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
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🎸 Gibson Custom Shop Les Paul | Ron Ellis Signature Humbuckers | Emerson Custom EoB LP Kit + 2x Treble Bleed
🎛️ Black Volt x R2R Electric Booster Channel (built-in) | R2R Electric Time-O-Lite Fuzz | Effectrode Tube Vibe
🔊 Black Volt Amplification Sparrow | 5W | 6V6 | 12AX7 | Custom 10" Speaker | Hand-Wired in LA | Gibson GA5 / Tweed Champ / Princeton Inspired
Recording: Universal Audio Apollo x4 | Lauten Audio LS-208 | Royer R10 & R121 | Sennheiser E906 | Ableton Live 12
