Quilter amps....

GazMoz

Has anyone else watched this?... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GAEdc1l-t6g
If not watch it. 
Does anyone have experience of a Quilter?
 I'm interested. They're tiny and are they as loud as this video suggests? 
I have serious doubts over the volume claims and they probably won't sound as good as my valve amp, but I am intrigued. My lower back is most certainly keen on the idea!

Modulus_Amps

the DM Mark series of small amp heads looks pretty good too, I have been tempted by the EG version... just because

GazMoz

Modulus_Amps said:

the DM Mark series of small amp heads looks pretty good too, I have been tempted by the EG version... just because

Same here. Although these quilters appear to be talked about even more. And they appear to be even louder. Suppose it's a case of getting to use one with my rig. Only then would you know for sure if it was up to the job

mattacjones

@PinstripePhil has had a couple of these amps. Think he's pretty positive about them. Tommy herkenrider uses them

mark_jwedge

I have got a DV Mark micro 50 head and it is easily loud enough to gig, I have never had the volume above 1. It’s far too loud to use in the house. Sound wise I think they are excellent. I’m a bit lucky because my main gigging valve amp is superb, it’s a Top Hat emplexador. The DV Mark certainly can’t compete with that tone wise but I would say it easily competes with, if not betters most gigging amps in the sub £1000 bracket, particularly things like the black star HT series and Marshall dsl for example.

Add in the size, weight and portability and they become very attractive. I use mine all the time for rehearsal and as a backup to my valve amp at gigs as it is so small it can live in the back of my 2x12 cabinet or in the pocket of my guitar gig bag.

They are a little bass heavy sound wise but that can be dialed out easy enough. There is a crazy amount of gain on tap. I never take the gain dial past 2 even for black stone cherry style rock. 

Takes pedals really well too. For what I wanted e.g. a small, light, powerful amp for rehearsal and backup it’s perfect.

ChuckManual

My personal experience with DV Mark (albeit; bass) amps has not been positive, but the guitarist I'm most obsessed with at the moment is Tom Ibarra - and that's all he uses ...and he sounds great.

vasselmeyer

I looked at the Quilter amps when I was working out what to do to save my back from running a 40kg 2x12 valve combo. In the end, I saw the DV Mark amps at the guitar shopw in Birminham a couple of years ago and I picked up a DV Mark Micro 50, same as @mark_jwedge, and it really is extremely loud for it's size. Bear in mind that Eric Gales also uses a DV Mark amp and he sounds pretty damn good. I've got mine with 2x12 DV Mark cab with neodymium speakers and the amp (1.9kg) and cab (12.4kg) come in at less than my pedalboard.

SurfinSirFari

I rehearse and gig with a Quilter Pro Block. It's entirely loud enough for any situation I can envisage...after a point any amp needs a p.a. unless you cart around an uncomfortable amount of cabs etc. I imagine the DV Mark jobs would be the same.
I have a smallish cab with a power capable neodymium speaker so  I can carry all my stuff in one go. Hurrah!
 I'm possibly in a minority here as I use the amp loud and very clean with loads of pedals (none of them o.d./dist) to pervert the 'natural' tone...no transparency for me! The valve/ ss  thing is a non-issue for me. As such, it's perfect for my requirements.
I've been using my Vox pretty much as a coffee table for years..

GazMoz

SurfinSirFari said:

I rehearse and gig with a Quilter Pro Block. It's entirely loud enough for any situation I can envisage...after a point any amp needs a p.a. unless you cart around an uncomfortable amount of cabs etc. I imagine the DV Mark jobs would be the same.
I have a smallish cab with a power capable neodymium speaker so  I can carry all my stuff in one go. Hurrah!
 I'm possibly in a minority here as I use the amp loud and very clean with loads of pedals (none of them o.d./dist) to pervert the 'natural' tone...no transparency for me! The valve/ ss  thing is a non-issue for me. As such, it's perfect for my requirements.
I've been using my Vox pretty much as a coffee table for years..

This is how I'd be using one if I get one, only with drive pedals. In my band we use backline loud and only put vocals through the PA. Well I say loud, my 50watt valve combo is ticking over. 
So you'd think it would work for me?

SurfinSirFari

In terms of volume, yes. (Bear in mind my amp is a 200 watter.). 
As with most bits of gear, tonal qualities are fantastically subjective. Quilter amps are generally thought to take dirty pedals well...again all subjective opinions (I hardly ever use dirt.). Mine certainly works well for me as a pedal platform.Trying one ( or an equivalent) out would be best.
In terms of portability, convenience and maintenance.. no brainer!

fretmeister

Basschat seems to like the bass amps quite a lot.

Not tried one myself yet.

PinstripePhil

mattacjones said:

@PinstripePhil has had a couple of these amps. Think he's pretty positive about them. Tommy herkenrider uses them

The Quilters are plenty loud - louder than most valve amps.  They are truly fab.  And weigh nothing.  That said, I would always seek to run one with a preamp pedal you trust (I use a Jr BarYard, but any EP style booster will do it) and use them on the FullQ setting.  Just my 2p.

Blueingreen

I have a Micropro Mach 2 HD.

Caveat: when it comes to amps I'm not a buyer/seller who tries everything on the market and is super finicky about small differences.  I used a MusicMan combo I loved for decades, no swapping because I was very happy with what I had.  The Quilter was the result of having some back issues and needing a more portable package. 

I'm using it as a clean pedal platform.  Some of the claims about how loud it is seem to me exaggerated - I've seen people claim it's as loud as a Twin Reverb etc, which it's not.  But it will match a typical 30/40 watt tube 1 x 12" and is as much as you will need for most purposes.

Cleans are in the Fender camp.  They might suffer slightly from an A/B comparison of a perfectly dialled-in Fender at sweet-spot volume but IMO they are more consistently good over a range of volumes than Fender amps I've tried.

My search was for a highly portable solution that met the criteria:

1. Good cleans

2. Good onboard distortion and/or took dirt pedals well

3. Loud enough to hold its own in a band with a loud drummer

After a lot of research into a wide range of options I decided the Quilter was the way to go and have never regretted it.  I was expecting to settle for something in the 30-35lb weight range, so the Quilter's 21lbs seems miraculous.

If it was stolen I'd buy another Quilter without pause for thought.

KKJale

I have the Bass Block 800. It's plenty pokey and I'm pretty confident in the build quality.

EQ is unusual and minimal, but fine for me. There's a slight hardness in the upper register but I'm playing with some light OD to give a more Motowny vibe... early days, but getting there.

In an ideal world I'd be able to lug a vintage Fender or Ampeg head around, but having a 4lb amp is great for what I do.