Acorn Amps Solid State
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What if your pedalboard had its own amp head? The Acorn Amps Solid State is exactly that — and I'm honored to help announce it. Welcome back to Edge of Breakup.
In this episode I'm running the Acorn Amps Solid State in both configurations: as a preamp/overdrive into the Benson Vincent, and direct to my Benson Amps 2x12" cabinet with Celestion G12H speakers. Guitar is my Nash S63 with Emerson Custom wiring kit, treble bleed, and a KingTone Switch in the secondary tone position.
The Solid State is a full circuit recreation of a famously overlooked low-wattage practice amp that was revealed in 2021 to be a secret studio weapon in the hands of players like Josh Homme — responsible for wiry, aggressive tones on guitar, bass, drums, and vocals. Acorn built it around the same TDA series Class-AB power amp device found in the original hardware, making it the most authentic reproduction possible in a modern pedal format. This is not an amp-in-a-box. This is an actual amp, in a box.
Two output jacks define the whole concept. The instrument-level output sends the signal into your normal pedal chain or amp input — Normal and Saturation modes, Low/Mid/High EQ, and a toggle switch to select whether the signal exits before or after the power amp circuit. This is the preamp/overdrive use case.
The speaker output is something else entirely. Run a speaker cable from that jack to any cab and the Solid State becomes a 10-watt amp head — no wall plug, no head, no rack. Powered by a Strymon Ojai R30 set to 18V from a single power port. Output scales by impedance: 10W into 4 ohms, 7.5W into 8 ohms, 6W into 16 ohms. I ran it at 16 ohms into the Benson 2x12" and the results are some of the most interesting guitar tones I've gotten all year.
The Boss Waza Tube Amp Expander is in the loop between the preamp out and the cabinet for reverb — and it works beautifully in that configuration.
Note: In the video I refer to Acorn as operating from Austin, Texas — they co-operate out of both Austin and Atlanta, Georgia. Apologies for the error.
Speaker and instrument cables by Caulfield Cables — use code "EOB" for 20% off.
🎛️ Acorn Amps Solid State: https://www.acornamps.com/gear/solid-state-amppreamp-pedal
🎸 Nash Guitars S63: https://nashguitarsusa.com
🔧 Emerson Custom Wiring Kit: https://emersoncustom.com
🔊 Benson Amps 2x12" Cabinet: https://www.bensonamps.com/amps/2x12-cabinet
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🎸 Nash S63 | Emerson Custom Wiring Kit & Treble Bleed | KingTone Switch
🎛️ Acorn Amps Solid State | 10W Amp/Preamp Pedal | Normal & Saturation Modes
🔊 Benson Amps Vincent (Amp-In Input) / Benson Amps 2x12" Cabinet with Celestion G12H (Direct)
Powered by: Strymon Ojai R30 at 18V
