In case you haven't noticed by perusing the contents of Steelbender.com,  I love this "guitar stuff"!  I do put lots of hours into playing, recording, teaching and other areas of the whole musical process.  However, if I were to say that "work" beckoned to me as I was vacationing at the North Carolina coast last month, you might think "Work?  How is playing a new amp work?"   Well folks.....the job is dirty but somebody's gotta do it!     Seriously though, while enjoying my respite with family down at the coast, I was monitoring the Steelbender Forum among some others and saw repeated mentions of a new amp called "Swart".   What the heck is a Swart?  A good friend of mine and respected amp builder in his own right said to me on the phone that week when the topic was brought up "You know, Swart is right down there in your neck of the woods where you are staying."  The light bulb over my head lit up and the wheels were put into motion for this edition of the Steelbender Spotlight.

I shot an e-mail over to Michael Swart (ahh...so that's where Swart comes from) and told him I was in town.   I asked if he'd mind a visit from yours truly so I could take a look at his operation and perhaps sample some of his products.  Sooner than you could you say "tube rectified", I was over at Michael's Wilmington, NC workshop and feeling as if I'd known him for much longer than the couple of hours that we'd been talking tone.  After a very enjoyable visit, I departed with an Atomic Space Tone 1x12 combo and an Atomic Boost pedal for review.  Luckily, I had carried my digital workstation with me on my trip and was able to conduct an audio interview with Michael Swart and a create a number of sound samples for our audience.

For the record, I go into potential Steelbender Spotlight profiles with an open mind.  I will not automatically heap praise upon something that doesn't merit it according to my sensibilities; yet I am much more passionate about bringing attention to products and people if their work moves me in a positive manner.   The Atomic Space Tone amp not only moved me in a positive manner, it moved me to immediately reach into my wallet and buy it!  I was so enamored with the characteristics of its design and sound, that I felt compelled to purchase the very unit used in this profile.  So, as you read on, I hope that my enthusiasm for the Swart and its builder will encourage you to take a closer look at this beautiful hand-built product.  As with any piece of gear, it might not suit every individual's tastes or tonal demands; but I can say without a doubt that Michael is onto something as far as I'm concerned when it comes to lightweight, lower-wattage amplifiers.

I am a firm believer that rightly or wrongly, we often hear with our eyes.  Sometimes the initial look of something can color our assumptions as to what it is all about.  I remember the first time I ever saw a Klein electric guitar for instance.  My preconceptions of its design and quite radical appearance nearly influenced me to pass on the chance to try one.  If I had let those feelings dictate my actions, I never would have bought one and enjoyed a very fulfilling long-term relationship with a phenomenal instrument.  The Swart Atomic Space Tone, despite the futuristic implications of the name, didn't cause such consternation to me upon first glance; because with its handsome lacquered tweed and oxblood cosmetics, I could not help but think "revered Fender Tweed-era amp" when looking at it.  In truth, I DO hear a lot of old tweed-style vibe in the Atomic Space Tone.  Yet in this amp, cosmetics notwithstanding, I also hear much more flexibility with the inclusion of pure tube-driven reverb and tremolo onboard.  In a nutshell, a fan of tweed-oriented amplifiers would definitely find some attractive sonic signatures in this Swart model.  The overall tones seem to be marinated in a sonic sauce from an old sounding era.  Yet there is something magical in Swart's interpretation of the art of tube amplification because this particular unit seems to have an intangible quality  which nods to modern tightness and perhaps efficiency as well as the time-honored cues of decades long passed.  It's old and new at the same time!

We'll start with the basics of a typical Swart amplifier.   Michael is clearly dedicated to tube-oriented designs.  He's very insistent that "solid-state" has no place when discussing his amps.  Everything, from the reverb and tremolo to the rectification are driven by glass bottles.  All Swart amps are meticulously hand-wired in a small workshop in Wilmington, NC.   Currently there are three Swart model amps in production.   The Space Tone 6V6 SE and it's lacquered tweed counterpart, the Tweed ST-6V6 SE are 5-watt single-ended Class A amps that remind me very much of a '50s era tweed Fender Champ.   Sporting two knobs (volume and tone), the old-school mentality of their presentation leaves little doubt that purity of tone and simplicity of function are the two major objectives of this design.  Having spent a bit of time with an ST-6V6 SE during my visit, I was impressed enough to suggest that anyone looking for a low-powered amp that can be pushed early into warm tube overdrive at manageable volumes should put it on their list of things to investigate.   The Space Tones are very small amps with dimensions of   7 1/2"  X 13"  X 14"  while tipping the scales at a mere 15 lbs each.

That said, I was focusing more of my attention on the bigger Atomic Space Tone, which in the words of Michael Swart retains "the soul of the ST-6V6se but with MORE power".   More power indeed.....the Atomic Space Tone puts out somewhere in the neighborhood of 15 to 20 cathode-biased watts via a pair of JJ 6V6 power tubes, while adding the aforementioned reverb and tremolo.  (Take a look at the Swart tube diagram below for preamp and rectifier specs).   Keeping the whole thing a North Carolina-based affair, the Atomic Space Tone features a Mojotone British Vintage 25 speaker.   All of this goodness is packaged in a portable  9 1/2"  X 15 1/2" X 18 1/2"  rig weighing 35 lbs.
 

On the surface, 15 or 20 watts may not sound like a lot; but one of the first things I noticed (along with others who've tried this amp) are how "present" and "big" the tones are belying something of quite a bit more power.  Part of this has to do with the pine cabinet's design.  There are a few issues that initially strike me as potentially troubling; namely the exposed tubes and rear-mounted controls.  The rear panel's knobs protrude to the point of making it inadvisable to lay the amp on its back when transporting it in the trunk of a car (no worries.....put it on its front).  However, the Atomic Space Tone generates some of the most intriguing combinations of sounds that I've heard in both the front and the back of an amp.  When looking at the rear side of the amp, one is immediately drawn to the beauty of the tube layout.  There is a lot of "air" above the tubes, allowing for abundant ventilation.  The control panel itself, location aside, is actually very efficient and clearly laid-out.  When fired up and "launched" (a clever twist on the typical standby switch theme), there is as much ambience to the sound coming from behind the amp as there is from the traditional front side.  In fact, it has intrigued me enough to try and record both sides of the cabinet (maybe at the same time) in the near future.  Perhaps there is more to the space in Space Tone than the reference of outer-space because the sound is truly dimensional and spatial.  Michael is aware of the potential shortcomings of such a layout; yet he strongly feels the tonal benefits of this cabinet  and chassis design outweigh any inconveniences.   I must say that whatever he's done here, whether through conscientious engineering or plain dumb luck, it works!  There seems to be a lot of airiness (and a lot of tone) emanating from all sides of the combo's box.  A good protective cover or flight case would be a sound investment for those who are going to regularly transport the amp to different locations.
 

The Atomic Space Tone's sonic signature can generally be described as vintage to my ears.  There is a reassuring crispness, yet warm sag (especially as the volume is cranked), in the overall attack and decay of the notes.  Describing tones in words that everyone relates to is very difficult, and despite my attempts to portray gear in a neutral and accurate light, I'll be the first to admit how challenging it is to convey the firsthand response and experience of something through sentences (or even audio and video clips).   Nevertheless, the best way I know how to tell my story of a gear encounter, is to shut up and play!  (It's coming below   )   Attack-sensitivity is very high with the Atomic Space Tone.  There is always a healthy amount of what I call "grain" in the sound through its entire volume range, meaning a bit of grit and slight breakup even at the lower levels.  This does not mean that clean headroom is lacking on the amp.  It's not a hi-fi type of clean.  It's very organic, warm and inspiring while responding excellently to the position of the guitar's volume knob.  The amp can even be pushed to its limits while rendering a bit of fuzz (in a good way).  While this may not be the cleanest amp I've played in terms of pristine headroom; I have found that it has tons of character than transcends the typical "American vs. British" tonal debate.  I think it reminds me of everything from old Fenders to perhaps even a bit of Marshall in how it breaks up. Those two references may be clichés; but they are certainly applicable in this context.   Maybe that's what makes this amp so unique to my ears....it's a little bit of a lot of things at once.   I don't know how he does it; but that's why I don't build amplifiers!  The amp also interacts uniquely yet with equal aplomb when running different guitars through it.  While there is a pronounced signature character to the amp, a single-coil Strat and a humbucking Gibson do not lose their respective identities through the Swart.

On the whole, I'd peg the Atomic Space Tone as excelling in the upper mids and treble frequencies.  The bottom end does not mush out.....it's just not an overwhelming low frequency kind of amp in my estimation.  Where the amp truly begins to shine is in the context of other instruments.  Even without sound reinforcement, I was pleasantly satisfied with how the Swart cut through in a very musical manner when playing it for the first time with a live drummer, bassist and another guitarist.   The tones were clear and present.....not harsh or overly bright as some vintage amps I've used before.
 

The traditional "reverb" knob has been designated as "Space" by Swart while the familiar tremolo controls of "Speed" and ""Depth" have been retained.   The reverb on the Atomic Space Tone is nothing short of deep.  Honestly, the sound can get very wet early-on in the control department.  Still, there is flexibility as a moderate amount of tube reverb can be prescribed on up to extreme boingy surf-style sounds.  Dick Dale would be proud of the amount of reverb on tap here.   I also want to comment on the integrity of the gain tones:   whether the reverb is added or turned completely off, I find the Atomic Space Tone's tube overdriven characteristics to be solid and very satisfying.  There is no master volume on the Atomic Space Tone.   Some amps seem to sound better with reverb or without it.  I really find a lot of utility in how the amp is driven hard either with the reverb dialed-in or disengaged completely.   Again.....there's some kind of magic going on here.

At high depth levels, there is some tremolo "ticking" present; but the overall tremolo versatility and sound is very lush and useful.  The speed range is good.....you might not fool anybody into thinking you're running through a Leslie cabinet; but you can get some very cool pseudo-Leslie style sounds from this setup as well as swamp-approved low speeds.  A two-button footswitch engaging the reverb and tremolo is included with this amplifier.
 
 

I had the chance to take another Swart product with me for evaluation.....the Atomic Boost pedal (MSRP $175 US) which is heavily-inspired by the vintage Dallas Rangemaster.  Michael uses a vintage NOS glass Mullard OC44 transistor in this box for round and smooth tone.  When used with the Atomic Space Tone amp, the Atomic Boost provided a variety of textures from very thick (yet still clean) sounds to heavy saturation trespassing into fuzzbox territory (a couple of examples can be heard in the sound samples below).  During my coastal trip, I also had the opportunity to run the Atomic Boost briefly through such rigs as an early Peavey 5150 amp head with 4x12 Marshall cabinet, a Fender Hot Rod Deluxe 1x12 combo, and a Peavey Classic 50 2x12 combo amp.  In all cases, the Atomic Boost provided beefy, almost amp-like overdrive that exhibited good presence and cut without piercing the eardrums.  In short, a Swart amp is not required to make good use of the Atomic Boost.  A toggle switch on the pedal selects between pronounced mids and a brighter setting.  Personally, I found the mid setting to be much more to my liking as it was full-bodied and a lot bigger sounding than the high setting.
 

Swart's humble, yet serviceable, work setup embodies the rock and roll idea of starting out literally in a garage (hey.....it worked for Buddy Holly!) because it is...er...a garage.  Don't let the carport surroundings fool you though because this relaxed atmosphere has seemingly been the birthplace of a lot of sonic inspiration.  Not only are the Swart Amps produced in this location; a recording and rehearsal room resides upstairs for Michael and his bandmates to put his products to the test.  As a member of the regionally-prominent group The Jackson Hives, Swart is afforded the opportunity to use his creations in a professional working environment.  The Jackson Hives' album was recorded upstairs on a modest Roland VS-880 machine; yet the results I heard were a testament to Michael's ability to manipulate sounds because the production values and overall quality were of a high caliber.  Looking around his workshop and studio revealed various amplifier prototypes stowed away in different corners as well as a tube-driven stereo system built by Michael himself playing on the loudspeakers!

While Swart does the lion's share of the designing and testing himself; he currently employs a couple of other people who help him build the amps in the evenings during the week.  In essence, it's still a very small start-up business embarking on the road to bigger rewards and demands.  Current wait-times for a Swart amp (from ordering to delivery) stand right now between 2 and 3 months, with sales picking up steadily.  As word spreads about these products, I feel the turnaround times are only going to get longer unless his operation expands.   I'm not totally sure that Michael knows what he's getting into yet .
 

Michael Swart has been accessible and eager to discuss his products.  While I have not known him for an extended time as of this writing, I have the sense that he will stand behind his amps and provide solid customer service.   A case in point:   the power cord on my amp is shorter than I'd prefer.  I called Michael directly and asked if he would be willing to install a longer cord.  He said "No problem" and has offered to conveniently take care of it on my forthcoming return to Wilmington.  He said that he's actually building all future amps with the longer cords based upon other consumer requests.   As he notes, amp building is a process of learning and revisions.  The masters in the industry have been open to refinements and improvements in their work.  If the Atomic Space Tone evolves into something better than it is right now.....then that will be something to see and hear!

For more information on Swart Amplification Co. visit the official website at: www.swartamps.com

or contact them at:

e-mail:  info@swartamps.com
 

phone:   910.762.4379