Top Hat Amps

CloudNine

Just recently picked up a Top Hat Club Royale and wow, it is fantastic. Will post some pic's when I find time. You don't seem to hear that much about them but having owned some nice amps in the last few years (Victoria, Carr, Dr Z etc.), I have to say this is the best sounding to my ears. Really fat cleans with lots of harmonics, and the drive tones are just superb (great master volume). OD pedals sound very poor by comparison. You could happily get by with no pedals at all, it has plenty going on by itself, nice swirly sort of sound.

Really versatile as well, all the controls seem to be usable at every single point on the dials, which I have never had on any amp before.

So, any of you chaps played any Top Hats and what were your thoughts?

IvisonGuitars

Was that the white 1x12 on eBay?! I was very tempted!

They are absolutely AMAZING amps. I bought the same 2 x12 Club Royale TWICE as it was so good, had a King Royale which was the best vintage AC30 you would ever hear and I currently have an Emplexador head which is a JTM45, JMP and JCM800 all in one head. Best non Marshall Marshall in the business in my opinion.

They are very rare over here and very few people know about them, hence you can pick them up for bargain prices. Equal if not better than most of the usual suspects, again, IMO. 

If you ever move that CR, please let me know.

Few of mine:

CloudNine

It was indeed that white one. Couldn't resist. Been admiring them for a while and never much of a chance to buy one, so when that appeared, UK voltage model, deep cab, valve rectifier, and looking sexy in white tolex and gold piping, had to snap it up. 

It's completely exceeded my expectations, I am well and truly blown away. Have already changed the rectifier for a NOS Mullard GZ34 and the EL84's for a couple of NOS Ei's, and will get round to the rest pretty soon. These things are built like tanks as well.

Those pic's are amazing, can only imagine what that Emplexador sounds like cranked....... 

ourmaninthenorth

At a recent get together, Neil's amp stole the show...at least 10 Boutique amps in attendance didn't even get switched on...it's that good. 

Congrats on the Top Hat CloudNine...it was a cracking buy at the money. 

Moe_Zambeek

There's a CR in CCGX I think...

TheMarlin

Great amps, the king of the AC30 style amps IMHO

Dominic

yes -great amps

CloudNine

@ourmaninthenorth Thanks, and yes it really does feel like a proper bargain right now. Can't stop smiling every time I turn it on.

Glad to see there is a bit of love for them here anyway, shame we don't see a few more around these islands.

Nerine

Top Hat.

Possibly the best amp name ever.

CloudNine

And here it is

IvisonGuitars

@CloudNine A beauty, bet the 1x12 makes it infinitely giggable too?

Just found a pic of my old King Royale in action, another on the 'should never have sold' list.

CloudNine

Aye it would be a good gigging amp I reckon Neil. Power is there as you know, and yes it is reasonably low weight. Suppose clean headroom might be an issue for some people, but nothing drastic.

My gigging days are long past and not likely to return any time soon, but it is exceptionally good at low volumes also. I will still get chance to crank it now and again, so fear not, it won't be completely wasted.

thomasross20

I've got a massive boner for all the amps mentioned here. 

That Matchless (cab) looks amazing.

Nerine

is there any way to get them in the UK??

IvisonGuitars

@Nerine Charlie Chandlers used to be the UK stockist, I think they still are but don't know if they hold much stock.

Brian Gerrard is the main man behind Top Hat, send him a mail and he'll happily ship direct. Whatever you order will be KILLER, they don't make a bad amp in my opinion.

IvisonGuitars

This was the demo that convinced me I needed an Emplexador and amazingly one turned up on the forum last year!