Remember when sending a letter was the height of communication? You'd write it by hand, stick a stamp on it, and then wait weeks for a reply. Now, imagine if that were still the only way we could communicate today in our fast-moving digital age!
This concept got us wondering, “How can the Tone Hammer and AG amplifiers evolve to meet the ever-changing needs of today's musicians?” While the tube-like warmth of the Tone Hammer and the ultra-clean tone of the AG 700 continue to inspire musicians around the world, we realized there were new elements we could add that would elevate these already beloved amps even further.
So, we started our adventure!
Our first step was to gather our design team of engineers and working bassists to make a “dream list” of the features we would love to see on our class-D heads. With an increasing number of musicians using in-ear monitors as a regular part of their gigging life, we developed a feature set that makes the new Tone Hammer or AG heads a powerful and versatile tonal tool, delivering more depth and flexibility for the cab-less stage or studio.
For those players who do pair their amps with cabs, we took the flexibility of the original Tone Hammer 700 and AG 700, capable of going down to a 2.67 ohm load, and made that the standard for all models in our new series of class-D heads. This means you can mix and match different cabinets to find the perfect sound for your show or recording session. Want to use a 4 ohm SL212 with an 8 ohm SL112? Now, it's easy!
In a world that is seemingly getting smaller every day for today's working bassist, we knew we had to include universal mains for all of our next-generation class-D heads. This means that when you travel to a different country, your amp will automatically sense and adjust to the power coming from the wall. No muss, no fuss, and no switch you have to remember to flip on the back of the head! (You will have to remember to get the adapters for the end of your amp's power cable. Buy a few because you know you will lose at least one!)
We also knew this was the perfect time to expand the AG line. So, the AG 700 will now have a younger sibling – the much-requested AG500! Players will now have more options to find the perfect AG head for their musical needs.
And we didn't stop with the insides. We wanted these new heads to look as fresh and modern as the updated technology inside them. You can look forward to a sleek design with clear graphics that are easy to understand and controls that feel natural to use.
With that, we're super excited to finally show you our all-new Gen 2 Tone Hammer and AG amplifiers! We've preserved the sounds you love but added features that make them even more versatile and useful for today's and tomorrow's bass players.
Stay tuned for more stories with details and specs for each model!
Story by Dale Titus
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Dale has been a professional bassist for 40 years and during that time was an instructor/counselor at the Bass Institute of Technology, a freelance writer for Bass Player magazine as well as the Editor of Bass Frontiers magazine. He also released The Ultimate Beginner Series for Bass videos and book for Alfred Publishing, as well as the Everything Bass YouTube channel.
The Tone Hammer and AG series are available in 500 watt or 700 watt versions. See them here