Carl Martin Custom Shop 50

In fact my column does not actually cover the receiver Carl Martin but his original version of the Thunderbird brand George Duo Tube Amp. Indeed, the amps are manufactured by Carl Martin Jorge Bueno, founder of the Spanish firm Amptek, which began some twenty years, and bone repair by the old vintage amps lying around in the Iberian Peninsula and has launched in the manufacture of boutique amps made entirely by hand point to point. Apart from the price, the logo and some minor subtleties there are no differences between the amps and the amps Carl Martin George.

Having repeatedly asked the moderators of the site to create an entry for this brand, but without any result, so it is here that I will make the record.

This amp has only a few differences with the model by Carl Martin: it comes with instead of KT66 6L6 and has no bright switch. However, it has a switch to switch the preamp in "vintage" or "modern" (actually an attenuation of voltage lamps attack preamp), another switch switches between a correction or LED lamp and a last class A to class A / B.
There is a single entry and the following settings: volume, bass, mid, treble, master and reverb. The reverb is tube. The amp has one channel, but this is the case with most amps legendary Twin Amp, AC30, Bluesbreaker, JTM45 ...

Finally, it is a combo that delivers a power ranging from 15 to 50 watts depending on the configuration of switches on two Celestion Vintage30 Hp.


UTILIZATION

Operation is super simple, you plug the guitar and happiness is here. The sound is beautiful, organic. Reviewed by a sound engineer: "I have rarely had the opportunity to make a guitar sound so beautiful and so easy!".

SOUNDS

I play mostly blues-rock but am sometimes led to approach other styles depending on the people that I coach. Whether it's for my music or jazz tunes, or even hard rock (of course with "a few pedals) I have The Sound. I use a Stratocaster U.S. shaft equipped with a microphone and SRV Custom 69, another with Texas Special pickups and a Heritage H535 equipped with P90. I had the opportunity to try this amp with other guitars such as PRS or Lespaul. Each time the sound is full, accurate, and meets all the nuances of the game perfectly amp accepts pedals more subtle effects of more aggressive which is not always the case.

The sound clarity and warmth of the old Fender with something that is reminiscent of the Marshall. Some who have tried it and know what they're talking about, are almost identical to a Matchless ... For nearly three times cheaper.

OVERALL OPINION

I've had it three months and was able to experience it in the most diverse conditions.

I have owned in nearly 40 years a few different amps, many would dream the most demanding: Music Man, Fender, Marshall, Ampeg, Peavey, Mesa Boogie, Rivera, Carvin, Seymour Duncan, Crate, Line 6, etc. ... I also had the opportunity to try some old vintage Fender and Marshall and Cesar Diaz (the legend). This is the first time in my life I have the feeling of having gained what was my Holy Grail. So much that I just ordered another model less powerful and less burdensome for clubs and recording sessions.

What I like most: everything except the weight, but I've never seen a 2x12 light and sound!
What I like least: the weight, not having had the idea to buy one before and do not afford to have many models ...

I would do if this election? Do you? And besides, Jorge Bueno is a lovely man and available.

PS: you can hear this amp on the following link: https://www.dailymotion.com/video/xdzo4e_pierre-barthelemy-en-concert-a-bast_music