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NAD-Tone King Gremlin

Discussion in 'Amp Central Station' started by burntfrijoles, Jul 31, 2020.

  1. Jul 31, 2020 #1
    burntfrijoles

    burntfrijoles Poster Extraordinaire

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    First off, another big thanks to @Joe M for steering away from the Falcon Grande to this little beast.
    I’ve only spent about 20 minutes with it but color me impressed. It’s the loudest 5 wats I’ve ever heard. The good news is the attenuator works extremely well. There is plenty of headroom and the driven tones are really excellent. I haven’t even tried the lead input yet. It’s plenty tight and holds together really well. So far, I just played my Tele because it was closest but it handles the brightness of the Tele much better than my Princeton. This isn’t even the honeymoon phase speaking but I think it’s the amp I’ve been waiting for.
    I will post a more thorough review after a few days.
    AD8A7D8D-C281-4FA9-8479-FDC61EFEEAF1.jpeg E19D1501-D98A-4971-B125-FBC8A5E9FBE9.jpeg
     
    Cali Dude, uriah1, Treynor and 8 others like this.
  2. Jul 31, 2020 #2
    speranza

    speranza TDPRI Member

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    I have one of these and I absolutely love it! I seem to remember reading that it's technically 8 watts but is sold as 5 for some reason that escapes me. I changed the preamp tube to a 12AY7 to keep it a little cleaner, and I've found it's plenty loud to play alongside a drummer, even without turning the attenuator all the way off. Of course it's been at bedroom volume only for a few months now....
     
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  3. Jul 31, 2020 #3
    burntfrijoles

    burntfrijoles Poster Extraordinaire

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    I’ve read that as well. As I said I was considered the larger Falcon Grande but our TDPRI moderator Joe M suggested I consider the Gremlin and said it had plenty of headroom. I’ve never had success with 5 watt amps but this one is different. Maybe it’s the 12” Celestion or the cabinet but it’s not boxy or puny in any watt.
     
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  4. Jul 31, 2020 #4
    Joe M

    Joe M Super Moderator Staff Member

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    Admin Post
    Hey frijoles, been waiting with cautious optimism for your take on the Gremlin. Really glad you like it; I’m always hesitant to recommend any gear since sound, feel, looks, etc. are all so subjective. There is just something about this amp that checks all the right boxes for me, and, as I said to you in a pm, this is coming from a die-hard Fender amp user.
    HNAD and enjoy it....
     
    burntfrijoles likes this.
  5. Jul 31, 2020 #5
    burntfrijoles

    burntfrijoles Poster Extraordinaire

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    Again thanks for suggesting this amp. It’s more than enough amp for my needs. I agree. It checks all the boxes. I’ve spent a little more time with it and continue to be impressed. I like my Special Edition PRRI but I think the Gremlin will get more use, if for no other reason than the attenuator which does a phenomenal job. It’s perfect for home use and recording.

    Terrific amp at a fair price!
     
  6. Jul 31, 2020 #6
    Tim S

    Tim S Tele-Holic Gold Supporter

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    Then you’ll feel right at home on a Tone King. :D
     
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  7. Jul 31, 2020 #7
    Wallaby

    Wallaby Tele-Afflicted

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    And color me JEALOUS! I looked long and hard at one of these and don't remember why I went a different direction. I think they're awesome, congratulations!
     
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  8. Aug 1, 2020 #8
    tah1962

    tah1962 Friend of Leo's

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    Nice amp. Congratulations.
     
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