HawkeyeKane
2132 posts
Oct 30, 2013
12:45 PM
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TGP has had a thread running on this thing for a while now. Only place that seems to have a page for it is MF, and it has no details. Even Fender doesn't list it on their site. Kind of an oddball name.
Fender Vaporizer
The other is a company I came across last week, and if it's old news to anyone here then I apologize in advance. Believe it or not, there is a boutique amp builder with the trademark name of "Little Walter".
Little Walter Tube Amplifiers
He's kinda unique in that he's building his amps with octal preamp tubes. I wrote the guy and asked if his amps have had good harp results. His response:
"I have used my 22 watt blues amp with a 112 cabinet with my green bullet. It really kicks. I have a 115 cabinet being built and I will also try the 22 with the 115. I think that may be the best yet."
I told him I'd mention him here on the forum. I suggested he try tackling a reimagining of the Commando. ;-)
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Hawkeye Kane
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Rhartt1234
98 posts
Oct 30, 2013
2:46 PM
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I saw the Vaporizer in the Guitar Center catalog yesterday. In my opinion Fender's Pawn Shop series is so close, yet so far, to making great amps. The Excelsior, The Ramparte, and now the Vaporizer are all underpowered, or over-speakered depending on your point of view. They are club sized amps with recording studio wattage. They should be at least as powerful as the Pro Jr. at 15 watts. I don't see the point in a 12 watt 2x10 amp, even if it looks cool.
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Harpaholic
405 posts
Oct 30, 2013
3:15 PM
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Little Walter amps have been around a few years, they are made for guitar not to say they won't work for harp. Something makes the builder think his little no frill amp heads are worth 3K plus. One of his first models introduced at NAMM was a 15 watt head with volume and tone for $3500.
He has since added more features and fancy wood.
Last Edited by Harpaholic on Oct 30, 2013 3:28 PM
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tmf714
2159 posts
Oct 30, 2013
3:40 PM
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Jimmy Capps uses a Little Walter amp-
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tmf714
2160 posts
Oct 30, 2013
3:45 PM
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tmf714
2161 posts
Oct 30, 2013
3:47 PM
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How he got the nickname-
"As a graduate of the EKU Broadcasting Department I was on-air in 1976 doing an interview in reference to the business I was in. A friend saw the piece on TV and started calling me "Little Walter" as a reference to the famous commentator "Walter Cronkite". The name stuck and since that day I have been called "Little Walter" by my closest friends. Now you know the rest of the story."
Last Edited by tmf714 on Oct 30, 2013 3:47 PM
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tmf714
2162 posts
Oct 30, 2013
4:38 PM
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I agree-
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kudzurunner
4468 posts
Dec 28, 2013
5:46 PM
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The Fender Vaporizer is a 12 watt 2 x 10" amp. The Ramparte is a 9W 1 x 12" amp. I agree that the second amp seems underpowered relative to the speaker, but a 12 watt 2 x 10" is pretty close to a Premier Twin-8.
Has anybody here actually played through these amps? Or is judgment being pronounced in the absence of such a test?
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blueswannabe
393 posts
Dec 28, 2013
7:23 PM
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The experience, technology and know how are there for a great harp amp/steel guitar/blues guitar amp, but no one at fender appears to be connecting the dots.
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rogonzab
446 posts
Jan 06, 2014
4:49 AM
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Funny video!
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HawkeyeKane
2242 posts
Jan 06, 2014
8:54 AM
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"The Fender Vaporizer is a 12 watt 2 x 10" amp. The Ramparte is a 9W 1 x 12" amp. I agree that the second amp seems underpowered relative to the speaker, but a 12 watt 2 x 10" is pretty close to a Premier Twin-8"
Exactly Adam. The Pawn Shop amps are very retro and cool looking, and I really think that's their biggest selling point. But the Ramparte and the Excelsior are both way underpowered for their speaker sizes. The Vaporizer seems like it's the best one they've come up with to date, and yeah, I guess it could be put in league with a Twin-8R. I'm kinda viewing it as a hot rodded Pro Junior with reverb.
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Hawkeye Kane
Last Edited by HawkeyeKane on Jan 06, 2014 8:56 AM
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rbeetsme
1461 posts
Jan 06, 2014
1:23 PM
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Whenever Fender releases an amp like this a series of events follows. First, praise for the new amp and price. Then it's endless testimonies of "fixes". New speaker, tube swaps, re-wiring, all sorts of modifications and then after the bills are added up, the announcement that it's way better, but not quite right for harp. Maybe it would be better to just buy an amp with a proven tone record.
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HawkeyeKane
2245 posts
Jan 06, 2014
1:39 PM
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@rbeetsme
Yeah...that seems to be the going trend on these. And this one already has a kind of harp disadvantage being an EL84 amp. I dunno though...I've been pleasantly surprised before. Guess we'll just have to wait and see what harp players who try it think. I will say this though. At only 12W, the "Vaporizer Mode" on it might actually be an interesting toy for harp players. Bypass all the pots for full unadulterated amplification. Could be a feedback nightmare, but at 12W it might actually be cool for once.
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Hawkeye Kane
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rbeetsme
1462 posts
Jan 06, 2014
7:29 PM
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I like the 2X10 speakers, can't tell what they are though.
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Barley Nectar
235 posts
Jan 06, 2014
8:23 PM
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Boy, I keep hearing this EL84 thing. Two of my favorite amps run EL84's. The Lectrolab R500c which is stock but freshened and my self built Honker. I get a ton of complements with these amps on stage. Mostly from musicians...BN Dam, it's cold!
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HawkeyeKane
2246 posts
Jan 07, 2014
7:47 AM
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@rbeetsme
I'd imagine the speaks are a Fender OEM Eminence model of some kind...maybe Celestion.
@Barley
I'm a lover of EL84 amps too. There are a lot of great ones for harp. Kalamazoos, EVJ's, Bugera V5's, Pro Juniors, etc. But I know that the majority of harp players prefer the octal power tubed amps over the mini-novals. To each his own I suppose.
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Hawkeye Kane
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