I hardly EVER comment on videos, but I felt inclined to here. I've been looking at Swart amps, and honestly, your review has me sold! Swart should honestly hook you up with some free gear simply for making a KILLER review video, that is not only easily accessible to us guitar junkies, but also covers just about all the bases on their product in THE most professional way. I also feel that there is no harm in telling you that you are indeed a SUPERB guitar player as well. I subscribed to your channel, cheers!
+Om Vivekananda thanks so much for taking the time to write in and I'm happy you liked the video. You'll love the amp: it's fantastic! These videos are a lot of work, but great comments like yours make the job incredibly rewarding. Thanks.
@@JayLeonardJ You are one of my favorite contemporary guitar players - just based on your demos. You play exactly the way I try to play and your taste in music is 1000% in line with mine.
Wow, stepping into the time machine to see early JayLeonardJ. Was a beast of a player even back then. Tasty, even with the primitive production values of 2015.
+44johnson Thanks for having my back. Even though I can't please everyone, my little group of positive commenters and subscribers make it all worthwhile :)
Jay. I was researching these amps and your video stands out as the smartest and most useful presentation compared to everything else about Swarts. You really stand out when compared to other audio demo thingies on youtube. And my god you can play.
Thanks so much for your response. This was actually the first TH-cam demo I made and what got me on this fun rollercoaster of gear demos and workshops. Hopefully the vid helps you on your amp choice :)
Wow, pretty loose and easeful for first review! And lots of great music history and wisdom to give context for this amp and its flavors. I've seen many of your spots on pedals and enjoyed them all. Andy who? Lol Keep it up!
The tremolo on this amp is truly something special. With a bit of reverb added as well it creates a great ambiance for slow playing, especially with clean tones. I prefer the cleans over BF amps as the upper mids are so damn thin. Chimey with good low note definition, mids that sit where they should, it's really well balanced sonically. Looks like you're really enjoying that amp. Makes sense though. :D
Hi Jay, what a great video! I love your energy and enthusiasm, your attack on the guitar and the killer vintage tones you wrench out of this amp. I reckon Swart should give you an endorsement deal as I'm almost certainly gonna pull the trigger on one of these amps based on you demo! Thanks so much for posting, cheers bro'!
+rselp Thanks! I would love for those guys to throw some amps at me, haha. I think they have one for sale right now at RufusGuitarShop.com if you have trouble finding one. Tell them that JayLeonardJ set you :) Great amp choice! You're gonna love it.
Man your audio and video really improved over the years GOOD JOB! I know you worked hard on that aspect.. Do you have a demo of the AST cranked with P90’s or Buckers? Id love to hear the full on break up. I got the AST not the pro, but same amp just 3/4 of an inch less depth. Did you ever use the nightlight attenuator with it? Thanks Jay!
Unfortunately I never had P90 guitars handy back when I had that box. I did try the Nightlight with it and it is a super cool unit. Thanks so much for the complement: it is crazy how far the videos have gone since the beginning :)
You're a good salesman. Bet you have a party playing INXS stuff. The Brook Benton licks sound like the rain on the tin roof too. Nice job. I'd be terrified bringing it to some job. When I hear this I think Cornell Dupree.
Awesome review, love your playing. I own a Swart Tremolo, I just one of these AST Pro to play in stereo. This will go nicely with the Swart Trem. Michael makes the best amps in my opinion.
I'm really digging the SRT-tremolo rig now - only five watts but a perfect studio amp. Posted a review on it recently nowhere near as good as this one, but the tones you get are quite similar.
I love your demos! I have rarely being so inspired to play/learn guitar from a demo, so thank you. I was wondering if you had a string gauge preference
Outstanding demo . . . great playing, great info . . . everything. Please tell me, is this amp loud enough or have enough presence, clean, to play in a four picce oldies band with a drummer? Thank you Jay!!!
Love your playing! Do you have any lessons online that I can buy or subscribe to? If you don’t, I think you should make some e.g. Funk guitar lessons - I think you’d get a lot of interest! I think I’m gonna buy this amp based on your video!
Now obviously it's not gonna do metal but I've been looking at the Swart STR-Tweed, this amp's brother, with a higher gain switch to try to get an early rock sort of sound without blowing the roof off... I'm really wondering if I can pull off something like Sabbath with the treble booster (Afterall, Iommi was using the dallas range master in the early days). Trouble is that I can't try it out personally- these things aren't easy to come by up here in Canada, and the only place near me that stocks it... well, doesn't stock it. Everything's sold out ;)
Hi Jay. Got to demo and listen to the STR-Tremolo and the STR-Tweed!Was looking for an amp with Tremolo and thought I would have walked out with the STR-Trem, but that was until I played and heard the STR-Tweed. The Trem was nice and all, but the tweed just had that sound!I still want an amp with Tremolo, just to be more versatile. So Iam going to try the AST, and that should be the end of that?. I do know two things though, 5 watts is enough and I do like the controls on top. So if the AST doesn't blow me away like the STR-Tweed then I will need a good tremolo pedal. Any thoughts on a pedal?,just in case. Oh and Attenuators other then Swart.Thanks Jay.
+Ed Kennedy I really like the SolidGoldFX Stutter-Lite or the Strymon Flint. As for attenuators, I like the Bad Cat one: not only does it attenuate, it also amplifies! Ho Electronics also makes a great one.
Jay, You are a great artist man! Could you please tell me how the amp is with Humbuckers. I play at home but I'm looking for a small wattage amp that has good cleans and distortion. I currently have a fargen retro plexi but the cleans are better with your amp. I also do play single coil guitars. Thanks for your input man.
+RemedyZ Thanks for liking the video! With humbuckers, you can get some fantastic 3D clean tones at low volumes: the warm and middy qualities of an old Gibson amp . That being said, the "edge-of-breakup" to "screaming saturation" volume settings really shine with the humbuckers. Compared to your Fargen, i think the Swart has a little less juice, and little more sponginess in the attack, and a bit more room filling qualities thanks to the open back cab and dripping reverb.
I’ve owned many different Swarts, but I always come back, since 2007, to the Pro. It plays well at all positions on the volume knob and never fatigues your ears. I think in ten years it will be a true modern classic.
ok Jay.....after researching all of Friday night and Saturday, i have some what narrowed it down to the Atomic space tone 20w amp. My only thoughts would be .....do i go with a head and Cab, or even the Stereo head and cab. 5watts vrs 20watts?. one thing i know for certain is the 12inch mojo bv 25 . So many factors..... Going to purchase a Suhr tele pro to plug in. love blues,jazz,funk. not so much into distortion. love compression, and responsiveness. any thoughts much appreciate. Ed
+Ed Kennedy Great choice. If you want versatility, go for the AST Head mk2; it has a master volume on it, so you can find your grit sweet spot and make it as quiet or loud as your want. I say Head/Cab over combo: the tubes are less exposed to damage and you don't have to reach around the back to turn the knobs (and accidentally burn your fingers). The stereo 5 watt is amazing, but I still do prefer the AST Head mk2. However, if you want me to REALLY make things tough for you, I might also steer you towards the new Swart Mod-84. It's my favourite amp in their entire fleet. Good luck and let me know what you pick :)
+JayLeonardJ Hey Jay thanks for your prompt response. i do like the mod 84 as well,but really like the mojo BV speakers, so i scratched it off the list.. just to make the hard choice simpler. But then i read you can personalize the speakers?. what do you think of that option?,using the mojo's. forgot to mention this is purely for pleasure at home and some buddies jamming. No gigging. Thanks again for your time. really appreciate it. Ed
+Ed Kennedy In that case, I'd go with the AST Pro Head mk2. The Master Vol is great for home playing, yet there is enough juice for the occasional jam. The Mod84 may be too loud for your needs :)
+Ed Kennedy Personally, I would take the Mojo over the standard Greenbacks. However, if they offer the UK Heritage Series Greenbacks, go for that. Good luck, a new amp is always super exciting.
Joel Andrault Thanks! It really depends on what kind of band you play in - Unmic'ed, you'll definitely have enough for a blues trio/quartets, R&B/soul, and jazz. You might be lacking with a large horn section without a PA. The big strength of the amp, however, is the "edge of overdrive" tone. If your looking for an amp that is super small/light, has reverb and tremolo, and focuses more on clean headroom than the Swart AST Pro - I would take a look at the Goodsell Super 17.
Great review. Checked out this video as I saw this amp is on sale on ebay for ($2500 AUS !!) and wondered why it was listed for so much. Saw some great playing and can now see this amp is sweet, though *way* out of my price range....
Hi Jay, Killer vid. I am looking at two amps to purchase. One being the AST JR which i was lucky enough to play, and the Suhr Badger 18, which i haven't played. Would like your opinion on a comparison of the two amps. I am leaning towards Swart at this stage. Thanks Ed
+Ed Kennedy ooh... Both Great Amps. That Badger will blow your house down though (in a beautiful way). I say, if you need low level phat overdrive: AST JR. If you need stage level punch and burn: Badger. Tell me what you pick and how you like it :)
Hi! The forward mids of that amp really complement either a Transparent Overdrive or a Treble Boosters: a Crowther Hotcake would also work really well. Besides that, a Tape Slapback delay would give you all the old 50s suitcase tones you would ever want :)
Realized that this video existed a few minutes after writing this comment haha, but thank you very much! Really enjoying your playing. I play in a funk band and your playing has taken my playing to a new level. Thanks!
Hmm. My opinion it’s good for Proto metal. Ala ...Led Zep. Sabbath with the aforementioned. Treble booster. And George Harrison the inadvertent father of Doom metal. Aka. She wants me she’s so heavy. From abbey road. Lol
I hardly EVER comment on videos, but I felt inclined to here. I've been looking at Swart amps, and honestly, your review has me sold! Swart should honestly hook you up with some free gear simply for making a KILLER review video, that is not only easily accessible to us guitar junkies, but also covers just about all the bases on their product in THE most professional way. I also feel that there is no harm in telling you that you are indeed a SUPERB guitar player as well. I subscribed to your channel, cheers!
+Om Vivekananda thanks so much for taking the time to write in and I'm happy you liked the video. You'll love the amp: it's fantastic! These videos are a lot of work, but great comments like yours make the job incredibly rewarding. Thanks.
@@JayLeonardJ You are one of my favorite contemporary guitar players - just based on your demos. You play exactly the way I try to play and your taste in music is 1000% in line with mine.
Wow, stepping into the time machine to see early JayLeonardJ. Was a beast of a player even back then. Tasty, even with the primitive production values of 2015.
Thanks man! Your playing made me smile for the first time today.
OCD, All I can think about is how could that one guy not like this!! Meanwhile, 45 of us absolutely love it. Great demo!
+44johnson Thanks for having my back. Even though I can't please everyone, my little group of positive commenters and subscribers make it all worthwhile :)
Jay. I was researching these amps and your video stands out as the smartest and most useful presentation compared to everything else about Swarts. You really stand out when compared to other audio demo thingies on youtube. And my god you can play.
Thanks so much for your response. This was actually the first TH-cam demo I made and what got me on this fun rollercoaster of gear demos and workshops. Hopefully the vid helps you on your amp choice :)
Yeah, I'd say you found your calling in life!
What a great demo - best I have seen! The trem demo made me cry - so sweet. Your enthusiasm is infectious as well. Thank you!
This has to be the best review I've seen on any amp. "Perfect"
Thank you so much! It was the first review I ever did and definitely gave me the bug to keep going :)
JayLeonardJ Yup, great review and playing...
Wow, pretty loose and easeful for first review! And lots of great music history and wisdom to give context for this amp and its flavors. I've seen many of your spots on pedals and enjoyed them all. Andy who? Lol
Keep it up!
Super energy. Great demo. Love my Swarts! (AST Pro and Mod 84).
+JoeGtars13 Just played a Mod84 the other day and completely fell in love. Probably my pick of their whole line-up
Dude you are an EXCELLENT guitarist!!!! Damn
Great playing and presenting. Your style is awesome!
Your right hand is precision funk certified
The tremolo on this amp is truly something special. With a bit of reverb added as well it creates a great ambiance for slow playing, especially with clean tones. I prefer the cleans over BF amps as the upper mids are so damn thin. Chimey with good low note definition, mids that sit where they should, it's really well balanced sonically.
Looks like you're really enjoying that amp. Makes sense though. :D
Great video - Beautiful amp.
Hi Jay, what a great video! I love your energy and enthusiasm, your attack on the guitar and the killer vintage tones you wrench out of this amp. I reckon Swart should give you an endorsement deal as I'm almost certainly gonna pull the trigger on one of these amps based on you demo! Thanks so much for posting, cheers bro'!
+rselp Thanks! I would love for those guys to throw some amps at me, haha. I think they have one for sale right now at RufusGuitarShop.com if you have trouble finding one. Tell them that JayLeonardJ set you :) Great amp choice! You're gonna love it.
Man your audio and video really improved over the years GOOD JOB! I know you worked hard on that aspect.. Do you have a demo of the AST cranked with P90’s or Buckers? Id love to hear the full on break up. I got the AST not the pro, but same amp just 3/4 of an inch less depth. Did you ever use the nightlight attenuator with it? Thanks Jay!
Unfortunately I never had P90 guitars handy back when I had that box. I did try the Nightlight with it and it is a super cool unit. Thanks so much for the complement: it is crazy how far the videos have gone since the beginning :)
You'r an artist.
+Stefan Vuori Thanks!
tight demo - I dig this (esp the funk licks)
+JohnnyFriendly thanks!
You're a good salesman. Bet you have a party playing INXS stuff. The Brook Benton licks sound like the rain on the tin roof too. Nice job. I'd be terrified bringing it to some job. When I hear this I think Cornell Dupree.
Great demo, amazing player! Love it bra!
Thanks!
Awesome review, love your playing. I own a Swart Tremolo, I just one of these AST Pro to play in stereo. This will go nicely with the Swart Trem. Michael makes the best amps in my opinion.
I'm really digging the SRT-tremolo rig now - only five watts but a perfect studio amp. Posted a review on it recently nowhere near as good as this one, but the tones you get are quite similar.
Just watched your vid! Sounded great dude :)
+JayLeonardJ - Thanks man! It's like your review only with roughly 10% of the skill and 8% of the charisma.
HA! -- what a great review. Put a smile on my face.
Damn Jay your are a funk Monster. James Brown is looking for you in the afterlife!!!
What a fantastic review! This goes straight to the top of the shopping list along with the Swart treble booster ;)
Yeah! Those two work really well together :)
I love your demos! I have rarely being so inspired to play/learn guitar from a demo, so thank you. I was wondering if you had a string gauge preference
+Simon Roy I typically use 10s on Fenders and 11 on Gibson. However, my blue Tele has been strung up with 11s for the last few months :)
Nice playing Jay! I learned a few things from you.
Very funky grapevine.
have you tried the Swart Antares, and if so - how does that compare?
Pretty solid first video demo.
Yeah! I really get nostalgic watching this one :)
How about a Ry Cooder/Paris Texas vibe with slide and lots of reverb & tremolo...
Outstanding demo . . . great playing, great info . . . everything. Please tell me, is this amp loud enough or have enough presence, clean, to play in a four picce oldies band with a drummer? Thank you Jay!!!
Great Job.
HI! What kind of speaker is inside?
Sounds good
Ivaylo Petrov Hi, thanks for watching. This one comes with the Mojo BV-25 speaker; the same one that Swart ships with their standard AST as well.
Love your playing! Do you have any lessons online that I can buy or subscribe to? If you don’t, I think you should make some e.g. Funk guitar lessons - I think you’d get a lot of interest! I think I’m gonna buy this amp based on your video!
Check out my "Play Like Jay" Playlist! Lots of great little tips and techniques there.
Now obviously it's not gonna do metal but I've been looking at the Swart STR-Tweed, this amp's brother, with a higher gain switch to try to get an early rock sort of sound without blowing the roof off... I'm really wondering if I can pull off something like Sabbath with the treble booster (Afterall, Iommi was using the dallas range master in the early days). Trouble is that I can't try it out personally- these things aren't easy to come by up here in Canada, and the only place near me that stocks it... well, doesn't stock it. Everything's sold out ;)
Any chance you will still be doing the treble booster demo?
It was the video right after this one. Hope you like it :)
JayLeonardJ oh jee whiz I did watch it sometime ago but forgot entirely
Killer playing btw! Very full of life!
Just got my PRO. Love love love it
Hi Jay. Got to demo and listen to the STR-Tremolo and the STR-Tweed!Was looking for an amp with Tremolo and thought I would have walked out with the STR-Trem, but that was until I played and heard the STR-Tweed. The Trem was nice and all, but the tweed just had that sound!I still want an amp with Tremolo, just to be more versatile. So Iam going to try the AST, and that should be the end of that?. I do know two things though, 5 watts is enough and I do like the controls on top. So if the AST doesn't blow me away like the STR-Tweed then I will need a good tremolo pedal. Any thoughts on a pedal?,just in case. Oh and Attenuators other then Swart.Thanks Jay.
+Ed Kennedy I really like the SolidGoldFX Stutter-Lite or the Strymon Flint. As for attenuators, I like the Bad Cat one: not only does it attenuate, it also amplifies! Ho Electronics also makes a great one.
Jay,
You are a great artist man! Could you please tell me how the amp is with Humbuckers. I play at home but I'm looking for a small wattage amp that has good cleans and distortion. I currently have a fargen retro plexi but the cleans are better with your amp. I also do play single coil guitars.
Thanks for your input man.
+RemedyZ Thanks for liking the video! With humbuckers, you can get some fantastic 3D clean tones at low volumes: the warm and middy qualities of an old Gibson amp . That being said, the "edge-of-breakup" to "screaming saturation" volume settings really shine with the humbuckers.
Compared to your Fargen, i think the Swart has a little less juice, and little more sponginess in the attack, and a bit more room filling qualities thanks to the open back cab and dripping reverb.
+JayLeonardJ
Thanks for the quick response Jay! Have you ever tried the swart srt by any chance?
Thanks Jay
I’ve owned many different Swarts, but I always come back, since 2007, to the Pro. It plays well at all positions on the volume knob and never fatigues your ears. I think in ten years it will be a true modern classic.
ok Jay.....after researching all of Friday night and Saturday, i have some what narrowed it down to the Atomic space tone 20w amp.
My only thoughts would be .....do i go with a head and Cab, or even the Stereo head and cab.
5watts vrs 20watts?.
one thing i know for certain is the 12inch mojo bv 25 . So many factors.....
Going to purchase a Suhr tele pro to plug in.
love blues,jazz,funk. not so much into distortion. love compression, and responsiveness.
any thoughts much appreciate. Ed
+Ed Kennedy Great choice. If you want versatility, go for the AST Head mk2; it has a master volume on it, so you can find your grit sweet spot and make it as quiet or loud as your want. I say Head/Cab over combo: the tubes are less exposed to damage and you don't have to reach around the back to turn the knobs (and accidentally burn your fingers).
The stereo 5 watt is amazing, but I still do prefer the AST Head mk2.
However, if you want me to REALLY make things tough for you, I might also steer you towards the new Swart Mod-84. It's my favourite amp in their entire fleet.
Good luck and let me know what you pick :)
+JayLeonardJ Hey Jay thanks for your prompt response.
i do like the mod 84 as well,but really like the mojo BV speakers, so i scratched it off the list.. just to make the hard choice simpler. But then i read you can personalize the speakers?. what do you think of that option?,using the mojo's. forgot to mention this is purely for pleasure at home and some buddies jamming. No gigging.
Thanks again for your time. really appreciate it. Ed
+Ed Kennedy In that case, I'd go with the AST Pro Head mk2. The Master Vol is great for home playing, yet there is enough juice for the occasional jam. The Mod84 may be too loud for your needs :)
+JayLeonardJ Ok with what speakers.....i like the Mojotone BV 25 or Celestial Green backs?. i like a phat/clean bluesy sound nothing too bright.
+Ed Kennedy Personally, I would take the Mojo over the standard Greenbacks. However, if they offer the UK Heritage Series Greenbacks, go for that. Good luck, a new amp is always super exciting.
Cuuuuuuuute
Haha, you watched it. My one and only "sister's bedroom demos" 🤣
Jay you able to demo the badger 18, with your tele.
Ed
Hey jay, man have you played a Klon ktr or analogman KOT through this amp? Any thoughts on how they would go?
The KTR would be killer. I like to keep the Treble knob high on the Klon to make it behave a bit like a pristine treble booster
epic man thanks for the reply!!
Hi jay!
Really a great demo!!
Could you tell me if the ast pro has enough headroom for good clean tones in a band?
Joel Andrault Thanks! It really depends on what kind of band you play in - Unmic'ed, you'll definitely have enough for a blues trio/quartets, R&B/soul, and jazz. You might be lacking with a large horn section without a PA.
The big strength of the amp, however, is the "edge of overdrive" tone. If your looking for an amp that is super small/light, has reverb and tremolo, and focuses more on clean headroom than the Swart AST Pro - I would take a look at the Goodsell Super 17.
Great review.
Checked out this video as I saw this amp is on sale on ebay for ($2500 AUS !!) and wondered why it was listed for so much.
Saw some great playing and can now see this amp is sweet, though *way* out of my price range....
+passy99 It is a fantastic amp! Look for an old school Gibson GA17 amp. You can probably buy one pretty cheap and it will get you 75% there :)
+JayLeonardJ Cheers, will have a look around. Was previously looking at AC15's but will broaden my searches...
Hi Jay, Killer vid. I am looking at two amps to purchase. One being the AST JR which i was lucky enough to play, and the Suhr Badger 18, which i haven't played. Would like your opinion on a comparison of the two amps. I am leaning towards Swart at this stage. Thanks Ed
+Ed Kennedy ooh... Both Great Amps. That Badger will blow your house down though (in a beautiful way). I say, if you need low level phat overdrive: AST JR. If you need stage level punch and burn: Badger. Tell me what you pick and how you like it :)
Nice demo. Any specific pedals you like to use with this amp?
Hi! The forward mids of that amp really complement either a Transparent Overdrive or a Treble Boosters: a Crowther Hotcake would also work really well. Besides that, a Tape Slapback delay would give you all the old 50s suitcase tones you would ever want :)
Awesome amp!! What kind of Tele is that?? Thanks.
It is a 2011 Custom Shop Bigsby Tele :) Awesome axe!
Sounds fantastic! What pickups are in your tele?
I use Virgil Arlo Pickups! Check out my vid on them: th-cam.com/video/wvNViiuV2c0/w-d-xo.html
Realized that this video existed a few minutes after writing this comment haha, but thank you very much! Really enjoying your playing. I play in a funk band and your playing has taken my playing to a new level. Thanks!
Can I borrow your right hand for the weekend? I promise I'll have it back by Monday noon.
Haha, thanks!
Is this big enough sound for live gigs. I guess mic'd it's solid
Good enough for an unmiked trio; however, it may have trouble with a horn section. Still, it's a killer amp :)
how about keyboard player who won't turn down and plays everything as though it was a march?
Haha, there is no amp in the world that can compete with that ;)
all jokes aside.. you have a incredible skill set.. just an awesome player
Hmm. My opinion it’s good for Proto metal. Ala ...Led Zep. Sabbath with the aforementioned. Treble booster. And George Harrison the inadvertent father of Doom metal. Aka. She wants me she’s so heavy. From abbey road. Lol
Guitar face. Nice review btw
Some nice technical ability there,but HATE the funk and animated love of it...just sayin
its not in the gear , you dont need so expensive shit to still sound like average player
Find something that works and speaks to you and rock on :)
$3.500 no thanks
Thumbs down just for the weird face
One thumb down for you being a D
Great amp. I had to decide between this and a Tone King Sky King at the same price. TK has more headroom so .....
Hope you dig that Sky King! Both are fun boxes so I guess you can't go wrong either way :)