BluGuitar Amp 1 Mercury Edition - Is This The Ultimate Gigging Amp?
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 21 ส.ค. 2024
- I've been intrigued by the BluGuitar Amp 1 for many years. Every demo I've heard from this guitar amplifier I've been really impressed with the tone. In this video, I find out if the BluGuitar Amp1 is the ultimate lightweight gigging amp.
The AMP1 Mercury Edition has enjoyed growing popularity since its release, and the global user community around professional guitarists such as Jennifer Batten, Uli Jon Roth, Kat Dyson and Ian Crichton is constantly growing. The revolutionary Nanotube technology, which is up to par with traditional boutique tube amps in terms of authentic sound and real feel, has set a new standard for guitar amps: a guitar amp that meets the demands of a professional guitarist on stage and in the studio, yet is small and light enough to be carried around in the glove compartment or gig bag. The Studio Rats are core band members Paul Drew on guitar/production/mixing, drummer James Ivey and Dan Hawkins on bass. They collaborate with singers and musicians to produce radio-ready songs.
I always get asked what the signal chain is in my videos. In this video its a PRS DGT into the BluGuitar Amp1 then the amp 1 is plugged into a two notes torpedo Studio.
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I feel it should be pointed out- the nano-tube in there is a real- genuine working tube. " Thomas Blug worked with Russian scientists who never left tube technology- American techs moved on to semiconductors , but the Russian's just refined and miniaturized tubes into a completely reliable and shock-resistant tube technology to work in their military and space programs- the sub-miniature vacuum tube is characterized by it's lower noise levels at high input resistance and lower internal capacitance. This results in outstanding musical properties- there are clearly superior to conventional tubes in efficiency, energy consumption and reliability. Thanks to it's mechanical strength they can be constructed without a socket an firmly soldered in place- in comparison with classic tubes- sub-miniature tubes are almost 'indestructible" and require no maintenance." The do indeed work in the power amp and provides AMO1 with 100 watts of character, punch and power." - From the user manual.
Definitely
Russian nanotube? Good luck keeping this thing running now. Biden has chosen once again to punish Americans for Russia misbehaving.
This is really interesting then...
Been using these for the last 4 years, and ended up selling my other valve amps. Now run a pedalboard with just amp 1 and line6 HX effects, and it’s an easy load in 😊👍
But what is that tube used for? I understand it's part of the power section and not the preamp section? Is all overdrive/gain achieved using this tube hence rendering it as power stage distortion? Or does it not have anything to do with the overdrive/distortion tones generated by this amp? If so, how is distortion generated... perhaps by some solid state circuitry? Impressed by the tones, but I'd like to know more.
Used one in my last band ....superb amps...we where lucky enough to have Thomas blug come and play in our local pub....the sound he got out of his amp1 and the matching 1x12 lightweight cab was unbelievable !... you had to hear it to believe it..!
Very cool!
This video just about sold me on the Mercury.
I love this thing, what a hidden weapon, had mine for about 6 months and it still blows me away. Great demo, one of the best I've seen, cheers.
I just discovered the low gain mode. I highly recommend if you want a Peter Green clean channel, a Paul Kossoff vintage channel and a Gary Moore classic channel (especially with the boost on).
How to access the low gain mode?thanks
Classic setting sounds superb! Great demo and playing as usual. Thanks Paul.
My pleasure!
YES!!!! i love my amp1. its a brilliant piece of kit and i cant wait for the ampX to come out. thomas has done an amazing job with this amp
Sure has.
That clean tone... oh my my my!!!
Combine this with the REMOTE1, that literally turns this into a 4 channel amplifier, and yep, I'm sold. I've already got effects I like so I'll just run it through the loop. This is a game changer. Literally everything goes on your pedalboard and into the travel case. It's bonkers and I'm here for it.
That DGT!! sounds awesome!
Did you reference Ian Crichton of Saga, the biggest influence on my guitar playing and most criminally underrated guitarist of all time? That’s made my Sunday!
not knowingly, have I just ripped a riff off?
@@TheStudioRats not at all, you have referenced him as a BluGuitar amp user in your description, have a listen to his playing, amazing.
Paul great job with sound you got out of the Amp1. Your video is by far the best I have heard this box sound. Made me want one... :) Studio Rats = great guitar tone.
Glad you liked it! much appreciated.
Best demo of this product on TH-cam. You know how to dial it in perfectly. New sub here and awesome post!
I think your guitar sounds so good in any amp
Great review. I have GAS for this amp so I have watched a lot of videos. This has been my favorite.
I’m holding off to see what the “Amp X “ is all about. This does sound killer though.
Amp X looks awesome!
It’s going to be 2000 I’m just going with a cortex
Great review
Yes, those are just great amps, and it boggles your mind that that tiny little thing that weights next to nothing is so extremely loud if you want to.
Sounds great even at low volume, though.
I have pedalboard that has Amp 1 and Line 6 HX effects, whole thing weights 6 kilo's.
Sounds like an awesome rig!
Fabulous demo as always. I have to admit that I'd have liked to hear a strat as well though
Fantastic Demo… First Class product from a true guitar musician..
Cheers boss
Seems like a great sounding versatile unit!
Is The Ultimate Amp? YES!!!
brilliant demo well done bud, i have one of these amps as well..
Just wondering Can it do the 3 classic amp sounds? (Fender Clean,Vox Crunch and Marshall Distortion)??
Great playing and a great review - cheers!
it sounds really good Paul!
cheers
I have the nanocab and it sounds huge while being light enough to take on the bus. Can't afford this amp just now but it is on my Christmas list!
I'm thinking of getting the nanocab (and Amp1 iridium), is it loud enough to handle a loud drummer??
@@theiranxican7412 yes it is. It's a 100w Head. A real analog amp.
I've always thought the BluGuitar boxes have better core tones than any of the digital modellers. Really lifelike and complex base tones (possibly because it's more of a real amp than a modeller?) I've never tried one but I also bet they inject a great feel through the strings.
They are not Modellers but what they are is real Amps! And many Pros as well as Thomas Blug himself proofed they are as loud as the "real Deal" and could sound nearly identically to most Amps out there. Have these units on my radar as wel, but 1. don't have the money right now and 2. waiting anyway 'till Thomas will issue the Amp X (i think its called).
@@Worlds_Worst_Guitarist Me too🤘🏻
Mr Blug has one of the best ears in the business... well two of them actually!
They are real amps , and your sense that they inject feeling into the strings is more correct than you know. The sponginess is absolutely perfect , it is also quite tight and aggressive when you need it to be .. I have this Mercury model. It Maybe the best amp I’ve ever owned. I’ve had years of time with the following “real” Amps : Mesa Boogie mark 2B , 1977 Marshall JMP , Ceriatone Dumble clone ,
High power Fender twin early 70s, Princeton reverb reissue, THD bi Valve. I think this amp does everything they did and weighs less than the output transformer on the Princeton
I’ve used Marshall Vox and Fender tube amps since the 70s and I bought an Amp 1 Mercury about a year ago and have gigged with it and I can’t tell the difference in sound and feel to my old Marshall. I highly recommend them.
Great playing
Great playing, man. I really love your approach....! Damned. And the Amp1 is a beast, isn´t it? I mean, this thing is sooo versatile, I don't think there are not many real Amps (because that's what it it) out there who can compete with it. Don´t get fooled by it's small design...it is a "a wolf in sheep's clothing"... Thumbs up for this Video, Paul. And thanks for all the valuable Information as well.
Can't say how glad I'm to see you review the amp1!!
It is always an exciting product and I always miss mine of the original version which is currently not with me, sadly. But I am very curious to plug into it with the GT1000 core and see how versatile they will become!
Nice review! It sounds good, but compared to your Iridium review, you have too much treble (and maybe mids) dialed in here, which makes it sound a bit thin and fizzy. In the Iridium review, where you have the treble at around 3, you say that compared to the mercury it sounds much nicer. I bet that if you lower the treble to around 5 or below on the ME, it will make it sound nice and creamy too :). The EQ on this amp is incredibly important, so try it out! :D
This sounds good! I just got the Quad Cortex, but I think the Amp1 sounds better
Combine them. I use my QC with my real amps all the time.
Wow, prev video was a modeler, and immediately the realism here caught my ear.
Amazing noise gate that actually works to silence the hiss and not choke out everything you’re trying to articulate. Fantastic
its a really impressive little unit.
It would be nice to hear a demo of the Amp1 with single coils...
Check out Tomas Blug! He mainly uses a strat.
Jack Gardner...you won't be disappointed.
Nice demo! I had the original and it was very good.
Cheers, Yep the more I play on the Amp1 the more i love it.
Thomas Blug is the tonemeister....hands down. The Amp-1 products are stellar, I personally use the Iridium. If you really want to blow your mind.....track his upcoming Amp-X.....true gamechanger.
The amp x looks great.
Sounds superb - is that just DI’d into your DAW?. I saw Thomas Blug demo this unit at the Mansons guitar show in Exeter a few years back. He had it running through a tiny Nanocab, I was sat about 10 feet away and it sounded awesome! Such a nice guy too, we had a great chat with him after.
Its plugged into a two notes torpedo
@@TheStudioRatswould that work in a live situation with S-Gear into the PA? Downloaded your presets today, they sound great, thanks 👍
I was at that event, too. I talked to Thomas, delayed a while before purchase and then found a second hand unit on eBay so took the plunge. I've been using it for 4 years now and it's the only amp I take out of the house. I use a FatCab, but I'm thinking of swapping for a NanoCab.
@@normanleader9083 he's such a friendly guy, no airs and graces at all. I've got the Vintage V6 signature model he was playing that day. Would love the Amp 1 but I haven't gigged for years so would be a bit wasted. I use Scuffham S-Gear at home.
I have one. Great amp!!
Just wondering Can it do the 3 classic amp sounds? (Fender Clean,Vox Crunch and Marshall Distortion)??
I'm going to wait for Amp X, being a mix of both Amps1 + remote + effects.
This thing really sounds like the real thing, and based on what I have heard, finally it also feels like the real thing...no lag, punchy sound right in your face, dynamics...
What is really promising about Amp X is that this is supposed to be a platform with truly power that will allow updating sounds in collaboration with real Amp manufacturer and sound designers. All analog (except some of the FX)
Yep it’s gonna be great.
it is also going to cost more than those two units together... (around 2k)
Great sounds, Paul.
We're you going straight to interface? Be interested to hear how you get on using a cab with it. For those who don't need to go 'silent stage', but want tone at dB meter-friendly levels if you know what I mean!
I use mine with a cab- with the right cabinet it sounds amazing- just like a full stack if you put it into a 4x12- for smaller gig's a 2x12 or even a 1x12 works very well. BluGuitar makes cabinets for it too- if you need a light weight but purpose built cabinet they have you covered.
@@yjmsrv are you able to plug it into an interface directly or does it need a load?
Same question regarding plugging direct does it need a loadbox?
hold it, hold it right there ! the clean tones were with the DGT in split mode, right ?
This seems really good, but it's hard to know how much post-processing has been done on these demos.
What is your signal path Cab and Mic or direct. Good work ,best sounding Amp 1 demo I have heard.
With this vid I was plugged into a two note torpedo.
Amazing sounds, does the boost button also increase the volume.
it is unfortunately at the input as a clean boost
Funny how you go down the same route as me, katana - > amp1
Not yet! Probably never. I don’t do anything outside of home so... but I do love to hear about all the stuff out these days and relate to what could have been. My friend Eric!!!🤐
@@kmichaelp4508 man........I kind of understand except I don't want to stop searching for inspiration to serve the LORD!!!I want to get back into Worship playing. Hope you keep it alive friend!!
@@frankardos4211 , my time has come and gone. I don’t need inspiration to serve. I wake up in the morning and all is well. Thankful I’m blessed for another day in His presence 🤐
Okay 👌 but how does it compare to the katana? Hahahaha 🤭 no really I’ve heard this amp for a good while now and it seems amazing. Not cheap but not overly expensive either. It does hit all the amps a rock guitarist would need to emulate in a small package.🤐
I have both- a Katana 100 and the Amp1. I use the Katana primarily because I mounted mine in a 1x15 tweed cabinet and it sounds ridiculously good and is light-weight- so I don't have to carry a pedalboard to gigs- the Katana does it all- however the Amp1 sounds so good and really cuts through a live mix, I've found, better then the Katana- so I'm putting together a cab and "pedalboard" for the Amp1 too- because it uses a real tube I find it just cuts through a mix better- but then I have to carry 3 things (guitar- cab and pedalboard).
Mike, for a lightweight giging amp its really hard to beat the katana, and the MKII gives you stereo expand capability. You can literally buy two of the 100 watt Katana's run them in stereo with the GA FC foot switch pedal and Boss volume/EXP pedal and be done for around 1K. :) The Amp1 is really nice, but a whole different level of expense/rig complexity if you like effects. :)
@@srsanders455 , sounds to me like the better deal? But sound wise the comparison would be a different thing?
@@kmichaelp4508 Mike I think you are right. With two Amp1s, two nice speaker cabs, several stereo effect pedals, all the amp1 accessories, loop switcher, foot pedal etc, it would sound awesome, and be pretty light weight/modular. But the complexity and price of the rig goes through the roof. However, if you add a really nice drive pedal in front of the Katanas like a Mesa Boogie Gold Mine (200 bucks brand new) the difference is even less between the two rigs. Tubes always win though imo, even micro ones. :)
@@srsanders455 , 2 katanas ($1000), drive ($200), GA FC& peddle (($250), $1500... compared to $3K plus... how much will it sound better? A lot to consider isn’t it.🤐
Hey man, thanks for the video, amazing sounds. Was this recorded though record out, directly to your computer and the daw?
I love my Amp1.
Sounds insane in your demo. But - maybe I'm missing something - without the extra remote controller if the channels share all the controls and I want to switch from clean with gain low to another channel with gain set higher that wouldnt work without turning the knob, right? That turns me off quite a bit to be honest since the point is to have all in one tiny box and makes the switching on the amp1 itself kind of useless. this remote thing seems bigger than the actual amp, is another 300 bucks and seems to not be widely available. Just when I thought this could be the one. I will try it anyway. Thanks for the demo.
I thought the same, however you can set different gain and overall tone for the overdrive channels using those little side controls. If you want to increase volume level too, you can, but need to do this via a MIDI CC input. I just got one s/h off Reverb and so far I’m very impressed, coming from a background of playing years of tube amps in a live situation. The speaker choice has a big impact on the tone, I’m using an Orange PPC112, with a Celestion Vintage 30, which works for me. It’s worth downloading the German/English language manual to get a feel for the modes. Thomas Blug also has tons of stuff on TH-cam where he’s very open about the design and getting the most out of this very well designed unit.
@@MS-Patriot2 hey, that good to know. Thanks for the advice.
@@silent-trouble 🤟
I would definitely use that instead of quad cortex or other modelers. Digital stuff adds too much aliasing (and there’s no mathematical solution to get rid of them, but super calculators in real time, maybe in 100 years if we find a new way to reduce transistor size and keep on Moor’s law or find a new way to make real time DSP… unfortunately a dying market)
What setting were you on at the beginning of this video? Is it the vintage? Modern? Boost? Also signal chain? Any pedals in the intro? This has to be the best sounding demo I've ever seen/heard. Great job.
Cheers Rik, the settings are on the screen as I’m playing.
@@TheStudioRats Hey there. You're going into the two notes torpedo. What type of cab IR are you using? 4x12, 2x12?
@@TheStudioRats Hey there. You mentioned the settings were on the screen as you're playing. Did not see any settings. Thanks!
@@TheStudioRats Ah okay, i see what you mean. I can kind of see the settings. Cheers.
Amazing sound. No noise? Time ago I read there is some noise from the cooling fan. Maybe just a story, never heard one originally. And no issue on stage 🤣
the fan does kick in after a while, cools it down and switches off.
What exactly are you playing through, Mike’d cab, direct? It’s sounds awesome!!!
Hi guys. Just got an Amp1 ME, in part based on your great review.
QQ, what's you preferred setting for the main pedal master vs the overdrive master. I've seen people with OD master cranked and main master down as well as vice versa. Which gets the tube sound you seem to enjoy. Thanks
Does this mean I now need to my three katanas down in the basement to join my lab series100, blues cube artist, TC G system, helix, powercab, gt100, TSL and BLues Junior and fender performer?
I have a clean Katana 50 that acts as a “ stereo” with my core tone from the AMP-1 , second output from my effects chain in the AMP-1 effects loop. The Katana is ok, but is actually quite dull and lifeless when overdriven, compared to the AMP -1
...or you could let me adopt that blues cube artist to give it a good home :)
@@rogiemac ha ha…. You’d never lift it….far too heavy!
Hi! thanks for the vid! how does the amp react to "low homy volumes"? having in mind that it is 100w, would you recommend it? does it behaviuors like a modeler, in terms of practicity? Thanks before hand.
Considering this and the iridium amp. And that Adam Jones uses a Marshall. Which would be better suited to Tool and his sounds?
Yes it is.
This sounds infinitely better than one of those stupid digital things (Line 6, Kemper, etc.) to me.
It actually has amp-like response and overtones. Slightly thin but I don’t really mind that.
This is really exciting!
Very impressive product and demo!
I have both the Helix and Kemper, getting sick of settling. I have one of these Amp1 units coming tomorrow.
The X model
Thanks! Have you tried emulating AC/DC tone with this? And is this video using a cabinet or direct or Blubox?
I have it, first silver edition, put how you rec it? With cab and mic or rec out or thru ir louder? Aa i read now thru the torpedo nice sound
Anybody play the Amp1 through an FRFR ?.Is it good?.
I ask because i already have one (Ampero through a Headrush FRFR) but i wanted to move to something simpler and less digital without having to buy a dedicated guitar cab.Thx!.
Why is the REC OUT on the AMP1 a stereo jack? Should I connect a stereo tele cable and somehow split it into two inputs on my sound card??
2 questions, how where the custom settings set? What pickups in this prs, these sound amazing
if you look at the video where i show the side panel, the settings are as i used them.
@@TheStudioRats it's hardly noticeable in the video because it's black on black, do you have a picture? I connected with you on Facebook
Paul, I’m curious, do you own any 7 strings, or do you ever tune down?
I dont own a 7 or tune down.
Are you using it direct or cab with mic. Sounds awesome whichever.
It’s all in the notes.
subscribed❤
I’m looking for a power amp for my Marshall Jmp1, so far I’m looking at this and the orange pedal baby. Anyone have recommend?
It's either a 6111 tube or close to one...
I think mercury edition sound nice with single coil or stacked humbucker
Great demo and playing.
However, not too impressed by those tones. Sounds like a transistor amp or cheapy modeler with harsh top end and grainy gain structure. I guess that tube doesn’t actually do much in signal chain?
The modern setting sounds like Vai to me.
This might be a stupid concern, but if something goes wrong with it, are parts hard to find for it? Would it be expensive? Ive never even heard of a nanotube before lol
Best to ask BLUG about that.
How did you record it? Straight insti the interface or using a cab or amp inbetween?
Does that footswitch allow you to save the control (treb/mid/bass) settings on the amp that you saved them at? Or does each channel default to the main unit's current settings they are dialed at?
You can’t save eq settings.
@@TheStudioRats Thanks, I guess that would be back to digital which I rather not do anyway.
Amazing playing.. And the amp too... How frequently the nano-tube is required to change???
It's supposed to last for hundreds of thousands of hours. So it should work fine well after we are all gone...
@@88grinder Superb... 🤘🤘.. Wondering why the other tube amp makers don't use nano-tube...
@@zonakmahanta Vox use them
How would this sound through my Hugh and letter triamp mark 3?
Hmmm.... Katana Head to this. VERY tempted. Thanks Paul (I think! ;-) )
Hope you enjoy it!
Hi! It's the same IR in the Iridium Edition Review?
TL;DW: yes
This or the Black Spirit 200 Floor?
Did you user the line-out, a cab & mic (which ones), or the BluBox?
All in the notes.
Love my Kemper but this might be yet another purchase for me... OOOOOPPPHHH Spending too much on this stuff although when it sounds like this it might just be worth it..!!!!!.
I sold my kemper for the iridium edition and never looked back.
I will sell my Iridium Revv G20 and Marshall SVH20 for BIAS FX2 and i will not look back either. Such a bummer to have tub amps and get same muddy high gain all the time depaute turning knobs and using descent guitars. 50 uSD purchase plug in Marshall JCM 900 sound way better to my ears.
Can you get a volume boost programmed for Solos?
the boost will act differently with each amp type, for the clean channel you get a noticeable volume increase, as the gain on the channel gets higher you’ll notice a gain increase.
There is clean and high gain, nothing in between.
Tried it at the music store I was so deceived you better have to go with the hugues and kettner black spirit. Me I went with the nextone artist instead...
Though, I'm pretty sure the bluamp iridium delivers what's intended. My instinct rarely miss the target.
Is this good for low volumen at home?
Direct line?
Hi,what is you advice between QC and Amp1 ?
They are very different things the Amp 1 is great for live and recording, the quad cortex is great as a modeller. If I had to buy 1 I would probably go for the Amp1.
@@TheStudioRats 😂I just saw your replay,but I allready got the QC . Thx for the replay back and I hope I see more videos with QC. I am big fan of Gary Moore, JJ Cale and ACDC.. it will be nice to do some presets 😇. Thank you
Is this better than a Quilter?
I’ve never tried a quilter
For about $400 more you can get an Axe FM3.....
But it isn't an amp right? This one is 100W amp. Not a damn digital modeler.
This or S-Gear for purely tone and feel?
Choice is clear. One is natural, the other is emulated…
@@shaharbar it's not that simple anymore. Plenty of fantastic emulators out there and plenty of shite "real things"
@@ilmisxx2 I think it is simple, however, I do agree that the difference is not really noticeable audibly, I’m strictly referring to latency.
@@shaharbar what latency? With good interface you get maybe 3-7ms with the speed of sound through air you get same latency standing next to a speaker cab
@@ilmisxx2 simply not true
It's nice for a bedroom virtuoso, but when you play live with loads of gain and you want the solo sound to be 10 dB louder your f*cked.
Volume boost in the loop, or just plain old volume pedal or volume knob on the guitar all work fine.
Sure if you’re playing a hi gain sound and it’s already compressed, a boost pedal isn’t going to do much, but that’s the same with any amp.
Boosts into the front of an amp always add compression rather than volume once you've run out of clean headroom, this is the same with any amp. However, with the remote 1 (or via midi commands) you can set up a second master volume so you can instantly switch sounds levels keeping everything else sounding the same if you do wish. Problem solved
TH-cam, stop showing ads with mostly just one ethnicity. How pathetically pandering of you, especially when they make up just 13% of the US population.
They're ridiculously expensive. Too expensive for what it is. That's just my opinion.
They are super affordable
@@MisterTee In Australia they're $1800 brand new. That's not affordable at all.
That price is crazy compared to other countries. I guess if you want one you could order from a different country?
How can they be $1,800 in Australia when they are $800 in the U.S.? That makes no sense. Australia is a free-market economy as much as anywhere else. Can't you just order one off Sweetwater or similar and have it shipped to you?
@@hootowl6354 I know, look them up in Australia if u can. They're $1499, not $1800. They're $799 USD. I see one on reverb for $879 though. I'm not sure about shipping but it'll come close to full price if not more. .
I watched this video and bought one. I’m now sending it back. It sounds sterile and fake. Not very tube like. This is a fail!
I was tempted to give this amp a try until I read your comment. I'm very particular about my tone. What cab were you using or were you going into an interface->computer?