epiphone custom blues/grainger twin blues

highway61 · March 10th, 2008, 12:42 PM

hi what is your opinion of these amps - I have been told that they are made in the same factory and are essentially the same amp. A different brand for the UK market by legacy(sound control).

I can get one of these(grainger branded) for £199 . Ex display

seems a good deal to me what do you all think.

I play mainly blues/country based music and the class A/AB switch also appeals to me.

highway61 · March 11th, 2008, 06:56 AM

done some research and have discovered that the blues custom comes with 6l6's in the states and el34's in the Uk. I apologize for my ignorance but are these valves interchangeable. I suppose the british ones come with the el34's for a more british flavour amp.

would this be the main reason

thanks in advance

marshman · March 11th, 2008, 09:07 AM

EL34s and 6L6GCs are generally NOT plug & play interchangeable, though many manufacturers now have designed a simple switch to make it possible to use them...from the EPI website, it doesn't seem that the BC is so equipped.

"Back in the Day", manufacturers used those types of tubes simply because they were easier (read:cheaper) to source whereever they were at. Since neither the US nor the UK currently manufactures guitar amp tubes, they have to source them all from abroad, meaning that it's a wash. They chose 'em for 'tone'.

The Epi BC is currerntly selling for $550 at US Musicians Friend online catalog, which means I might be able to get it for $500 at a store...so you'd be looking to save @ 50 pounds over what we're paying here.

Good Luck

highway61 · March 11th, 2008, 11:14 AM

hi thanks for that.

the cheapest epi i've seen over here is around £400 but i've seen them as high as £599. For some reason most we usually pay pounds for dollars over here!!!

marshman · March 11th, 2008, 11:39 AM

I had noticed that despite the piss-poor exchange rate (for me, the Yank), the English are still paying 1:1 on everything brought into the country. Some things are even worse, costing you more even though they're made there (Ever priced a Triumph on both sides of the pond--YIKES).

Anyway, if those are typical prices, and you can score one for half that, I'd probably do it. Worst case scenario, you can probably break even if you decide you don't like it and sell it off. Best case scenario--you like it at half price.

March 10th, 2008, 12:42 PM	#1 (permalink)
highway61 TDPRI Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: uk Age: 36 Posts: 45	epiphone custom blues/grainger twin blues hi what is your opinion of these amps - I have been told that they are made in the same factory and are essentially the same amp. A different brand for the UK market by legacy(sound control). I can get one of these(grainger branded) for £199 . Ex display seems a good deal to me what do you all think. I play mainly blues/country based music and the class A/AB switch also appeals to me.

March 11th, 2008, 06:56 AM	#2 (permalink)
highway61 TDPRI Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: uk Age: 36 Posts: 45	done some research and have discovered that the blues custom comes with 6l6's in the states and el34's in the Uk. I apologize for my ignorance but are these valves interchangeable. I suppose the british ones come with the el34's for a more british flavour amp. would this be the main reason thanks in advance

March 11th, 2008, 09:07 AM	#3 (permalink)
marshman Tele-Holic Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: SE PA Posts: 913	EL34s and 6L6GCs are generally NOT plug & play interchangeable, though many manufacturers now have designed a simple switch to make it possible to use them...from the EPI website, it doesn't seem that the BC is so equipped. "Back in the Day", manufacturers used those types of tubes simply because they were easier (read:cheaper) to source whereever they were at. Since neither the US nor the UK currently manufactures guitar amp tubes, they have to source them all from abroad, meaning that it's a wash. They chose 'em for 'tone'. The Epi BC is currerntly selling for $550 at US Musicians Friend online catalog, which means I might be able to get it for $500 at a store...so you'd be looking to save @ 50 pounds over what we're paying here. Good Luck

March 11th, 2008, 11:14 AM	#4 (permalink)
highway61 TDPRI Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: uk Age: 36 Posts: 45	hi thanks for that. the cheapest epi i've seen over here is around £400 but i've seen them as high as £599. For some reason most we usually pay pounds for dollars over here!!!

March 11th, 2008, 11:39 AM	#5 (permalink)
marshman Tele-Holic Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: SE PA Posts: 913	I had noticed that despite the piss-poor exchange rate (for me, the Yank), the English are still paying 1:1 on everything brought into the country. Some things are even worse, costing you more even though they're made there (Ever priced a Triumph on both sides of the pond--YIKES). Anyway, if those are typical prices, and you can score one for half that, I'd probably do it. Worst case scenario, you can probably break even if you decide you don't like it and sell it off. Best case scenario--you like it at half price.