Ever heard of this amp company?

core9 · September 10, 2011, 01:06:16 AM

Just found this browsing on ebay. Sounds sweet.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/hovercraft-KT90-all-tube-head-matamp-tolex-sunn-power-/330612349207?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4cfa081917#ht_4880wt_1171

bitter · September 10, 2011, 01:25:03 AM

Well that's interesting...

Worthless Willie · September 10, 2011, 02:03:48 AM

That's what I was thinkin'...

VOLVO))) · September 10, 2011, 03:13:59 AM

Man, fuck, I spent a grand on a Model T. fuckin'... now I have to save up another 900 bucks for one of these.

bitter · September 10, 2011, 03:38:34 AM

I don't know, something about this rubs me wrong. More research needs to be done before I shit all over them unfairly, but it seems a little too good to be true at that price. They have a shell of a website with no info, but I'm guessing they use their Facebook instead??? I wanna see where this goes... definately intrigued but my spidey sense is tingling.

spookstrickland · September 10, 2011, 05:31:20 AM

Quote from: bitter end on September 10, 2011, 03:38:34 AM
I don't know, something about this rubs me wrong. More research needs to be done before I shit all over them unfairly, but it seems a little too good to be true at that price. They have a shell of a website with no info, but I'm guessing they use their Facebook instead??? I wanna see where this goes... definately intrigued but my spidey sense is tingling.

I know what you are saying. How are these guys, who is the owner who builds them, where are the pictures of their shop? Their website is a joke and the facebook page is just as vague.

bitter · September 10, 2011, 12:53:32 PM

Quote from: spookstrickland on September 10, 2011, 05:31:20 AM
I know what you are saying. How are these guys, who is the owner who builds them, where are the pictures of their shop? Their website is a joke and the facebook page is just as vague.

From what I read, they've been at it since '09 [building amps in the living room] and moved to the shop in 2010. Trail kinda goes cold after that. Not to fault them completely; there are multiple clips on youtube of their different models. Maybe Ebay's their ticket as they claim to built one amp at a time??? Either way, the edges are still too blurry to make me feel confident.

Jake · September 10, 2011, 04:42:51 PM

That Green Matamp 4x12 cabinet that was on eBay that was (supposedly) used during the Dopesmoker sessions, had a Hovercraft amp in the pictures. I think he even addressed the amp in the Q&A of that auction.

bitter · September 10, 2011, 05:06:10 PM

It's interesting that you bring that up. I feel like I've seen that logo elsewhere [recently], but can't place what/where it was (amp, cab, ect.). Maybe I'm just talking out of my ass and I'm thinking of a similar looking sound city logo???

At_Giza · September 10, 2011, 05:10:45 PM

Buddy of mine just bought Proto #1 a couple weeks ago.

These amps are awesome, and the dude (a burly mountain man type) is pretty awesome. The only fault in the amps is that due to an error on his footswitch schematics he wired them wrong. Heh.

They're great amps, and don't let the price fool you, just because it's cheap doesn't mean it's a bad amp. This is Portland after all, not everyone there is a money grubbing moron.

NoSleepTilSleep · September 10, 2011, 05:18:55 PM

What's the deal with the recycled aspect? (genuinely intrigued)

At_Giza · September 10, 2011, 05:21:44 PM

The amps are made out of other amps.

Guy basically takes one "Unloved" amp and builds in into those things replacing parts and circuits and whatever else needs to be to create that tone you get out of whichever amp you get (because he's rite, #1 and #3 don't quite sound exactly the same).

Basically the Hovercraft amp is an amp built from the parts of another amp.

Jake · September 10, 2011, 05:32:26 PM

Somebody needs to jump on it for that price.

Hemisaurus · September 10, 2011, 05:59:49 PM

I like it, it's similar to something I've been working on in my spare time

bitter · September 10, 2011, 06:03:24 PM

Awesome! Thanks Giza. to clarify, I never thought it was a bad amp for the price, just made me suspicious is all. That was my gut reaction to everything I saw. I mean, I've heard some of those kit type amps (that sell for just shy of $1K) on the market have less than stellar components [like the trannys]. in this economy, gotta make sure the obscure stuff ain't junk.

At_Giza · September 10, 2011, 06:12:18 PM

Oh I know you didn't think it was bad for the price (that was more a general statement relating my opinion that just because an amp is a boutique amp doesn't mean it needs to cost $2500+).

The fact that his Facebook is the only website that gives information about his business can be taken as shady, so I kind of hope he gets his website up and completed as soon as he really gets into the groove of making amps full time (because he's also the guy that runs Solid Cables).

I demo'd the one my buddy bought at Old Town Music in P-town and totally wanted it (didn't have a price on it, so I didn't buy it then even though I so totally could have had I known how much it cost then). They've got one of the best gain tones I've ever heard. They also clean up brilliantly. On top of those two extremes they are highly versatile. They've got the ability to belt out tons of different tones, from heavy low-end Doom to wanktastical icepick shred.

I love these amps.

bitter · September 10, 2011, 06:20:12 PM

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/guitars/epiphone-so-cal-50-watt-amp-head

I take it, this is the amp's origins?

clockwork green · September 10, 2011, 06:22:14 PM

Seems pretty cool and it's at a price that's perfect to gamble on. If I didn't just buy an amp and a guitar (and a bunch of pedals) I might be more tempted to pull the trigger although I still might.

At_Giza · September 10, 2011, 06:26:18 PM

Quote from: bitter end on September 10, 2011, 06:20:12 PM
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/guitars/epiphone-so-cal-50-watt-amp-head

I take it, this is the amp's origins?

I dunno, I've never talked to the guy. I get all my info from my buddy who seems to have a bigger hard on for these things than everyone ever.

bitter · September 10, 2011, 06:36:43 PM

They're def cool and have some mojo. I'm really tempted (but y'all can have dibs), but I wonder about getting one down the line that can do those two very distinct hi gain tones. Ah well, I don't have an ebay account anyhow.

SpaceTrucker · September 11, 2011, 02:44:31 AM

Does he do Bass amps? I could use a 2-300 watt amp, with kt90s(that the secret to Tads Bass sound, Kurt Danielson has a hiwatt converted to kt90S)

Unless hemi wants to start building amps. Using Hammond trannies. you know you want to.

At_Giza · September 11, 2011, 03:24:06 AM

He asked a Failbook question a few days back about what he should make next, currently a scratch built bass amp (at 300 watts) and a recycled bass amp (around 100W) are tied, so people want a bass amp next.

I want a baby Andromeda, myself, because it would probably be insanely cheap, but I won't complain if he builds a bass amp next.

Hemisaurus · September 11, 2011, 07:57:15 AM

Quote from: SpaceTrucker on September 11, 2011, 02:44:31 AM
Does he do Bass amps? I could use a 2-300 watt amp, with kt90s(that the secret to Tads Bass sound, Kurt Danielson has a hiwatt converted to kt90S)

Unless hemi wants to start building amps. Using Hammond trannies. you know you want to.

Yeah I do, cost of trannies puts me off.

Send me you xfmrs, people

SpaceTrucker · September 11, 2011, 11:04:08 AM

whats an xfmrs? Who am I kidding I can't afford a fucking amp. I can't even afford a pack of fucking smokes. why did I choose to do construction?

But if I had the money I would totally get the 280 watt hammond tranny powering about 6 kt90s with a baxandal tone stack and a switchable non master/master volume. or a built in tube comp? nah, autowah! and a tape looper?! DRUM MACHINE!

can anyone say one man band?

Hemisaurus · September 11, 2011, 12:03:01 PM

This is a xfmr, trannie or transformer

I try not to say trannie too much, as it also means transistor, which is something completely different

They are the most expensive part of a tube amp, well nowadays probably the name tag is what makes amps expensive. Unfortunately most tube amps need not just one, but a set of these babies to go