The SL68 MkII elevates Suhr's legendary SL series of handwired guitar amplifiers, giving rise to a tried-and-true re-creation of the definitive classic British tube amp head. With four bridgeable inputs, along with three switches and an incredibly transparent Master volume control, the SL68 MkII arms you with an encyclopedic collection of British-style tones — at any volume.
Moreover, this tube amplifier head retains a Variac-style circuit, equipping you with the liquid-smooth attack and sponge-like feel that's at the core of some of the greatest hard-rock tones of all time. This 50-watt, 3-channel tube amplifier comes loaded with four EL34 power tubes, three 12AX7 preamp tubes, and a Plexi-style output transformer, giving rise to a veritable treasure trove of arena-ready sonic textures. Handwired in Lake Elsinore, California, the SL68 MkII is your conduit to rock guitar's most celebrated tonal palette.
SINGLE CHANNEL WITH EXPANDED TONAL RANGE
CHANNEL I INPUT TOP: High sensitivity and voiced brighter than Channel II.
CHANNEL I INPUT BOTTOM: Low sensitivity and offers a slightly warmer tone.
CHANNEL II INPUT TOP: High sensitivity and offers a normal/bassier tonal response.
CHANNEL II INPUT BOTTOM: Low sensitivity and a normal/bassier tonal response.
PLENTY OF SWITCHING OPTIONS
FAT-CAP SWITCH: One of the only tweaks found on a very famous amp John worked on in the 90’s, the Fat-Cap, adding low-end punch and bass that’s perfect when using the ‘Treble’ channel. In the original SL series, the ‘Fat’ cap was always in the circuit. This switch allows you to remove the Fat-Cap to get closer to a ‘true’, stock vintage amp.
MID-BOOST SWITCH: Dial in the perfect amount of midrange punch to cut through the mix. The Mid-Boost give a bit more gain to the phase inverter and a subtle lift to the tonestack, boosting the gain to the mid range. Most usefull when dimeing the controls.
3-WAY BRIGHT SWITCH: Add brilliance and sparkle to your tone, with clarity and presence. This switch allows you to choose between 3 different values, ‘Off’ is the original SL series, all-the-way bright which is the stock value found in vintage amps and a middle position that is somewhere in between.
MASTER VOLUME CONTROL
Say goodbye to the need for external attenuators. Our redesigned Master Volume circuit gives you total control over your amp’s output, preserving your tones unique character, whether you’re in a bedroom jam or commanding the stage. This type of master volume control is highly effective at transparently controlling the output of the amp. When the control is at 10, it is completely transparent and out of the circuit. Start turning it down, and the amps volume can be reduced all the way to whisper levels.
VARIAC MODE
The three position power switch incorporates a low power Variac™* mode which lowers the amount of voltage available to the amp. This classic mod makes the amp feel much more spongy with a smoother attack and has been the foundation for some of the greatest rock tones of all time. To avoid having to re-bias the amp when switching power modes, SL amplifiers have two internal bias adjustments, one for HI power, the other for LOW.
Output transformers have a major impact on tone. It’s the bridge between the output section of the amplifier and your speaker cabinet. We’ve spent countless hours listening to different transformers until the spec was finalized for our custom “PLEXI” output transformer. This transformer sounds clear, is dynamic, and lends authoritative authenticity to the amplifier.
*Variac is a trademark of ISE, Inc.
MAIN FEATURES
- A no-compromise re-creation of the definitive classic British tube amp head
- Loaded with 4 x EL34 power tubes, 3 x 12AX7 preamp tubes, and a Plexi-style output transformer
- 4 bridgeable inputs deliver the complete range of British-style tones, from squeaky clean to scorched earth
- 3 switches give rise to some of John Suhr's most famous amplifier tweaks
- Super-transparent Master volume control unleashes an exhaustive collection of British-style tones — at any volume
- Variac-style circuit yields the liquid-smooth attack and sponge-like feel that inspired a generation of hard-rock tones
- Handwired in Lake Elsinore, CA