SMF 15 Watter. (Bench Tests).(guitar amplifier)

It's no secret that most boutique amplifiers offer craftsmanship that is beyond what can be delivered for a production-line price. Handwired circuits are expensive to build, and that's why some boutique manufacturers have begun to offer lower-cost models with PC board circuits. Ex-Matchless chief Mark Sampson--a diehard proponent of point-to-point circuitry--launched a PC board amp just before Matchless went under in 1997. And though Sampson has since designed a series of handwired amps for Bad Cat, he recently cooked up a new PC board model for SMF--which was codesigned by noted stompbox builder Rick Hamel.

On face value, the 15 Watter ($2,199 retail/street N/A) might seem pretty run-of-the-mill--a two-channel, class A design that uses a pair of EL84s to drive a 12" Celestion Vintage 30 speaker. But with its oval grill, staggered controls, two-tone graphics (other colors are available), and spinning-LED gear logo, you just know the 15 Watter is something different. It also packs a 4-band EQ with an active mid circuit, a reverb tone control, and an adjustable cabinet hatch that allows you to rune the box for any degree of closed- or open-back response.

Inner Workings

The 15 Watter is unusual in that its entire tube complement (which also consists of five 12AX7s and a 5AR4 rectifier) is housed inside the chassis. Sampson says he put the bottles inside for noise considerations, but that location will definitely call for tools and a lot of patience if--make that when--a tube goes bad during a gig. (Sampson tells us that future production models will have a removable panel that allows access to the tubes without dropping the chassis.) You can't fault the circuit's integrity, though. The pots are mounted to the chassis, the tubes are gripped in ceramic, board-mounted sockets, and the wiring is clean and carefully routed. A clever friction system allows the sonic hatch to be positioned anywhere between its fully open and fully closed positions. The hatch is the most notable rear-panel detail, as the 15 Watter has no effects loop or extension-speaker jacks.

Tones

The 15 Watter is easy to use once your eyes get accustomed to the layout of the controls. The Cruise knob at the far left is your clean volume control. Its wide gain range allows you to dial in anything from crystalline tones to tough, overdriven textures that are perfect for bluesy solos or rock rhythms. The High Gear channel is automatically engaged when you click the master volume from its off position (this can also be done via the included footswitch). You can then set the distortion level using the High Gear knob, and control the overall volume with the master.

As with all of Sampson's designs, the knobs have a ton of effect on the sound. The High Gear control provides everything from lightly distorted textures to furious grind, and the 4-band EQ (which is shared by both channels) ...