The Amp Garage

paulster · Posted: Wed Mar 10, 2010 8:03 pm Post subject:

I reckon that's why people that want Expresses are being quoted an 8 month lead time. So he's got 8 months to figure out how to build them and make them stable, and sounding like Expresses.

dayn · Joined: 05 Mar 2007 Posts: 101 Location: seattle, wa

M Fowler · Joined: 16 Jan 2008 Posts: 3478 Location: Minnesota

I'm sure JM can build an Express/Liverpool and the bashing has been quite mild on my part.

Dayn you know exactly what I mean, the Rocket is as you know, the easiet as far as lead dress. Where as the other two beasts can get tricky.

Just waiting for the Express/Liverpool to come and hear some clips.

dayn · Joined: 05 Mar 2007 Posts: 101 Location: seattle, wa

paulster · Posted: Wed Mar 10, 2010 11:48 pm Post subject:

The scepticism is pretty well-founded given the text that's been on trainwreck.com for all these years about cloners and that no-one but Ken can build them.

Then, suddenly, when it suits the family, along comes someone with (quote) "better ears than Ken", "that helped Ken tune the amps" and therefore is definitely the person to build these reissues, although he wants to remain anonymous for whatever reason and no-one that knew Ken has come forward to substantiate the strength of the connection between them.

Clearly he wasn't around when Ken couldn't find anyone who could build the amps to his standards so either JM was otherwise occupied during this period or simply wasn't up to the job.

It hardly ties in with him being Ken's right-hand man.

This is without even getting into how other manufacturers that Ken also had working relationships were rebuffed when they discussed producing his amps because he felt it wasn't going to work out properly.

And on top of that we've got the new "5 laws" BS, which further insinuates that JM knows something none of us are privy to, nor will be allowed to know. It's actually quite offensive.

So, all things considered, I'd like to see one good reason for not being sceptical.

MCK · Joined: 27 Apr 2009 Posts: 198

MCK · Joined: 27 Apr 2009 Posts: 198

cross-posted from TGP...

[QUOTE=CDaughtry;7898839]It's interesting...I had never heard of John Mark until these the "new" Trainwrecks came out. I talked to Kenny literally hundreds of hours and he never mentioned him.[/QUOTE]

To me, that says it all coming from this man :

http://www.thegearpage.net/board/showpost.php?p=7892562&postcount=1

Southbay Ampworks · Joined: 14 Nov 2006 Posts: 160

I shot an email off to JM to discuss getting an Express this morning. I asked about build/lead times, and cabinet wood options.

Since I already have the Koncorde by AM, it'll have some serious competition in the tone department, but I'm willing to give the man a chance.

I'll report back when I hear back...I'm not going to hold my breath, but I'll keep an open mind about it for a minute (or a week or so).

redshark · Joined: 07 Dec 2008 Posts: 239

I seriously don't think it could be bad. Just imagine the access to information and parts plus a big tube stash. I think any competent builder with good ears and that big "plus" could do an excellent job.
The only thing that bothered me a little was the way the amps are presented in their webpage. "pricing would depend on components such as tubes".
That seriously goes against trainwreck philosophy. I think Ken was so proud of his amps that there was only one option: the tubes to make the amp sounds its best!!

Richie · Joined: 09 Jan 2006 Posts: 589 Location: Ky

Cliff Schecht · Joined: 30 Dec 2009 Posts: 547 Location: Texas

Yeah, the G&L factory still hasn't touched Leo Fender's office. His office is sort of a shrine to how hard of a worker he really was as well as how remarkable of a man he was.

It's almost sacrilegious in a way to reuse Ken's stuff. Even if this guy is an expert, he's reproducing something that (as many people have found) is never truly 100% doable because they lack the knowledge and 1000's of hours that Ken put into his amplifier designs. It's not uncommon for the student to surpass the mentor and even if this guy was Ken's mentor, his final product will inevitably be different just because it didn't have Ken's touch and ears. Different isn't necessarily worse mind you, it just isn't really a TW unless Ken touches it!

MCK · Joined: 27 Apr 2009 Posts: 198

Fully agree with you. Plus, see above comment from Charles Daughtry and few others I have seen on the net. No one seems to recognize JM for the "mentor" he claims to be. I would much rather buy a best of the best "inspired" amp from the reputed makers on this forum. You can track lineage and see the love for tone. The new TW sadly I remain skeptical about though I'm not a skeptic by nature.

Structo · Joined: 17 Oct 2007 Posts: 6329 Location: Oregun

Southbay Ampworks · Joined: 14 Nov 2006 Posts: 160

I got a reply email. Discussion ongoing, with noted concerns on my part, which echo many of your own.

ckpop · Joined: 09 Aug 2007 Posts: 118

Does not sound much different then anyone else on this forum who builds wrecks with the "Right Stuff" but we don't make big claims like the new reissue for a selling point.

Has anyone here ever been to NAMM ? Every single booth claims that the new version of the product that is the best ever. How many of them fall short after the claims they make. Your work speaks for itself and let that be the judge on it's own merit.