Enter the SeQuel RAVINE.

I'll admit that I'm extremely interested in the sound of late 1950s archtop guitar recordings. In part it's the music of the time that was pushing many boundaries both artistically and socially. But then too there was something special in the sheer sound of the archtop that was clearly different than the mellow sounds of the earlier swing years and yet not the brassier character of mid-1960s...which in may ways is still with us today.

The music of the times was still acoustic but the guitar was becoming increasingly amplified. Reverb had not been invented. Strings and pickups were evolving. Electronic components becoming more sophisticated. Amps were able to deliver power more efficiently which better captured the guitar's overtones while providing clear sound with fast response and attack. Yet still with a certain pleasant vintage softness around the edge.

We studied circuit designs of the era. Listened to recordings. Spoke to guitarists who were active at the time. Reflected on what we had learned developing The TRIBUTE. In the SeQuel RAVINE, the preamp section would be octal triode tube types to set the vintage late 1950s sound stage. But the rectifier would be solid state for fast response. The hugely important transformers a custom adaptation from the Hi-Fi world for clarity and transparency. The circuitry inspired by an amalgam of concepts influenced by Jazz bassist Everett Hull, president of Ampeg® at the time. All maintenance elements, eg, tubes/valves, would be current production for practicality.  And the overall weight and size kept within reason though not at the expense of sound.

So it is with the SeQuel RAVINE. 50-watts. 1x12 alnico 100-watt speaker. 38 lbs of sonic purity. With tubes.

A personal big "thank you" to the beyond exceptional Seasons Quartet who so very kindly chose to play the first batch of SeQuel RAVINE amplifiers during their concert stop at Jazz Alley in Seattle. It was one of those musical evenings where if Mozart had been in the audience, he surely would have left inspired to compose for the other string quartet...comprised of only guitars! Thank you Anthony Wilson. Thank you Julian Lage. Thank you Chico Pinheiro. Thank you Larry Koonse.