RRB ( Roadhouse + Kingston owner) Mr. Butler- For the past year or so I have been playing your Roadhouse combo. When I first plugged into one I was happy to hear an amp that produced a sweet tone without having to tweak a mile of knobs and switches. I finally found the tone I had in my head. I was hooked. I was recently looking for another amp that I could use for smaller venues that would give me the same level of quality I was getting from my go-to Roadhouse. I was particularly interested in the Deluxe Reverb. Once I tried one out I was shocked at how incredibly squashed the tone was, like the sound was crammed into a box. After playing all the Fender Hot Rods, Epiphone Blues Custom 30, and a Victoria 35115 I finally pulled my head out of my ass and went back to Chicago Blues Box. I played a Kingston30 . I bought the Kingston30. It has everything I want in a lower power amp but the darn thing isn't so low powered. Thirty Watts?? This amp keeps up with my 60 Raodhouse amp. The kingston's tone is focused, in the vein of the Deluxe Reverb but it retains this airy quality that I love. It really comes into its own when I crank that volume knob. The whole attitude of the amp changes. Set clean it is innocent and sparkly. But cranked, this amp gets straight up mean. I'm not talking gobs of distortion that hide crappy playing, but this aggressive focused overdrive that makes me beat the hell out of my guitar. I can't play a mellow tune with the volume up, Its just way too easy to lay into my guitar. Long story short, you made a believer out of me. As long as I play guitar, I'm playing through a Blues Box!!!
Ed Criss( session amp owner ) I recently bought a purple Session Amp. I spoke to Dan Butler and found out it was one of two built. I bugged Dan about it and eventually bought the second matching amp. This is truely the greatest stereo rig I have ever used. I have had other one but this one is simply AMAZING!! I have a small recoding studio and everyone who has played through these things are blown away!! Stereo chorus, delay, ect have never sounded this good. Dan's custom 10" speaker are some of the best I have heard. The string harmonics and response are better than any non master amp I have ever owned. Just change the volume setting on your guitar and these amps suddenly sound like a big stack yet they retain that "organic" that the original bassman's are known for. The other clones out there come close but these CBB amps have a richer fuller tone. Thanks Dan for giving me the tone I have been searching for, for years!! I even played my seven string NOVAX bass through one at a gig and it too sounded amazing!! Like everyone who has played through these, all I can say is WOW!!!!!
Mark M.( Buddy Guy Amp Owner) I took delivery of Buddy Guy #13 yesterday. I own an original 58 Bassman and consider it the best amp I have ever heard. The Buddy Guy sounds scarily like my original!!! The potentiometers are phenomonal, allowing tone and volume even at 2-3. The power is right, the break-up is right, the tone controls also set-up perfectly at 6 right in the middle, straight up just like my original. I am thrilled. I have been looking for this amp to replace my original for years. The Fender LTD Bassman is excellent, but not built as well and prone to vibrations. The Buddy Guy amp is Superb! Thank You! I've replaced the standard tubes with my personal favorite NOS only because thats what I like. Great Work! WOW!
Paul Cicciarelli (Kickplate) I want to tell you how my Chicago Blues Box amp saved the night at a recent gig. I have the Humbolt 2x12 18 watt combo. We were playing a medium sized club and our rhythm guitarists amp died. No one had a spare amplifier, including myself. So, we were left with the two options of either not playing the gig or both of us guitarists playing through the same amp. I plugged into the first input through my pedal board and the other guitarist plugged directly into input 2. No, my experience with this in the past was that either both instruments sounded bad or the tone was too muddy to and non- descript. No was further from the truth with the Blues Box! We both sounded great and there was tremendous definition between the instruments. In fact, some of our fans commented that we never sounded better. Now, this may not sound like an extraordinary occurance, but here's the kicker...the club only had vocal mic's, no instrument mic's. We were using an 18 watt Chicago Blues Box to drive the whole club. Even more incredible was the fact that our bass players uses an Ampeg SVT300 and our Drummer is pretty heavy handed as well. We had no problem keeping up with them. I don't know what magic you put in these amps but my other guitar player is now saving up for his own Chicago Blues Box amp. All I know is I will never part with mine, its worth its weight in gold!
Bob Ingels "After months, even years of searching for the amp that would give me what I was looking for, this weekend I got to experience the most phenomenal amp I have ever played through. I have played and owned many new and vintage amp's over the last 20 years and in the last few months played with dozens of other brands searching for the tone I was after. An amp that not only sounds great with my Strat's, but also a Tele or a 335. When I walked into Music Gallery and saw this amp, I was taken back, a room full of amp's by dozens of other brands and this amp stood out with a presence all on it's own. When I turned it on and plugged in the Strat it was amazing, the tone was like nothing I have ever heard before. It was the best of all the Fender amp's I love rolled into one amp, as clean as a Twin and as pure Blues as a Bassman can get and everything in between. I played out with it last night and after 3 hours of playing I got chills more than once and had a smile a mile wide. I agree with you, it's the Holy Grail of guitar amp's and not just because it has Buddy Guy all over it, but because it's everything an amp should be and worth every penny. Thank you for building the best!" Bob Ingels is from Coloma, MI
Paul Unger "I have had the opportunity to play the Roadhouse amp at several gigs and the sound is nothing short of amazing. Three dimensional, colorful, and harmonic are the first three things that come to mind when describing the magical sound of this amp. I leave the Harmonic Boost "on" all the time. I have used both single coil and P90's and it truly has a sound of its own. I have played and owned many amps over my 38 years of playing and I have finally found the sound I have been searching for! Amazing!!! Paul plays with Big Blues Bob & The Thin Ice Band and is the founder of the Ohio Blues Society.
Dan Kahn "I have been playing Chicago Blue Box amps almost from the very beginning. Playing, testing discussing in great detail the tone qualities I most cherish in an amp. Being a collector of Fender tube amps, I've always love the bounce and sparkle of Fender silver face (non-master) tube amps. But at the same time, I wanted a little more direct tone, a bit more black face tone. Or even better yet a class A tone combined with that Fender bounce. Welcome Chicago Blues Box-Roadhouse. 50 watts of pure all tube hand wired Tone Heaven. That's my amp. I love the fact that I can make this amp loud and clean, just like my classic Fender Twin. Or if needed, I flip the harmonic boost and add some natural growl and distortion. Combine that with my favorite overdrive pedal (Klon, Maxon, Hao, Fulldrive) And, I've got any tone I need-Sweet and Loud. Just the way I like it. Daniel Kahn (guitarist/producer) current band-Distressed Goddess (Former Anthony Gomes Band-Guitarist-Producer)
Curt Napier "Just wanted to drop you a note about discovering your amp today at Elderly Instruments in Lansing Michigan. A friend and I were breezing through the amp room and there in the corner was this curious little amp we just had to try out. We were pleasantly surprised to find your amp measured up quite well. The characteristics of the PRS, Gibson and Fender Strat that we ran through the amp were faithfully individual. The amp I'm referring to is your Kingston. While we both drooled over the incredible tone, I especially liked the option laden, refreshing simplicity of the control panel and the low wattage. A confirmed minimalist and tone freak, this amp satisfies both. Good job on this one. "
Ed Case "I love the amp, and need not talk it up as it speaks for itself. Bulls**t aside, it really is the best amp I've ever played through, that's after testing a number of so-called "boutique" amps. Every person whom I've let play the amp is really awed by the tone, volume, and overall symmetry of the sound. The low end and mids are as clear a bell. I just bought an old wood top Supro Coronado that sounds mint through the Kingston."
Omar Dykes "They're smokin, I got the Kingston30 to play little clubs but its so powerful that I use it on all my shows. I call it the little big amp"
Ric Masi "I'm the proud owner of your fabulous Kingston amplifier. This amp sounds great. Single coils or humbuckers no problem, they both sound excellent. I love the fact that I can control my sound with just the turn of my volume control. No stomp boxes needed! That Tone Tubby speaker is the best, no farting out. Also it's the perfect size for the small clubs I play and its a looker in purple. I just love the amp! You should here it with my leslie!
Rick Ross "I'm a Jazz player (restaurants/casuals-Gibson L-5 cable and Chicago Blues Box Kingston30). I hjave had my Blues Box for a couple weeks now and it has undergone at least ten gigs. I can not begin to tell you how pleased I am with the amp. Everything about it is flawless. Portable with very manageable weight and a very functional large handle. The amp has got unbelievable pure tube tone without any knob fiddling. Built like a tank to withstand the load in/out torture than many other amps can not survive. I really appreciate all the thought and quality thats gone into this real musicians tool."
David Wilson(Tone Quest Magazine) "Dan--The Buddy Guy Signature amp oozes Buddy's attitude, it sizzles, it rocks and even with the bass turned all the way off its got plenty of low end. The gain is unbelievable. You really did it! Thats what I have to say about it. Well Done!
Steve Hamberg "Dan-just wanted to pass on some compliments to you and your people about the Kingston30.....I played a set at a music festival Saturday night where there were many types of amps (Marshall, Fender, Mesa, Ect..) and after I finished a couple of guys who were also playing/mixing commented on the great sound of your amp( I was playing an SG with Nobels pedal). They asked if the amp got loud..hahahah. Anyway, I love the tone. Keep up the good work."
RRB "I bought a Roadhouse combo a while back and fell in love with it. The amp is sick(in a good way). There's something strange about it that makes it difficult to turn off. The amp has this amazing boner inducing tone. I already hate every other amp out there. No I haven't been drinking-yet."
