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KBP Stentorian - Review with Clips.


knopfler74

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Posted

I never did do a good full review of my KBP Stentorian, so I have Saturday free and figured it would be a fun thing to do. A written review and pics will follow, throughout the day.

I'll start of by just stating what the amp is and its features, and I'll also add the first of many clips I'll do today but first, the recording chain.

 

Microphone: Samson C7 - $130 large diaphragm condenser - sounds a LOT better than you might think, and it has a 10 db roll-off, so it makes for a good mic to do amp clips with

 

Interface - Apogee Quartet- insanely good interface with 4 preamps, which are Apogee, so they're great.

 

Software - Presonus Studio One v2.5 - better than pro tools LE, and without all the Pro Tools 'epic fail' in your session crap

 

 

Okay here's the amp

 

15 Watt - "Matchless" clone (sort of)

Beefed up output trannies and runs on 7189 tubes (mil spec EL84)

Gain, Bass, Treble, Master - NO REVERB!

4, 8, or 16 ohm out. I'm using one of my 8 Ohm speakers today, a Warehouse Guitar Speakers Reaper (think Celestion G12H30) only with what I hear as a smoother top end.

 

I'm using my Blackstar 1x12 cab - it's about the size of a deluxe reverb amp and is an inexpensive, but quality cab.

 

Guitar for today - G&L ASAT Bluesboy "Korina Collection"

Korina Body, maple neck with Pau Ferro fretboard, G&L MFD tele style bridge pup, Seymour Seth Lover in the neck.

All clips have NO compression, no EQ, and no pedals, unless I state otherwise.

 

Clip #1 - ASAT in bridge position.

Amp Settings: Gain 4.5, Bass 4.8, Treble 4.5, Master 3.5

I exported these in aiff format to avoid loss in the codec, so the link is to my bandcamp site. Very low-hassle type listening site.

Here's the link to the first clip

http://mattlawson.bandcamp.com/track/kbp-stentorian-amp-clip-1

 

Posted

Clip 2 - Same EQ and master volume settings, but I pushed the gain up to about 7.

There's slight ring in this sound and the last that is NOT the amp. It's me not being used to my ASAT yet and creating a slight 'harmonic' with my muting technique. This is a problem I run into on G&L ASAT's consistently, due to the fact that the damn things are built so well that they vibrate properly (imagine that!). I usually end up putting a second string tree on the guitar in order to solve the problem, but on this ASAT it's not as big a deal, so I'll probably just modulate how I use my right hand palm ...bla bla bla.

This clip is a little dirtier, but still on the bridge pup.

 

Here's the clip

http://mattlawson.bandcamp.com/track/kbp-stentorian-clips-clip-2-kinda-dirty

Posted

CLIP 3 - Very Dirty - Still the bridge pup and still the same master volume setting, but I lowered the bass about .5 and I raised the treble about the same. The Gain is now around 8.5 ish. This is was I consider to be the most USEABLE gain setting the amp has. There is much more gain in the last little bit on the knob, but that just sounds too dirty for MY taste, so I'm going to leave that be.

Here's the clip

http://mattlawson.bandcamp.com/track/kbp-stentorian-clips-clip-3-very-dirty

Guest HRB853370
Posted

Dude, I wish I had your time!!

 

:icon_sunny:

Posted

Clip 5 - All pups in sequence on a lick. Visual sound delay pedal added. Volume is around 4, bass around 4, treble around 6 and master is the same as before

Here's the link

http://mattlawson.bandcamp.com/track/kbp-stentorian-clips-clip-5-all-pups-on-lick-visual-sound-delay-pedal-added

Posted
Good stuff Matt!

Thanks dude. I'll have more today, but my visual sound delay pedal just randomly became a cluster@#$@ and I'm currently sitting, coffee in hand, staring at it in disbelief...

Today has been a WEIRD FREAKING DAY!

Posted
Dude it's only 10am! Amp and playing sound great !

you're telling me! LOL. I love the visual sound delay pedal because it's very usable in terms of settings, but this one acted funny right out of the box. I took it out of my chain, and BAM! No problems. I think it's going to head back to the nether regions from which it came...

Posted

Very nice! Well played through what must be a stellar amp!

Posted
Thanks dude. I'll have more today, but my visual sound delay pedal just randomly became a cluster@#$@ and I'm currently sitting, coffee in hand, staring at it in disbelief...

Today has been a WEIRD FREAKING DAY!

Where is it at it the chain?

Posted
Where is it at it the chain?

It was last. The problem was a decided 'catastrophic drop' in volume - the kind that sounds like your tubes are blown, but mine aren't. The pedal did something similar when I first got it a couple of weeks ago. I'm adept at soldering, so I'm going to open it up and commence to see if I can electrocute myself accidentally etc...

I love the tone, so if I can't fix it, I'll buy another. As with all visual sound stuff, the price is reasonable.

Posted
I like the slightly dirty clip and I would record with that tone.

The slightly dirty sound is the one this amp was BUILT to do, so I'm glad someone else digs that part of the amps vibe. At 15 watts, it's a great recording amp, but it's plenty loud enough to gig with as well.

Posted

Great amp, guitar, recording, and player! I'm glad you decided to stay in the KBP810 Club, Matt. They are pretty special.

Posted
Great amp, guitar, recording, and player! I'm glad you decided to stay in the KBP810 Club, Matt. They are pretty special.

Thanks! I'm currently starting the savings jar for another heritage and, with my tax return this year, a 65 Amps Tupelo.

Posted

That's how I gig, 15 to 22 watt amps turned up to the sweet spot (generally a combo with an extension cab), and I have everyone play to that volume. If we can't talk on stage to each other it's too loud. And the drummer that I work with knows how to play at a reasonable volume. I generally let the PA determine the volume!

Posted

Love the tones and the playing!! Thanks for sharing!!

Posted

Love the amp! Clean clip with both pups and the clip with delay were especially nice. Thanks for posting!

Posted
Love the amp! Clean clip with both pups and the clip with delay were especially nice. Thanks for posting!

Thanks! I JUST got my new G&L Legacy in today, so this weekend I'm going to do some clips with it for this thread.

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