This is my very first tube amp, in my awakening from my guitar coma. Im kinda sad about letting this amp go, as it held a sentimental value, but i dont play it as much, and only used when my buddy comes over and uses it with his modeling guitar unit.
It wasnt a bad tube amp at all. It was very transparent- it allows modeling units and stompboxes come through and flavor its sound nicely. It was quiet at its maximum levels, and it was LOUD.

But one reason that i gave it up was that it was TOO transparent. It had no specific tone to me, especially when i run its Lead Channel. Its Clean Channel was as classic a clean tone as you can get, but once the Lead Channel is kicked in, i had to futz around with its settings a bit much jut to dial in a useful tone. I guess i got spoiled from the other tube amps ive gotten, where getting a great overdriven tone was easy – all i did was turn up the volume and start getting a great tube growl. The kind of distortion and overdriven sound you look for in a tube amp. Dont get me wrong – the great tones are there, just too much dialing takes place when i play it, and i prefer to simply plug and play. Or plug, turn it up, and play. 🙂

One thing i did read about it was that it came from the factory cold-biased, meaning its power tubes were running underpowered, or cold. Not enough current is passing thru it to overdrive it naturally without turning up its gain knob. It didnt help that it did not have a way to adjust the bias – it had no bias control pot like most amps (not all amps have bias controls, but those that have it can have more or less current flow thru the power tubes, and this alters its sound or how soon it breaks up and gets that overdriven tone). There are actual bias pot mods that can be found online, but i stopped short of doing that on the Valveking. I already have other amps that can produce great tones by simply turning up the volume control, and also i have way too many projects already. Plus i feel a mod will decrease th amp’s value. I know id rather get an amp thats stock and unmodded, so i know  I can mod it myself, and not worry on NOT knowing what was changed before i got it.

So last week, after 20 months of ownership, i got a buyer to finally come whisk it away for cheap. At least now someone can enjoy it more than i did. So long Valveking, i dont think ill miss you much, but you’ll always be my first! Hope you have a more productive life! 🙂