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Germino Classic 45 & 2x12 Lineup
Posted: 1/25/04
Germino Classic 45 in 2x12
combo format
Greg Germino's line of hand-built amplifiers have been profiled on Steelbender.com
before. In January 2004, Greg celebrated the new year with the release
of his Classic 45 amp. The Classic 45 is Germino's definitive take
on the renowned JTM-45 circuit, and features a pair of KT-66 tubes in the
power section.
For this feature, we lined up the other Germino models in 2x12 open-back
formats to serve as tonal reference points for the new arrival. Enjoy
the following overview of the Masonette 25 2x12, the Low Voltage
Lead 55 head w/ 2x12 cabinet, and of course....the new Classic 45 2x12
combo.
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Jason's Quick Summary:
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| WHY BUY?- Handcrafted point-to-point
wired sonic machines built one at a time by one person. Awesome vintage
non-master volume Marshall tones with a twist. Big, crunchy, loud
and simple to use. Excels with humbuckers but works well with single-coils
too. Dedicated customer service. Germino Amps have proven their
mettle on the big stages with superstar touring acts. The Classic
45 carries on the tradition with thick slabs of vintage blues-rock sounds.
While the brand needs more time to establish resale credentials similar
to an original JTM-45, for the money, the buyer gets an immaculately constructed
new amp with a warranty. A smokin' amp that some might say surpasses
even the originals! |
| WHY BYE?- Very few cons
to the Classic 45. The primary drawback I could think of would merely
be a stylistic issue...this is not a Fender or Vox sound, so seekers of
those tones might not be appeased. Don't expect channel-switching,
effects loops or reverb. It is an old-school rock and roll instrument
that summons up the echoes of the famed Marshall JTM-45. Might be
considered a one-trick pony by some; but the secret is to work the guitar's
volume knob to take advantage of the wide dynamic range of clean to snarling
driven tones which the amp offers. More clean headroom than
a Masonette, not as much as a Lead 55. Probably won't have enough
clean headroom for pristine clean lovers but the available sounds are full
of character. Could be too loud for the bedroom player. This
amp needs to be turned up to make its magic. The 2x12 combo has some
heft to it...it's quite a bit larger than the Masonette 2x12...guitarists
with back problems might think twice about hauling the 2x12 combo around. |
From left to right: Masonette
1x12 combo, Masonette 2x12 combo, Classic 45 2x12 combo, & Low
Voltage Lead 55 head w/ 2x12 open back cabinet.
The Classic 45's vintage-inspired
control panel
 
For tonal comparison: Masonette
2x12 combo (l) and Low Voltage Lead 55 head w/ 2x12 cabinet (r)
Video
Clips of the Germino 2x12 amps
Here are some MPEG video samples of Greg
Germino and Jason Barker
demonstrating the Classic 45 combo amplifier along with the other 2x12
amps in the Germino lineup for comparison purposes. Click on the
appropriate links to view the presentations. Some of these
files are large in size so give them time to download. Recommended
for broadband users.
For more information, visit: www.germinoamps.com
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content ©2000-to the present Jason A. Barker unless otherwise noted
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