Anyone know anything about Swart amps?

Mark Wein

Mark Wein

Grand Poobah
Staff member
I was offered this for trade on my Holland this morning. It sounds like a tweed deluxe sort of thing which I'm dig. I'm just not familiar with the brand. @Help!I'maRock! @Wyatt @telecaster911 @Lerxst


Single owner 2010 model, factory fresh, no mods of any kind. Mojotone 1x12, currently loaded with 6v6. Sounds like a Deluxe reverb except quieter than most black/silver face reverbs I've had. More functional in the studio than a DR, I've found. Also has a "drive" switch that adds a touch more grit than the avg DR.


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A high quality brand, just not anything I personally want. The ones I've seen are 5 watts. Looks like they run about $1500 new.
 
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Also takes 6l6's and EL34 tubes without rebiasing. I tried EL34 's in it but didn't like them nearly as much as the v6's.

 
Mark, I thought you needed the money after the Guild acquisition. If you do the trade, will your dreams be haunted by hollow-eyed shades of your kids holding empty bowls out imploringly?



Who'm I kidding! I've heard a lot of praise for the Swarts, but it is, essentially, a carbon copy of a tweed champ, so you need to ask if that's something you need/want (for me, the answer would be a resounding "fuck yeah!")
 
Mark Wein said:
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Also takes 6l6's and EL34 tubes without rebiasing. I tried EL34 's in it but didn't like them nearly as much as the v6's.

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EL34?
In that case, it might be a Space Tone Reverb

http://swartamps.com/swart_space_tone_reverb.htm

edit: The STR-Tweed replaced the Space Tone Reverb. People still swap the EL34s into the STR-tweed amps but Swart stopped promoting it that way. You might want to have him clarify which model it is.
 
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I just want to know if its only 5 watts regardless of the output tubes. Thats pretty useless to me.. 15-20 watts is another story.
 
bsman said:
Mark, I thought you needed the money after the Guild acquisition.
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That's what I thought.

My experience with Swarts is limited, they aren't Fender clones but seem to be '50's inspired circuits.
 
Mark Wein said:
I just want to know if its only 5 watts regardless of the output tubes. Thats pretty useless to me.. 15-20 watts is another story.
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I've only ever played the STR and AST with the stock 6v6

From feedback from owners, the power tube type changes breakup & headroom but isn't adding perceived output
 
Gotcha. And yeah, I need the money but if I can either get something useful in trade or something easier to flip that would be good too. Not too many people are hip to Holland amps. He had an ac30 too but it's the one knob Brian may version. Also not flippable.


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I will say that if I can find either a good 5e3 type amp or a 1968 CS Deluxe Reverb I'd take one of those in trade and keep it since I can actually use either amp.
 
Mark Wein said:
I will say that if I can find either a good 5e3 type amp or a 1968 CS Deluxe Reverb I'd take one of those in trade and keep it since I can actually use either amp.
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To my ears, the Swarts are in the same zip code as a 5e3 but the not the same tone or dynamics, especially as you push them into breakup. You'll probably be better off passing unless you think you can flip whatever you wind up w/ faster than the Holland and don't mind that extra transaction hassle.
 
Not a large enough sampling of sold prices on eaby. One STR sold for $790 and one STR-Trem sold for $970.
 
Wyatt said:
Not a large enough sampling of sold prices on eaby. One STR sold for $790 and one STR-Trem sold for $970.
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That's in the ballpark of what I'm asking but I think I'm going to pass. I don't think it'll be useful for me and it doesn't seem any easier to
Flip than the Holland.


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