PureSalem: Help Us Design Our First Amp Head

[PureSalem Guitars]

Hello everyone

My name is Rick Sell and I own a guitar company called PureSalem. If you have never heard of us its because we are a small family run affair. We launched 4 years ago and are based out of Miami. The land of cocaine, strip malls and shitty dance music. We do have SHROUD EATER though so things are good in the heavy department..

The reason for this post is because I am planning on introducing our first real amp head to the masses. I want to tailor the amp to the Doom / Fuzz loving types and I would really love to hear everyones thoughts and advice on what we should do. This is a style of music I enjoy and I know I will enjoy the creative process in bringing this amp to life.

With that said, I want to create a head that nails it out of the gate. Im thinking of a simple no frills design. Hand wired, no reverb and not much use for a clean sound. This is an absolute niche amp. It is what it is .... What sound should we use as a template, a starting point? Which classic amp can we fuck with just enough to create something unique.

Another thing is I want to keep the amp affordable. The one thing Im torn between is the wattage? As for cosmetics the head will share the same stylings as the classic Matamp & Oranges.

The plan is to release this at next years Winter Namm. I appreciate any and all advice and I look forward to bringing this to life.

Thanks everyone.

Rick

[conky]

Shroud Eater rules. We just did a split with them.

I don't know if not so much use for a clean sound would go over well. Most of the guys I know use pedals to get their tone and a clean platform is something most people go after. An amp that could do that without pedals would be a plus to go along with the clean platform. personally I'm not much for amps with a ton of knobs and all that jazz on them. Seems like the more things in there the harder it is for me to dial it in. Wattage? Louder than loud is a good start. Tone is subjective but girth and clarity should be able to be achieved and not trade one for the other. Just brain farting over here, but I'm excited to see what you come up with.

[Tristan]

Hmm, to add to that, if you want fuzzy then you could go for a clean platform amp with a footswitchable fuzz built-in.
And maybe modernise the Orange / Matamp look a bit?

[odontophobia]

I started typing a response on mobile the other day and then i forgot to post it.

mostly I think conky hits it on the head.

You should aim for a clean platform that takes pedals like a champion.

[D.o.S.]

Yeah you want headroom. Not sure that the world needs another OR/Mat styled amplifier (or ever needed more than the original two) but I guess that's a great way to promote the intended style of the head.

For reference, I think the Science Amp aesthetic is a great "nod" to HiWatt, et al. without being a retread.

[aen]

We tried to make an affordable head several years back. It did not work out.
a) Tube amps require an incredible amount of expensive parts
b) ours also started on fire sometimes

Ours was 50-ish watts, with a clean/dirty switch. I'm another one for clean amps. The only amp distortion I've ver really been into is the Meatsmoke, but I'm very picky about distortion, obviously.
another thing to consider is that you are asking on a pedal forum. There are zillions of "amp people" out there who like a crunchy amp and a couple (or zero) effects, whereas around here even the crunchy amp folks have pedalboards that look like starship control banks, and we really want to hear those boxes.

If I were designing a head for the Doom and Fuzz loving types, I would go clean and deep voiced. If a dirty amp is a must, I would make sure it was a goddamn flame thrower of a dirty channel. Not that I know anything about amp design...

[conky]

DoS and aen pretty much summed up the doom, sludge, stoner market.

[PureSalem Guitars]

Thank you guys for taking the time out to comment ... Aen I hear you loud and clear. I posted here because this is about the only forum I like to hang out in and read. Cool people here. Everyone has made valid points ... I under estimated the importance of the clean channel.

Conky, Tristan, Odontophobia, D.o.d and Aen - Thank you very much. Its a work in progress and I'm sorting it all out now. I really dig the SCIENCE amps aesthetic. As for wattage there are two roads to go down. The gigging musician who requires volume and the weekend bedroom warrior ( Thats me ) who does not need to peel the paint off the walls ... The studio is a different thing all together and comes down to preference. PureSalem is still in its infancy really so whichever amp we do now wattage wise the second amp will tie it all together. Keeping it affordable is a priority as well ...

ITs a great start ... thank you guys ( Girls ? ). Its very much appreciated !!!!

RIck

[Iommic Pope]

OrMat power section with the option to lower headroom to blow up/meltdown early, low input Laney pro tube 6 knob preamp.
You're welcome.
Post me a proto for field testing.

[Iommic Pope]

For the record I didnt rwad anyone else's posts before I posted.

[Chankgeez]

rwad

I think that's what

D.o.d

should change his screen name to.

[Iommic Pope]

Clearly, I don't read my own posts either.

[Chankgeez]

That was a pretty short post too.

[Iommic Pope]

Yeah.
I'm pretty lazy when I'm on mobile now.
I know it's gonna be a shitshow so I just don't bother.

[goroth]

Iommi's suggestion is good, and it's a bit different to everyone else.
Laney pro tube pre

2xKT88 output, tune it to around 80 watts.
Overspec the transformer.
Pentode/triode mode to get the power down.
2 speaker outs with switchable ohmage.
Deep knob to control flub.
Built in rangemaster.