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
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🎸 Frank Brothers Ultralight Semi-Hollow | Lollar El Rayo (Neck + Bridge) + Lollar Firebird (Middle Blender) | Emerson Custom Treble Bleeds 🎛️ Expresso FX Dual Ge/Si Fuzz (Charcoal) | NKT271 Ge + OC202 Si (Q1 Switch) | Mullard AC188 (Q3) 🎛️ Expresso FX Germanium Boost Mini (Gold) | Philips OC141 | NOS Mullard Caps | Hammond Enclosure 🔊 Greer Amps Thunderbolt30 Gen2 | EL34 Class A | 5AR4 Rect. | Mercury Magnetics | 2 Inputs | Volume / Tone / Master 🔊 Benson Amps 2x12" | Celestion G12H 30W | Boss Waza TAE
Recording: Universal Audio Apollo x4 | Lauten Audio LS-208 | Royer R10 & R121 | Sennheiser E906 | Ableton Live 12