Rajani Amplifiers - Made in London

ravirajani · March 2020

Hi everyone. I'm a new amp maker (and repair tech) based in North London. I recently released my first commercial design with these features:
- 100 % analogue circuit
- Real Spring Reverb
- All-valve overdrive
- Two channels: Clean and Lead
- Switchable boost on each channel
- Serial effects loop
- Mains voltage selector switch
- Custom designed, loud, class AB solid state 50 W power amp
- Just 14 kg (1x12 combo) or 10 kg (head)
- Jensen Tornado 12" speaker (combo)
- Handmade dovetail-jointed solid pine cabinet
- Heavy duty two-button foot switch and cover

I'm not aware of another amp like it on the market. It's a lightweight, loud, and versatile amp, with a beautiful-sounding real spring reverb. Tonally, it has more low-mid presence than classic Fender/Marshall/Vox amps, but still has a lot of clarity to the sound. You can watch a demo video as well as comparison videos to well-known amps on my YouTube channel.

Here's a quote from a review article by Dave Hunter of Guitar Player magazine:

Where some other players may well complain of the “coldness” or “hardness” of solid-state guitar amps, I found nothing but great touch sensitivity and a truly inspiring playing feel, and really enjoyed the experience.

Even so, to refresh my memory of what great all-tube rock tone sounds and feels like, I fired up my Friedman Small Box 50-watt head (a benchmark for the contemporary interpretation of classic British-rock guitar tones) and A/B’d it with the VOD-50 first through the 1x12 Rajani combo cab, and then with both amps through a 2x12 Celestion-loaded extension cab. The VOD-50 acquitted itself so well that I found it difficult to objectively voice a preference for the lead tone of either after a solid hour of playing between them.

When the social distancing measures are over, I'll be accepting customers at my workshop to try out the amp. It's already been gigged in and around London (including Ronnie Scott's) over the last 8 months and I'm very happy with how the amp is performing.

Image: https://matrlw.dm.files.1drv.com/y4mLix0CetEfu8_dCC7P_ShB7Y8CEFQ6OTsPKOC_15Iup150pWSGDrAiEp0l8cI-v0psHEoh1xgEqm8-repptw0n3xNtM8CKl4p_Z3UMH1Y9E9cz5JEV4zVpLUtd-5gdC_sDxhijTqTVqyrtkXpbhqTZzmuG1KkuXinsQHpChptdTFcf-4358lpdGK8AkDsnyNhazBYlNvNB1PrdPJhFjANVA?width=2100&height=1500&cropmode=none

hollywoodrox · March 2020

Wow looks like a cool new amp ,congrats on making it

DrCornelius · March 2020

Yeah, colour me interested !

ravirajani · March 2020

hollywoodrox said:

Wow looks like a cool new amp ,congrats on making it

DrCornelius said:

Yeah, colour me interested !

Thanks! It's been a lot of hard work

Teyeplayer · March 2020

Sounds really good, I like it, I’d be very interested to try one when this is done. Welcome to the fretboard.

lukedlb · March 2020

Great stuff. More photos, please!

Kalimna · March 2020

I saw these amps at the Birmingham show, but Im afraid to say I didnt get to try one

Good luck with them

Adam

ravirajani · March 2020

Teyeplayer said:

Sounds really good, I like it, I’d be very interested to try one when this is done. Welcome to the fretboard.

I'll be very happy to show it to you!

Kalimna said:

I saw these amps at the Birmingham show, but Im afraid to say I didnt get to try one
Good luck with them

Ah, shame! And thank you.

lukedlb said:

Great stuff. More photos, please!

This is a back view of the combo:

And this is what the head looks like:

The cover:

And footswitch:

hotpickups · March 2020

I’m sure it’s really good certainly sounds good from those videos.looks pretty cool too .

Good luck with it

ravirajani · March 2020

hotpickups said:

I’m sure it’s really good certainly sounds good from those videos.looks pretty cool too .

Good luck with it

Thank you!

telehack · March 2020

Sorry if I'm being dense, but is this a valve preamp/sold state power amp arrangement?

ravirajani · March 2020

telehack said:

Sorry if I'm being dense, but is this a valve preamp/sold state power amp arrangement?

Yes it is.

Sham61 · April 2020

Just noticed a Rajani amp in the background of Crimson Guitars latest youtube P bass build

ravirajani · April 2020

Sham61 said:

Just noticed a Rajani amp in the background of Crimson Guitars latest youtube P bass build

Yes, Ben has one.

ravirajani · April 2020

There's a review of the VOD-50 Combo in this month's issue of Guitarist magazine.

The VOD-50 flatters our ’72 Les Paul Custom’s humbuckers and the Seymour Duncan Alnico Pro single coils of our Strat-alike, and its excellent low-noise performance makes it a great tool for the studio as well as the stage, where there’s volume to spare for live gigs. The reverb is excellent, too, with a warm, smooth decay and none of the crashiness that often affects spring circuits.

StruanRobertson · June 2020

Man, this looks really cool. I like that it's not a focused on being a re-creation of a vintage amp.

I'm on a foolish mission to make my whole rig British made, and I've spent a long time looking around for an amp that I can get good sounds out of at home and also take to a gig or practice. How does the VOD50 combo sound at home levels?

@ravirajani I'd be really interested to come and take a look and have a try when your studio opens again. I'm based in Bethnal Green. You're North London right?

One other question (which I often feel gets overlooked): I'm not a particularly accomplished guitarist (just getting back into playing after a long break). I'm lucky enough to now be able to buy nice things like hand built amps, but many of the hand wired, all valve numbers, like my Bad Cat Cub III Handwired are quite 'unforgiving'. Would you say the VOD50 is similar in that it's clarity will expose and highlight my inevitably sometimes sloppy playing? Finding it hard to find an amp that'll make me sound better.... (yes, I know, practice more......).

Cheers.

ravirajani · June 2020

StruanRobertson said:

Man, this looks really cool. I like that it's not a focused on being a re-creation of a vintage amp.

Thanks!

How does the VOD50 combo sound at home levels?

It sounds great both at home and gig levels. This was one of my design requirements. With the VOD-50 power amp being so transparent, you can get all the juicy cranked tones at low volume courtesy of the all-valve preamp which has a virtual power stage built into it. Having said that, most people think a louder guitar sounds better, so for them an amp will always sound best when it's moving a lot of air.

I'm based in Bethnal Green. You're North London right?

That's right, Wood Green. You're not far. Now that non-essential shops are reopening I'm thinking of ways I can accept customers again safely. I'm hoping that will be fairly soon.

Would you say the VOD50 is similar in that it's clarity will expose and highlight my inevitably sometimes sloppy playing?

Difficult question to answer. You'll find the answer when you try it. My studio is quite a dead space with very little ambience, and that in itself can be quite unforgiving. It might be best to try my amp next to an amp you consider to be unforgiving so you can compare them in the same room... So you could bring your Bad Cat with you, or since you're quite close, I could perhaps bring an amp to you, so you can hear it next to your amp in a room you're familiar with.

StruanRobertson · June 2020

@ravirajani

Thanks for the detailed response, it's really appreciated.

I'm keen to try an amp out, and I'd be happy to come to you.

I have a guitar being built for me currently, so if you don't mind, I'll wait until I can try that guitar with one of your amps.

I'll get on touch via the website when I have an eta on the guitar.

Thanks again.

ravirajani · June 2020

I'll get on touch via the website when I have an eta on the guitar.

Thanks again.

That's great, look forward to hearing from you when your guitar is ready. By then, I should be up and running again.

AntonHunter · June 2020

Hi Ravi! Nice to see you on here, still looking forward to trying one of these when this is all over.

For anyone else, I can vouch for Ravi being a great player.

ravirajani · June 2020

AntonHunter said:

Hi Ravi! Nice to see you on here, still looking forward to trying one of these when this is all over.

For anyone else, I can vouch for Ravi being a great player.

Thanks mate! Let's keep in touch.

ravirajani · June 2020

@DrCornelius ;
@Teyeplayer ;
@StruanRobertson ;

I have now reopened my studio for customers to try the amp. My website now has a dedicated page for Covid-19 updates, which includes the current measures that are in place to create a safe environment. The link is https://rajaniamps.com/covid-19

fretmeister · June 2020

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AoRCr8hz-TM

Very nice.

ravirajani · June 2020

fretmeister said:

Very nice.

Thanks!

koneguitarist · June 2020

Looks and sounds great, any idea of price range for combo when its in production?

ravirajani · June 2020

koneguitarist said:

Looks and sounds great, any idea of price range for combo when its in production?

Thanks. The combo is already in production - I make them to order - and I have a demo amp at my studio in North London for people to try out (with covid-safe measures in place). I haven't tried to get them in shops because of the current pandemic, so it's a bit tricky for people far from London to try them out, but I have a 30-day return policy. The combo price is currently £1,195 + shipping.

Teyeplayer · June 2020

Damn, just picked up another amp during lock down. Will definitely try one of these in the future though.

DrCornelius · June 2020

Thanks Ravi and still very interested , I’m nowhere near you unfortunately or I’d come and try one , When the combos hit the shops I’d be really keen to give one a whirl.

ravirajani · October 2020

UPDATE: Foulds Guitars in Derby now have a VOD-50 combo in stock. I’m not sure what their current Covid measures are so it would probably be best to call them in advance if anyone wants to go and try it.

ravirajani · July 2023

Hi everyone, I've just released an all solid-state version of the VOD-50. It's got more gain than the original, but sounds pretty similar. The original has a more compressed feel whereas the new amp is more dynamic. The head is £799, and the combo £899. Still made by me in London.

Winny_Pooh · July 2023

Sounds great! How much does it weigh in comparison to the valve version?

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Rajani Amplifiers - Made in London

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