Hughes & Kettner Triamp MK1

  • Thread starter Thread starter dooredge
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dooredge

dooredge

Well-known member
Can anyone give me the run down on the H&K Triamp?

*Is the 6L6 preferable over the EL34 (later Mk1's)?
*What's a good condition used Triamp worth?
*How much interest is there in these amps? I don't see them here for sale (search function yields nothing for "Triamp")
 
I had an EL34 version, as far as 6L6 or EL34 it's preference. I've seen more used El34 heads than 6L6. On the used market you can find them for around $800 if you spend a little while looking. Up to around 1k is pretty normal. There's very little interest in the MkI's, and for no good reason to my knowledge. GC used routinely has a few, but they're aren't a huge seller. Mine had a few problems when I had it, but they all stemmed from the fact that before I bought it someone else had been dicking around inside it and messed stuff up. Tonally, it was the first amp I owned that I played and a shit-eating grin materialized on my face. I'd still have it if I hadn't been in a tough spot financially.
 
Thanks man. You confirmed what I was seeing on price. I have a guy locally looking to trade me for the Engl Fireball 100 I have up for sale. Not sure I really want to do a deal as I don't know I can move it should I choose to sell down the line.

The guy has the 6L6 version w/ foot switch and all. I am interested but he'd have to pony up some cash too.
 
I'd be prepared to sit on it for quite a while if you don't like it. I think they sound great but no one seems to have any interest in them. There's a MKII locally that's been at 1500 for months now...
 
Had the Mk2 version. It was super versatile but there was just something i didn't get along with on the OD tones.
 
tfridgen":2rd6gvj8 said:
I'd be prepared to sit on it for quite a while if you don't like it. I think they sound great but no one seems to have any interest in them. There's a MKII locally that's been at 1500 for months now...
Click to expand...

How does the Triamp rate against the Fireball? Interested to hear your thoughts on that.
 


Not the greatest clip, but I used to love mine. I rocked the hell out of it for five years. You have to think of it as a good three channel amp though.
 
dooredge":33mfm6y9 said:
tfridgen":33mfm6y9 said:
I'd be prepared to sit on it for quite a while if you don't like it. I think they sound great but no one seems to have any interest in them. There's a MKII locally that's been at 1500 for months now...
Click to expand...

How does the Triamp rate against the Fireball? Interested to hear your thoughts on that.
Click to expand...
I can only compare it to the fireball 60, but the cleans on the triamp are less harsh. the fireballs for sure are really glassy and sterile, warmer and more adaptable on the triamp. ON the Hi gain side the Triamp has a lot more thump, and more low mid grind as opposed the the fireballs hi mid character. I recorded a song years ago with both my old fireball and triamp, but I had a left and right track for each, so I don't know how much use it might be.
https://www.soundclick.com/player/single ... i&newref=1
 
Hughes & Kettner gets no love here. You have to pair it with the right speakers and dial it in with your ears. I've done blind tests where people tell me I've got some of the best tones going, then they find out it's a TriAmp MK II and all of a sudden it's no longer that good. Cork sniffage. Hughes & Kettner make great amps, they just take more investment to get "your" sound. Most people on here don't want to spend that time.
 
I had one and gigged a lot with it for several years, EL34 model. I loved it, it had some awesome sounds and was amazingly versatile, with effectively 6 channels. In the end, for me, I found that even though it had 6 channels I couldn't get the combination of sounds I wanted. I really like to just plug straight into my amp and not use any effects to boost the signal, etc, and I found that:
I loved the clean amp 1 (channels 1 and 2)
Loved the dirty amp 2 for blues (channels 3 and 4)
Loved the lead amp 3 for solos (channels 5 & 6)
BUT I really wanted to have channels 5 and 6 for rock rhythm as well, so for me it would be perfect if it had channels 1 and 2, and then two lots of 5 and 6!! Basically I found 3 and 4 too clean to rock rhythm. I'm sure I could have got the sounds I wanted by playing with different valves, or OD pedals to boost the drive, etc, but I found Diezel at the same time and now play a Herbert. But I would happily have a Triamp mk1 again, massively underrated amps.
 
Thanks for all the feedback guys. Appreciate the knowledge. :thumbsup:
 
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