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Edge of Breakup . 7/26/26 Edge of Breakup . 7/26/26

Benson Amps Tall Bird+

Benson Amps returns to the channel with the Tall Bird+ — their flagship all-tube spring reverb and optical tremolo unit, and a ground-up original design. Welcome back to Edge of Breakup.

In this episode the Benson Amps Tall Bird+ Tube Reverb & Optical Tremolo takes center stage — running in the Benson Vincent effects loop, between the Vinny Dirt Channel and the Clean Channel, into the Benson Vincent 2x12" with Scumback H75-PVC speakers via the Boss Waza Tube Amp Expander. The Benson Amps Germanium Preamp, Germanium Boost, and Germanium Fuzz all feature throughout.

Get the EoB x Emerson Custom Les Paul Kit: https://emersoncustom.com/products/eob-les-paul-prewired-kit-premier-pro?sca_ref=6282128.5O9h8BhMpG
Benson Amps: https://www.bensonamps.com/guitar-amplifiers

In Benson's own words:

"The Tall Bird Plus is our flagship all tube driven spring reverb and optical tremolo. A ground up original design with the goal of attaining the classic 60s sounds but with added functionality and improved noise characteristics.

Independent WET and DRY controls — the dry control can be used to overdrive an amp, or remove the dry signal completely. The ROOM control creates a high pass filter: turn it down for classic drip sounds, or up for cavernous hall style reverb. Three-pole adjustable oscillator drives the neon lamp for extremely slow or extremely fast tremolo settings. Switchable optically driven standard OR harmonic tremolo — true bypass tremolo takes the optical circuitry completely out of the signal path to prevent volume loss issues of the original circuits. Tube driven output buffer for driving long cables. Dual LED footswitch with included TRS cable. A grounding schema lifted from hi-fi stereos that prevents noisy ground loops. The reverb bypass disconnects the send signal to the reverb tank, allowing for trails rather than a hard cutoff.

Hi-Fidelity vs. Natural Mode: the Tall Bird Plus performs similarly to a high quality buffer and makes treble frequencies pop more than expected. The rear-panel switch compensates — Hi-Fidelity for technically unaffected tones, Natural Mode for a more expected response. Harmonic tremolo quirk: when engaged with depth all the way down, some light bass throbbing may occur — select standard tremolo or bypass via footswitch if bothersome."

The Tall Bird+ runs here in an unusual but highly effective position: in the Benson Vincent effects loop, after the Vinny Dirt Channel and before the Chimera-esque Clean Channel. This means the reverb and tremolo are processing the driven signal from the Dirt Channel, with the Clean Channel's character coming after — a specific placement explored extensively throughout the demo. The Dry knob's ability to overdrive the amp is explored from 03:36, with the signal path providing a unique way to push the clean channel into breakup without adding a separate overdrive.

🔊 Benson Amps: https://www.bensonamps.com/guitar-amplifiers

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Recording: Universal Audio Apollo x4 | Ohma Ribbon | Lauten Audio LS-208 | Royer R121 & R10 | Ableton Live 12

Edge of Breakup . 7/26/26 Edge of Breakup . 7/26/26

Cunningham Amps Custom 35 2x12" Amplifier — Jules Leyhe on Slide Guitar

A very special episode — Cunningham Amps debuts on the channel with the Custom 35, and Jules Leyhe joins for the first time with his Mule Resophonic Mulecaster for slide guitar. Welcome back to Edge of Breakup.

In this episode the Cunningham Amps Custom 35 2x12" Tube Amplifier takes center stage — Jules Leyhe on his Mule Resophonic Mulecaster with Mule Tomthumbucker Mini-Humbuckers in Open E, and Sean on the BilT Guitars DK Ultra S.S. Zaftig with Lollar La Prima Mini-Humbuckers in E Standard. The R2R Electric Rangemaster OC44 Germanium, Effectrode Tube Vibe, and Echo Fix EF-X3 Analog Tape Delay also feature.

Get a Cunningham Amps Custom 35 Head and/or Cab: https://www.cunninghamamps.co.nz/product-page/custom-35
Cunningham Amps NOS transistor fuzzes: https://www.cunninghamamps.co.nz/effect-pedals
Follow Jules Leyhe: https://www.instagram.com/julesleyhe/
Jules Leyhe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@julesleyhe
Jules Leyhe's Derek Trucks Slide Course: https://julien-leyhe-s-school.teachable.com/p/derek-trucks-style-slide-guitar-course

In Tim Cunningham's own words:

"The Custom 35 is an all tube guitar amplifier available in both head and combo configurations. Two channels are foot switchable for running independently, in parallel or cascaded modes providing a diverse tonal palette ranging from crystalline cleans to high gain tube saturation.

Channel 1 — Bite — Tweed style: big juicy cleans through to 'dimed on 12' overdrive. Channel 2 — Body — British style: classic Plexi tones for crunchy rhythm and singing leads.

Independent/Parallel: in independent mode, the channel switch selects either Channel 1 or Channel 2. In parallel mode, Channel 2 blends on top of Channel 1 — similar to jumpering channels on a dual channel amp with a huge range of tonal possibilities when blending.

Cascaded mode: Channel 2 borrows an additional gain stage from Channel 1 to produce modern high gain tones.

The Custom 35 utilises a cathode biased output stage which adds to the organic, singing quality of the amp. It also allows different output tube types to be installed without needing to re-bias. Fitted with EL34s as standard — try 6L6 or KT66 output tubes for a unique tonal signature. Tube driven spring reverb standard."

The Cunningham Amps Custom 35 is loaded with Scumback H75-PVC and S75-PVC 12" speakers at 8 ohm, 25W rated each. The Echo Fix EF-X3 runs in the effects loop of the Boss Waza Tube Amp Expander.

🔊 Cunningham Amps: https://www.cunninghamamps.co.nz
🎸 Mule Resophonic Guitars: https://www.muleresophonic.com
🎸 BilT Guitars: https://biltguitars.com
🎸 Lollar Pickups: https://www.lollarguitars.com/lollar-pickups

Subscribe for more boutique tone explorations.

Recording: Universal Audio Apollo x4 | Ohma Ribbon | Lauten Audio LS-208 | Royer R121 & R10 | Ableton Live 12

Edge of Breakup . 7/26/26 Edge of Breakup . 7/26/26

Black Volt Sparrow 5w Tube Amp with P90s — Feat. Wide Sky Guitars P125c

The Black Volt Amplification Sparrow returns — this time with P90s and the Wide Sky Guitars P125C. Welcome back to Edge of Breakup.

In this episode the Black Volt Amplification Sparrow 5W takes a third run — featuring the Wide Sky Guitars P125C Cutaway with Curtis Novak P90s and Emerson Custom Treble Bleeds, with the R2R Electric x Waterslide Guitars Time-O-Lite Fuzz and Effectrode Tube Vibe.

Watch the first Sparrow demo with the Gibson Custom Shop Les Paul: https://youtu.be/y_IdcyLuOz0 Watch the second Sparrow demo with the 1967 Gibson ES-335 / Humbuckers: https://youtu.be/gQGczTbZIbE Buy a Black Volt Sparrow with R2R Electric Booster Channel: https://blackvoltamplification.com/products/the-sparrow-amplifier Follow Black Volt: https://www.instagram.com/blackvoltamplification/

Giovanni "Gio" Loria builds Black Volt Amplification completely by hand in Los Angeles. The Sparrow was born from a specific Gibson GA5 that Johnny Depp left with Gio for repair — that amp's character, combined with the Fender Tweed Champ and Princeton, became the circuit foundation. 5 watts, one 6V6, one 12AX7, custom 10" speaker on this unit. One Volume, one Tone. Hand-wired in LA.

Three demos, three very different guitars and pickup types. The first covered solid mahogany with humbuckers — the Les Paul's density and output pushing the Sparrow hard. The second covered semi-hollow laminate maple with vintage humbuckers — the ES-335's acoustic bloom and open midrange against a cranked 5W single-ended circuit. This third demo covers a P90-equipped semi-hollow with a solid Spanish Cedar body — the Wide Sky Guitars P125C with Curtis Novak P90s, a combination that brings the Sparrow's GA5-inspired circuit something fundamentally different from the first two videos: the P90's raw, aggressive upper-mid bite and the P125C's acoustic projection working together.

The R2R Electric x Waterslide Guitars Time-O-Lite Fuzz enters from 09:37 — the 25-unit collaboration between Chris Vincent (@djlavalamp) and Waterslide Guitars, built into vintage darkroom light timer enclosures with NOS 1950s and 1960s OC44 or AC107 germanium transistors. Fuzz Face tones with P90s into a cranked 5W amp is a very specific combination. The R2R Electric Booster Channel built into the Sparrow comes on at 18:45 — the Rangemaster-style boost designed specifically for this amp's input stage.

🔊 Black Volt Amplification: https://blackvoltamplification.com 🎸 Wide Sky Guitars: https://www.wideskyguitars.com 🎸 Curtis Novak Pickups: https://www.curtisnovak.com

Subscribe for more boutique tone explorations.

Recording: Universal Audio Apollo x4 | Ohma Ribbon | Lauten Audio LS-208 | Royer R10 & R121 | Ableton Live 12

Edge of Breakup . 7/26/26 Edge of Breakup . 7/26/26

Black Volt Sparrow Amplifier w/ R2R Electric Booster Channel — Feat. 1967 Gibson Guitars ES-335

The Black Volt Amplification Sparrow returns — this time with the 1967 Gibson ES-335 and semi-hollow tones. Welcome back to Edge of Breakup.

In this episode the Black Volt Amplification Sparrow takes a second run — featuring the 1967 Gibson ES-335, with the R2R Electric Booster Channel, R2R Electric Time-O-Lite Fuzz, and Effectrode Tube Vibe.

Watch the first Sparrow demo with the Gibson Custom Shop Les Paul: https://youtu.be/y_IdcyLuOz0 Buy a Black Volt Sparrow with R2R Electric Booster Channel: https://blackvoltamplification.com/products/the-sparrow-amplifier Follow Black Volt: https://www.instagram.com/blackvoltamplification/

Giovanni "Gio" Loria builds Black Volt Amplification completely by hand in Los Angeles. The Sparrow was born from a specific Gibson GA5 that Johnny Depp left with Gio for repair — that amp's character, combined with the Fender Tweed Champ and Princeton, became the circuit foundation. 5 watts, one 6V6, one 12AX7, custom 10" speaker on this unit. One Volume, one Tone. Hand-wired in LA from the highest quality components.

The optional R2R Electric Booster Channel — designed by Chris Vincent (@djlavalamp) specifically for this amp's input stage — is explored at length from 01:48. At lower Boost settings it pushes the 6V6 into warm, singing breakup. Cranked, it delivers super-distortion and fuzz territory. Bypassed from 10:04, the Normal Channel cranked shows the Sparrow's natural voice — which is equally compelling, and where the 1967 ES-335's acoustic resonance and semi-hollow character comes through most clearly.

The first demo with the Custom Shop Les Paul showed what the Sparrow does with a solid mahogany instrument. This demo is the other side: a 1967 ES-335, maple/mahogany laminate semi-hollow with its own acoustic projection and bloom. The semi-hollow body adds a different kind of complexity to the interaction with the Sparrow's 5-watt single-ended circuit — particularly in the fuzz cleanup sections, where the ES-335's natural sustain and open midrange character give the Time-O-Lite Fuzz (explored from 14:41) a different starting point than the Les Paul provided.

🔊 Black Volt Amplification: https://blackvoltamplification.com 🔊 Benson Amps: https://www.bensonamps.com/guitar-amplifiers

Subscribe for more boutique tone explorations.

Recording: Universal Audio Apollo x4 | Ohma Ribbon | Lauten Audio LS-208 | Royer R10 & R121 | Ableton Live 12

Edge of Breakup . 7/26/26 Edge of Breakup . 7/26/26

Black Volt Sparrow Amplifier with R2R Electric Booster Channel Feat. Gibson Custom Shop Les Paul R8

Black Volt Amplification makes its channel debut with the Sparrow — a 5-watt hand-wired gem with a very special origin story. Welcome back to Edge of Breakup.

In this episode the Black Volt Amplification Sparrow takes center stage — with the optional R2R Electric Booster Channel installed, featuring a Gibson Custom Shop Les Paul with Ron Ellis Signature Humbuckers wired with the Emerson Custom x Edge of Breakup Les Paul Prewired Kit and Emerson Custom Treble Bleeds. The R2R Electric Time-O-Lite Fuzz and Effectrode Tube Vibe also feature.

Buy a Black Volt Sparrow with R2R Electric Booster Channel: https://blackvoltamplification.com/products/the-sparrow-amplifier
Get the EoB x Emerson Custom Les Paul Kit: https://emersoncustom.com/products/eob-les-paul-prewired-kit-premier-pro?sca_ref=6282128.5O9h8BhMpG

Black Volt Amplification is Giovanni "Gio" Loria, building completely by hand in Los Angeles since 2014. A professional musician with over two decades of experience — including early work with Atban Klann, the precursor to The Black Eyed Peas — Gio trained under electronics restoration expert David Riddle before channeling deep vintage circuit knowledge into his own amplifiers. Every Black Volt amp is hand-wired using a combination of new and vintage components, housed in cabinets built from reclaimed century-old barn wood.

The Sparrow name has a specific origin: a Gibson GA5 that Johnny Depp left with Gio for repair. That amp — and its unique overdriven character — became the primary inspiration for the Sparrow's circuit. Gio blended the best qualities of the Gibson GA5, Fender Tweed Champ, and Fender Tweed Princeton into one coherent voice, filtered through the Black Volt lens. The result is a 5-watt, 1x8" Jensen Alnico combo that is small enough to take anywhere and loud enough to play with a full band. However, this unit has a 10" speaker in it - this is a customization available upon ordering from Black Volt.

One Volume, one Tone. One 6V6 power tube, one 12AX7 preamp tube. 8" or 10” Jensen Alnico speaker. Completely hand-made and hand-wired in Los Angeles.

The optional R2R Electric Booster Channel is a built-in collaboration with Chris Vincent (@djlavalamp) — a Rangemaster/fuzz style booster circuit designed specifically for this amp's input stage. On/Off switch and Boost control knob on the amp face. At lower Boost settings it pushes the 6V6 into warm, singing breakup. Cranked, it sends the amp into super-distortion and fuzz territory — explored in depth from 02:40 onward. The R2R Electric Time-O-Lite Fuzz (from the Waterslide Guitars collaboration) then adds another fuzz layer from 08:50.

🔊 Black Volt Amplification: https://blackvoltamplification.com

Subscribe for more boutique tone explorations.

Recording: Universal Audio Apollo x4 | Lauten Audio LS-208 | Royer R10 & R121 | Sennheiser E906 | Ableton Live 12

Edge of Breakup . 7/26/26 Edge of Breakup . 7/26/26

Greer Amps Thunderbolt30 Gen2 Tube Amplifier | Feat. Frank Brothers Ultra Light

Greer Amps returns to the channel — this time with the Thunderbolt30 Gen2, their best selling amp head. And Expresso FX makes its channel debut alongside it. Welcome back to Edge of Breakup.

In this episode the Greer Amps Thunderbolt30 Gen2 takes center stage — featuring the Frank Brothers Ultralight Semi-Hollow with Lollar El Rayo Humbuckers (neck and bridge), Lollar Firebird middle (blender knob with Emerson Custom Treble Bleeds), into the Benson Amps 2x12" cabinet with Celestion G12H 30W speakers via the Boss Waza Tube Amp Expander. The Expresso FX Dual Ge/Si Fuzz and Germanium Boost Mini join from 13:06 onward.

Thanks to Coast Sonic for sending the Thunderbolt30 Gen2: https://coastsonic.com/search?q=greer+amps Follow Coast Sonic: https://www.instagram.com/coastsonic/ Follow Greer Amps: https://www.instagram.com/greeramps

Nick Greer builds in Athens, Georgia. The Thunderbolt30 is Greer Amps' best-selling head — 30 watts blending AC-type, JTM-type, and Matchless-type circuits into one coherent voice. Two EL34 power tubes, cathode biased, Class A. Two 12AX7 preamp tubes. 5AR4 rectifier. Custom Mercury Magnetics output transformer (8 and 16 ohm). Hand-wired throughout.

Two genuinely distinct inputs. Input 1: higher gain, snap and bite (02:54). Input 2: softer midrange, less gain, more polite tonal range (18:57). Three knobs: Volume, Tone, Master. Volume controls gain, Master controls output level. Both cranked delivers the full 30 Class A watts. Volume up with Master lower gives maximum headroom and a clean pedal platform. Gen2 brings a new logo and small circuit refinements from Nick.

Expresso FX is Sof, building by hand in the UK — every transistor hand-selected and auditioned, zero compromise on components.

The Dual Ge/Si Fuzz (Charcoal) is a Fuzz Face-style circuit with Q1 switchable between a Newmarket NKT271 germanium and a Mullard OC202 silicon transistor, with a Mullard AC188 in Q3. The NKT271 is the same transistor family found in the earliest original Fuzz Faces. The OC202 delivers a temperature-stable, grittier alternative at the flick of a switch.

The Germanium Boost Mini (Gold) is a compact Rangemaster-style boost with a Philips OC141 — NPN, negative ground, daisy-chain friendly. Creamy and well-balanced. NOS Mullard Tropical Fish and Philips caps. Genuine Hammond enclosure.

Grab an Emerson Custom Treble Bleed: https://emersoncustom.com/products/2017-treble-bleed-circuit-volume-mod?sca_ref=6282128.5O9h8BhMpG Emerson Custom Les Paul Kit: https://emersoncustom.com/products/les-paul-prewired-kit?sca_ref=6282128.5O9h8BhMpG Emerson Custom Strat Blender Kit: https://emersoncustom.com/products/s5b-blender-5-way-strat-prewired-kit?sca_ref=6282128.5O9h8BhMpG

🔊 Greer Amps Thunderbolt30 Gen2: https://www.greeramps.com/products/thunderbolt30-gen2 🎛️ Expresso FX: https://expressofx.com 🎸 Frank Brothers Guitar Company: https://www.frankbrothersguitars.com 🎸 Lollar Pickups: https://www.lollarguitars.com/lollar-pickups

Subscribe for more boutique tone explorations.

Recording: Universal Audio Apollo x4 | Lauten Audio LS-208 | Royer R10 & R121 | Sennheiser E906 | Ableton Live 12

Edge of Breakup . 7/26/26 Edge of Breakup . 7/26/26

Boss Katana Artist 100-Watt Guitar Amp Head & 2x12" Cab

The Boss Katana Artist MkII Head debut on the channel — and an immediate answer to a question I've had for a long time about how well this amp takes boutique pedals. Welcome back to Edge of Breakup.

In this episode the Boss Katana Artist 100W MkII Head and 2x12" cabinet take center stage — featuring the Black Bobbin JM by Iconic Guitars with exclusive Lollar Black Bobbin Jazzmaster pickups, alongside a pedalboard covering the Meris LVX (in the Katana's effects loop), Browne Amplification Carbon, KingTone Vibe 1968, and Dominion Electric Fuzz.

The Katana Artist MkII Head is Boss's flagship modeled amp head built on their Tube Logic design approach — five amp characters (Clean, Crunch, Lead, Brown, Acoustic) each with a Variation switch for a total of ten core tones. 100 watts of Class-AB analog power, scalable to 50W or 0.5W via Power Control. Three-band global EQ, three-way Contour switch, five simultaneous onboard effects with over 60 Boss effects accessible via Tone Studio, and eight storable Tone Setting memories. The series/parallel effects loop is what this demo specifically tests — how boutique, finicky vintage fuzz, modulation, and delay behave through a platform outside the Boss ecosystem. The answer: extremely well.

The Black Bobbin JM is the work of Shelby Pollard (Black Bobbin) and Iconic Guitars — a vintage-spec Jazzmaster build with Mastery M1 hardware, quarter-sawn maple neck, rosewood fretboard at 7.25" radius, 1 11/16" nut width, bone nut, Jescar medium frets, 280K vintage-inspired pots, and an NOS K40Y-9 PIO capacitor. The exclusive Black Bobbin Lollar pickups are the result of Shelby asking Lollar one specific question: what would your Jazzmaster pickups sound like after 50 years of aging? The answer was Alnico 2 magnets instead of Alnico 5 — lower output, natural degaussing character — combined with staggered pole pieces and traditional Jazzmaster string spacing. The Jazzmaster rhythm circuit is also explored in this demo.

🔊 Boss Katana Artist MkII Head: https://www.boss.info/global/products/katana-artist_mkii_head/
🎸 Black Bobbin: https://blackbobbin.com
🎸 Lollar Black Bobbin Pickups: https://www.lollarguitars.com/lollar-pickups

Subscribe for more boutique tone explorations.

Recording: Universal Audio Apollo x4 | Lauten Audio LS-208 | Royer R10 & R121 | Sennheiser E906

Edge of Breakup . 7/26/26 Edge of Breakup . 7/26/26

Benson Earhart Reverb Combo

The debut of my new Benson Amps Earhart Reverb Combo — cranked, top boost on, tone maxed, absolutely crushing. Welcome back to Edge of Breakup.

In this episode the Benson Amps Earhart Reverb Combo takes center stage for its channel debut — featuring the Frank Brothers Arcade Thinline with Righteous Sound RAF A4 & A2 Humbuckers, alongside a compact pedalboard covering the Dominion Electric Fuzz, KingTone Vibe 1968, Browne Amplification Carbon, and Meris LVX.

The Earhart is Benson's interpretation of the top boost style of amplifier — not a clone, but a deeply considered evolution. Chris Benson took the tone stack from the original 1960s top boost design, modified it, and integrated it into the Monarch platform, carrying over the Monarch's touch sensitivity and harmonic characteristics into an EL84 Class A circuit. The result is a Benson amp that chimes in a way the Monarch doesn't — the top boost switch adds shimmer and three-dimensional clarity above the midrange, while Normal mode makes the Earhart behave like a well-balanced Monarch. The midrange is very slightly scooped but not as heavily scooped as the original top boost amps — a sweetness that lives in between. The Reverb Combo adds Tall Bird-style tube-driven spring reverb in a completely transparent fashion.

15 watts. 2 x JJ EL84 power tubes. 2 x JJ 12AX7 preamp tubes. 1 x JJ 12DW7 reverb driver. 5AR4 rectifier (default). Mercury Magnetics transformers. Jupiter capacitors. Carbon comp resistors. Point-to-point construction on terminal strips — no PCB, eyelet, or turret board. DC filaments for low noise. 13–18 watts depending on rectifier. This combo is 39 lbs of pure Class A.

Controls are beautifully minimal: Volume, Tone (tilt between bass and treble), and the Normal/Top Boost switch. Volume and Tone in combination control the frequency tilt of the entire amp — many sounds from two knobs.

The Righteous Sound RAF (Righteousness Applied For) Humbuckers — Alnico 4 neck, Alnico 2 bridge — are the vintage-accurate PAF replica set built for this guitar. Period-correct 42AWG plain enamel wire, USA-made butyrate bobbins and pole screws, custom nickel PAF-clone covers.

🔊 Benson Amps Earhart Reverb Combo: https://www.bensonamps.com/guitar-amplifiers
🎸 Frank Brothers Guitar Company: https://www.frankbrothersguitars.com
🎸 Righteous Sound Pickups: https://www.righteoussoundpickups.com

Subscribe for more boutique tone explorations.

Recording: Universal Audio Apollo x4 | Lauten Audio LS-208 | Royer R10 & R121 | Sennheiser E906

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