Sweet 16 Combo Amp - Found one used for $650 CAD. Thoughts

[Jamie Paterson]

Hi this is my first post on the forum.

I am just discovering the world of PRS as I picked myself up a great looking Orion Green Silver Sky last week.

I am stepping back into the world of building up my guitar/amp collection again. Used to own a few great valve amp. This year as I began to reenter the world of guitar I purchased a Boss Katana 100 as something simple to run through.

I've found a Sweet 16 Combo Amp in my area that has yet to be posted online but they are asking $650 CAD for it...seems like a bargain to me.

Would love to hear if anyone else has used it and their thoughts/what current value may be around?

 

[WEDGE]

Buy. It. Now.

 

[Jamie Paterson]

Buy. It. Now.

I bought it this morning, curious if people have had experience with one and what a current value may be around. Any idea?

 

[Tony M.]

Welcome to the forum.

 

[Alnus Rubra]

Welcome to the forum and double congratulations.

Would love to see a thread with both guitar and amp photos, when you can.

 

[andy474x]

That's a great deal!

Sweetwater recently resurrected the Sweet 16 for a limited run for Gearfest '20, I bought one (I was dumb enough to pass on a NOS head version for like $400 about 8 years ago). The Sweetwater run was heads only, and were said to have some tweaks that Paul added inspired by his favorite black panel amps. I've never played mine and an older one side by side, but if memory serves, pretty similar. I would say it's like the preamp of a Super, more mids than other mid 60's black panel amps, on a power section somewhere between a Princeton and Deluxe - maybe it's the sweet spot??? Anyways, cool amp. Perhaps not my #1 pick for a versatile amp or pedal platform, but very cool in its own way - especially for the price you paid. Mine likes the treble turned up a decent amount. The overdrive tone has a more "stiff" feel to it, vs something like a tweed that has a chewy or "elastic" feel, pretty much what you would expect from a mid 60's amp.

They have a lot of gain, I dropped a 12ay7 into V1 on mine, which opened up a good deal more clean headroom, and limited the overdrive sound more into what I would consider the realistically useful range.

What do you think of yours?

 

[bodia]

I bought it this morning, curious if people have had experience with one and what a current value may be around. Any idea?

Atta boy!

 

[Jamie Paterson]

Welcome to the forum and double congratulations.

Would love to see a thread with both guitar and amp photos, when you can.

Yes I will for sure do this when I have time to get it all organised and set up. Looking forward to putting some serious time into playing later this week.

 

[Jamie Paterson]

That's a great deal!

Sweetwater recently resurrected the Sweet 16 for a limited run for Gearfest '20, I bought one (I was dumb enough to pass on a NOS head version for like $400 about 8 years ago). The Sweetwater run was heads only, and were said to have some tweaks that Paul added inspired by his favorite black panel amps. I've never played mine and an older one side by side, but if memory serves, pretty similar. I would say it's like the preamp of a Super, more mids than other mid 60's black panel amps, on a power section somewhere between a Princeton and Deluxe - maybe it's the sweet spot??? Anyways, cool amp. Perhaps not my #1 pick for a versatile amp or pedal platform, but very cool in its own way - especially for the price you paid. Mine likes the treble turned up a decent amount. The overdrive tone has a more "stiff" feel to it, vs something like a tweed that has a chewy or "elastic" feel, pretty much what you would expect from a mid 60's amp.

They have a lot of gain, I dropped a 12ay7 into V1 on mine, which opened up a good deal more clean headroom, and limited the overdrive sound more into what I would consider the realistically useful range.

What do you think of yours?

So far after only about 45 mins of playing, I like the gain as it starts to crunch around 6.
I am a big fan of very limited options on an amp and keeping it simple, this really does that for me. I will use it as a pedal platform and be looking for a decent reverb pedal as I don't enjoy the reverb really at all on this amp. A small complaint for such a great amp overall. Looking forward to getting some more versatile clean tones out of it too.

 

[Alnus Rubra]

Yes I will for sure do this when I have time to get it all organised and set up. Looking forward to putting some serious time into playing later this week.

The playing is the important bit.

 

[shinksma]

So far after only about 45 mins of playing, I like the gain as it starts to crunch around 6.
I am a big fan of very limited options on an amp and keeping it simple, this really does that for me. I will use it as a pedal platform and be looking for a decent reverb pedal as I don't enjoy the reverb really at all on this amp. A small complaint for such a great amp overall. Looking forward to getting some more versatile clean tones out of it too.

The Reverb on this amp is what many people say is the weak point. I admit it isn't the best, but if you like light reverb as a base effect, and then use a pedal to get swampy reverb when you really need it, it works pretty good.

I have a Sweet 16 Head and Cab, and they are a great "simple amp" set up. Grabbing a combo for CDN$650 (or even US$650) is a great price, especially in today's used market bubble pricing.