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chillerthanmost wrote:I convinced our guitar player to hit up Alex since he is looking into getting two amps soon. He really dug all the Science models. I remember seeing Birds in Row and Loma Prieta share one a while back and it sounded great. I think it was a Hellhawk. I like the Hellhawk and Mother. I think they would sound killer together. This is what I told our guitarist, that way I can use the Mother on bass, while he uses my Sunn or Sound City on guitar, until I get a Dunwich 200

I went through this whole thread and got a little more familiar with the models but didn't see much about the Hellhawk. Has it been posted or said what it's based on or similarities to a vintage make?

Here's a detailed Hellhawk description Alex gave me via email:

"The Hellhawk is inspired by the the late 60's Marshall 'Plexi' amps - kind of a cross between a Superbass and Superlead. The Sunn Model T was a little unusual for Sunn actually because the entire preamp and driver was a Marshall Superbass clone (which itself was copied from the Fender high powered 'Tweed' Twin). The main difference was it's big 140W ultra-linear output stage, in an attempt to keep the amp loud and clean for bass. So yes, the Hellhawk does share similarities to the Model T and the Tweed Twin as well, but is not a replica of either.

This amp excels at warm cleans, broken up sounds, and crunchy rock tones. It's higher gain sounds are very old school and raw, due to the power tube distortion. This amp works great for punk, hardcore, stoner rock, and classic styles but not high gain metal, which is why I created the Decolonizer and Mother amps, both which have more gain and the ability to get high powered high gain sounds.

The master volume in the Hellhawk is a post-phase inverter type, and keeps the tone consistent down to very low volumes. The "High Cut" control also helps control the very upper harmonic range, and can smooth out the overdrive without making it muddy, which also helps with low volume playing when the speakers and sheer volume are no longer part of the equation.

Each channel has it's own bright switch as well to accommodate darker guitars like Les Pauls, etc., and add versatility when switching and/or blending the two channels. Both channels are not voiced so disparately that foot-switching sounds awkward, however they are different enough to work with different guitars are provide more tonal options when blending. The "Focused" channel has just a bit more gain that the "Full" channel, so that there is not an insane volume jump with the single master volume. Still if you are using this amp for faux channel switching (with one gain set low and the other high), then there will be a volume jump, which works great for some styles and songwriting that are more dynamic, but not others where people want their clean and overdrive volumes about equal. That's not an issue in the Shiv, which has a Level control just for the OD, or the Decolonizer that has two independent master volumes.

The Hellhawk does not feature an effects loop for the same reason as the Shiv because much of it's overdrive is developed in the power amp, which would make the loop moot. The Decolonizer has a very good tube buffered effects loop, and was definitely not an after thought or "extra", like the loops in most commercial amps. That amp, for the most, part develops it's distortion in the preamp and the loop is an integral part of the design."

Perfect! Thanks! Ugh, sounds so good.

It really does. I was soooo close to getting a Hellhawk but I had too many high watt amps to justify it. I still GAS for one though. Badly.

stripes wrote:sometimes i really want a boutique amp but most of the time i just don't get it... how can they possibly be worth that much money?

Depends how much money we're talking, I guess.

Personally, about $1000-$1500 for a nice handwired head without reverb is quite reasonable. Add reverb and bring it up to $1600-$2000 range.

Of course, I have a friend who makes amps so I just get all of them from him.

If you're using nice transformers that's a few hundred bucks right there. Add a cabinet, chassis, tolex, 3-6 preamp tubes, 1-4 power tubes, boards, nice components that are speced for proper power handling, and of course the labor to wire all that up and lay it out neatly on a turret board and you're really not being overcharged in the ranges I mentioned.

Now why is it worth it to do that instead of buying a mass produced amp?

Well, there are a number of different reasons.

1. Reliability/repair. Handwired amps are much easier to repair, modify, and service than PCB amps. Not that you can't repair a PCB amp, but if you damage the board you're often times out of luck. Goodbye amp. Most boutique amps also have a really good warranty or repair service attached. My builder, for example, will fix any of my amps basically for free.

2. Sound/customization. Typically boutique amps are made to order and you can talk to the builder about the kind of sound you want. This allows them to modify the design to suit your needs and, also, most boutique builders will hand-tune the amps they make on an individual basis and burn in all the components to make sure they are not going to fail.

3. You're also supporting a small local business in many cases rather than a large corporate entity. This may not really matter to some people, but I prefer to buy musical gear from people i know or small companies based on having worked for large corporations for a long time. I think it's a good thing whenever someone doesn't have to work for a giant company and I like to support that.

necrobump,

but i just placed an order for a 100w hellhawk and i couldn't be more excited.

Pictures and review when it arrives. It has to happen.

YES PLEASE!

AngryGoldfish wrote:Pictures and review when it arrives. It has to happen.

chillerthanmost wrote:YES PLEASE!

bewatersound wrote:necrobump,

but i just placed an order for a 100w hellhawk and i couldn't be more excited.

Awww man, you're gonna love it I'm sure. Congrats!

I'm dying to order a KT88 Decolonizer. It has a Hellhawk-style Plexi inspired clean channel along with an OD/high gain channel that does clean-ish all the way through high gain. Think I'm gonna sell an amp and some pedals soon to fund it.

The Street Sweeper and the Mother both look badass too. I have an Ampeg V2 that I love for cleans and pedals though so I'm focused on the Decolonizer. Don't have anything close to that amp and I want some versatility if I get another high watter. Ugh, want...

Holy Schnikes wrote: Awww man, you're gonna love it I'm sure. Congrats!

I'm dying to order a KT88 Decolonizer. It has a Hellhawk-style Plexi inspired clean channel along with an OD/high gain channel that does clean-ish all the way through high gain. Think I'm gonna sell an amp and some pedals soon to fund it.

The Street Sweeper and the Mother both look badass too. I have an Ampeg V2 that I love for cleans and pedals though so I'm focused on the Decolonizer. Don't have anything close to that amp and I want some versatility if I get another high watter. Ugh, want...

Yeah I can't wait! Thank you.

I've been using a Twin Reverb for a while and I find it just lacking in the warmth department; and I wanted to get something I could get some dirt with so I can open up some space on my board. I've been wanting to make a change for a while, but as soon as my friend showed me Science I was hooked.

Your Shiv actually inspired me to go with the Fawn tolex grill too!

You said the turnaround time was about a month; did he have it ready to ship in a month or was it at your door in a month?

The fawn is the coolest option for sure, looks so good.

I think the Shiv was done in a month and at my door a few days after that. I spoke with Alex earlier today about a Decolonizer and he quoted 6 weeks currently, not too shabby.

Holy Schnikes wrote:The fawn is the coolest option for sure, looks so good.

I think the Shiv was done in a month and at my door a few days after that. I spoke with Alex earlier today about a Decolonizer and he quoted 6 weeks currently, not too shabby.

Awesome. Yeah I ordered mine on the 8th. I'm praying it could possibly be here in time for a show on March 8th, but I'm not gonna get my hopes up. I'm just too damn excited.

Shipped saturday morning. Yayyyyyy

Awesome!!!

Shipped on a Saturday? Respect.