Guitar Tricks Insider April/May Digital Edition | Page 56

GEAR REVIEW

GEAR REVIEW

TECH 21 “TRADEMARK 30”
GUITAR AMP
Review By Dave Celentano

STREET PRICE $329

The glory days of spandex, bandanas, and big
hair may be a thing of the past, but the music of
that era still beats in many hearts. In fact, a lot of
the guitar tones developed during that time are
still relevant. Tech 21, a New Jersey-based amp
manufacturer and creator of the very popular
SansAmp, keeps the torch burning and delivers
big with Trademark 30 – a small, lightweight
combo amp that captures the best of those classic
sounds. I was already impressed with Tech 21’s
SansAmp (used for most of the electric guitars on
my Wicked Music Box cd), but upon discovering
that a modified version of the SansAmp GT2
pedal was the heart of the amp, I couldn’t wait to
fire it up.

Speaker and you’ll sound like Stevie Ray Vaughan.
You’ve got a wicked Metallica tone if you select the
Calif Amp, Hot Mod, U.S. Speaker, and ditch the
mids.

FEATURES

Trademark 30 emulates tube amps remarkably
well using all-analog circuitry, which results in
great tones at any volume. Plus, distortion tones
are fatter, warmer, and more sensitive to picking
dynamics. Are you digging it yet? 30 watts of
power through a custom 10” speaker is loud
enough for practice and monitoring; but what I
appreciated about the unit was the XLR direct out.
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