Until recently, I resigned myself to the fact that amplification would always come with compromise. This amp’s portable, but generic sounding. This one has incredible tone, but catches on fire a lot. Then I discovered the Sarno Music Solutions Classic Tube Preamp, and it became, literally, the solution to all my amp problems. Brad Sarno designed a 1U all-tube preamp that captures all the magic of the classic Fender Twin, in a simple, light, bulletproof package.

He’s well known in the steel-guitar and jam band scenes, and should be a household name for jazz tone any day now.

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