65amps Empire

Specifications:
Output: 22 Watts
Tubes: Power – 2 6V6s, Preamp - 12AX7
Panel controls: On, Off, Standby, Master, Presence, Bass, Mid, Treble, Bump,
Select, Volume 1, 2, 3
Extras: Footswitch input jack, dual speaker outs, switch for 8Ω & 16Ω impedance
Cabinet: Finger-jointed Baltic birch
Dimensions: Head: 25" L x 9" D x 11" H / 26.4 lbs.
Weight in box: Head: 35 lbs.
Accessories: Footswitch included

UTILIZATION

Probably the most shocking thing you notice about the Empire is the fact that it's a british flavor amp with 6v6 tubes. Okay? Tell me more? 65 amps swears that the 6v6's will sound exactly like some old el34's. I have never had a 65 amp I didn't like so I trust them. Basically the amp has three tone modes. They all share the same controls. This sounds a little farfetched to me, but like I always say, if they haven't failed me yet.

65 amps aren't cheap, but they aren't cheaply made either. Pretty much every detail on these is flawless. There are no issues with anything. Just a very well built amp.

SOUNDS

The first "channel" if you can call it that is for those Hiwatt/plexi sounds of the 60's. I guess you could call it the clean channel even though it's more suited for cranking up and rocking out. The second channel is for your early 70's zeppelin kind of tones. Basically this is fat classic rock all the way. There's a lot of dynamic range from this channel. You can get a lot of sounds out of it if you use it right. Third channel is your 80's hot rod tones. Think Van Halen and Black Sabbath. With the master voltage control, which works incredibly well by the way, you can get that nasty saturated tone at lower volumes. So there's no problem with recording or low volume garage jams.

OVERALL OPINION

I will say it takes a while to break in the speakers in the cab that comes with it. Keep that in mind. They have to sweeten up a bit. ALnicos in particular are pretty typical of this so there's no surpises. My favorite thing about this amp is how good it sounds with ALL my guitars. It isn't picky like a marshall would be. Must be the 6v6 tubes. This might be the ultimate marshall amp. And I mean that. It has all the bases covered and there aren't any weak points. Sure it's expensive but that's the price you pay for perfection.