Source: TQR November 2010 – Vol. 12 No.

1 – Amp Section

the Jensen P12R, we made

Campbell a “best off”
below his asking price and
scored the amp for $1,850
shipped. We wouldn’t
We always maintain say we stole the Deluxe,
a steady flow of gear but it seemed a fair price
arriving for review, of admission for the opportunity to experience and explore
but sometimes we also still another rare classic and supremely worthy piece of Fender
employ a fascinating history on your behalf.
if time-consuming
research strategy that The Deluxe arrived with
involves logging onto the big Stancor dangling
eBay, picking a broad from the chassis despite
category such as “guitar Campbell’s careful
amplifiers,” and settling packaging. Wasn’t
in for as long as it takes his fault, really – in a
to patiently scroll through every page of listings. Yeah, that’s often feeble effort to avoid
50 pages or more, but since we can’t possibly think of all the items any additional holes
that might interest us and search for them by name, it’s far more being drilled in the
revealing and productive to just hunker down and scroll. Rarely chassis, the fellow who
do we fail to find something intriguing that would have otherwise installed the Stancor in
been missed, and such was the case on a morning in August the ’60s had merely tightened set screws over the small tabs at
when we stumbled on a listing for a 1959 tweed Deluxe. Were we the base of the heavy tranny, which was designed to be mounted
looking for a tweed Deluxe? Nope. Wouldn’t have crossed our upright – not hanging upside down in a guitar amplifier. Of more
mind at the time.... We had already reviewed 5E3 reproductions concern was the fact that while the amp was lighting up, there
from Fender, Clark and Louis Electric within the past 3 years, was no sound.... Well, we’ve been here before, so we made a
and we have frequently call to God’s Country and the Columbus, Indiana domicile of
referenced our 1958 Terry Dobbs – Mr. Valco to you. We had already set aside a
Tremolux as being our spare output transformer (Lenco, McHenry, IL) that had been
desert island #1. Isn’t a the original replacement installed in our ’58 Tremolux when
Tremolux just a tweed we first received it, replaced with a Mercury Magnetics
Deluxe with tremolo in for our June ’07 review article. Mr. Valco cheerfully answered
a bigger box? No... not his phone and as we explained the situation with the Deluxe he
even close. That would agreed to walk us through the installation of the new replacement
be like saying you wanted – a simple process involving four lead wires being connected
to date a blonde – any to the rectifier and output tube sockets, and the speaker jack.
blonde. For the record, As long as you put the correct wires in the right place, a piece
our fixed bias Tremolux possesses a cleaner tone with a bigger, of cake, and we had the new tranny in within 10 minutes. Pilot
booming voice created by the taller Pro cabinet. The Two Fifty lamp and all tubes glowing, still no sound.... Valco patiently
Nine is a completely different animal.... guided us through a series of diagnostics with the multi-meter
and the Deluxe was running on all cylinders, pumping 380 volts.
Sporting a February 1959 date code on the tube chart, the ’59 Stumped, and with the hour growing late, we called it a day.
had been listed by a seller in Arkansas who turned out to be Tut Leaving the mysteriously neutered Deluxe chassis on the bench
Campbell, formerly a well-known guitar dealer in Atlanta. Still until tomorrow.
buying and selling gear, Campbell had described the Deluxe as
being in original condition with the exception of a replace output Morning came with a whining voice delivering a plaintive wake
transformer – a big old mono block Stancor dating to 1957. Given up call – “It’s got to be something stupid and simple....” Inspired
the otherwise original condition of the Deluxe, which included by a huge steaming mug of Jamaican High Mountain meth,

ToneQuest Report V12. N1. Nov. 2010 1

we sat back down at the bench, tilted the innards of the Deluxe speakers, we used a Bob Burt 1x12 cabinet built from 100-year-
chassis forward beneath a bright halogen desk lamp and peered in old pine for our speaker tests. The original Jensen had never
for answers. We began slowly examining the chassis in sections, been pulled from our amp, but multiple speaker replacements in
looking for broken or dull solder joints, loose or broken wires, an old Fender inevitably cause the speaker mounting screws to
while gently pushing and prodding wires and connections with loosen in the baffleboard, making speaker swaps unnecessarily
the eraser tip of a #2 pencil as we had seen Jeff Bakos do so often clumsy and complicated. When we do run into loose mounting
at his bench. After ten minutes or so we were about to give up, screws, we simply run a few small drops of Super Glue around
when we turned our attention to several places where the circuit the base of the screw and surrounding wood. Allow to dry and
was grounded to the chassis adjacent to the volume and tone pots, your screws will stay put provided that you don’t torque the
and damned if a solder joint for one of the uninsulated ground nuts on the mounting screws like an idiot with a socket wrench.
wires hadn’t separated from the chassis. No ground, no sound, Don’t be that guy.
and as soon as we had restored the solder joint the Two Fifty Nine
arose from the dead with a mighty A major roar. We tested a range of speakers that included a Celestion G12H
70thAnniversary, Colvin-reconed ’64 Jensen C12N, Eminence
The amp was indeed Wizard, Private Jack, Alnico Red Fang, Teas Heat, Screaming
remarkably well- Eagle, Red, White & Blues, and Warehouse Green Beret,
preserved in all respects, Veteran 30, Alnico Blackhawk and Alnico Black & Blue. The
with the typical amber Alnico speakers generally produce a tighter, smoother, slightly
patina of old tweed. more compressed
The burnished chrome tone, with a variable
control panel remained emphasis on upper
bright and clean with no mid-range and treble
corrosion, the original frequencies, while the
handle remained intact, speakers with ceramic
and a couple of small magnets possess a
ciggie burns on the wider, more open
edge of the cabinet added a stamp of historic legitimacy to the sound. Higher power
Deluxe’s pedigree. The top half of the Jensen’s frame was coated ratings of 75W-100W
in a fine film of red clay dust from the Delta, and while the cone offered by the Red, White & Blues, Screaming Eagle and
was in remarkably good shape with no tears, an audible voice Warehouse Blackhawk typically translate into more graceful
coil rub called for a recone. We would send the speaker to Tom handling of bass frequencies, and in a 20 watt Deluxe, zero
Colvin’s Speaker Workshop in Ft. Wayne, Indiana, requesting that speaker distortion, for a clean, powerful voice.
he leave the original unbroken solder joints for the speaker wires
intact if possible. Let’s cut to the chase with
speaker evaluations, shall
Meanwhile the first order we? It has become clear to
of business was to listen us that even after reviewing
to an assortment of NOS a dozen speakers in as much
tubes from our stash, detail as mere words allow
and audition no less than in a single article, many of
a half dozen speakers. you remain uncertain about
Different sets of power which speaker to choose.
tubes and individual No kidding. We would
preamp tubes will sound absolutely love to hand you
surprisingly different, so a single magic bullet when
we started out with a matched pair of NOS RCA 6V6s, a GE 5Y3 it comes to speaker swaps, but here’s the dirty little secret about
rectifier, and an RCA 12AX7 and 12AY7. From there we subbed choosing speakers.... The overall character of the amp you
in a dozen different RCA, Amperex, Tesla and GE 12AX7s, will be installing your new speaker in is critical, and to some
noting varying levels of brightness, warmth and intensity among extent, the type of guitars and pickups you play most often are
them all. For an edgier, more aggressive voice, the GEs and important, too. Tailoring your sound with the unique gear you
Amperex typically deliver the goods, while RCAs produce a play is not a one-size fits-all proposition – you have to invest
slightly warmer, richer, fuller tone. We also experimented with a some thought into the process. Are you going for a classic
12AT7 and 12AX7 in place of the lower gain 12AY7, and while “scooped” American Fendery tone, or something more British,
those tubes ramp up gain and distortion faster and with more with a bit of an aggressive edge and upper midrange voice? Are
intensity than the 12AY7, they seemed like overkill for us. Our you playing guitars with single coil pickups or humbuckers? Is
Deluxe possesses a tone of gain using the stock 12AY7. there a specific, signature tone you are searching for, or are you
playing a wide variety of musical styles that requires a broader
Rather than repeatedly reloading the Deluxe with different range of tones? Do you like the more open sound of speakers

ToneQuest Report V12. N1. Nov. 2010 2

 with ceramic magnets, or “The TO26’s 7K to 8 or 16 ohm rating makes it ideal for a pair
the smoother compression of 6V6s as well as 3,500 ohm to 4 or 8 rating for 6L6/5881s.
of Alnico? What are you Notice you always have an 8 ohm option with both types of
not hearing from your power tubes. An impedance switch could be wired (I use a
amp and the speaker that’s blackface grounding switch) as a power tube type selector for
in it now? Do you want an 8 ohm speaker to go between 6V6s and 6L6s. The TO26 will
a brighter tone, darker, typically give slightly more output with 6V6s due to its more
better bass response, or efficient low-loss core steel and will keep the bass clean longer
fuller, more prominent for more perceived clean headroom. As it takes the most watts
mids? Do you want to to reproduce the bass, you notice distortion there first, and since
really drive the speaker Fender-type amps are so bass heavy, you can quickly hit the wall
and hear it contributing with headroom, so a noticeable increase in clean bass response
to the overdriven sound certainly feels like a more powerful amp with the TO26. It is kind
of your amp, or do you want a big, clean tone with no speaker of like you installed a new speaker with a larger ceramic magnet
distortion in the mix? The truth is, if you don’t know what you that is more efficient than the old speaker. The amp is a little
want, you are far less likely to get it. On the other hand, nothing louder and the bass a little tighter or cleaner.
is accomplished with paralysis by analysis. To be perfectly
honest, there are lots of speakers made by Celestion, Eminence, “There seem to be a lot of 6L6-based 5E3 amps out there now
Warehouse and, if you can wait long enough for them to break to get a little clean headroom from a circuit normally not known
in, Jensen, that we could and would be perfectly happy with, for much of that. The TO26 is a good choice for that type of amp
but we would also choose them carefully, taking into account as it will fit typical available chassis and cabinets. It has extra
all the factors mentioned above. After a couple of days spent long 12” topcoat leads ready to strip and solder. I would reckon
swapping speakers, we ultimately concluded that we preferred it would handle up to about 30 watts before starting to saturate
the ’64 C12N for a classic tweed Deluxe tone, and a broken-in and compress – plenty of cathode-biased 6L6s. I find that the
Celestion G12H 70th Anniversary for the most mind-altering 18 Heyboer paper stick-wound and interleaved output transformers
watt Marshall tone we have ever heard. Seriously. More on that in with premium core steel and heavy core stacks have typically
a minute.... better clarity or definition than ‘stock’ OTs. Call it fidelity or
whatever you want – just clearer distorted and complex tones
Having split more than a few hairs with our speaker swaps, and better separation of notes in chords, etc. I use the TO26 in
it was time to start picking nits off of gnats with some output the Allen Sweet Spot, Accomplice Jr. and Hot Fudge with Nuts
transformer evaluations. We first contacted Dave Allen of Allen amps with excellent results. All of these amps can use either 6V6
Amplification, who also stocks Heyboer transformers built to or 6L6 power tubes. You know how a 5F6-A or Super Reverb has
his specs. We found a variety of appropriate output transformers that huge 4 bolt OT for a pair of 6L6s to get the maximum clean
on Allen’s site that offered subtle variations on a stock original bottom end? That is sort of what the TO26’s OT is to a pair of
Deluxe OT, and we asked Dave to describe the TO26 model we 6V6s. It just doesn’t even come close to saturating.”
wished to try in the Deluxe:
When we informed
“The TO26 was intended Dave that we planned
as a hot rodding upgrade to run the Deluxe with
to a stock Deluxe Reverb 6L6/5881 power tubes
OT. While maintaining as well as 6V6s, he
the stock 3-1/8” mounting recommended that we
centers, its fat stack of try the TO26 since it
hotter core steel and multi- had been specifically
tap secondary make it a designed for such
good choice for builders applications. He also sent a smaller TO20 transformer, described
wanting to maximize as being designed with a wider 1-1/4″ lamination “fat stack” that
the performance of a pair of 6V6s and who may also want to provides 60% additional core mass than typical ¾″ stack units
push the envelope with 6L6/5881s while still being able to clear for improved performance. The TO20 is a direct replacement for
the speaker in a stock cabinet. There are physical limitations in Blues Jr. and Princeton Reverb amps, and also suitable for dual
small amps, so its short low profile is welcome. The orientation EL-84 amps with an 8 ohm load.
of the laminations is also good for low hum pick up from the
power transformer. I found that an OT mounted the tall way (like Mr. Valco also sent us a replacement 5E3 output transformer he
my TO30D) picks up considerably more hum simply due to its had bought on sale from Clark Amplification a few years ago
orientation to the power transformer, so, shoe-horning a ‘tallish’ made for Mike Clark by Magnetics Components in Schiller Park,
OT into your amp may cause it to pick up hum from the power IL – a company that has been producing transformers since 1943,
transformer – not much of an upgrade. having been the primary supplier for Valco and various Gibson
amps in the ’50s and ’60s. A call to the company revealed that

3 ToneQuest Report V12. N1. Nov. 2010

the transformer Valco sent was essentially their replacement for a Allen/Heyboer TO26 – As advertised,
Deluxe Reverb, model #40-18002 without bell ends per Clark’s the low end held up loud and proud
request. We also learned that the company offers a complete with very little sag and an audibly
range of Classic Tone vintage power and output transformers, higher threshold of clean headroom,
including a reverse-engineered clone of a ’55 Triad 5E3 output although beyond 6 on the volume
tranny, model #18022. control the Deluxe was still holding
nothing back. Overall, this transformer
We also contacted Paul Patronete at Mercury and requested imparts a cleaner, high fidelity tone
a ToneClone “brown Deluxe” output transformer, since Larry with more clarity and stout bass response than a typical stock
Cragg had provided them with specific measurements from 5E3 transformer. An excellent choice for enhanced low-end and
original OT in Neil’s ’61 tweed Deluxe, confirming that it was maximum volume.
indeed a ’61–’62 brown Deluxe tranny. With a total of 6 output
transformers to listen to, we took the Deluxe to Jeff Bakos, Mercury Magnetics brown
who set up a rig on his bench that enabled us to clip in each Deluxe – Immediately recognizable,
transformer and very quickly switch back and forth between them the Mercury displayed a trademark
as we played a guitar through the amp. Are we having fun yet? sound that is smooth, exceptionally
Here’s what we heard: musical, warm and balanced. Sounding
more “high fidelity” than the Lemco or
Lenco – An excellent authentic “vintage” Magnetic Components transformers, but
vibe for those that prefer the classic, if still seductively unruly enough to get yer
somewhat murkier sound of a tweed amp ya-ya’s out. Sweet, rich, detailed and sticky.
being pushed, lots of sag in the low end
and a jangly pop in the top. And “old,” Now, you may be wondering why we would bother to audition
rather “lo-fi” sound indicative of the ’50s so many output transformers.... How much difference can it
era amps. make? Well, forty-odd years ago when someone rigged that old
Stancor tranny in the Deluxe, the only choice available to most
Magnetics Components Clark repair shops was whatever was on hand in the scrap pile. Today
Deluxe 18002 – Similar to the Lenco, we can shape the tone and dynamic response of an amp with a
but stronger and more robust, with a variety of “vintage” or more modern, custom transformers that
prominent growling character and voice. allow us to recapture the original sound and feel of the amp, or
Thick, wooly and willin’ with better
treble presence and clear string definition
then the Lenco, yet an entirely “vintage”
character. This tranny is comparable
to those found in Deluxe amps from the brown era through
silverface. Excellent power, punchy and fat with exceptional
clarity and tone.

Magnetic Components 5E3 Clone –

Percussive and dynamic with a faster
attack response than the Clark/Deluxe
Reverb version, this transformer was
reverse-engineered from an original ’55
Deluxe OT. IT imparts an intense, throaty
tweed character with enhanced mid and
treble presence, remarkable clarity, and an authentic vintage ’50s
vocal tone with softer bass response and slightly less volume and improve upon the original design. Why did Cesar Diaz install
power than the Deluxe 18002. output transformers for a Twin Reverb in Stevie’s Super Reverb
amps, and Bassman transformers in his Vibroverbs? Because
Allen/Heyboer TO20 – An interesting the first thing that chokes and overwhelms a smaller output
variation with a much more modern, transformer are the bass frequencies, and Cesar wanted Stevie’s
percussive dynamic character. The sound amps to produce a rock-solid, thundering low end that could
was not as heavy and imposing in the handle his massive wound strings. The tone we’re celebrating
vintage style, and with this transformer with our ’59 Deluxe is quite the opposite.... The raucous sound
the Deluxe reminded us of the more of the amp teetering on the edge is the key to it’s exploding
refined sound of a Fender Princeton, with tone, but if you wanted to go in the opposite direction with
excellent dynamic punch for slide and more headroom and a tighter low end, transformers like the
chunky rhythms. TO26 have been specifically designed for that purpose. We once

ToneQuest Report V12. N1. Nov. 2010 4

replaced the output transformer in our Pro reverb with a bigger And now we arrive at the
Mercury ToneClone Bassman, and the Pro grained a tone moment of truth. We’ve
of clean headroom and unyielding bottom. Wanna make it even been steadily reeling in a
harder still? Use a plug-in diode rectifier in place of the 5AR4 parade of new and classic
rectifier tube. No saggy britches now. As with so many choices amps for review in these
we make in the Quest for tone, the final decision comes down to pages for 12 years now
your mission and individual taste, and Jeff agreed that between this month – Marshall,
the Heyboer TO26, both Magnetic Components trannies and the Fender, Magnatone, Hiwatt,
Mercury brown Deluxe, the question wasn’t which one was Vox, Valco, Silvertone,
“best” – all four were exceptional, but different. Some players Ampeg, Gibson, Gretsch,
would prefer one over another for different reasons described Mesa Boogie, Park, Supro,
here, but all of them represent stellar examples of just how far Dickerson, Traynor, Budda, Western Auto, Standel, Dumble,
we’ve come since the day that old Stancor tranny was used to put Cornell, Clark, Crate, Divided by 132, Reeves, Bad Cat, Gabriel,
the Two Fifty Nine back into service. Fuchs, Koch, Star, Category 5, 65 Amps, Balls, Bakos, Callaham,
Blankenship, Reinhardt, Grammatico, Siegmund, Chicago
One last detail Blues Box, Roccaforte, Headstrong, Rivera, Mad Professor,
needed to be Talos, Maven Peal, Reverend, BC Audio, Savage, Goodsell,
addressed.... Could Fargen, Carol-Ann, DST, Two Rock, Germino, Matchless, Louis
we safely run the Electric, Swart, Demeter, Juke, Aiken, Bluetron, DeArmond,
Deluxe with 5881s Carr, Victoria, and Dr. Z, with more coming. Lots of amplifiers,
or 6L6s if we multiple models from the same builders, and among the foremost
preferred that sound classics – Fender, Marshall, Vox, Hiwatt, Gibson, Ampeg and the
over 6V6s? Once entire Valco catalog, we have acquired, optimized and restored
again, we asked the dozens of amps considered to be among the most desirable
prescient Mr. Valco for some Hoosier insight: vintage models ever built. In the 20 watt wheelhouse occupied by
the Two Fifty Nine, it has no equal by a mile. Game over.
“The impedance mismatch in this particular amp using the 6L6s
is really not a big concern, it won’t hurt the amp and will either After a lot of back and forth
sound good or it won’t. The 6L6s draw 1.8 amps and two 6V6s testing with different sets of output
draw 0.9 amp, so using the 6L6s will add about 1 amp more tubes, we became hooked on
current draw that the power transformer needs to supply from the thundering sound produced
the 6.3 volt heater windings. by a pair of Philips small-bottle
On some small 6V6 amps, 6L6WGBs. Thanks to Larry
using 6L6s can and does Pogreba’s talent for scavenging
cause the power transformer rare tubes (in Montana, no less), we
to run hotter because more are flush with several outstanding
current equates to more heat. and stout pairs of RCA 6L6s, but
The concern is that the power the brighter Philips really lit up
transformer in the Deluxe, not the Deluxe with a fresh and lively
being a large one to start with, attitude that mirrors the bounce
has the extra 1 amp of heater of a newer amp. With the ’64
current capacity to safely use Jensen C12N loaded, the Deluxe
the 6L6s. One way to determine if the power transformer is really spookily nails the tones of Neil
stressed out with the 6L6s is to measure the AC heater voltage on Young’s rig on Ragged Glory – a “studio” recording cut live
pins 2 and 7 on the power tube sockets (or on the pilot lamp) and with the Deluxe and Old Black in a barn on Young’s ranch with
see if the AC voltage drops significantly from the reading using Crazy Horse. With the volume backed off to 4-5 a bluesy jangle
6V6s versus 6L6s. It should be a bit over 6.3 volts AC with the emerges anchored by solid low end, rich midrange, the sweetest
6V6 anyway (since the wall voltage is higher these days than in treble tones imaginable, and variable levels of sustain and edgy
the early ’60s) and with the 6L6s you sure don’t want to see a distortion that can be controlled both by the volume on the guitar
large drop in voltage below 6.3 volts AC. If there is a large drop it and pick attack. The Deluxe does not discriminate between single
means the transformer is having trouble supplying enough current coils or humbuckers, ravaging both with equal fervor, and the
for the 6L6 heaters if given enough time with the 6L6s could responsive dynamic character of this amp simply is not of this
damage the power transformer. If the drop is only a few 10th of a world. Rotating the single tone control sharpens treble without
volt, and doesn’t go below 6.3 AC, then it would indicate that the dumping lows or mids, while also subtlety increasing gain, as
transformer is supplying the demand for the heater current and if you were using a boost pedal. A “Y” cord plugged into the
should be OK. Most Fender amps used power transformers that Instrument and Microphone inputs enables the two channels to
could handle some extra current demand.” be mixed with great effect. As Neil Young described, bringing
the mic input volume up with the instrument volume set between

5 ToneQuest Report V12. N1. Nov. 2010

6-8 gradually deepens the tone while slowly igniting an intense The busted-up sound of the Tremolux above 5–6 is gloriously
explosion of thicker second order harmonics and distortion as the righteous indeed, but with more clarity and less provocative
dynamic character of the amp softens. Pushing the Instrument intensity than the Deluxe. Taken in context, what we’re
volume level up into the 8-12 range brings the volume up to a suggesting here is that in our experience, the Deluxe has no equal
perceived level that exceeds 20 watts, while provoking an angry, as both a Fender and Marshall style 20 watt rocker (depending
pissed-off cascade of astonishingly rich musical distortion as the on speaker selection), and we’ll add “blues” to that description
notes swerve into controlled harmonic feedback. equipped with 6V6s and the Jensen C12N. During our 2-month
test period, we also routinely used our Lee Jackson Mr. Springgy
Switching from the Jensen to the Celestion transforms the Deluxe reverb, Analogman-modded Boss DD3 digital delay, and a very
into the most stunningly toneful 20 watt Marshall you could cool, versatile (and cheap) Flip tube tremolo pedal reviewed
possibly imagine. To be honest, you probably can’t imagine it, here. Can a modern replica of the 5E3 Deluxe deliver the same
because we have never heard anything like this ourselves, even inspiring tones as the Two Fifty Nine? The closest thing we’ve
after owning a couple of vintage Marshall PA20s, a rare Lead & heard is the Louis Electric “Buster,” but no, magical happy
Bass head and 1x12 cabinet, and a Balls 2x12 18 watt. We could accidents like this Deluxe can’t be reproduced today – and that is
easily live with either speaker, and the Deluxe also just kills as it should and shall always be. Quest forth....
pushing our 8 ohm 4x12 pinstripe cabinet.
Resources:
For those of you who www.allenamps.com, 589-485-6423
appreciate a somewhat www.magneticcomponents.net, 847-671-0633
tamer vibe, we can www.mercurymagnetics.com, 818-998-7791 x105
assure you that the Terry Dobbs: www.valcoamp.com, 812-342-6684
Deluxe loaded with
a fine pair of 6V6s is
equally mind-altering.
The overall sound is a
wee bit smaller in girth
and less imposing,
yet abundantly
overflowing with
vivid harmonic depth, Mercury Magnetics
a supremely touch-sensitive response, and brilliant combination Transformers for Guitar Amps
of fidelity, clarity and bloom. Compared to a black or silverface 9167 Independence Ave. • Chatsworth, CA 91311
Deluxe Reverb, the ’59 presents a more musically complex (818) 998-7791 • www.MercuryMagnetics.com
soundstage, less harsh, stiff and linear, and it lacks both the
sharper treble of a blackface amp, and the scooped midrange
character. The tone is rounder and meatier, the treble sweeter and
less dominant, with an enhanced 3-D image.

Now, if you’re
the type that
skeptically
requires a
qualifier to
add a stamp of
legitimacy to
such an over-
the-top review,
here it is, Mr.
Been There-
Done That....
The Deluxe
doesn’t and won’t spew big clean tones at stage volume. Our
’58 Tremolux produces a cleaner tone with a higher threshold
of clean headroom by far at comparable volume levels, and the
taller tweed cabinet encourages a stronger, cleaner resonant
bass and low mid response. The Tremolux is also equipped
with a Mercury ToneClone Tremolux output transformer,
which creates a tone that is less wooly, raucous and indistinct.

ToneQuest Report V12. N1. Nov. 2010 6