Whatâs handmade, black and gold, and has the potential to catapult you into tonal heaven without breaking the bank and more importantly busting your eardrums? Simple: The soon-to-be-released Reason Amps Bambino! This article is the first news glimpse of this brand-new 7 Watt amp from the Reason guys that has all the tonal goodness you expect from a Reason amp but at volume level that wonât make your ears bleed, and almost as importantly, is easily within the financial reach of most cash-strapped gear sluts.
When I first reviewed the Reason SM25 and the Reason SM40, I knew that what I was hearing was something special. These amps werenât clone designs, and didnât sound like anything that I had played before. Yes, they were based on classic 6V6 and EL84 power tubes, but the thing with those amps was that the power handling was magic, and either of these amps sounded way louder than you would expect with low to medium wattage amplifiers. Make no bones about it, what Obeid Kahn has figured out in the power transformer section of his amps is totally proprietary and SICK! Even as well as Iâve gotten to know Anthony and Obeid, thatâs a subject they hold close to their chests.
So imagine my excitement when they shared with me several months ago that they were coming out with a brand-new low wattage amp. I wasnât allowed to say anything about it at the time because Obeid was still working out the design, and hadnât decided on the power tube he was going to use. All they would tell me was that it would be a sub-$700 amp that would have all the tonal goodness youâd expect from a Reason amplifier. Yeah, really definitive⊠âș
But as luck would have it, I happened to give the Reason guys a call to see how they were doing, and much to my extreme pleasure, Anthony mentioned that they were almost ready to release the new amp, and that they were calling it the Bambino. After Anthony described the ampâs features, I started salivating. I LOVE LOW-WATTAGE AMPS! And this ampâs features totally kick the shit out of a lot of the low-wattage amps on the market, boutique and production alike. So letâs go over the features, shall we?
Reason Bambino Specs
Preamp Tubes: Three 12AX7’s
Power Tubes : Two 6AQ5âs in a push-pull configuration.
Output Power: 7 Watts, switchable to 1 Watt
Channels:
Normal â British cleans to Vox-like top-end. Includes a âthickâ setting via pull-switch to get thick âBeano-likeâ grind.
Bright â Very American, SoCal type of bright and scooped tone, with smooth overdrive when pushed. Bass knob scoops the mids when you dime it, and the pull switch will add extra shimmer to the top end.
StackModeTM â As with all amps in the Reason Amps family, the Bambino also sports StackMode, which runs Channel 1 into Channel 2 plus an extra gain stage in a series. Want to get over-the-top grind? StackMode is it!
Sounds basic enough, but wait! Thereâs more!
Built-in Speaker Load Box Simulated Line Output with Level Control – The line output is not just another line output. It starts with a fully inductive speaker impedance simulator, which then goes onto a complex frequency shaping network that simulates the sound of a classic 2×12 speaker cabinet. The fully balanced TRS ÂŒâ connection allows for connection to any recording devices or slave amplifiers. Can you say âre-ampâ anyone? âș You can also use this output to perform true silent recording. Of course, nothing beats a speaker moving air, but when you need a straight guitar sound to record, now you have it.
Separate Headphone Output â Want to practice and not wake up the significant other? No problem, mahn!
If youâve followed this blog for awhile, you know how much I love Reason Amps! They donât pay me anything for telling their story â all you have to do is play a Reason Amp and youâll be hooked! And at the price-point that the Bambino is coming in at, there is NO reason (excuse the pun) that you shouldnât seriously consider this amp when itâs ready for shipping!
Not Your Daddyâs Oldsmobile
It would be so easy to dismiss this amp as yet another boutique amp. But youâd be wrong. One of the reasons I dig Reason amps so much is because they have a sound all their own. Itâs also the reason I dig Aracom Amps so much. Manufacturers like these donât settle for making copies of classic designs. Theyâre true innovators, taking the classic designs, improving on them, and adding their own special touches. The net result is that you get amps that have tones that are uniquely theirs.
And on top of that, Obeid Kahn is one of the leading amp designers around, the meticulous care and innovative spirit he has put into his designs is evident in the amps he has produced over the years, and with Reason Amps, that skill and innovation are at their paramount. These amps are special!
Stay tuned for more! I hope to get a test amp when they have one available! But for now, check out the Reason Amps site for any updates.
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As much as I have been ranting about Fender gear pricing as of late, and their latest “supposed” price drop (who knows for how long), my Champ 600 has been a tried and true companion in my studio ever since I got it. I’ve even used it at small venue gigs hooked to a 1 X12 cab, and it has performed wonderfully! This is a great amp!
In addition to drive pedals, I love low wattage, single-ended amps, and there are lots of ’em out there. For instance, one of my favorite amps is my Fender Champ 600. I use it in my studio, but also gig with it in small venues – to be clear, I have to hook it up to an external cab to get some volume.
Guitar Gear 