I'm very interested in getting a Swart AST Master or head, and would welcome the thoughts and experiences of anyone who has played / owned one of these amps.
I do love the sound of this amp in several demos, particularly the one on YT from "roknfnrol" when he's playing an LP. However, YT demos aside, I have also tried both head and combo myself - with "mixed" results.
I tried a combo about 2 years ago and absolutely loved it. I found it to be a very "musical" and inspiring amp. However, it wasn't what I was really looking for at the time (that proved to be a 2 channel gigging amp). I tried a head last year, but was slightly disappointed - finding the particular example to be a little harsh / bright in comparison to the warmth (as I recalled) of the combo. At the time, I initially thought that it might have been the new G12H30 that I was running it through - but, I experienced similar results when I then put it through a Greenback.
The convenience of a combo at home appeals to me, and my (limited) experiences of head vs combo (as noted above) also leads me to favour a combo. However, I'm a little wary of combos being susceptible to (tube) rattle when played at higher volumes - something which you don't always pick up on when demoing an amp in-store.
The AST Master circuit appeals to me over some of the other Swart designs - offering the option of playing at home "pedal-free" with some degree of gain with the MV engaged. The amp might occasionally do a small pub gig, but it would mostly be a home or jamming amp.
Thanks in advance for your input . . .
Comments
I think you ideally need to try one to see if they'll work for you. For me the AST pro was not a good fit. I was recording an album when I had it, everything it was on was ultimately re recorded with a 'better' amp...