I was on the waiting list for a Liverpool, at that time it was a 3 year wait but Ken died about the time I was supposed to get it. What a great amp and a great guy. RIP Ken!
Yes, in an interview in 'The guitar amp handbook' by Dave Hunter, he stated that he sold his amps for around 1000 usd back in 91. He earned more repairing amps, than making them... Like with Dumbles... most prices skyrocket while the builder himself doesn't get all that money.. hence those builders become very picky on clientele.
In the late '80s, Ken Fischer was the local amp guy here. We were into Trainwrecks when you could call Ken in Colonia and have trouble getting off the phone with him. So you cry some more. These are fantastic amps that deserve to be understood, not worshipped as luxury items.
If you want one look into a Komet Trainwreck. Trey Anastasio from Phish played a Komet 60 for a few years before getting a real Express in 2021 and vouched for the Komet being the amp to get for the Trainwreck sound and feel.
TH-cam sounds only give you an idea, even if the demo was recorded professionally. I really liked the Express in the middle. I kind of love and hate EL84 amps and would need some time to get the Liverpool dialed in.
This is a great demo! So often you see reviews for amps where the guy playing doesn't know how to properly demo an amp or pedal. I can tell these guys are all about the tone and it shows
I'm not just saying this but I can get these sounds with my Old Boogie Mark II.The Boogie sounds even warmer and more dynamic.Maybe you just have to experience it in person,I don't know?
Its a different story when you actually play the amp. I haven't myself but I'm sure the amp FEEL's different. With that said its nothing over the top, just a modified blackface bassman.
I like the older boogie sound more than the newer fancier stuff but overall find their harmonic voicings a tad too rich for my taste. I like a more fundamental overdrive like an old beat to shit bassman or marshall sound. These trains have a complex overdriven sound but not too "precious" or "sugary" for lack of a better description. One Mesa amp I really dig though is the Lone Star although I've never had a chance to plug into one.
That Lynch amp sings more than any amp I’ve heard in a while. It’s a great amp. I’ve heard it a few times and i always wonder how he could let that one go!
Ahhh, the 20 watt greenbacks!....my favorite cab/speaker setup was a 4x12 with 014 cone 20 watters...GREAT note separation, plus the 20 watt greenbacks help tame the volume levels some.....I remember seeing some of your videos AirBloom, and you got some amazing sounds, you're a GREAT guitar player...KILLER gear sure helps, but you obviously put in the time learning to play.....Boy oh boy, do I ever regret selling that cab:-(
I played one of those amps the last time I was in NY, I've known gene and jeff more years then I would admit. anywho, gene brought the lynch trainwreck in for me to play, very nice amp however as with everything "gene" it cost a ton of money, I think 18 grand. man, that's a shit load of money. you make them sound quite nice. cool video.
All of them sounded great. Nice even ordered harmonics with tasty overtones. The EL84 model definitely sounded a bit sweeter over all to me. Ya gotta crank those EL 34 amps hard to get that same effect. Cool demo,,,,the guy actually put some space in the playing so you could hear the amps. Cheers------
In 1989, Ken's price was $1200, and he told me he was keeping it low on purpose, even though existing Trainwrecks were selling at a premium. The issue at that time was getting one right away, vs. waiting for one to be built. Later I think he had a need to generate cash for medical bills. He wasn't really interested in money.
dallas austin Ken Fisher lent Billy Gibbons an Express named "Sarah". It was so good that Gibbons refused to give it back, in spite of Fisher's requests. Even though Fisher told Gibbons that the amp wasn't for sale, Gibbons opted to send Fisher money, rather than return the amp, effectively stealing it. That's how good it was. These guys buy and sell gear all the time. Gibbons, in particular, has so many guitars and amplifiers that he doesn't even know what he owns anymore. Original, Fisher-built Trainwrecks have jumped from $2,000 to $5,000 to $20,00 to $42,000. At a certain point, it makes sense to sell even if the amp sounds spectacular and even if you're already comfortable. Those guys would sell any of their other amps too if someone was willing to pay $42,000 for it.
dallas austin Exactly!!! It's called having more money than sense!!! I'd never part with one of these Express amps Especially the 2nd EL34' head and the Liverpool amp!!!! Very very sweet!!!
@@HollaJo3 Even if it was the best sound in the world, I'd sell it if it jumped over 20x in value. My Moogerfoogers are going that way, and I refuse to let myself remain in love with them because of their out of production status. I'll be heartbroken if they break and I can't afford to buy a new one, so I'm selling them and replacing them with more available contemporaries.
Like everything produced in low order and that is seen to be unique these are expensive. There are MANY great boutique amps out there that cover this ground at a fraction of the cost. For me Kingsleys are the best I've heard and can do anything these can and much more - and yes they are also made in low numbers.
What I love about you Jeff is you are completely honest. After playing each one you declare "Now that one is my favorite!" But hey, I'd be saying the same thing! Those are master built tone boxes. By the way I live just around the corner from Mr. Fishcher's original shop. I'm around the corner in Irvine, Ca. Tustin is a stone's throw from here. When I found out where it was I cruised over to see if there was a honarearium or museum there. Nope.
The only solution to this trend I can see is to build as many clones of these amps as possible. I know Ken would be looking down at all of us who do with a hint of approval, knowing that we are carrying on with his legacy of what it means to make for musical amplifiers that every man will have access to.
I like more of top amp too. No doubt are fantastic amps with legendary NOS tubes, but I managed this same tone easy with Fulltone OCD v4 in high gain and Dunlop JBF3 Germanium Fuzz Face in low gain stacked with much more dynamic... and i keep my wallet into the pocket.
the reason some of these were sold is probably because they sound very loose (vintage-y) and that is not always desired by some artists. doesn't mean they're crap.
Holy shit! Looki looki at all the gear in that room. I tell you what I think. The Les Paul sounded great, but the Strat really fit those amps the best. Damn those were some sweet sounds (oh, sorry, i mean tones) I bet they cost $3k each.
Yeah the triple your money back original purchase price, Oké so for what price did you purchase them from Ken if I may ask? To my knowledge Ken charged very reasonable prices, and did not go along with the hype. at one point in time he even sold amps way under his price if he knew the amp would be on a studio record with a proper musician instead of a rich man's basement. BTW you also have an original Dumble? Nice stuff.
What's that amp on the very top left in the beginning of the video? Also, what about the two at 00:17 on top and below the Bruno amp? Also at 00:17, what is that amp on the bottom right sitting on top of the cab under the Cornford that is that cream color? What about that amp on top of the red Roccaforte at 00:17?
BTW, thanks to your Radio King vids, I just got two fixer-upper EH-185 chassis from 1939 and '40. Have you had any luck with a schematic for that amp? It seems like it ought to be at least close to the EH-100 or -150. But those old Gibson-made amps are rarely built to spec.
I have one that's a lot like Lynch's Susan. When I called to order an amp, this one was suggested based on my requests. It's hard to really hear this amp on a computer. It makes the room rumble. But it's got a range that is impressive. I doubt I'd ever sell it.
Ken Fischer did not want his amps to become worth as much as they did. He wanted them to be played by the working musician not sit unplayed in a rich collector music room next to a 57' strat signed by Eric Clapton and framed Woodstock tickets. I know nothing about the company today and have never met Ken himself but my information comes from two close friends of his who I had the pleasure to meet and speak with.
class A circuit basically a copy of a vox ac30. Those work best when you put a boost in front of it like a bright boost like Brian May used to do. That bright boost also tightens up the low end.. One of the advantages of a class A amplifier is it works well with cathode bias. When you push the front of the amplifier and you push that amp the cathode bias gives you a nice singing quality lot of sustain again like Brian May. Not that heavy metal crunch sound a completely different sound that ken Fisher actually loved and that was eventually his favorite sound.
The one in the middle "Sarah" what an amplifier, sounds amazing. All 3 of them though pretty awesome stuff. Really scary direct sound though, means the bad notes and fluffs are just as loud as the good ones.
2 DOZEN G12H30's?!? WOW! I watched a bunch of your videos yesterday and what a collection of gear, truly awesome! Thank you for the tips too, I made a 20' speaker cable of 18ga wire last night, and the difference was amazing, MUCH sweeter and smoother! A couple questions if you have the time.... Do you generally prefer 003 or 014 cones? Are there ANY new speakers that you find acceptable to your ears? I REALLY enjoy your videos, thanks for posting them AirBloom!!!
Awesome demo. Thanks for that! I see many comments here by people writing that no amp could be worth $40k. I can tell you that many pro guitarists make more than $100k/year, and to them, the purchase of the amp is a tax write-off against earnings. Some of those same guitarists are divorced, and their ex-wife would get a portion of their earnings. Top level guitarists are pretty intelligent people, managing to succeed in a very competitive career field. They have the choice of buying just about any amp they like, and have played most of the mass-produced amps available. Since they buy amps like Trainwreck or Dumble for high prices, there must be a good reason for them to do that. The reason is probably not they want to artificially inflate amp prices, and it's not that they are getting paid for an endorsement. It might be that the amp is the best at getting a sound they are looking for.
If the amp, no matter how few were made or however rare it may be, is simply not sounding, astounding, or just abounding and pounding,... stare at it, intently, without blinking, while you play. Yep. That's much better.
Check out Glen Kuykendall and his express... more representative. This amp is unique in it's ability to go from fender clean to marshall type distortion and everything in between. Your guitar volume reacts as a gain knob. No need for pedals. and extremely responsive. The circuit inside is very simple. Ken Fisher built them in the day for 1000$
$$$ the almighty. in our lovely capitalist system selling a 'modded blackface spec' that has the precious pedigree 'made for George Lynch' 'owned by Billy Gibbons' with "Trainwreck" or "Dumble" is worth more than the sound imho. That said, if I had more $ than I needed I'd grab one but in the $ dept. I'm what's known as financially embarrassed.
Why on earth (if these amps are all they are cracked up to be) would George Lynch or Billy Gibbons (who certainly doesn't lack money, and is a tone freak) sell these amps?
oneofthemodels They probably moved on to something else. Also, the designer is famous in amp builder circles, so I'm sure the designs have been cloned, modded, rethought ad naseum. At least with vintage amps, you can say the components are unique and no longer sourceable.
@@paulcowart3174 yeah but if you got 50 -100 million bucks and you like something why sell it? What do you think they got for these? Maybe 8-12 thousand at most. I'd just keep it, maybe I'm a hoarder. Lol
I have built a Trainwreck clone for under $1000 and it really rocks, but is very sensitive to picking dynamics. Very revealing to the nuisances or suckiness of my playing . I needed to mod the gain stages to bring it down a little bit. The original Trainwrecks like their clone brethren go from clean to harmonic raging bull all with the control of the guitar volume. No other amps do this. Think hot rodded plexi but with a lot more second/third order harmonics
Actually, some of the vintage Supros are similarly attack and potentiometer sensitive. I also got to experience the new (2014) reissues at Summer NAMM and they were all about delivering the same service.
people who is criticising the demo are trolls, they improve their lighting systems, the guy is a good guitar player, the only problem i have is the fact that they didnt demo the eq of the amp
That's a wow! Thanks for sharing. I am pretty sure Billy must have another one, or he wouldn't have parted with the one in this video lol. I can hear why these amps are way out of my price range. I would love to have any of them, or a Dumble for that matter, but I am just a mortel like most of us, and doubt I will ever own one. If I ever hit the lottery though it will be one of the first things I buy lol! The dynamics are mind blowing, it's amazing how great they sound even in a TH-cam video!
Actually some of the Ceriatone clones are a lot less than $1500. As for the Dumble perhaps being nothing more than a Dual Shoman....that can't be a secret....how many great players are leaving their Dumbles at home and sticking an OD in front if a nice Fender?
The tone alone is fantastic but in reality, top notch amplifier tone shouldn't cost more than two or three thousand dollars, hell even less a lot of the times. These trainwreck amps also had those beautiful wooden headshells, so they can be credited for a great sound and look. However, the only reason they are too expensive for us is the low production. Collectors can look to buy one of these all they want, but I'm okay with just this video for my trainwreck fix. Plenty of other amps out there. Cheers from Kentucky.
they are rare, and homemade. they were made famous by famous people that is all it is and ever is…every amp and guitar in history is famous because someone made it so…people latch on to the player and their sound. the fan begins to want that. eventually the amps become legendary from desirable. one amp most people don't know about is the matchless chieftain in 410. i have one and its far more rare than this amp in the video. only about 25 were made in that configuration. but i have to say the train wreck tone is so smooth. someone tuned these amps on a special meter to get those frequency arches.
I'm probably going to get some shit for this, but I think the Dr. Z Z Wreck does these amps justice as far as touch sensitivity goes. But why shouldn't they since Ken helped design it.
I'm the guy who got Ken to build "Suzanne" for George Lynch. George lived right down the street from me in Phoenix in 1991, and I would always see him at the local "Bizarre Guitar" I told him about Trainwreck amplifiers, and since I knew Ken, I had him build him this Express. Lynch was foolish for letting this amp go.
Scott Dunn ...I actually think George owns a different Trainwreck in his arsenal as of this year...so maybe not so foolish? Maybe the Trainwreck that he has now, is a better fit to him than the “Suzanne” was?
@@hondared88 If you knew anything about Trainwreck amplifiers, you would know that anyone who parts with one... for whatever reason... is indeed a fool. Ken built "Suzanne" with much more gain than he usually did with the Express, so I can't imagine why Lynch would have sold it. And as far as I know... George does not currently own a Trainwreck, especially since they are fetching upwards of $40,000+ IF you can even find one for sale. Trainwreck amplifiers are even more revered than the Dumble Overdrive Special. Regards
Scott Dunn....I actually do know a little about Trainwrecks and yes, I do agree with you that getting rid of one would seem to be foolish to the normal guitarist but I also know that it's not my place to judge why or question reasons as we really don't know and I'm also pretty sure George does own another Trainwreck as I've seen him in countless videos over the past couple of years with him playing live with one and in videos and pictures of him with it in his studio. So, it's relatively easy to think that he is the owner, since it's in his possession in so many videos and pictures. Just because it had more gain doesn't mean that it had the desired tone and sustain that Trainwrecks are famous for. Yes, it's extremely rare and quite a costly collectible head. I did asked him a question about "Suzanne" and George mentioned that with the extra gain that it changed the tonality of the amp that Trainwrecks were desired for, in so many words. Which is probably why he has a different Trainwreck that produces something closer to what he hears in his head and chases everyday in search for that quintessential tone. Now, I know that John Mayer has sold a Dumble to Keith Urban after Keith lost a bunch of gear from the Nashville flood that wiped out that storage space a while back. Does that make John a "fool" for getting rid of a Dumble as I see Dunbles and Trainwrecks pretty equal in terms of rarity and price. I'm sure George doesn't have the bankroll as John does in terms of being a paid artist but George is no slouch in being a known guitarist. So, who are we to be calling who a fool when it comes to a record artist who makes a living at this than say a normal person like you or I?! Yeah, we would be quite the fool to get rid of one as just a normal working class individuals but George is an artist who has a longtime signature guitar line at ESP, probably could get any type of endorsement and royalties from any manufacturer if he so desired. Don't think the fool fits when we really don't know shit about what he can acquire, sell, trade or access when it comes to gear. Just my two cents.
Just once, I'd like the player to say "you know what, I was really expecting more, and I'm not sure there's much of a discernable difference between this amp and a [Marshall/Vox]".
+John Robie Its a modified copy of a blackface fender bassman. Marshall copied the first tweed fender bassman verbatim (JTM45), and the rest of Marshall's models spawned from that design. No surprise it sounds similar.
Glen is awesome,but keep in mind its his gear for over thirty years and his lp and 68 marsshall cabs are the holiest grail of tone,so with that in my mind you cantreally fault this player..But yeah glen has a tone from on high
I was on the waiting list for a Liverpool, at that time it was a 3 year wait but Ken died about the time I was supposed to get it. What a great amp and a great guy. RIP Ken!
I have watched this video 4 times (3 times in a row, and once a month ago) and I still love the way these amps sound.
Yes, in an interview in 'The guitar amp handbook' by Dave Hunter, he stated that he sold his amps for around 1000 usd back in 91. He earned more repairing amps, than making them... Like with Dumbles... most prices skyrocket while the builder himself doesn't get all that money.. hence those builders become very picky on clientele.
That's about $1,976.47 in today's money.
As far as Dumbles go, he sold them at a premium, like $10K.
Maaaaan that Liverpool sounds INCREDIBLE. I love British-style amps so much. The clarity and bark of that one is absolutely nuts.
In the late '80s, Ken Fischer was the local amp guy here. We were into Trainwrecks when you could call Ken in Colonia and have trouble getting off the phone with him.
So you cry some more. These are fantastic amps that deserve to be understood, not worshipped as luxury items.
I wish I could see a decibel meter while watching these amp demos.
I love George Lynch's Suzanne starting at 2:15 when he dials the gain up. Sounded fiiiiiine.
This guy is so lucky to get to play these absolutely amazing amps.
If you want one look into a Komet Trainwreck. Trey Anastasio from Phish played a Komet 60 for a few years before getting a real Express in 2021 and vouched for the Komet being the amp to get for the Trainwreck sound and feel.
Jeff McErlain plays faaaaantastic and a great sound for shure!
Also this Michael Tuttle Strat sounds amazing!
TH-cam sounds only give you an idea, even if the demo was recorded professionally. I really liked the Express in the middle. I kind of love and hate EL84 amps and would need some time to get the Liverpool dialed in.
Very nicely done ✅. You kinda need to step lightly around these wonderful creatures. Outstanding harmonic overtones. Loved every second.
This is a great demo! So often you see reviews for amps where the guy playing doesn't know how to properly demo an amp or pedal. I can tell these guys are all about the tone and it shows
Glen Kuykendall gets a really good sound from his. Check him out.
Turned up my JBLs for this demo..!! My neighbors are freakin out..LOL
RIP Ken Fischer
It's a piece of art. Wood is beautifully stained.
Great tone
Wow! the tonal clarity is great on those.
i like el34's. just my favorite tube beside the 6l6
Wow Billy's amp almost had some octavia overtones at higher gain settings...
I'm not just saying this but I can get these sounds with my Old Boogie Mark II.The Boogie sounds even warmer and more
dynamic.Maybe you just have to experience it in person,I don't know?
Its a different story when you actually play the amp. I haven't myself but I'm sure the amp FEEL's different. With that said its nothing over the top, just a modified blackface bassman.
I like the older boogie sound more than the newer fancier stuff but overall find their harmonic voicings a tad too rich for my taste. I like a more fundamental overdrive like an old beat to shit bassman or marshall sound.
These trains have a complex overdriven sound but not too "precious" or "sugary" for lack of a better description. One Mesa amp I really dig though is the Lone Star although I've never had a chance to plug into one.
@@SGspecial84 just wrong - compare schematics.
That Lynch amp sings more than any amp I’ve heard in a while. It’s a great amp. I’ve heard it a few times and i always wonder how he could let that one go!
Ahhh, the 20 watt greenbacks!....my favorite cab/speaker setup was a 4x12 with 014 cone 20 watters...GREAT note separation, plus the 20 watt greenbacks help tame the volume levels some.....I remember seeing some of your videos AirBloom, and you got some amazing sounds, you're a GREAT guitar player...KILLER gear sure helps, but you obviously put in the time learning to play.....Boy oh boy, do I ever regret selling that cab:-(
I played one of those amps the last time I was in NY, I've known gene and jeff more years then I would admit. anywho, gene brought the lynch trainwreck in for me to play, very nice amp however as with everything "gene" it cost a ton of money, I think 18 grand. man, that's a shit load of money. you make them sound quite nice. cool video.
Unbelievable crunch on with just the strat!
All of them sounded great. Nice even ordered harmonics with tasty overtones. The EL84 model definitely sounded a bit sweeter over all to me. Ya gotta crank those EL 34 amps hard to get that same effect. Cool demo,,,,the guy actually put some space in the playing so you could hear the amps. Cheers------
one of the 2or 3 best amp of history for me with the S.R.V Dumble Steel Stringer !!!
In 1989, Ken's price was $1200, and he told me he was keeping it low on purpose, even though existing Trainwrecks were selling at a premium. The issue at that time was getting one right away, vs. waiting for one to be built. Later I think he had a need to generate cash for medical bills. He wasn't really interested in money.
And if they are so great why did George Lynch and Billy Gibbons get rid of them?
dallas austin Ken Fisher lent Billy Gibbons an Express named "Sarah". It was so good that Gibbons refused to give it back, in spite of Fisher's requests. Even though Fisher told Gibbons that the amp wasn't for sale, Gibbons opted to send Fisher money, rather than return the amp, effectively stealing it. That's how good it was. These guys buy and sell gear all the time. Gibbons, in particular, has so many guitars and amplifiers that he doesn't even know what he owns anymore. Original, Fisher-built Trainwrecks have jumped from $2,000 to $5,000 to $20,00 to $42,000. At a certain point, it makes sense to sell even if the amp sounds spectacular and even if you're already comfortable. Those guys would sell any of their other amps too if someone was willing to pay $42,000 for it.
you pay a grand and someone offers $40,000 wouldnt you? any single person i know would in a heartbeat
dallas austin Exactly!!! It's called having more money than sense!!! I'd never part with one of these Express amps Especially the 2nd EL34' head and the Liverpool amp!!!! Very very sweet!!!
@@HollaJo3 Even if it was the best sound in the world, I'd sell it if it jumped over 20x in value. My Moogerfoogers are going that way, and I refuse to let myself remain in love with them because of their out of production status. I'll be heartbroken if they break and I can't afford to buy a new one, so I'm selling them and replacing them with more available contemporaries.
@@HollaJo3 Didn't sue to get them back?
Like everything produced in low order and that is seen to be unique these are expensive. There are MANY great boutique amps out there that cover this ground at a fraction of the cost. For me Kingsleys are the best I've heard and can do anything these can and much more - and yes they are also made in low numbers.
What I love about you Jeff is you are completely honest. After playing each one you declare "Now that one is my favorite!" But hey, I'd be saying the same thing! Those are master built tone boxes. By the way I live just around the corner from Mr. Fishcher's original shop. I'm around the corner in Irvine, Ca. Tustin is a stone's throw from here.
When I found out where it was I cruised over to see if there was a honarearium or museum there. Nope.
The only solution to this trend I can see is to build as many clones of these amps as possible. I know Ken would be looking down at all of us who do with a hint of approval, knowing that we are carrying on with his legacy of what it means to make for musical amplifiers that every man will have access to.
Please add some links so we can just jump to whenever an amp is first played thru so we can bypass all the noodling.
what kind of a les paul is this!! sounds amazing
I like more of top amp too. No doubt are fantastic amps with legendary NOS tubes, but I managed this same tone easy with Fulltone OCD v4 in high gain and Dunlop JBF3 Germanium Fuzz Face in low gain stacked with much more dynamic... and i keep my wallet into the pocket.
the reason some of these were sold is probably because they sound very loose (vintage-y) and that is not always desired by some artists. doesn't mean they're crap.
Jeff nice Les Paul. Any info on it. Slim neck or chunky? What year etc.? Thx.
Holy shit! Looki looki at all the gear in that room. I tell you what I think. The Les Paul sounded great, but the Strat really fit those amps the best. Damn those were some sweet sounds (oh, sorry, i mean tones) I bet they cost $3k each.
Why is he constantly backing off the volume? I want to hear these amps with the pickups wide open for more than 5 seconds. Its pissing me off.
That last one sounds amazing with the Strat, wow
Beautiful demo! I like the express but this demo the sound of this trainwreck liverpool is very good with strat!
Yeah the triple your money back original purchase price, Oké so for what price did you purchase them from Ken if I may ask? To my knowledge Ken charged very reasonable prices, and did not go along with the hype. at one point in time he even sold amps way under his price if he knew the amp would be on a studio record with a proper musician instead of a rich man's basement. BTW you also have an original Dumble? Nice stuff.
did lynch sell the amp? i'm guessing he did
What's that amp on the very top left in the beginning of the video? Also, what about the two at 00:17 on top and below the Bruno amp? Also at 00:17, what is that amp on the bottom right sitting on top of the cab under the Cornford that is that cream color? What about that amp on top of the red Roccaforte at 00:17?
Hi, since the TW Express is a very, very good amp I don´t know how you manage to make your Les Paul sound so muddy.
its a youtube video moron,its not recorded in flac
BTW, thanks to your Radio King vids, I just got two fixer-upper EH-185 chassis from 1939 and '40.
Have you had any luck with a schematic for that amp? It seems like it ought to be at least close to the EH-100 or -150. But those old Gibson-made amps are rarely built to spec.
I have one that's a lot like Lynch's Susan. When I called to order an amp, this one was suggested based on my requests. It's hard to really hear this amp on a computer. It makes the room rumble. But it's got a range that is impressive. I doubt I'd ever sell it.
Hello Fred, Thank you for sharing. Best regards, Dan
Ken Fischer did not want his amps to become worth as much as they did. He wanted them to be played by the working musician not sit unplayed in a rich collector music room next to a 57' strat signed by Eric Clapton and framed Woodstock tickets. I know nothing about the company today and have never met Ken himself but my information comes from two close friends of his who I had the pleasure to meet and speak with.
class A circuit basically a copy of a vox ac30.
Those work best when you put a boost in front of it like a bright boost like Brian May used to do. That bright boost also tightens up the low end..
One of the advantages of a class A amplifier is it works well with cathode bias. When you push the front of the amplifier and you push that amp the cathode bias gives you a nice singing quality lot of sustain again like Brian May.
Not that heavy metal crunch sound a completely different sound that ken Fisher actually loved and that was eventually his favorite sound.
The one in the middle "Sarah" what an amplifier, sounds amazing. All 3 of them though pretty awesome stuff. Really scary direct sound though, means the bad notes and fluffs are just as loud as the good ones.
2 DOZEN G12H30's?!? WOW! I watched a bunch of your videos yesterday and what a collection of gear, truly awesome! Thank you for the tips too, I made a 20' speaker cable of 18ga wire last night, and the difference was amazing, MUCH sweeter and smoother! A couple questions if you have the time....
Do you generally prefer 003 or 014 cones?
Are there ANY new speakers that you find acceptable to your ears?
I REALLY enjoy your videos, thanks for posting them AirBloom!!!
it sustains well. those things cost a lot. i saw one go for about 40k. find a dumble!! now those things are sweet!
they do some amazing clones. a friend of mine has the jtm50 clone and it's absolutely killer.
Jeff is an amazing player!!! He is an instructor at Truefire as well...
Awesome demo. Thanks for that! I see many comments here by people writing that no amp could be worth $40k. I can tell you that many pro guitarists make more than $100k/year, and to them, the purchase of the amp is a tax write-off against earnings. Some of those same guitarists are divorced, and their ex-wife would get a portion of their earnings. Top level guitarists are pretty intelligent people, managing to succeed in a very competitive career field. They have the choice of buying just about any amp they like, and have played most of the mass-produced amps available. Since they buy amps like Trainwreck or Dumble for high prices, there must be a good reason for them to do that. The reason is probably not they want to artificially inflate amp prices, and it's not that they are getting paid for an endorsement. It might be that the amp is the best at getting a sound they are looking for.
Can you hear it rings ?
I would never leave that room. Amp heaven!
they are SOOO BEAUTIFUL. Why ther aren't more wooden amps??????
Maybe I’m a contrarian or a minority here, but I would be just as happy with a Friedman amp any day for a fraction of the cost.
It’s a feel thing
For sure
If the amp, no matter how few were made or however rare it may be, is simply not sounding, astounding, or just abounding and pounding,... stare at it, intently, without blinking, while you play.
Yep. That's much better.
There doesn't even seem to be any hiss, how can they be that quiet when they're so overdriven?!
did he say only x amount were made? I need one!
The price of gear in general is outrageous these days.
$40K good?
Check out Glen Kuykendall and his express... more representative. This amp is unique in it's ability to go from fender clean to marshall type distortion and everything in between. Your guitar volume reacts as a gain knob. No need for pedals. and extremely responsive. The circuit inside is very simple. Ken Fisher built them in the day for 1000$
A BIG CANDY HIT TO GET TO HEAR THESE BEAUTIFUL AMPS,
nice demo, A+ Why would anyone part with these amps, I just don't understand.
$$$ the almighty. in our lovely capitalist system selling a 'modded blackface spec' that has the precious pedigree 'made for George Lynch' 'owned by Billy Gibbons' with "Trainwreck" or "Dumble" is worth more than the sound imho. That said, if I had more $ than I needed I'd grab one but in the $ dept. I'm what's known as financially embarrassed.
What kind of fuzz was used at 6:03?
Really good. Way to go!!! Big bucks amps.
Jeff, which pups on that Tuttle Strat??
Because they want to hear the amp played clean?
Tthat's called quality, No digital crap in your signal, built to last and to be played.
Wich song does he play in 1:28??
the second express with an lp sounds sooooooo guuuuud!!!!!!
Why on earth (if these amps are all they are cracked up to be) would George Lynch or Billy Gibbons (who certainly doesn't lack money, and is a tone freak) sell these amps?
oneofthemodels They probably moved on to something else. Also, the designer is famous in amp builder circles, so I'm sure the designs have been cloned, modded, rethought ad naseum. At least with vintage amps, you can say the components are unique and no longer sourceable.
@@Crunchifyable2 when you buy something for a grand and someone offers you ten No brainer Why I sold my Klon
@@paulcowart3174 yeah but if you got 50 -100 million bucks and you like something why sell it? What do you think they got for these? Maybe 8-12 thousand at most. I'd just keep it, maybe I'm a hoarder. Lol
Tommy conan Coates yep
I have built a Trainwreck clone for under $1000 and it really rocks, but is very sensitive to picking dynamics. Very revealing to the nuisances or suckiness of my playing . I needed to mod the gain stages to bring it down a little bit. The original Trainwrecks like their clone brethren go from clean to harmonic raging bull all with the control of the guitar volume. No other amps do this. Think hot rodded plexi but with a lot more second/third order harmonics
Actually, some of the vintage Supros are similarly attack and potentiometer sensitive. I also got to experience the new (2014) reissues at Summer NAMM and they were all about delivering the same service.
*that was Dual Shoman with an overdrive circuit.
people who is criticising the demo are trolls, they improve their lighting systems, the guy is a good guitar player, the only problem i have is the fact that they didnt demo the eq of the amp
Wow that sounds amazing! The tone is just great can we see inside the amp lol
13:14 Eek might want to reseat that EL84 on the left.
Amazing amps!
That's a wow! Thanks for sharing. I am pretty sure Billy must have another one, or he wouldn't have parted with the one in this video lol. I can hear why these amps are way out of my price range. I would love to have any of them, or a Dumble for that matter, but I am just a mortel like most of us, and doubt I will ever own one. If I ever hit the lottery though it will be one of the first things I buy lol! The dynamics are mind blowing, it's amazing how great they sound even in a TH-cam video!
Crazuy good sounding amps. I like the first one "suzanne" most, with les paul, if i had the money i would seriously consider buying that one.
Actually some of the Ceriatone clones are a lot less than $1500. As for the Dumble perhaps being nothing more than a Dual Shoman....that can't be a secret....how many great players are leaving their Dumbles at home and sticking an OD in front if a nice Fender?
Your joking right? I'm watching on HD and it looks amazing.
The tone alone is fantastic but in reality, top notch amplifier tone shouldn't cost more than two or three thousand dollars, hell even less a lot of the times. These trainwreck amps also had those beautiful wooden headshells, so they can be credited for a great sound and look. However, the only reason they are too expensive for us is the low production. Collectors can look to buy one of these all they want, but I'm okay with just this video for my trainwreck fix. Plenty of other amps out there. Cheers from Kentucky.
they are rare, and homemade. they were made famous by famous people that is all it is and ever is…every amp and guitar in history is famous because someone made it so…people latch on to the player and their sound. the fan begins to want that. eventually the amps become legendary from desirable. one amp most people don't know about is the matchless chieftain in 410. i have one and its far more rare than this amp in the video. only about 25 were made in that configuration. but i have to say the train wreck tone is so smooth. someone tuned these amps on a special meter to get those frequency arches.
an a painting that looks like shit shouldnt sell for $35,000,000 but they do,daily.
Nice amps but I would need two or three and that's a bit more than I want to spend right now...
I'm probably going to get some shit for this, but I think the Dr. Z Z Wreck does these amps justice as far as touch sensitivity goes. But why shouldn't they since Ken helped design it.
I'm the guy who got Ken to build "Suzanne" for George Lynch. George lived right down the street from me in Phoenix in 1991, and I would always see him at the local "Bizarre Guitar" I told him about Trainwreck amplifiers, and since I knew Ken, I had him build him this Express. Lynch was foolish for letting this amp go.
Scott Dunn ...I actually think George owns a different Trainwreck in his arsenal as of this year...so maybe not so foolish? Maybe the Trainwreck that he has now, is a better fit to him than the “Suzanne” was?
@@hondared88 If you knew anything about Trainwreck amplifiers, you would know that anyone who parts with one... for whatever reason... is indeed a fool. Ken built "Suzanne" with much more gain than he usually did with the Express, so I can't imagine why Lynch would have sold it. And as far as I know... George does not currently own a Trainwreck, especially since they are fetching upwards of $40,000+ IF you can even find one for sale. Trainwreck amplifiers are even more revered than the Dumble Overdrive Special.
Regards
Scott Dunn....I actually do know a little about Trainwrecks and yes, I do agree with you that getting rid of one would seem to be foolish to the normal guitarist but I also know that it's not my place to judge why or question reasons as we really don't know and I'm also pretty sure George does own another Trainwreck as I've seen him in countless videos over the past couple of years with him playing live with one and in videos and pictures of him with it in his studio. So, it's relatively easy to think that he is the owner, since it's in his possession in so many videos and pictures. Just because it had more gain doesn't mean that it had the desired tone and sustain that Trainwrecks are famous for. Yes, it's extremely rare and quite a costly collectible head. I did asked him a question about "Suzanne" and George mentioned that with the extra gain that it changed the tonality of the amp that Trainwrecks were desired for, in so many words. Which is probably why he has a different Trainwreck that produces something closer to what he hears in his head and chases everyday in search for that quintessential tone. Now, I know that John Mayer has sold a Dumble to Keith Urban after Keith lost a bunch of gear from the Nashville flood that wiped out that storage space a while back. Does that make John a "fool" for getting rid of a Dumble as I see Dunbles and Trainwrecks pretty equal in terms of rarity and price. I'm sure George doesn't have the bankroll as John does in terms of being a paid artist but George is no slouch in being a known guitarist. So, who are we to be calling who a fool when it comes to a record artist who makes a living at this than say a normal person like you or I?! Yeah, we would be quite the fool to get rid of one as just a normal working class individuals but George is an artist who has a longtime signature guitar line at ESP, probably could get any type of endorsement and royalties from any manufacturer if he so desired. Don't think the fool fits when we really don't know shit about what he can acquire, sell, trade or access when it comes to gear. Just my two cents.
The late great Ken Fischer...rip bud.
What pickuprs are in the strat?
@My Channel duh he wanted brand name lol
Great Demo !
Wait! I found the website for this place, and they say what's there, so it's all good now!
I thought i recognized you there Jeff. Nice demo!
My Ampeg VL-502 does more than most amps and you can pick,one up for only a few hundred dollars.
could george used the amp fir *its not love* song.
Just once, I'd like the player to say "you know what, I was really expecting more, and I'm not sure there's much of a discernable difference between this amp and a [Marshall/Vox]".
+John Robie Its a modified copy of a blackface fender bassman. Marshall copied the first tweed fender bassman verbatim (JTM45), and the rest of Marshall's models spawned from that design. No surprise it sounds similar.
I find that pretty much all single channel amps sound very similar.
But it sounds unique...
@@SGspecial84 no it is not. Learn to read schematics.
@@chipsterb4946 speak for yourself.
We're under a thousand back in the day Should of bought one Truthfully the old 68 cab makes a huge difference
just fantastic i can so hear the price!
GOOD JESUS THAT SOUNDS GOOD!
Far out. I really dig Gibbons with Pearly and a Super Lead.
Glen is awesome,but keep in mind its his gear for over thirty years and his lp and 68 marsshall cabs are the holiest grail of tone,so with that in my mind you cantreally fault this player..But yeah glen has a tone from on high
That slight fuzz sound you can't get with pedals, I'm talking abbout the first amp.