NAMM 2025: Vintage might be best known for bringing classic electric guitar designs to the budget end of the market, but now the British firm has extended its gear expertise into a new direction with the development of its Retro desktop amp range.
The 15- and 25-watt combo amps are the firm's first foray into the amp world and are designed to “deliver a range of tones”, with built-in “high-quality DSP” effects, Bluetooth connectivity, recording functions, and eight separate amp models with “presets based on some of the world’s most iconic guitar amps”.
Naturally, the higher-powered model boasts a broader range of features. This includes six effects – chorus, flanger, vibrato, delay, and two reverb flavors – 30 changeable drum sounds for lone jamming, and adjustable treble and boost cuts.
Conversely, the 15-watt model trims its effect count to six (losing its flanger and one reverb) with its drum feature, and treble and bass cut controls, also lost.
But they both offer a nice tonal variety via eight amp sims, with an array of “ultra-clean” and “saturated distortion” tones on the table.
Some of the amps simulated here (taking some assumptions based on the amp controls) could possibly be a Peavey 5150, a Vox AC, a Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier, and a Marshall Plexi of sorts.
Atop the 15-watt amp are dials for choosing the amp sim, as well as parameters for Gain, Tone, and Master Volume. There are also two dials dedicated to the effects. On the 25-watt model, there are four additional dials for the drum machine – including volume and tempo – and treble and bass controls.
Connectivity-wise, players can connect phones via Bluetooth and USB, while the latter option makes it possible to hook up to DAWs for home recording.
The Retro amps can also be paired with an external cabinet via jack cable, with Vintage offering a 1x10 cabinet as part of the flagship Retro amp series. There’s also a 3.5mm jack socket for headphones out.
With the rise of budget and portable modeling amps, from Positive Grid's Spark GO and the recently-released Spark Edge, to the Boss Katana-Mini X, Vintage is entering an extremely competitive market.
Such a growing choice, though, only benefits players, and with the fortunes of floor modelers continuing to rise in 2024, don’t expect their popularity to dwindle any time soon.
The Vintage Retro amps and cabs are available in Black, Vintage White, and Mint Green, and they're impressively affordable. The 15-watt model will set players back just £119 (approx. $145) rising to £149 (approx $180) for the 25-watt version. Cabinets come in at £89 (approx. $107) apiece.
Head to Vintage for more info.
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