Ruger, I've played louder amps with a power soak, and for me, the feel and even tone is nothing like "the real deal". You're not pushing those speakers at all, comparatively speaking, for one thing.
Have you emailed Gomez amps with your predicament? Perhaps he could do a variation on his Princeton chassis for you, or something like that?
Gomez has temporarily stopped amp production, until further notice.
Marsh might be able to do something a bit "custom" for me... we'll see when I'm ready to pull the trigger.
Black panel Bandmasters are still pretty good bargains.
nice pickin' there, proteus!
To All, Prices on ALL my amps will be coming down next year. I only made a handful in the beginning last year and the custom metal fab chassis, plates, printing costs, Sprague Atom caps, transformers, etc reflected that. I build everything from scratch and bought an actual 6G6-B and had it cloned to be as perfect as possible. It wasn't cheap, but so many people wanted me to build these and had money in hand that I thought it was an interesting and worthwhile endeavor. I therefore built 20.
I also pay all state and Federal income tax on income. No cheatin' here. Cash is best for transactions but most sales have been through Paypal for everyone's well-being and safety. They end up taking 2.9% of whatever the sale is. That's brutal. Consequently, that price is rolled into the price. If you pay cash/check I don't charge it and you get a break as you should.
This coming year, to get the prices to be more manageable, I purchased direct from the manufacturer on my parts and bought in monstrous bulk to get the prices down. As little amount of middleman purchasing as possible. I also hired a few folks (no, no 16-year old kids either) to help me out.
Before I was doing ALL the work, soldering, installing trannies, testing for hours for the lowest noise posssible, foam packing, driving over to FedEx Ground to save on shipping than having them pick up the amps and cabs, etc., you name it, I did it-no one touched my amps but me.
I have been steadily working away making them. I've refused to open the shop because I can't pack, build and ship tens of amps at the same time and get things done perfectly for the consumer-all in stages folks.
I DO have (1) El Sonido in rough blonde tolex in wheat grille cloth with a matching 2x12 cab (complete with V30's and authentic Fender bushings, knurled knobs and tilt-back legs installed) that was set aside for a store that backed out up for sale. It's up for grabs. The Sonido has the authentic Fender piggyback bar clips pre-installed.
The price on the rig is $2000 shipped. The first person that Paypals it down gets it.
IT IS NOT A DEMO! Make no mistake about it. It's in perfect, mint condition and is covered by the standard 5-year bumper to bumper warranty. No 1-800 numbers to get a hold of me either. (949) 300-8573.
Lately, I could use some more cabinets for production and this money would help.
e-mail me at dario@gomezamps.com to reserve it.
Beyond that, sorry no Sonidos until June 2009.
The Sonidos aren't the only amps being built now so it's taking time. I'm working on Surfers and G-Springs at the same time.
Thanks for all the kind comments on the amps!
Dario G. Gomez
Nice to hear from Mr Gomez himself.
I want one of those El Sonidos some day.
Here's a post I made on the www.Surfguitar101.com site in regards to the reverb tanks ("G-Spring") that I build and the way they are built.
This applies to ALL my amps.
Thanks for letting me clarify.
"Ok... No disrespect but here are some differences/things I've noticed.
-Uncle Spot (US) has a 1yr warranty on his unit. Mine is 5 year transferable.
-US does not include a Fender footswitch ($35) and cover ($45). Mine are included in the price.
-US is built off a turretboard. Mine are built like Fender (ala tagboard) with a "custom" eyeleted fiberboard.
-US builds AND tolexes all his cabinets by himself. Mine are not. I pay the price for a professionally-built premium cabinet by a cab manufacturer and everyone who has bought the G-Spring has been stunned by the work done (fit and finish) on the cabinets. I have to have them shipped from across the country so there's a cost associated with that. Honestly, I don't make money on cabs unless I buy 30 or more at a time. The last production run was 10.
-It appears US purchases his 16 gauge chrome chassis pre-screened. My 16 gauge custom-built (not bought from a third supplier) chassis actually has a separate control plate (just like Fender did) that is custom screened and installed. This costs money for the steel plate and the screening.
-US uses chicken head knobs. I use the era-correct genuine Fender barrel knobs. A minor point.
-My unit has all jacks made by Switchcraft and switches by Carling. Not cheap but best on the market.
-I use a larger gauge wire which conforms to standard UL-1015 600V in all my amps that is plastic AND lacquered cloth insulated. It is more difficulty to work with than the original push back wire Fender used back in the day but makes for a safer, better wired, less flimsy, longer lasting and tonally better sounding amp/unit. There is more work involved with this wire but the proof is in the sound and reliability.
I don't know which wire US uses but if it's the old Fender style wire (now being reissued) that is only cloth insulated and is thinner in gauge I could shave quite a bit off the price if I used it in my products --because of the less labor needed.
-All grounds in the chassis of all my amps are soldered directly to the chassis steel for reliability. I do not use screws to establish grounds as I don't feel it's the most reliable if you're an actively gigging musician.
-All sockets are ceramic for heat tolerance.
-Power cords are the same he uses. Looks like we use the same source.
-I test every amp I build for at least a few hours or more for the lowest noise floor and select the best tubes (with regard to price and availability)to do this. Takes time to do as some tubes don't get noisy immediately.
Lately, three out of every five tubes I have purchased from current manufacturers are good for use in my amps. The other two are too noisy and/or microphonic for use and are not used. This takes time to weed out.
-I don't have custom/fitted shipping cartons (although I am working on this area). I personally ship every amp and line every box with 1.5-2" poly foam board (cut to size) and bubble wrapped where necessary for the safest delivery protection as possible. I ship the tubes in all amps separate from the amp head/combo for safe delivery.
I won't say anything bad about US but there are some differences between his unit and mine that need to be pointed out. He probably makes a good unit. I've done what I can to build my amps as good as I believe they should be built for price and performance.
Uncle Sam/Federal Government takes 35% off the top of my profit and I do report my sales.
When you do the math on Excel for every part and hour spent and then the tax bite you'll find the left-over profit isn't as much as you think.
The Surfer retail price is $2499 (dealer price)--not $2800.
....finally..they are not gold-plated.
Thanks for the time to clear things a bit...
Dario"
I'll bump this one up with a related question:
Can anyone compare the Swart AST to the 6G6-B? It may sound silly, but I've always read that Swarts are "tweed meets blackface", which would put it in the BROWNFACE/transitional camp... right where the 6G6-B is...
Just wondering if maybe a Swart AST would be an alternative to the 6G6-B (and especially, if you're going for Setzer's tone, if you were to drop a V30 in there.)
I just pulled the trigger on this deal from Dario. I'll let everyone know how it goes!
I want to run a stereo rig with my Bassmans and my TTE so this should do the trick.
Yes, Just sold. Thanks!
lucky you
I've heard lots of good things about El Sonido amps or however you spell it...
The JTM 45 was a copy of the Tweed 4-10" Bassman. The blond Bassmans have a completely different circuit. Brian's Bassmans are totally stock except for 3-prong power cords, and Vintage 30's. His favorite 6L6's are the small-bottle Philips. He used Philips 12AX7'S until we ran out about eight years ago. Then we switched to '90's Chinese 12AX7's. He bought cases of tubes when Philips went out of production. I still have a couple of sets of his private tubes on my shelf. BZ
AWESOME!!! Welcome to the Sonido club. You will not find a better Canvas for tone then this.
It is great clear tone, and every guitar I own or have played through it sounds great. Everyone! And every pedal also is able to sound like it is supposed too and add flavor to a great tone.
AND if you love Reverb Tanks, his is the closest you'll come to o New Old Stock Fender which is the only way to truly get drip or dial back for classic blues and Sun era tones.
I've never had an amp and tank compliment every guitar I own in my arsenal.
Copying other amp circuits is too much like playing in a cover band.
This gets beat to death, and is a matter of personal choice and if there is a market for it.
Unless Fender makes these again, I'll take a new old stock "exact Copy" anyday of the week and put my own miles on it without worrying about it crapping out or the integrity of the parts and roadwear it would have if it was vintage.
I'm all for vintage gear, but for me, I want something new that will stand on its own for a while if I'm gigging out and playing the crappy joints I've never climbed out of.
Aren't all of the new Gretsch guitars today copies? In one way or another. Isn't your sig guitar a copy....of a copy?
They are, and they rule. So do the vintage ones. No different.
I mean without "Copies" you wouldn't have Marshalls, since he copied the Bassman. Just used different tubes.... MOSTLY. Then he took it to a whole new level. I think Gomez found a great market and will surprise alot of folks with his one creations. Just give the brother some time.
TO each his own.
If you build it, they will come...
Fender apparently doesn't want to build it anymore...
Gomez & Marsh DO. There's a market, just not one (apparently) Fender wants to tap into.
Bravo to Gomez & Marsh.
And truthfully, I love the underdog "small" business guy especially a guy who did it all himself out of a true love for these exact models. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.
You wouldn't rather have something even better?
Like what do you have in mind?
How about a Billy Zoom copy of the El Sonido copy of the Blonde Bassman? I bet that'd be way better! lol
Sorry, I had to do it, but I am only joking, so don't get pissed! lol 
I guess if was going to build an amp copy, that'd be one thing.
One of the things I like about my Swart is that it is it's own thing. Yeah, it's got that great clean, but not really Fenderish. And it's dirty but not like a Fender either (or a Vox, or a Marshall, or a, well you get the idea...)
When I want Fender, I plug into my Deluxe Reverb. Pretty straight forward 
Exactly. My Swart AST is "Dirty Brown" and unique. Great amps. However, I'm leaning more to the Fender grind these days as I've been swapping pickups around and the HT's, P90's and Magna'trons do not like the AST "dirty". Clean, hell ya, dirty brown = fuzzy to me with these pickups.
Also, the Bassman's take dirt pedals nicely. Not so with the AST to my ears.
YMMV
I have a '66 Bassman head and I've been looking for a good complimentary 2x12 cab (the GIGANTIC 2x15 Fender cab I have now is ridiculous). Is there anyone that sells Fender-style empty cabs ready for speaker mounting? It's too bad that Fender doesn't currently make a separate "blackface-style" reissue 2x12 speaker enclosure.
gretschman36:
When you say "clean hell ya" and "dirty", just what are we talking about here? Dead clean, or a Setzer-ish (for lack of a better descriptive term) dirtyISH-clean? Like, on the edge of breakup, but does breakup when you switch to the bridge pickup or dig in?
