Swart Amps

**Ob Com** · 04-04-2024, 04:35 PM

Does anyone have any experience with the larger Swart amps (Atomic Space Tone or Antares)?

I normally use a Henriksen 10.

But I have had the little Swart 6v6 SE for years but hadn’t played it for such a long time- I grabbed it the other day and was very impressed by how touch sensitive and expressive it was- it really felt like I was playing the amp as much as the guitar, as the old saying goes, and it was a magical feeling and addictive.

but the 6V6 only has an 8inch speaker and very little bass and at 5 watts not much clean headroom with humbuckers.

i wondered whether anyone has the 12 inch speaker Swarts mentioned above which also have circa 20 Watts

if so what is your experience?

thank you

**ruger9** · 04-04-2024, 04:53 PM

I have a Swart AST Master. I love it. I don't think the master volume works very well, I never use it. But love the amp otherwise. The Master is a bigger combo than the standard AST, so it has a bigger sound with more low end. The regular AST is great too... the real reason I bought the Master was the top-mounted controls. I can't get on with the rear-mounted controls of the standard AST. I switch guitars alot at home, and I need controls easily accessible that I can see at a glance.

FWIW, when I play my humbucker guitars I do go into the LO input; they are pretty hot into the HI input.

**timsmcm** · 04-08-2024, 11:27 AM

Some of the finest amps made. Beautiful clean tones. Thick harmonically rich breakup when pushed.

**Ob Com** · 04-08-2024, 12:56 PM

Originally Posted by timsmcm

Some of the finest amps made. Beautiful clean tones. Thick harmonically rich breakup when pushed.

thank you

was there a Swart amp in particular you had in mind please?

**timsmcm** · 04-08-2024, 06:44 PM

Swart AST Pro Combo Amp, Dark Tweed | Humbucker Music
Wonderful amp. Works at home or on stage.

**timsmcm** · 04-08-2024, 06:46 PM

Also easy to tote. Guitar in one hand amp in the other.

**BreckerFan** · 04-08-2024, 07:57 PM

When I went to buy my tweed deluxe reissue I tried a used AST Pro the store had while they were finalizing some trade details and man. I almost changed my mind and got the swart. Some days I wish I had, not because I don't like the deluxe, but that amp was perfect.

**timsmcm** · 04-08-2024, 11:40 PM

I feel that that amp could be the best small combo if your looking for big cleans and light to medium gain in a grab and go piece. Amp sounds much bigger than you would think.

**Ob Com** · 04-09-2024, 03:15 AM

Thank you both for your views.

the AST sounds like the way to go, as I already love my little 6v6SE but want more headroom and bass, and funnily enough a 57 tweed deluxe RI was also the other amp I was considering, as I prefer 50’s tones to b/f.

**ruger9** · 04-09-2024, 08:39 AM

Originally Posted by Ob Com

Thank you both for your views.

the AST sounds like the way to go, as I already love my little 6v6SE but want more headroom and bass, and funnily enough a 57 tweed deluxe RI was also the other amp I was considering, as I prefer 50’s tones to b/f.

Well, if it matters, the Swart is 100% handwired. Also has reverb and tremolo onboard. Tonally, I feel like the 57RI has more top and bottom, whereas the Swart has more mids. Putting a Greenback in the 57RI would help with that, if it's even something you would consider (some people don't tinker with gear, it's either good out of the gate, or it's not).

**BreckerFan** · 04-09-2024, 09:47 AM

There were definitely some differences in tone, probably the difference in bass output between them being the biggest, but to me they both live in the same world, but the swart had the added benefits of reverb and tremolo. The swart is certainly way closer to a tweed deluxe than to a deluxe reverb for example. I was comparing them in a guitar center tho, so I couldn't extensively compare how they drive, was just playing clean.

I have too many amps right now, but if a space opens up I will fill it with an AST haha

**ruger9** · 04-09-2024, 10:16 AM

Originally Posted by BreckerFan

There were definitely some differences in tone, probably the difference in bass output between them being the biggest, but to me they both live in the same world, but the swart had the added benefits of reverb and tremolo. The swart is certainly way closer to a tweed deluxe than to a deluxe reverb for example. I was comparing them in a guitar center tho, so I couldn't extensively compare how they drive, was just playing clean.

I have too many amps right now, but if a space opens up I will fill it with an AST haha

That's accurate. The AST is basically a 5E3 with tighter bass (overwhelming low end is a common complaint with the 5E3 circuit), and reverb/tremolo. And it comes with a greenback (Mojo BV25) instead of a Jensen... the greenback is more mids-focused. If you put a 5Y3 rectifier and a 12AY7 in V1 in the Swart, it'll be closer to a 5E3 (the Swart comes with an AX7 in V1 and a 5AR4 rectifier for more headroom).

Someone at Gear Page traced the Swart circuit, and compared to the 5E3. Here are the high points:

Schematically, the AST is the bright channel of a 5E3 Tweed Deluxe with a LOT of bass filtering in the preamp (and a higher-gain 12AX7 replacing the 12AY7 in the Fender). It was designed to be played primarily overdriven where the low end fills in with distortion.

Everything you read about a 5E3 farting out when overdriven is fixed in the Swart.

Now... this "fixing" is really centered towards blues and rock players, who are turning the amps up loud to get more breakup; a jazz player may not see the "problems" of the overwhelming low end in the 5E3 because that's not how they use it. I've read umpteen owners say the 5E3 has a wonderful clean tone, and at home volumes. Turning these amps up is where they start to show their "issues." Many builders have made "upgraded" 5E3 amps, the primary upgrade being reducing low end to keep it from farting out when you turn it up, and also increasing headroom.

**rw116** · 10-21-2024, 11:25 AM

I'm late to this thread, but for those of you who have AST/Pros, how much clean volume is on tap? Enough to comp clean with several horns plus rhythm section?

I've been playing the fractal audio model of this amp for a couple of years, and really like the sound, but I can separate gain from volume. There are times it'd be nice to just bring a small combo, and I've not yet had the chance to play one in the real life to see where the break up happens.

Thanks for any insights.

**ruger9** · 10-22-2024, 06:30 AM

Originally Posted by rw116

I'm late to this thread, but for those of you who have AST/Pros, how much clean volume is on tap? Enough to comp clean with several horns plus rhythm section?

I've been playing the fractal audio model of this amp for a couple of years, and really like the sound, but I can separate gain from volume. There are times it'd be nice to just bring a small combo, and I've not yet had the chance to play one in the real life to see where the break up happens.

Thanks for any insights.

IMO, no. Not horns. However.

Neither did the EH-185. The trick with the lower-powered amps is that those players back then turned the amp all the way up, then turned the volume down at the guitar... it's a cleaner signal that way, believe it or not. I think the Swart amps will be more Charlie Christian than Joe Pass.

**rw116** · 10-22-2024, 11:04 AM

Originally Posted by ruger9

IMO, no. Not horns. However.

Neither did the EH-185. The trick with the lower-powered amps is that those players back then turned the amp all the way up, then turned the volume down at the guitar... it's a cleaner signal that way, believe it or not. I think the Swart amps will be more Charlie Christian than Joe Pass.

Thanks much for the feedback and the volume distribution tip-- makes sense. Also, nice demo, as usual.

I'm more inclined now to check one out, see how that all works for my needs.

More Charlie Christian is no bad thing...

**Litterick** · 10-23-2024, 04:37 AM

Originally Posted by ruger9

IMO, no. Not horns. However.

Neither did the EH-185. The trick with the lower-powered amps is that those players back then turned the amp all the way up, then turned the volume down at the guitar... it's a cleaner signal that way, believe it or not. I think the Swart amps will be more Charlie Christian than Joe Pass.

Jeff Beck played that way. I played a Swart amp in a music store and it was not so much Charlie Christian as Dick Dale. YMMV.

**ruger9** · 10-23-2024, 06:31 AM

Originally Posted by Litterick

Jeff Beck played that way. I played a Swart amp in a music store and it was not so much Charlie Christian as Dick Dale. YMMV.

I could hear that, at certain settings. But DD liked high headroom, and the Swart amps aren't known for that. They are sort of tweed meets blackface. The AST circuit is actually a slightly-changed tweed Deluxe 5E3 circuit actually.

**skerfy** · 12-04-2024, 01:01 PM

Originally Posted by rw116

I'm late to this thread, but for those of you who have AST/Pros, how much clean volume is on tap? Enough to comp clean with several horns plus rhythm section?

I've been playing the fractal audio model of this amp for a couple of years, and really like the sound, but I can separate gain from volume. There are times it'd be nice to just bring a small combo, and I've not yet had the chance to play one in the real life to see where the break up happens.

Thanks for any insights.

I use a Swart AST live (with both smaller jazz ensembles and a 20-piece big band), and it absolutely can keep up, even with outdoor gigs.