I originally started experimenting with this circuit over a decade ago while chasing the aggression and harmonic complexity of a cranked vintage British amplifier, but at a volume that actually made sense in the real world. Most high-powered amps sound incredible wide open, but become almost unusable outside of large stages. I wanted something that captured that same energy, compression, and sustain without needing arena-level volume.

The goal became creating an amp that lived right on the edge of saturated and aggressive, while still articulate enough to hear every string inside a chord. I spent years refining the gain and power section so the amp would respond dynamically to pick attack and guitar volume changes instead of simply producing more distortion.

A huge part of the design was the transformers. I worked closely with Brian at Sour Sound to develop custom transformers specifically for this amplifier. Nothing about the power section was off-the-shelf. The transformers were designed around the exact feel, response, and harmonic character I was chasing, and they became a major part of the amp’s larger-than-life voice.

Even though it’s a 20W design, it doesn’t behave like most small amps. It feels bigger than its size, moving from subtle vintage textures to fully saturated overdrive while still retaining clarity and touch sensitivity.

The final design reflects years of refinement, listening, and testing. The 20W became the amp I had been trying to build for years — raw, responsive, and inspiring to play the second you hit the first chord.

A key part of the amp’s character is the custom-tuned smoothing filter in the power section. This helps control harshness while keeping the amp open, punchy, and harmonically rich. The result is an amp that stays aggressive and dynamic without becoming stiff or fatiguing.

The amp also features a Boost switch that adds additional gain, saturation, and low-mid body. It thickens the response and pushes the amp further into rich overdrive while still maintaining clarity and note separation.

The Bite switch is designed to increase perceived gain. It tightens the response, adds edge to the attack, and helps the amp cut through a mix with more aggression and presence without drastically increasing overall volume.

Combined with the custom Sour Sound transformers, the entire amp was voiced to feel bigger, more responsive, and more alive than a typical 20W amplifier. Every feature was designed around touch sensitivity, harmonic detail, and making the amp inspiring to play at any volume.

• 20 watt all-tube head

• Hand-wired in the USA

• Sour Sound Custom Transformers

• Cathode Bias

• 2 x EL84 power tubes

• 2 x 12AX7 preamp tubes

• Bite switch

• Boost Switch

• 4, 8, and 16 ohm impedance

• Dimensions: (H) 9" x (W) 24" x (D) 8-1/4"

• Weight: 20 lbs.