Tech21 Trademark 10--recommendation

bduersch · #1 12-25-2000, 10:04 PM

No, I don't really work for Tech21, but I really do like this amp. Although I dearly love my Johnson (amp), I don't have much love for the hernia I think I'm getting from lugging it around the house and off to occassional jam sessions. So I've been looking for a small, lightweight, decent sounding amp that I could use *around the house. I picked up the Trademark 10 from MF a couple weeks ago, and have been pretty stoked about it.

Before I go into too much detail, keep in mind that this is a 10 watt amp, with an 8 inch speaker. It weighs 14 lbs. Therefore, don't ask questions like "Does it really sound like a Dual Rectifier through a 4x12 cabinet?" My answer will be "For a 10 watt amp with an 8 inch speaker, it sounds as close to a Dual Rectifier as you could reasonably expect".

The amp is essentially a Sansamp GT-2 running through a 10 watt power amp and a custom 8" speaker. It's got 3 channels (tweed/Fender, British/Marshall, and Calif/Mesa), 3 mods (clean, hi gain, and hot), and 3 speaker settings (flat, US, and UK). Controls include gain, active 3-band EQ, reverb, and level. Back panel includes a headphone jack, XLR out, extension cab out, and effect loop.

The 3 channels and mods give a good array of available tones. For the distorted channels, the amp is reasonably loud (not loud enough to drown out a drummer, but certainly loud enough for jamming around by yourself or a few close friends). The gain seems most effective around "6", you don't gain much by turning it up to "10" (or "11" ). *The EQ has a drastic effect on the overall sound. The clean channel is nice, but it doesn't have as much power as the distorted channels, so to get a great deal of volume you have to start cranking up the gain, introducing some element of distortion. The spring reverb (Accutronics, I believe) sounds pretty good. The owners manual and website show how to set the controls depending on who/what you're trying to emulate.

So far, I've used it for some recording (using the XLR out), and it records quite well. I use it for rehearsing in a swing band, and it's loud enough for me to hear, so that's all that really matters (because there's nothing like hauling a Johnson out for a rehearsal where I'll only use 1 preset). I keep it in my living room so I can sit there and play guitar while I watch TV--now I get extra practice time in and my sweep-picking has never been smoother!

Overall, if you're looking for a small amp to use around the house, I recommend this one. It's inexpensive (under 2 bills) and it's very versatile. If you look around, it may actually cost you less to get one of these than the Sansamp GT-2 amp emulator.

Any other Trademark 10 owners out there have any comments (good or bad) on the amp?

--Brent

(Edited by bduersch at 9:07 pm on Dec. 25, 2000)

bduersch · #2 12-26-2000, 02:07 AM

A couple random thoughts I've had about this amp since my last post (after a couple solid hours of jamming on it)...

1. The biggest bummer is that this amp isn't footswitchable. Channels must be switched by hand. Things could be worse, though... at least it responds decently to rolling back the volume knob.

2. As far as small amps goes, this amp has the best tone of any I've ever played, and I did play quite a few while shopping for this one. As a matter of fact, had I not bought the Johnson, this would be the best sounding amp I've ever owned (having owned a couple Crates--both tube and solid state--and Fenders--both solid state) and also the most inexpensive.

Ok, that's it, I swear...

--Brent

Kevan · #3 12-26-2000, 11:29 AM

I concur, Brent. *The Trademark amps are perfect little dive-bar rockers. *For a S.S. amp, they kick. *"Dollar-for-tone" these little guys are a great deal.

I would prefer the Trademark 60 though. *Maybe with one of their powered extension cabs (which can be daisy-chained: 3, 4, 5...as many as you want to add on. *Cool, huh?). *It's still light, but built like a tank, and sounds great.

As the former owner of a GT-2, and after hearing Bob Lynch's SansAmp Classic bring forth tone that EJ would drool over, I have no problem recommending this gear to others. *(Note: *Bob's playing would make EJ drool too. *LOL)

www.tech21nyc.com

P.S.- *My former club rig: a GT-2 thru a '68 Fender Bassman and a Marshall 4x10 cab. *Wicked tone. Simple setup. *Loud. *
:biggrin:
Ooooo...the SansAmp Classic 10th Anniversary Limited Edition....hmmm....might have to get one of those.

alienx · #4 12-26-2000, 12:17 PM

I agree, the TM 10 is an absolutely cool amp. However I'm thinking about the new Marshall valavestate amps. The smallest one, a 20Watt'er, has a 10" speaker and that makes a big difference IMO.

bduersch · #5 12-26-2000, 02:32 PM

I used to have one of the original Sansamps back in high school, but I got rid of it because it didn't have enough buttons (yes, I was on crack back then). I sold it to buy a Digitech GSP21 Legend, which gave me weeks worth of flange and chorus and many more buttons but not exceptionally great tone (of course, when you're playing Poison covers, how much tone do you REALLY need?). I'm glad to be back to the land of Sansamp.

I haven't played with the Trademark 60 much. The impression that I got is that it was designed as an amp from the ground up, opposed to the Trademark 10, which started out as a Sansamp GT-2. I know the 60 gives more control over the tone, but I've been enjoying the simplicity of three switches.

I believe the 10's can drive the powered extension cab, and I know it's possible to daisy-chain the 10's together. My goal is to find 7 more of them, so I can have an 80 watt 8x8" stack.

Huge!

--Brent

boblynch · #6 12-27-2000, 06:30 PM

Thanks Kev :biggrin: Here's my 2 cents about the Trademark. DON"T DO IT!!! I've been using a Sansamp Classic for years, and the Trademark 60 does NOT sound like that pedal in any way. I bought a 60 about a year ago and sold it in 2 days. Way too raspy and brittle. The GT-2 (which I gigged with for a long time) is a good little pedal with some of the functionality of the Classic, and even that sounds infinitely better than the Trademark 60. I know it's all ice cream (man), but prepare to be disappointed if you get a Trademark and expect it to sound like one of Tech 21's pedals.

There, I feel much better...

(Edited by boblynch at 5:33 pm on Dec. 27, 2000)

boblynch · #7 12-27-2000, 06:56 PM

Oops, should have read the whole thread before posting. My comments about the Trademark 60 stand, but I have no experience with the 10, which may very well be a great little amp.

Sorry, I type too fast...

bduersch · #8 12-28-2000, 03:58 AM

Yeah, the 60 is a whole different kettle o' fish. The 10 is basically a GT-2 with it's own speaker.

Since I've picked it up, a friend of mine has bought a Trademark 10 of his own, and another friend is considering purchasing one. I should be getting a small kickback from Tech21.

--Brent

(Edited by bduersch at 3:05 am on Dec. 28, 2000)

elfstones · #9 02-25-2003, 08:45 PM

Sorry, I know this thread has been dead awhile BUT......

Brent,
I don't care what people say about you or even if you really do play Partridge Family covers

you are my HERO. After reading all your comments about the Tech21 Trademark 10 amp I bought one. HOLY CRAP! That little guy is one of the best amps I've ever played.
I've played with it a couple of hours now and I'm friggin amazed.
How something so small can sound so good and so loud.

This thing sounds great at low vols too.

Hey, you Tech21 guys...take a bow...NICE JOB!

Brent, Thanks for turning me on.

chromeboy · #10 02-25-2003, 09:18 PM

This amp does rock

...I got one for my cousin and he loves it. I might have to pick one up for myself.

BeastofLove · #11 02-25-2003, 09:27 PM

I think I liked the Johnson JT50 better, but no doubt, the Tech 21 is a cool little amp. I wish I had picked up a JT50 a little while ago when MF blew 'em out for $239.

-Ben

kabuki · #12 02-25-2003, 09:35 PM

I'm glad to see this thread make a comeback. I did get a chance to play through a Trademark 10 recently, and loved it. It really is basically a GT-2 with a speaker. I still prefer the Classic as a tone generator (they'll have to bury me with that pedal) but the TM10 is ridiculously cool and cheaper than many boutique pedals.

For anyone wanting to hear some great Tech21 tone from a great player, do a search for Harry Jacobson on the web. Harry turned me on to the Classic years ago and I have never looked back. Some of the soundclips on DiMarzio's site are Harry as well.

(the lazy poster formerly known as boblynch ;-)

bduersch · #13 02-25-2003, 10:09 PM

Wow... nice to see a thread make a return from the depths almost 2 years later!

Unfortunately, I don't have my Trademark 10 anymore. Actually, come to think of it, I don't have any of the amps (Johnson) that I had 2 years ago when I wrote the post. I've since gone through my "way-too-complicated rack rig" phase and am currently in my "loud-as-hell Mesa 1x12 combos" phase.

I still consider picking up another Trademark 10 every now and then, though. That was way too cool of an amp for the money. I've checked lots of small solid state combos in the ~$250 price range and nothing has such a cool tone. I'd still recommend it to anybody!

--B

pawel · #14 02-26-2003, 12:12 AM

I played the Trademark 60 and liked ot a lot, so i am thinking about the 10, since i am curently rigless (

) and need something for practice... (and i don't see myself gigging anytime soon)

Drew · #15 02-26-2003, 11:32 AM

Ahh, the Trademark series...

They sell them at my local guitar shop, so i've played through one every once in a while for nearly as long as this thread's been around, and i gotta agree on just about every count.

-Trademark 10- screw modeling, I'd rather own one of these. Hell, had i been thinking, i should have bought one of these instead of the J-Station i ended up going with instead- only another $100 or so, and worth the difference just for the included speaker.

My only issue with it (and basically with all "modeling" gear as well, be it in the "sounds like another amp" sense or in the Line6 sense) is that each "amplifier" has a distinct purpose, and can't really be used for anything else. I mean, sure a Rectifier pts out a wicked distortion... but i think the clean is pretty useful too, and while the 10 does a much better job of this than my J-station, it still is never entirely "clean."

but for the price and the size, this thing puts out some seriously good tones.

-Trademark 60. A completely different beast, and one i wasn't nearly as impressed with. i mean, the mid-gain sounds are actually, IMO better than the 10's- the closest i ever got to the SRV tone was with my strat plugged into the fender-y mode of this thing at whisper quiet volumes, closer even than i've gotten with cranked fender tube amps. incredible... But it just does NOT do a "metal" distortion tone. I mean, the darker of the two channels when you max it out isn't horrible and if you're careful with the highs it's definately a useable tone, but it's just not as heavy as some of the sounds you can get out of the 10.

I'm very curious about the 120, though. I haven't gotten to try one yet, but i know they expanded the preamp options, and i think the third channel should be "heavier...'"

Cool stuff, none the less.

-Drew