STR-Tremolo Tone & Build Quality

I just wanted to share some quick feedback on the Swart STR - Tremolo. I was loosely in the market for a lower watt amp, and this particular amp of yours was not even on my radar until a few weeks back. A few Youtube videos (RJ Ronquillo & Foxxy Gear Reviews in particular), combined with an incredible amount of good user reviews and comments online, got me to order one without ever having played a Swart amp.

My tweed version arrived today from Chicago Music Exchange and I have about four hours with it so far. I could not be more thrilled with the tones and build quality, and I had high expectations. It is really quite incredible. I also received the Night Light and it too is a wonderful tool. I like it with the STR-Trem, but I am also really liking how it tames my 20W Victoria Silver Sonic.

STR-Trem sounds great with everything I have thrown at it so far (strat, tele, and Collings 290 with P90's).

Looking forward to lots of time with this amp.

Cheers,

Douglas McMullin
Seal Cove, Maine

Addendum after some extended tine on amp:

I have been playing the hec out of the STR-Trem and it is a little tone monster. I just gets better and better as I learn what works best with my playing style and my guitars.

Thanks again for a great amp.

12 Axe STR-Tremolo Fun Quotient

Just to let you know I bought one, and am enjoying it very much. I played all 12 of my electric guitars through it, and all sounded great, and as distinct as the guitars are themselves. The STR-Trem has character, but does not bury the intrinsic sound of the guitar. Well done! The volume is large enough for my band, as we mic /li e in amps to keep stage volume low. I saw Gary Clark open for the Stones at Petco Park in San Diego, playing through a Reissue Princeton Reverb that was placed on a chair. Ya know...!?

The STR-Trem is a pro-level amp that shows off nuances from technique, but truly would also make even a decent player sound really good. The amp brings out the attention to tonal detail the player uses. That is particularly important to me and shows the pedigree of the design with roots in studio settings.

Thanks for a fine amp.

Indian Joe
Dusty and the LoveNotes

I lined up my guitars this morning, taken in a corner of my 'Digs', rammed earth studio.

Here is list with bits of info, L-R:

-1982 Gibson CS ES-335 (2nd owner)

-1991 Gibson CS Reissue 1961 Les Paul, autographed by Les Paul "To Indian Joe, Keep Pickin'". Bought new.

-1960 Les Paul Jr.

-c.1979 Fender Rosewood Telecaster, 2nd owner. Yes, a real one, the real thing. Tone Monster! Weighs a LOT! George said so.

-2017 Swart STR-Trem ( just so you know!)

(I am original owner on the Carvin /Kiesel guitar, many custom made for me.)

-2016 Kesel TLB, all mahogany, the next-to-last one made. (Design discontinued.) Great warmth, sweet tone, resonant rumble.

-c 2013 Carvin TLB, one-piece swamp ash body, maple neck, birds-eye maple fingerboard, very early model example. Lite & brite!

-c2012 Carvin Bolt, swamp ash body, birds-eye maple fingerboard. Very swampy sound, heavy surf tone. Does Feed-back easily.

-c2012 Carvin Bolt, one piece walnut body, ebony fretboard, 5-piece neck. Rich, thick, resonant tone, Heavy!

-2010 Carvin Countour 66, 1-piece mahogany body, flame maple top, maple neck, ebony fretboard, very juicy, great slide & Stones rock.

-2014 Carvin California Single, all-mahogany, 1-piece body, sustain forever, sweet, soulful. My most-played guitar.

-2016 Kiesel California Single, 1-piece mahogany body, walnut top, 5 piece walnut neck wi/ 2 mahogany stripes. Growls low, sings high!

-2014 Carvin SH-550, mahogany body & neck, rosewood fretboard, koa top. Tight lows, singing highs, very resonant. Sweet, warm, bright!

Customer Service & Amp Proud

I've never been so proud before of owning any guitar gear than with this Swart Amps ST-6V6se.

You have been incredibly great and kind in the way that you have answered all of my questions. The quality of your amps and customer support is beyond real.

Again thank you so much!

Javier Castro
Costa Rica

Noooooooo!!!! Michael! What did you Do!?!?

Poor Michael manages a smile after visit to OrthoMan, this after busting living loving maid on bike after picking up some abandoned treasure on the side of the road. While negotiating an upcoming stop sign with a piece of the prize starting to make its way out of the make-shift securing job, Michael's quick stab at the brakes (front brake, of course) brought far more than he bargained for, his front wheel washing out as he went ass over tea kettle, hand STILL on brake, pinky extended, just in time for it to SNAP, crackle, and POP. OUCH. The X-Rays are not pretty. It looks like my plant grafting project from Chapel Hill High circa 1980. Doc says, "Hey, you better remove that wedding band because he'll be cutting it off in a few hours." Oops. No Guitar Playing for a while. But watching him try and solder one handed was a joy despite getting burned (seemed a bit on purpose to me..my third hand work was shaky). Looking at 4-5 weeks of sympathy. Don't milk it TOO much. Get Well Soon, Man ~ kh

STR-Tremolo Praise Partnered w/ Gretch/Guild

You guys nailed that kind of tone I was looking for years! That lil' STR Tremolo is a loud and paramount sounding amp and simply the best I've ever played and I know some! Whether I plug in my Gretsch 6120 Hot Rod or my Guild Manhattan - my SWART gives me everything between beautiful cleans like Wicked Game or nasty Setzer-like gritty Rockabilly.

Warm thanks from Germany,

Stefan Freiling

Atomic Jr. Head & 1x12 w/Alnico Cream

Digging it is an understatement. Please indulge me a little praise...

I'm sure you've heard it before from people whose opinions matter more than mine but I have never seen any other maker match the quality, tone, and inspiration that define your amps, at any price point. I wrote a new song about 2 hours after I plugged in and I'm far from prolific.

I've owned maybe 35 or 40 amps looking for yours. Yeah, maybe I'm picky but, just like when my AST arrived, this one was perfect. I do really like the big extension cab too - it's really 3D and lush and fills the room in the best possible way. Love the speaker, too - thanks for the Alnico Cream recommendation. And now that I have the cabinet, an AST head seems inevitable as soon as I move a couple of now obsolete items.

Thanks very very much.

Jeff Toll
Fort Lauderdale, FL

Love the Alnico • STR-Tweed Fun

I have to say since I bought the STR-Tweed SN 638 last year, I swapped in the Celestion Blue I had. The amp just kills with this speaker! The Mojotone sounds great, but the Blue... I don't know how to put other than it is just a glorious sound! Much more open and detailed to me. Going on a year with this amp and it amazes me every day I play thru it!

Thanks!

John Parker

Someone Else is Smitten with the ST-6V6se

Hi, everyone at Swart.

This is not an inquiry…..It's a THANK YOU!

I just got a few days ago your 5 watt Space Tone 6V6se! I was stunned by the depth and quality of the tone! I expected it to be an excellent amp, but this has exceeded my expectations by a factor of 100%!

I can’t believe all that beautiful sound comes out of that 8” speaker!
This is a magic box of sonic joy. You guys ACED it!!!!!! Thank you to everyone who had a hand in designing and building this treasure!

I absolutely love playing with this amp!!!!!

Peace and thanks again.

Lou Quetel
Geneva, IL

AST Pro Fan for Life

So I sold my Bogner Shiva 212 because it was too heavy to lug around. I then I began doing a lot of searching for a smaller amp which would still make my CS Masterbuilt Strats sing .

The Swart AST Pro is that amp. What an amazing tone monster. Simple in features yet complex in what it can deliver. Using the guitars volume and tone controls, this amp responds to every nuance. It's super sensitive and percussive . This would easily cover most music genres but add pedals and it would cover them all.

Build quality is premium. Small and light enough to lug yet powerful enough to play on small to medium stages. Super quiet so ideal for studios and home practicing and recording.

I've been playing for 48 years and have owned some very high end amps. This is up there with the best of the those. My Strats have never sounded sweeter. Thanks Mike and to those at Swart for being so dedicated to great amp building

Chuck Peckham
NB, Canada

Ok, so we endured one of the warmest winters down here in NC in quite some time, thinking we're all home free.... Next thing you know, it's a damn blizzard on the island here, snow flakes the size of quarters. What in the name of Tube Distortion is going on now?

And the mail is coming in to ride along with the vibe. I can't even remember who sent this in but it's purrtastic! Whoever sent this, please call me! We need to adopt your cat!

PS - Dog lovers complained.... So here is the "original" Swart beast, TYLER the AST loving hound to balance the spectrum.

-kh ~ swartamps.com

Love the Alnico • STR-Tweed Fun

Ok... So I'm testing this STR-Tweed for one of our great dealers down South. And I'm like, "wow, this is really sounding insane. What tubes are in this beast? Sounds a bit more lively and open... A bit more THERE there. Ok, it's March..but still. This STR-Tweed is sounding KILLER! Ok...wait a minute. Is that a BLUE in that beast? YES! Someone orderd a Celestion Blue in an STR-Tweed, a rare event. And damn if it does not sound amazing. I don't want to stop testing even though there is a bank of amps sitting there. Time to tell people maybe the ole Celestion Blue is a way to get that Nut. Indeed. Give it some thought. I'm digging it.

~  kh | Swart Online

The back story for this beast is semi-interesting.... So Michael was heading to NAMM to take in all the action and visit with some dealers when he saw it was going to be relatively chilly. Realizing that no one would see the Swart Amps shirt, he decided on the next best thing, a custom patch for the jacket. After pricing one, he realized he would be better off getting 500. There you have it. See #1 below, on the offending jacket, all ready to roll at NAMM. So #1 is on Michael's coat. That leaves 499 to go! . Now included in the Swart Swag Bag on the parts page. Of if you want the patch alone and live in CONUS, it's $7 to your door. Just drop us a mail at info@swartamps.com and we'll hook you up.

~ kh ~ overseas, will be a bit more shipping.

Both Michael and I are usually spinning the vinyl or playing files... Lately, I've been really getting into building up a system that would sound great with STREAMING convenience, usually a downer with audio quality, especially via bluetooth. Stumbled on a GREAT solution via hi-def streaming services like Apple Music or Pandora. Lately it's been a Cary Audio SLP-70 tube preamp into various tube amps I sub in, this to a pair of vintage Klipsch Cornwalls with Alnico horns. But the biggest surprise? See below.

On a rec from a friend, I tossed in an Audio Engine B1 to occasionally stream from phone Apple Music/Pandora Hi-Def via 24-bit up-sampling DAC and this AptX "Bluetooth"Codec. And it's CRAZY but this combination amazingly good. I play it for people and they are shocked. It's actually more open sounding than my old Rega Planet CDP, just not quite as much low end foundation. Anyway, the convenience is insane..... anything on tap in a second. I have to admit, if not spinning vinyl, it's my go to solution. Listening to the setup as I type.