Kendrick Black Gold 15 Reviews 
5 / 5 based on 1 reviewsI have been playing for 35 years, mostly thru Fender and Marshall amps.After much research, I settled on the BG 15 as the best choice for a low power (15 watts)Class A amp. Guitar Player Magazine's review really sold me, too. It has two separate single ended power sections that self bias any of several power tubes so I can use dissimilar tubes for a personalized tone..endless combinations, no re-biasing! I went to their website, called them up and ordered over the phone. I asked for the antique pine cabinet upgrade so the price was $1795. I never thought I would spend that much for an amp, let alone over the phone without playing it first, but read on!
TONE! Pure Class A vacuum tube grind, sweet harmonics and immediate responsiveness. The best reverb (Mix,Tone, and Drive controls) I have ever heard. It surrounds the notes instead of sounding "tacked on". I put an EL34 and a KT66 pairing of tubes in it and it sings.It's a total blast to experiment with different tube combinations and NOT have to re-bias. Speakers are 2 10" FANE Axioms, these are what used to go in the amps of many British models back in the day and they are far superior to the stock Jensens it originally came with.
I would like a single input that bridges both channels, I have to use a Y cord now. Gerald Weber of Kendrick says that will be a coming feature on this model. An effects loop would be nice, too, but the less complications, the better and purer the tone ,evidently!
Immaculate and straight forward, based on blackface and tweed Deluxe amps of the past. I don't gig any more but it looks like it could take it.I have supreme confidence in Kendrick customer support so I don't worry about it.
When it arrived, it soon developed a nasty fizzy buzz so I called Gerald and he and Jim Estep were due to exhibit at a vintage show in my area so I packed up the amp and delivered it in person and hung with them for a while. Nice guys and totally devoted to what they do. They took it back to Texas, fixed the buzz, took it all the way back through final test/button-up, upgraded to FANE speakers, gave me a Klotz guitar cable, Kendrick strings, and a KT66 Electro-Harmonix power tube and shipped the whole thing back to me NO CHARGE. Do yourself a favor and visit their website and listen to the sound samples of various amps. You will see what I mean: Eric Johnson and Jimmy Vaughn meet Keith Richard at Clapton's for lunch in 1967 all the way!
Dan in Santa Cruz rated this unit
on
2001-10-26.
