This month's amplifier came from our friend Joe Naylor of Reverend. The Hellhound is a class AB, 40/60 watt 1-12 combo with an all-tube circuit. Having been in search of an all-tube amp at a reasonable price, this Hellhound appears to fit the bill. I'm all ready to see what guitars will take this amp to new tonal highs.

First Look:
This is the limited edition blonde vinyl version. It gives you the look of older 50's style amplifiers. There is a black faceplate with black knobs that are set back in the cabinet so that you can give it a good bang without breaking off the knobs. Smart move. Steel corners are added for extra protection. The big Reverend nameplate goes across the cocoa brown grill cloth. Classy looks without gaudy flash. When you carry the amp you will notice how balanced the weight is. I was able to pick up the amplifier with one finger in the center of the handle and it stayed in perfect balance. The entire rig weighs in at only 38 pounds, measuring 18 1/2" wide, 17 1/2" tall, 10 1/2" deep. Another smart move that I personally appreciate is that you can place the amp flush against the wall. This seals off the back of the amp, keeping my ferret from scratching the speaker. The grill is very tough too, easily passing my ferret's scratch test. I think they had me in mind when they designed this amp.

Features:
The Hellhound is a single channel with a Schizo switch that toggles between UK (up position) and US settings. UK gives an upper midrange boost and more drive for British tones, and US gives you crystal clear American tones. There is only one input, but how many guitars do you want to plug in to one amplifier? Following the Schizo switch is gain, volume, treble, mid, bass, presence and reverb. Electro-Harmonix tubes are used throughout: two 12AX7's in the pre-amp, 12AX7 reverb driver, 12AX7 phase inverter and two 6L6 power tubes. On the back panel reside 4, 8 and 16 ohms speaker outputs, effects loop, and the wattage switch that goes from 40 to 60 watts for extra headroom when needed. In the 40 watt mode there is still more than enough power. I loaned the Hellhound to New Jersey guitar legend Tommy Abusleman for a gig and he stayed in 40 watt for the entire gig and didn't need to mic the amp. The amp wasn't even turned up; imagine what it would do in the 60-watt mode!

Speakers:
The Hellhound uses a Joe Naylor designed 12" Reverend All-Tone 1250 speaker made exclusively for Reverend. The hybrid design uses a British cone for smooth overdrive, but with a small 1-1/2" voice coil for chimey clean tones. The speaker is mounted in an all-plywood, open back cabinet that can stack nicely on an optional Reverend 1-12 extension cabinet ($259).

Development of the Amp:
Joe Naylor contacted Dennis Kager to design the circuit. Most people know Dennis from his employment with mid-60's Ampeg, and as a consultant for many other major amp manufacturers. First, Joe told him the type of sound he was looking for-- the ultimate bluesy sounding amp that also works for classic rock, but not to much gain. Do not expect it to sound like a Mesa Boogie. After the right sound was achieved, Joe then took advantage of Dennis repair shop knowledge. Dennis made sure to use reliable parts and construction methods. Anything he saw fail in the shop would not be in the amp. Good for you, bad for him--he won't be seeing too many of these amps in for repair. Ceramic power and pre-amp tube sockets are mounted directly to the Hellhound's steel chassis. There are separate glass-epoxy PC boards for the pre-amp and power sections, for easier service if ever needed. The ceramic tube sockets, jacks, and switches are all hand-wired and chassis mounted for reliability and easy maintenance. The tubes are easily accessible for changing, but they are also well protected. The result is a reliable bluesy amp that you can walk into a gig with an amp in one hand and a guitar in the other. One trip in, so you get stuck helping the drummer carry his kit!

Pluggin In:
First guitar I tried was an American Strat, it was singing through the amp. I also used an Ibanez TS-9, keeping the tone flat, drive (distortion) on zero and the level up, so that it was just giving me a little extra drive. Engaging the Schizo switch and TS-9 produced a beautiful overdrive sound. The next guitar was a real shocker. I have a Gibson SG-X with 11's on it with the action really high for slide. Jackpot!!! The amp sounded phenomenal. I could play it with the tone all the way down or up for two distinct slide sounds. OK, so a $300 guitar now sounds great. Now for the heavy artillery, a '59 Historic Les Paul and PRS Single Cut with rosewood neck. When I set the amp clean, it goes heads up or beats any amplifier--crystal clear but warm clean tones. If I want real sweet, over-the-top, singing sustain, I just hit the Schizo switch and TS-9 and it's there. No dirty distortion here, all-tube and you can hear it. Nothing beats that tube sound! The manual includes suggested settings for Blackface DLX, Voxy, Who Crunch, Brit Drive, Old Tweed, and Nasty Old Supro. This is not a modeling amp, but rather approximates classic tube amp sounds, and there is no way to get those sounds without tubes.

Final Mojo:
I found the Reverend Hellhound to be a very honest amp, so if your guitar is not set up correctly or out of tune, you will notice it. Once you learn how to set the amp for each guitar and the sound you are looking for, you are in tone heaven. I still can't believe how good the $300 SG-X sounds for slide. The overall tone is great with that unmistakable tube character and dynamics. You get the versatility of several amps in one little box, but unlike modeling amps, the Hellhound's tubes keep the tone nice and warm where you want it. You just can't get that out of transistors. If you are a blues player or like a clean amp you are in heaven. If you need more overdrive than the Schizo offers, just add a little boost to the front end. The Hellhound is something that many of us have been looking for many years--light and small but packs a wallop with way more power than need unless you're playing Woodstock, and it's built like a brick s%&#house! It's basically a two to three thousand dollar boutique amp for only $649 (direct price for the standard black tolex model). Joe Naylor and Dennis Kager nailed it on the head.

I also like to deal with companies that are accessible. Having met Joe Naylor at a few shows and seeing how he takes the time with future and present customers is very refreshing. No "sell and see you later". It's "I will take care of my customers and stand behind my product" attitude. I was very impressed with the Hellhound. So much so that I sold my Marshall and bought one for myself.

Information:
Reverend Musical Instruments
27300 Gloedo Drive #D
Warren, MI 48093-4800
586-775-1025
www.reverenddirect.com