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UNPLANNED DOWNTIME: 12th Oct 23:45

IDDNANAD (I definitely didn’t need a new amp day)…

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danishbacondanishbacon Frets: 2588
edited September 2023 in Amps
….but I couldn’t turn down the opportunity and @Treewig1 was an absolute gent to deal with.

One of the more long established small brands that has probably fallen a bit out of favour given the constant new iterations of fine amps that are available. If Michael Swart does a few things very well, it is making thoughtfully designed and constructed amps. The craftsmanship is second to none, superior to some other small production amps I’ve owned. I’ve not had a chance to try a Bartel yet but my guess is that they’re somewhere in the same echelon. 

My reference amp is a Princeton Reverb II with stock speaker. I really like it. Compared to it the AST Master has less headroom, but it breaks up in a way the fender just can’t and it’s a joy to play and it feels a lot more ‘open’.  

Its surprisingly light for the size, the smaller chassis and soft pine probably contribute to this.  

A few shots of the amp:









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Comments

  • GoFishGoFish Frets: 1082
    That is a fine amp and a lovely gutshot. Very clean and a worthy bit of excess. HNAD!!
    Ten years too late and still getting it wrong
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  • danishbacondanishbacon Frets: 2588
    GoFish said:
    That is a fine amp and a lovely gutshot. Very clean and a worthy bit of excess. HNAD!!
    Thanks @GoFish!

    I’m chuffed. Curiously I found a ‘secret’ mode, volume all the way down, master all the way up with reverb and trem on. Sounds ghostly, very different to any other amp I’ve tried. 
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  • LitterickLitterick Frets: 476
    My reference amp also is a Princeton Reverb II, but with the Fender 12F speaker built by Electro-Voice. I used a Swart recently when I was in a guitar store, and it was a thing of beauty and wonder.
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  • bacchanalianbacchanalian Frets: 824
    Congratulations. I was surprised that Swart was not mentioned more in the best amp thread.
    I recently go a Swart AST Pro and am very pleased. 
    The Nightlight attenuator is a nice match for these and, as you mentioned, 'well thought out'.
    If you have any queries, customer service from Michael and Kelly is very good.
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  • BellycasterBellycaster Frets: 5750
    Very Sumptuous.
    And they said that in our time, all that's good will fall from grace, even Saints would turn their face, in our time.
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  • richman6100richman6100 Frets: 290
    @danishbacon That's a beauty, great photos too. HNAD.  :-)
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  • danishbacondanishbacon Frets: 2588
    Thanks chaps :) 

    I’ll strive to get some sound samples up and a more lengthy review soon!
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  • spir4Lspir4L Frets: 26
    Congratulations. I was surprised that Swart was not mentioned more in the best amp thread.
    I recently go a Swart AST Pro and am very pleased. 
    The Nightlight attenuator is a nice match for these and, as you mentioned, 'well thought out'.
    If you have any queries, customer service from Michael and Kelly is very good.
    Also my experience with them was amazing, when I got in touch cause something sounded wrong with mine and they helped me understand which valve I had to replace. My STR Tremolo has definitely been my favourite amp ever. And the nightlight attenuator makes it rock at home usable levels. I have it now up for sale cause it doesn't get the use it deserve!
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