About six weeks ago I got a call from Dean Markley. He is getting back into the amp game. He heard one of my amps and asked me if I could do something for winter NAMM. So in the last six weeks I've been developing a scratch product right down to proprietary Heyboer transformers and custom chassis. Just re-sourcing backorders has been a major chore. Meeting criteria for myself and Dean while maintaining a day job has been a serious push. But I have two working chassis (finished today but STILL fine tuning), a plane ticket and hotel reservations (courtesy of Dean Markley ), and I'm presenting at NAMM this year. Woo Hoo.
I want to say thanks to everyone here. If it weren't for a community forum like this and the generous advice I've recieved over the last twelve years on this forum I never could have pulled this off. My amps sound better than average but hell, the group here has been building amps better than what you can buy for many years. And I have the privilege of taking some of that magic into the public domain. I'll be doing my best not let us down.
Special thanks to T-boy, Enzo, Bruce Collins, Steve Connor, Wild Bill and Ken Gilbert. I don't see Wild Bill or KG here much anymore. But they were there when I was still learning (still am, and I hope I never stop).
The amp I built is the Challenger 20. There will be another amp in the UltraSound/Dean Markley booth called the AT-30 or SuperBlues 30, which is a more mainstream PCB amp that I revoiced to make it a proprietary design. But the Challenger 20 is all mine. And I'm proud as hell.
The Challenger 20 is going to be an eyelet board construction "boutique" type amp that should be priced very reasonably to target working musicians. Maybe the first eyelet board "production" amp to come along in decades. And it sounds seriously fantastic. In whole or part because of all the great advice I've gotten right here over the years.
I do have a Q for anyone already "in" the industry. Dean and I have discussed "profit sharing" as compensation for my work and involvement. What kind of % would be appropriate? I know that I'll see the smallest piece of the pie even though I designed the thing, and of course the investor and MFG will get the lions share. But how much should I ask for? Any advice appreciated.
And come try out the amps. I play like an amp builder. So I would love to see anyone with chops stop by the UltraSound/Dean Markley booth. FWIW Dean will be at the show this year. He's an absolutely GREAT guy.
Chuck
I want to say thanks to everyone here. If it weren't for a community forum like this and the generous advice I've recieved over the last twelve years on this forum I never could have pulled this off. My amps sound better than average but hell, the group here has been building amps better than what you can buy for many years. And I have the privilege of taking some of that magic into the public domain. I'll be doing my best not let us down.
Special thanks to T-boy, Enzo, Bruce Collins, Steve Connor, Wild Bill and Ken Gilbert. I don't see Wild Bill or KG here much anymore. But they were there when I was still learning (still am, and I hope I never stop).
The amp I built is the Challenger 20. There will be another amp in the UltraSound/Dean Markley booth called the AT-30 or SuperBlues 30, which is a more mainstream PCB amp that I revoiced to make it a proprietary design. But the Challenger 20 is all mine. And I'm proud as hell.
The Challenger 20 is going to be an eyelet board construction "boutique" type amp that should be priced very reasonably to target working musicians. Maybe the first eyelet board "production" amp to come along in decades. And it sounds seriously fantastic. In whole or part because of all the great advice I've gotten right here over the years.
I do have a Q for anyone already "in" the industry. Dean and I have discussed "profit sharing" as compensation for my work and involvement. What kind of % would be appropriate? I know that I'll see the smallest piece of the pie even though I designed the thing, and of course the investor and MFG will get the lions share. But how much should I ask for? Any advice appreciated.
And come try out the amps. I play like an amp builder. So I would love to see anyone with chops stop by the UltraSound/Dean Markley booth. FWIW Dean will be at the show this year. He's an absolutely GREAT guy.
Chuck
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