player opinions

Kendrick Black Gold 15

Kendrick Black Gold 15

  1. Name: Danimal

  2. Band: -----

  3. Model Year: 2001

  4. Price Paid: $1795

  5. Performance

  6. The Kendrick Black Gold 15 “Stereo” is a 15 watt Class A tube combo amp with 2-10“ FANE ceramic speakers, 3 knob killer reverb, antique pine cabinet, black Tolex covering. The BG 15 is a little demon with dual (thus the “Stereo” moniker) single-ended Class A self-biasing output stages. I can pop in any common power tube into either amp section for a custom blended tone WITHOUT rebiasing. I currently use a KT66 and an EL34 and jumper the Clean and Lead channels. Killer tone but without the lease-breaking, ear killing volume of larger amps!

  7. Performance Rating: 10

  8. Sound Quality

  9. Think hybrid of tweed and blackface Deluxe with a British twist from the KT66/EL34 and FANE spkrs. I play a Voodoo Strat and a 66 Tele through it and I can get spanky, SRV tones with ease. The neck PU of the Strat takes me into Trower country. Very creamy sustain with warmth and pleasing harmonics. Cleans up nicely at lower volumes and is very nice for “Little Wing” and “Lenny” stuff, too. Sometimes I like to just hit a single note and let it decay just to dig the even, sweet harmonics. Makes single coils PU’s sound fat. For a gig, I would gang Blackie with my 73 silverface Twin w/ JBLs which I had Kendrick mod to blackface specs. Way cool, plenty of punch. Now I know what I have been missing! I run all effects through the Twin because I don’t want to compromise the straight sound of the BG 15, it’s that good.

  10. Sound Quality Rating: 10

  11. Construction

  12. Product seems solid and well made with the player in mind, as are all Kendrick products, and customer support is excellent. I am just learning about tube amps (it’s about time!) and Gerald Weber, Kendrick’s president, is the writer of a regular tube amp column for Vintage Guitar Magazine and is the acknowledged expert in the field. He always has time to talk and we have had many a lengthy call on his dime to help me get the most out of my amp set-up.

  13. Construction Rating: 10

stats

  1. Average Ratings
  2. Performance: 10
  3. Sound Quality: 10
  4. Construction: 10
  5. Ratings Key
  6. 10: Excellent
  7. 0: Useless
  8. Company
  9. Kendrick

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