Update - Posted September 24, 2015
See you at the Edmonton Guitar Show this Sunday,
September 27 at the Italian Cultural Center located at 14230 - 133 Ave NW
from 10am til 5pm. Tickets are $10 at the door. Plug into the newly
created Octalpus, the Punkster and Redpoll amps !
Update - Posted March 27, 2015
The Calgary Guitar Show is on May 30 this year and
this is the show's 3rd year! We've been there from the start and will be
there again this year at the Golden Age Club at 610 - 8th Avenue SE in Calgary.
Doors open at 10:00 AM.
Update - Posted December 10, 2014
New Redpoll audio samples are now posted on our Sound
Clips page !
Update - Posted May 15, 2014
Come visit us at the Calgary Guitar Show on Saturday
May 24, 2014 at the Golden Age Club at 610 - 8th Avenue SE in Calgary.
Doors open at 10:00 AM.
This event will be the public debut for our Punkster
amp and I'll also be bringing a prototype 100 watt 2 channel amp with
reverb and our recently modified Redpoll prototype. Check our "Amplifiers"
page for details on that.
Update - Posted November 29, 2013
Great news! This is the finished prototype of our
latest creation - The Punkster
This 2 channel amp in the 100 watt class, uses a pair of
TungSol KT120 power tubes and has killer tone! Rock, Punk and Metal
players should drop by and plug in! The "Blue" channel allows a
blend of dark and light tones for your clean-to-crunch playing and the
"Red" channel bumps up the gain a notch and has Drive and Gain
controls to tailor your sound.
Update - Posted September 27, 2013
Amos Garrett benefit - October 11 AND 12 at the
Bowness Community Hall
We'll be there with amps on stage and amps in the
greenroom. This will be a great show and it's a great cause. Show your
support and have a great time; a lot of fabulous performers are on the
bill !
Update - Posted August 16, 2013
2013 Edmonton Fall Guitar Show
We had such a good time at the last 2 Edmonton shows
that we'll be exhibiting at the
Edmonton Guitar Show on Sunday, September 29 at the Ramada Conference
Centre, which is a new venue for this year's show! Click
the link below for the show's website. Drop in and test any of our amps including new prototypes that we
will be bringing....maybe the Punkster...
http://www.edmontonfallguitarshow.com/
Update - Posted May 22, 2013
Check us out at the inaugural Calgary Guitar Show
which will be held Saturday June 1st at the Golden Age Club. Click HERE
for more info!
Update - Posted March 14, 2013
New pricing announced on all Swampdonkey amplifiers.
Check our Amplifiers page for details!
Update - Posted September 4, 2012
Win a Purple Surfer - Free Draw!!!
Attend the 2012 Edmonton Fall Guitar Show and drop
by our booth to enter your name for our free draw for a Purple Surfer
Reverb / Tremolo effect. You must be in attendance to win and we'll make
that draw near the end of the event. Good luck !
Congrats to Amber for taking home the
Purple Surfer !
Update - Posted July 4, 2012
2012 Edmonton Fall Guitar Show
Swampdonkey Amplifiers will be exhibiting at the
Edmonton Guitar Show on Sunday, September 30 at the Mayfield Inn. Click
the link below for the show's website. We had a blast at the 2011 show and
you can drop in and test any of our amps including new prototypes that we
will be bringing.
http://www.edmontonfallguitarshow.com/
Update - Posted June 7, 2012
New Model; "The Mule" - released !
Our latest creation is the perfect gigging amp for
tone lovers everywhere. The Mule is a new design that fits the same head
and combo cabinets as our popular Moosette amp, however the Mule delivers 35 watts
into a 12" Tone Tubby Red Alnico Hempcone speaker. This amp has a simple
control set and responds extremely well to your playing dynamics. A
footswitchable reverb is included with many tank styles to choose from.
The Mule also includes a flight case, as do all our amps and comes with a
3 year warranty for $ 2,495.
Update - Posted April 13, 2012
Big thanks to Legacy
Guitar House in Cochrane for organizing the 2012 Cochrane Guitar Show
which is being held on Saturday, May 12 at the Frank Wills Memorial
Hall in beautiful downtown Cochrane Alberta. We'll be there with all
our gear and hope you'll mark this day on your calendar and come down to
see, hear, play and talk tone. There are several workshops during the day
and product demos to boot!
Update - Posted March 26, 2012
Come out to Show and Shine Sundays at Studio82
Our good buddy, Roli Mack is hosting a great new jam
/ musician networking session each Sunday between 3 PM and 6 PM at
Studio82 (510 Heritage Drive in Calgary). I'll be there to talk tone and
pickup any gear you need serviced as well as providing a Swampdonkey amp
to plug into if you want to take one for spin in a club setting. Come by
and check it out. It's one of the better jams I've been to!
Update - Posted March 7, 2012
New Pricing announced for all Swampdonkey products
!
We've been able to offer new lower pricing on all
our amps and the Purple Surfer. Owning the fabulous Swampdonkey tone has
never been more affordable. Here's the breakdown:
- M50 / M50HR $ 2,395
- Gypsy $ 2,295
- Moosette $ 2,195
- Purple Surfer $ 750
Update - Posted December 28, 2011
M50 dual channel mods announced
Our M50 head has always included a sweet
foot-switch-able boost that allows a modest bump in volume while
brightening the tone slightly. Now, we've made a more dramatic version!
All the features of the M50 are retained with this mod set, but now the
preamp is configured with one less gain stage and a preset level of drive
for the clean channel and the full glory of the M50 is on tap as the
distortion channel. Each channel has it's own independent Volume control
and they share the Voice and EQ controls. The control set is rounded out
with the Master Volume and Edge control. Drop by with your rig to test
drive this beauty!
Update - Posted November 28,
2011
Free Purple Surfer with every Gypsy or M50 until
the end of the year !
Yup, you read it correctly; with every purchase of
any in stock Swampdonkey M50 or Gypsy amplifier, you will receive one of
our fabulous Purple Surfer reverb / tremolo all-tube effects as our
Christmas gift to you. That's a value of a thousand bucks !!!
Update- Posted September 15, 2011
2011 Edmonton Fall Guitar Show
Swampdonkey Amplifiers will be exhibiting at the
Edmonton Guitar Show on Sunday, September 25 at the Mayfield Inn. Click
the link below for the show's website. All our amps and the new Purple
Surfer will be there, so drop in & check us out!
http://www.edmontonfallguitarshow.com/
Update - Posted April 11, 2011
Swampdonkey Amplifiers Spring Clearance Sale
Finally something cool to spend your tax refund
on... We've reduced our amplifier prices by 25% until the end of May 2011.
First come, first served, limited quantities. All our amps come with ATA
flight case and a 3 year warranty!
Update - Posted March 6, 2011
We've just launched a YouTube
channel for Swampdonkey Amplifiers and currently have video demos of
our M50HR, Gypsy and Moosette amplifiers online! Many thanks to Steve Dodd
for hosting these videos that were shot at The
Beach Advanced Audio by Mitch Nixon of Random Art Design.
 
Update - Posted December 28, 2010
We've tested 12AY7 preamp tubes in the first
position on the Moosette and Gypsy amplifiers with great success. The
12AY7 has a gain of about half of a 12AX7 and in the Gypsy, leans the
amp's Normal channel more toward a "Tweed" style response. In
the Moosette, it really knocks down the preamp gain without taking too
much away from the reverb drive like the 12AU7 and 12AT7 tubes do.
Update - Posted December 22, 2010
At last.... The Purple Surfer...
All tube, transformer driven reverb with a tube
based tremolo. These are the first photos from the bench and the audio
sample captures a taste of the tones this effect produces. The Purple
Surfer can boost your clean signal by several dB and offers Dwell, Reverb
and Tone controls for the Reverb system and Speed and Depth for the
Tremolo system. This first Purple Surfer has an Accutronics 2 spring long
tank installed but several options are available.
 
These short samples were made with a
Tele; sporting Tom Short Country Coils, straight into the Purple Surfer,
then into a Swampdonkey Gypsy's Normal channel with a 12AY7 preamp tube...
Update - Posted October 31, 2010
Here's our latest batch of Moosette
combos. We've changed the grille cloth for a more vintage look! We've also
been experimenting with various lower gain preamp tubes instead of the
ECC83S / 12AX7 shipped with the Moosette. Using a 12AT7 or 12AU7, the gain
is reduced and the voicings become softer. 12AY7 tubes haven't been tested
yet, but they are on their way...
Update - Posted August 5, 2010
The Beach is hosting the 2010 Calgary Amp Expo on
Saturday, August 28!!!
Come on down to the Beach and check out Swampdonkey
Amps 2010 lineup along with other boutique builders of amps, guitars and
accessories. Admission is free to the public but in support of the Calgary
Women's Emergency Shelter, donations will be accepted at the door. You are
also encouraged to bring your rig down to compare with other amps and
showcase your custom built amps and effects. The Beach has the perfect
acoustic environment and isolation booth to demo our amps! While you're
there, check out the facilities and see what a world class recording
studio and recording arts college has to offer.
The Beach: www.thebeachaudio.com
Update - Posted March 10, 2010
Come celebrate St. Patrick's Day with a hot
Swampdonkey!
We will be bringing a Moosette amp to the open jam
at Border Crossing (17th Ave. & 36th St. SE) in Calgary on Wednesday,
March 17. Many thanks to Doug Charters for the invite!
Update - Posted March 2, 2010
We will be at the Ironwood Stage and Grill in
Calgary with a Moosette amp for Open Mic with Tim Leacock and Kit Johnson.
Update - Posted December 22, 2009
Our first Production models of the Moosette and Gypsy amplifiers were CSA
certified today!
Update - Posted August 16, 2009
Check us out at the Official 2009 Alberta Amplifier Festival on August 29th
and 30th at the New Black Center for Music and Arts. We'll be there both days
with our M50 Deluxe quarterstack, Gypsy and Moosette amplifiers and a modified
M50 with a hard rock preamp. Bring your guitars and plug in !
Click
here for the event poster
Click
here for the discussion thread on Harmony Central
Update - Posted July 20, 2009
Swampdonkey Amplifiers is pleased to announce that our two new prototype
amps, the Gypsy and the
Moosette
have now received CSA approval !!!!
Production of these two amps will commence shortly. Many thanks go out to all
the guitarists who played these prototypes and offered their comments.
Update - Posted July 19, 2009
Check out the M50 in action at the Chestermere Water Festival. Astounding
guitarist Lee Carlson will be playing an M50 with Redhead Mack at the festival
on Saturday, July 25. Click
here for details.
Update - Posted July 7, 2009
Swampdonkey Amplifiers is pleased to announce the launch of it's new Five
Star Field Service in the greater Calgary area !
What is "Five Star Field Service™" ?
- This means that when you are touring through Calgary and area, we can meet
you on-site at your venue or hotel and service your amps, effects, cabling and
guitar electronics. It's like having a road tech make a house call.
This service is available for tube amps of all types and covers on site tube
testing, re-tubing and biasing, cleaning controls, replacing reverb tanks,
replacing speakers and performing general maintenance and repairs.
- If your amp requires more extensive repair, we'll take it back to our shop
or even another repair shop if you prefer.
- The show must go on! We have Swampdonkey amps available in case you need a
loaner to get you through the gig. If you require something else, we'll do
our best to get it for you.
- Highest Quality service at reasonable rates.
- This new high level service should appeal to Calgary based guitar players
and guitarists with touring acts alike. Simply click on our Contact
Page to get in touch.
Update - Posted June 2, 2009
Swampdonkey Amplifiers has teamed up with The BEACH, Calgary's premier
recording studio and production house. Record your next project at The BEACH and
you'll find a brand new Swampdonkey M50 and matching 2x12 cabinet loaded with
Jensen C12Q speakers yearning for you to plug in.
C
Check out The Beach at: www.thebeachaudio.com
Update - Posted February 28, 2009
Calgary area guitarists are invited to get in touch with us if you'd like to
appear in our 2009 advertising campaign. Our first ad will be featured in Guitar
Player Magazine which has over 150,000 subscribers world-wide.
Endorsement opportunities are also available. Please call or e-mail for
details.
Update - Posted February 23, 2009
Swampdonkey Amplifiers is planning spring and summer road trips. If you live
in B.C., Alberta or Saskatchewan and would like to the opportunity to play our
amps, please get in touch so we can plan our route.
Update - Posted January 21, 2009
We've completed the prototype of our latest design, the "Moosette".
There's still a little tweaking to do and to that end, all Calgary area
guitarists that are interested are invited to test this new amp and have a say
in how it turns out! The Moosette is a single channel, 20 watt combo that
features a tube and transformer driven spring reverb, 3 band EQ, variable gain
and variable voicing. This amp, like the Gypsy, uses a single output tube and it
will accept either an EL34 or 6V6.
Update - Posted December 11, 2008
We are holding an Open House at the shop on Sunday, January 11, 2009 from 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM to give you a chance to play our latest design, the Gypsy and also plug into our stock of M50 amplifiers. We'll also have a "lab" version of one or two of our upcoming designs ready for you to taste test!
Snacks and refreshments will be on hand. Please RSVP so we can get a head count and we'll reply with a map and directions. Our shop is located approx. 20 minutes drive north of Cochrane, Alberta.
BTW: Have you read our review in Canadian Musician Magazine yet?
Update - Posted November 21, 2008
For those of you anxiously waiting for more news on the Gypsy.... The final
prototype of this amp design is leaving the lab and entering the wild. We've
decided to offer the Gypsy with TWO channels; "Normal", which features
Drive, Voice, Treble, Mids, Bass and Volume controls and "Raw" which
simply has Volume and a three position Tone control. We've also added a 3
position switch that controls the "accent" of the output stage.
Here's a cool thing --- The "Raw" channel has an output jack
located on the back of the amp. This allows you to run a patch cord from this
output into the "Normal" channel input essentially adding a tube
overdrive to the front of the "Normal" channel. The result is a
blistering rock lead tone !
The Gypsy's tube compliment
is: GZ34 Rectifier, KT88 Output and two ECC83S (12AX7) preamp tubes. This amp is
available for demonstration as a head only for now but will be available for
sale as a 1x12" combo also. If you'd like to play this amp at your next gig
or try it in the studio in the Calgary area, give us a call!
Update - Posted October 17, 2008
See, Hear and Play the Swampdonkey M50 on Wednesday, October 29, 2008 at the
Ironwood Stage and Grill
We'll be bringing an M50 with 2x12" cabinet to the Ironwood for
"Open Mic Wednesday" for all to play. Come early ! Things get started
around 8:00 PM.
Update - Posted September 29, 2008
See, Hear and Play the Swampdonkey M50 on Saturday, October 18, 2008 in Cochrane,
Alberta.
Check out the Annual Cochrane - Nakoda Pickin' Party at the Cochrane
RanchHouse from 2:00 PM to 10:00 PM. We will provide an M50 with 2x12"
cabinet on-stage for guitarists to jam with and try out as well as have a
display of our amps with an opportunity to meet and greet!
Come out to Cochrane and check out the M50 and a bunch of great musical acts
and meet some fantastic guitarists! Admission is free to all.
Update - Posted September 19, 2008
The Gypsy prototype has been completed and voiced rather nicely! It provides
a shimmering clean 30 watt output that grinds up well with single coils or
humbuckers. In a nod to our fabulous M50's preamp, the Gypsy has Drive, Voice
and Volume controls. The tone stack features Treble, Mids & Bass controls
and is bypassable for up to 9db of additional gain with a strong midrange boost.
The tube set consists of a GZ34 rectifier, a single KT88 output tube and a
single ECC83S (12AX7) preamp tube. Check back for news of the completed combo
that will be available for review and sale in the very near future!
Work is now commencing on the Gypsy II; a 2 channel version, of course!
Update - Posted September 4, 2008
The Gypsy prototype is nearing completion and we need artists in the Calgary
area to test it out and give us some feedback on it's tone. We have a working
model in the shop and a variety of speakers and cabs to test with. Feel free to
get in touch as anyone who participates in tone testing for us will receive a
substantial discount on our amps! Call Chris Czech direct at 403-540-4311 for
more info, or drop us an e-mail.
Update - Posted July 31, 2008
Introductory pricing of the M50 with ATA Flight Case at $2,995 ends on
September 1, 2008 !!! Pricing after September 1 will be $3,495. Special deals
are still available to those already on our mailing list and we offer a Pro
Player discount as well. Contact us for details.
Dealers are also welcome after September 1 and are invited to contact us
regarding pricing and availability of the M50 for their showrooms.
Update - Posted June 11, 2008
See, Hear and Play the Swampdonkey M50 on Tuesday, July 15, 2008 in Toronto.
Thank goodness all Swampdonkey Amplifiers come with a full ATA flight case!
I'll be taking one M50 head to Toronto for our first visit to the GTA. We'll be
hosting a Swampdonkey Sound Check at Pro Rehearsal Studios located at 154
Islington Avenue. ( www.prbcanada.com
). This event is open to all guitar players from NOON until 6:00 PM. Pro
Rehearsal and Backline are graciously providing a speaker cabinet for this
event, but you are welcome to bring your own speakers, guitars and stompbox
effects.
Update - Posted May 28, 2008
See, Hear and Play the Swampdonkey M50 on Sunday, June 15, 2008
We are holding a Swampdonkey Sound Check at the Mt. Pleasant
Community Hall in Calgary, Alberta from NOON until 5:00 PM. We will have
several M50s and 2x12 cabinets on hand. This event is free and open to the
public. Please bring your guitar(s) and plug in and take the M50 for a spin! You
are also welcome to bring any stompbox effects you have and your own speaker
cabinets if you would like to hear the M50 through them. (No amplifiers please!)
Light refreshments will be served. The hall is located 1 block west of the
McDonald's at 4th Street and 23rd Avenue N.W.
There will also be private time available for one-on-one tone testing from
5:00 PM until 7:00 PM. Please book your time slot in advance by contacting
us. This portion of the event is CLOSED to the public.
Update - Posted March 3, 2008
I'll be playing a set at the Engineered Air Theatre at the Calgary Centre for
the Performing Arts on Friday March 14 at 8:00 P.M. Come out and hear how a
Swampdonkey M50 sounds in a smaller setting !
UPDATE - Posted February 29, 2008
Two high quality sound clips were added to the website. Click the
"Sample Clips" tab on our website to navigate to them.
UPDATE - Posted: February 15, 2008
See, Hear and Play the Swampdonkey M50 on Saturday, March 1, 2008 Swampdonkey
Amplifiers is pleased to announce that we are holding a Swampdonkey Sound
Check at the Dartique Lodge, located just 20 minutes northwest of Cochrane
from 1:00 PM until 5:00 PM on Saturday, March 1, 2008. We'll have a couple of
amplifiers, speaker cabinets & a drum kit on site. Make sure you bring your
guitar(s) and take your turn playing an M50 in a cozy setting. Please mark
this on your calendar and plan to attend this exclusive event ! Light
refreshments will be served. R.S.V.P. for directions.
UPDATE - Posted: January 17, 2008
Yikes!!! We got snowed in today and couldn't make it into Calgary for Indie
Jam Night at the Blind Beggar Pub. Sorry to those who planned on being there,
but the weather is always a wild card. Look for us there next Thursday, January
24, 2008.
UPDATE - Posted: January 10, 2008
See hear and play the Swampdonkey M50 on Thursday January 17, 2008 at Indie
Jam Night at the Blind
Beggar Pub at 106 - 5211 MACLEOD TRAIL SW - CALGARY AB from 8:00 PM
until closing.
###
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
ATTENTION MANAGING EDITOR / NEW GEAR
SWAMPDONKEY LAUNCHES NEW GUITAR AMP
Old-School Values Satisfy Quest For Tone
Cochrane (near Calgary), Canada November 30, 2007 -- Canadian boutique amp
designer, Chris Czech, is creating a stir with original designs and unbelievable
tone. The Swampdonkey M50 is just released and is hand built in the Alberta
foothills using the highest quality components and is aimed at serious
guitarists seeking pure, powerful, all-tube sound in an all-analog, high gain
package that delivers the punch. Rather than simply offering a vintage amp clone
or presetting gain through the amp, the M50 has been designed with an easy to
use set of controls that permits the crafting of original tone at all stages of
the amplifier. From clean to mean and most everything in between; the M50 is an
awesome sounding hand built work of art.
(click picture for larger image)
The M50 is a single channel, cascading gain stage 50-watt Class AB all-tube
guitar amp featuring: 2 ECC83S preamp tubes, an ECC81 phase inverter and 6L6GC
output tubes. No Negative Feedback loop in the design unleashes huge output and
responsiveness. Individual bias controls are provided for each output tube to
permit the use of un-matched pairs. The M50 comes with a unique variable boost
(w/foot switch), extremely flexible tone sculpting EQ and Voice controls and
includes a full ATA flight case! Introductory price: $ 2,995 + GST.
-30-
website: www.swampdonkeyamps.com
or call Chris Czech at 403-540-4311
Swampdonkey Amplifiers is dedicated to building unique designs that provide a
wide range of tonal possibilities to guitarists. They also offer custom
configurations and design of amplifiers by request.
###
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