CARL MARTIN LAUNCH THE AMPSTER
We are big fans of Carl Martin products here at Stoakes Media. We have recently looked at the PlexiRanger and Atlantic Chorus pedals, but earlier this month, Carl Martin announced a pedal that we can’t wait to get our hands on.
After two years of development, Carl Martin have released the latest in modern amp sim technology – The Ampster. An Analogue Tube Amp/Speaker DI, Carl Martin’s alternative to the modern digital modulation and IR units.
The world of music has changed and the world of guitar playing has changed along with it. It is becoming normal to not see the full guitar rigs of the 70’s 80’s and 90’s, and just see guitar players with minimal systems to achieve their signature sounds.
The Ampster is a single tube driven amp/speaker simulator that can either supplement your amp, or replace it. A fully analogue unit with controls that are the same as your amplifier with the addition of a mute switch, a speaker selection switch and a voicing switch. What’s more important, the Ampster reacts to your playing in the same way your full-size amp does, giving you the same organic feel with zero latency!
Check out this video for more info on the Ampster:
The Ampster is housed in a solid metal box with the standard EQ (Bass Middle Treble), pre and post volume/gain controls (Master & Gain) plus a Presence Control. There is a Mute Switch for obvious reasons and a Cabinet Switch with an LED Indicator light (Red for a 2×12 Open Backed Cab, and Green for a 4×12 Closed Back Cab).
On the back of the pedal, you will find a Ground Lift and a Voicing Switch (a subtle low-end cap controlled voicing adjustment). Input, Link (output to your amp or powered speaker) Balanced DI (XLR output to go to a mixing or recording console), a Send and Return for those specific effects that shouldn’t be in front of the amp, a Remote Input for use with digital or analogue effect controllers like the Carl Martin Octa-Switch ‘The Strip’, and your standard 9v 1A power input. It couldn’t be simpler!
Plug your guitar straight in, or plug your pedal board into the input jack, choose your output, and open your ears to a surprisingly big round clean sound. By adjusting the Gain, you can get a hint of that decidedly British Overdrive sound for which Carl Martin has become so well known, depending of course on the guitar and pickup configuration.
Carl Martin’s test players telling us the Ampster reacts just like their standard amps, organic and responsive to your playing style or attack. In fact, the Ampster sounds just like a full-size amp, but it fits on your pedalboard.
Stoakes Media will be testing out the Ampster very soon, so watch this space!
