The story: For the past few weeks, Axel Bauer has been carrying around a new amp in its cargo ship, and not least, since this is the prototype version of the Kelt Amplification Axel Bauer signature. About a year ago, Thierry Labrouze and Axel met on the premises of Guitar Xtreme Magazine, and since then, the project to develop an amp has been in the pipeline. Thierry told us: “Axel wanted in particular to renew its stage equipment. The amplifier therefore had to be adapted to this requirement. He wanted a single-channel amp, with a power of 40 to 50 W, which does not easily twist, but with a beautiful grain and which is a real good pedal platform, because he likes to forge his different sounds through his different pedals. overdrive. Axel likes to work with sound textures and the amp should also be able to magnify his POG, Eventide and Strymon. Axel already has many amps, and the best: Marshall & Fender vintage, Friedman, Bogner… There is however a type of amp that he did not have and which nevertheless meets his expectations of the moment and his stage needs.

Thierry was therefore inspired by amplifiers on the market recognized as being the most "pedal friendly" of the moment, most of these circuits being themselves inspired by those of the legendary machines of Howard Dumble, and as Axel counts among its heroes guitarists like Robben Ford or Larry Carlton, it all made sense.

A stage beast The Kelt Axel Bauer signature uses a transformer with the same specifications as that used by Mesa Boogie for the Dual Rectifier and Road King. These last two are 100 Watts, but the AB signature is a fifty watters equipped with two 6L6WXT tubes. This allows to obtain a maximum headroom as well as a foolproof reliability (let's not forget that the vocation of the amp is the stage).

As for the output transformer, it is the same model that has already proven itself in terms of dynamics and reliability in the Kelt MostrO. Thierry explains: "This choice was also dictated technically in order to be able to use a rectification by two GZ34 tubes, which considerably improves the responsiveness of the amp and the playing sensations. This is what also makes the Fender special. Twin Low Power from 1957, for example ”. You can also choose a diode rectifier for a much more "in your face" sound thanks to a switch on the back of the amp.

Springs inside It would have been a shame not to equip an amplifier with a clear sound so classy with a reverb at the height, even if Axel uses its Eventide for spatialization (which it controls via MIDI). Axel had nothing against a beautiful on-board reveb with spring and especially with lamp. The circuit of the latter is more sophisticated than on most amplifiers with in addition to the normal mix setting (called here "Return"), a "Send" setting allowing to saturate the springs, which considerably widens the possibilities of the 'effect.

The preamplification and reverb are controlled by four 12AX7WB tubes and a 12AT7 NOS. In addition, "Bright", "Mid" and "Deep" switches allow you to fine-tune the sound based on the guitar and microphones used (single coils or humbuckers). The cab 212 that accompanies the Kelt AB signature is made of solid pine, which gives it a beautiful scale, and carries two HP WGS Veteran 30 and ET65.