW]

I love my TriAmp Mk I. H&K isn't a very popular brand name around here. Mainly, IMHO, because they are not trying to capture 80s metal tones. I picked up my TA about 2 1/2 years ago, and it all but killed amp GAS for me. I would love to check out a Switchblade w/ TSC. Infact, that my be my next amp.

Here's a pic of my Mk I after I installed some LEDs in the head shell.

 

[IndyWS6]

SFW - Looks Good

I'll be curious to see other responses on this topic.

I have only good things to say about my Switchblade. I love the tone and the (somewhat sacreligious) "hybrid" nature of it actually simplifies things a bit - I don't (necessarily) need a bunch of effects to get what I want.

What cabinet/speaker combination do you play through? Do you do anything to attenuate the volume? It might just be me, but it seems like my Switchblade needs more volume than you would expect to get to the "sweet spot". Unfortunately, anything above 1 1/2 on the Switchblade is physically painful to be around.

 

[SFW]

Just a Marshall cab. Although I'm looking at a Recto cab now for it, as I think V30s will bring out some things that I want to get out of the amp. And yes, it sounds better with some volume behind it.

 

[guitarslinger]

I like my HK Access preamp. WAYYY ahead of its time.

 

[AngryGoldfish]

I've played a Trilogy before and a Duotone Combo. Neither were my kind of thing, unfortunately.

I don't know what it was about them but they seemed to lack character of any kind. They weren't modern like a Herbert, old-school like an SLO, all 60's-ish like a Plexi, they just felt... flat. The notes bled into each other, turning chords into a thin mush.

I don't mean to disrespect the brand as a whole, or the users here, but I just couldn't get into them. There are many high-end amps that I've felt similarly towards. Peavey and ENGL, for example. It's not just H&K.

 

[PaulyPanacea]

ive had 3 Triamps (MKI & II) and a Duotone. Are great amps...but very temper-metal..esp if using them hard. They tend to break...except my MKI. That you coulda threw down a flight of steps. Great sounding amps IMO.

 

[JohnnyC]

i just missed out on scoring a H&K puretone head off ebay...low BIN price and local pickup (for where i am)
kicking myself as ive always wanted a puretone.

ive clocked some hours on hte triamp mkI and wasnt my flavour.

 

[joolzriff]

my last label had a H&K Deal and i used the duotones w/ matching greenback cabs,fuckn awesome amps,i left all the dials at noon,plug in and play amps....as good as anything else out there if not better....

 

[CaseyCor]

SFW - Looks Good

I'll be curious to see other responses on this topic.

I have only good things to say about my Switchblade. I love the tone and the (somewhat sacreligious) "hybrid" nature of it actually simplifies things a bit - I don't (necessarily) need a bunch of effects to get what I want.

What cabinet/speaker combination do you play through? Do you do anything to attenuate the volume? It might just be me, but it seems like my Switchblade needs more volume than you would expect to get to the "sweet spot". Unfortunately, anything above 1 1/2 on the Switchblade is physically painful to be around.

Nice guitar! See my avatar <---

 

[~Abstract~]

SFW - Looks Good

I'll be curious to see other responses on this topic.

I have only good things to say about my Switchblade. I love the tone and the (somewhat sacreligious) "hybrid" nature of it actually simplifies things a bit - I don't (necessarily) need a bunch of effects to get what I want.

What cabinet/speaker combination do you play through? Do you do anything to attenuate the volume? It might just be me, but it seems like my Switchblade needs more volume than you would expect to get to the "sweet spot". Unfortunately, anything above 1 1/2 on the Switchblade is physically painful to be around.

Nice guitar! See my avatar <---

= avatar fail.

 

[CaseyCor]

SFW - Looks Good

I'll be curious to see other responses on this topic.

I have only good things to say about my Switchblade. I love the tone and the (somewhat sacreligious) "hybrid" nature of it actually simplifies things a bit - I don't (necessarily) need a bunch of effects to get what I want.

What cabinet/speaker combination do you play through? Do you do anything to attenuate the volume? It might just be me, but it seems like my Switchblade needs more volume than you would expect to get to the "sweet spot". Unfortunately, anything above 1 1/2 on the Switchblade is physically painful to be around.

Nice guitar! See my avatar <---

= avatar fail.

I see that, lame. I'll have to fix that in a minute.

It's my blue 1991 Ibanez RG770

 

[sdrootsman]

i love my triamp mk I

 

[IndyWS6]

CaseyCor,
I think you were complimenting me on the Ibanez in the picture - thanks (your Avatar is MIA - would like to see it...). It's an RG770DX Reissue that I got from Sweetwater. They made 200 in red and 200 in blue and I would love to have a blue one, too, but can't find one that's new and unmolested. I may have just gotten lucky, but that guitar feels better out of the box than anything I have ever played. I haven't touched the setup on it since I got it...

 

[CaseyCor]

CaseyCor,
I think you were complimenting me on the Ibanez in the picture - thanks (your Avatar is MIA - would like to see it...). It's an RG770DX Reissue that I got from Sweetwater. They made 200 in red and 200 in blue and I would love to have a blue one, too, but can't find one that's new and unmolested. I may have just gotten lucky, but that guitar feels better out of the box than anything I have ever played. I haven't touched the setup on it since I got it...

Yup, was talking about the 770. I've got 1991 RG770 in Lazer Blue. Took forever to track one down! I actually wanted one in red, and went with blue. It's a GREAT guitar though, I love it. Wizard I neck is super smooth and fast, the bridge is great. Easy to set-up/restring. I love my 770. Thanks again to Copperhead here at RT for finding it for me!

 

[IndyWS6]

CaseyCor,
I had never owned an Ibanez (always joked and called them "I-been-had's") until getting the RG770. I was wrong - phenominal quality at that price point. Like I said, if I could find a brand new one in blue, I'd be all over it. I like it so much it has me looking at other models (RG3570Z and RG1550M).

Take Care