The Word is Spreading about these Unique Toneful Beauties...

 

Customer testimonials are very important to me.

I understand that it takes a certain leap of faith,

to order something as important to one's musical experience as a tube guitar amp

over the internet. Hopefully these unsolicited comments from our customers will inspire you to make the jump!

-Thank you for the feedback. It's great to know you enjoy the amps- Curt



"Hi Curt, The amps arrived, I've been playing with them since and I love what I'm hearing. Good work Curt, very, v-e-r-y good work! I think they are beautiful to look at, beautifully built, and expertly designed as well. I can't tell you how many little amps I've gone through looking for the right feel, tone, reasonable volume, and simplicity of use before these little gems arrived. You should be very proud of your work, it combines simplicity and quality and beauty, these amps are true works of art and great tools as well. Thanks for the set of mad scientist tubes . Both the Superbaby and Microbaby sound great, they are very expressive to play, with the complex tonal qualities I'm looking for, and I'm having fun.
I'll get into the different tubes later this week and see where it goes but meanwhile thank you very much.
Best Regards" Steve Miller -Steve Miller band

"I just finished making my first record for MCA/Universal records and my Engineer, Justin Niebank, turned me onto the Superbaby!! Man!!!! UNBELIEVABLE!!!! I have a song on the record called "Soldier For the Lonely" that my friend Patty Loveless came and sang on that really features the sound of the amp. Cheers!" Jedd Hughes

"What can I say but unbelievable tone, beautiful craftsmanship. I love my Superbaby and I am totally satisfied. Looking forward to the Bassbaby." Justin J. -WI

"Thanks for your help. This amp is SO COOL! I'm finally getting to play the Superbaby in a small club with a bass player and drummer. I really like this amp. I remember reading something Eric Johnson said once about the ultimate guitar amp having only one knob. This must be it!" Howard S. -WA

"Curt, this amp is a work of art. Thanks for making a product to be proud of." Peter B.

"I am a professional guitarist in New York City and I own one of your amazing Superbabys. I can't tell you what an incredible studio amp it is. It is all over our new CD" Scott Sharrard. -lead guitarist in Gregg Allman Band,  Scott Sharrard & the Brickyard Band

"I've had the Superbaby for a few weeks now. All I can say is, WOW! This is the amp I've been looking for. In 25 years of playing guitar I've been in search of a certain sound. The Superbaby does the trick! All of my "other" tube amps have been way too loud and or not flexible enough to cover different musical bases. Curt, this is great work. The amp looks fantastic. My wife even loves it. Thank you so much for a GREAT product at a more than fair price. You have a customer for life. PS - The Mad Scientist tube set is a must!! Thanks again." Ben H. -NC

"love the Microbaby! so does everyone else..." Mark Karan -Rat Dog guitarist

"Tell you what.. you make the most beautiful amps and cabinets I have ever seen. whew... man, those are at the top..." Ted Weber -modern day vintage guitar speaker master/designer/builder,  RIP

"Received my Microbaby in perfect condition and spent the weekend trying it out ­ amazing! I ran it through a homemade solid oak cabinet with a 12" Greenback and I couldn't stop smiling as I heard all those creamy, crunchy sounds coming out of there, without the outrageous volume. PLENTY of volume from such a little package. I particularly appreciated the enclosed operating information - especially that regarding tube options. I put Kinman pickups in my Strat six month ago and only now do I know what they really should sound like. Your Microbaby is a real class act both in appearance and sound ­ I am going to be playing my guitars a lot more now. It is great to see quality equipment being made by someone who cares (unlike most of the throw-away junk we buy today) - keep up the good work!" Richard H. -WY

"It has got that vocal quality to the sound. Great for slide. Killer!" Andy Brauer - Andy Brauer Studio Rentals- LA

"Its just great, just what I wanted. My Fender outboard Reverb sounds better with it than all my other amps."

"The Superbaby has arrived in perfect shape. It is amazing how good this amp sounds.! Still need to explore the Mad Scientist kit and find the right settings for me, but first moments with the Superbaby are pure pleasure. I should have heard of Emery Sound much earlier, because this amp is exactly what I was searching for:

- just the essentials : one knob for volume, one for tone, and a direct link - hands >guitar >tubes >speaker
- ability to shape the sounds with different tubes
- pure, raw, juicy sounds (and no hum !)
- the right volume without blasting the windows...
- just controlling the attack of the pick on the strings to go through clean to dirty with all the intermediate values
- top quality hand made with beautiful design

I have tried so far my Les Paul Standard and my Stratocaster Lonestar. Both guitars sound incredible through the Superbaby. That's really the first time that I played with both pickups on the LP. I didn't like this setup on Marshall JCM900 and Vox AC30TBX, but on the Superbaby this is a totally different story. As if I was really listening to the voices of my guitars for the first time. I can't believe it. Incredible.

I have spent lots of time with 5Y3 + 12AX7 + 6V6 configuration... that's the Clapton sound I was searching for. The Fulltone Soulbender is unbelievable with this setup (my favorite Led Zep 1 sounds are all here....just need to practice Jimmy Page playing now...) I quickly tried a GZ34 + 12AX7 + EL34 and it is great too.

The speaker cab is incredible too. I have never seen a cab so beautifully assembled. The finish is perfect but most important, the sound is lively. The Weber just breaths through it. I can get some nice little sounds out of it, or make it scream., and the sound is everywhere around, not just coming from the cab. I will not be able to use traditional cabs now....

Thanks a lot Curt for all your help, time and many many thanks for building this wonderful amp! I was a little bit afraid of buying an amp on internet without listening to it, but now that I have it, I can't imagine to change this piece of gear for something else. This amp has definitively something different that makes it so special and unique. The quality of service was also above my expectations. I'll let you know of my discoveries with this amp... " Fabien D. -France

"Curt of Emery Sound! He is a super talented Amp Builder and repairman. I recommend him very highly. Curt has his own Killer line of Amps, They have the "distortion breakup" to die for and you can substitute tubes at will. I tried going from a 6L6GC to a Mullard EL 37.  In my book they are great sounding amps, with a lot of Style, Unique Style, at that!  I dug the Spotlight and Superbaby amp, as well. It would be a great recording amp, Kills a Champ!! The Spotlight is also compact, with flair and a Big Tone. If you're in the Bay Area, call Curt for repairs, too." Kenny Blue Ray -CA

"I recently did a Weber speaker demonstration in Northern Califorinia with the west coast Weber VST representative UncleSpot (www.unclespot.com). The whole time I was demoing Weber speakers I had my eye on this KILLER looking pint sized amp in the wings. I had the opportunity to talk with Curt before the demo began and asked if afterwards we could hook up his amp, the Superbaby, to some of the speakers. WHOA DUDE! That little amp is serious. Through two Weber BlueDogs it was tonal bliss. Crank the volume and you have angelic overdrive with crunch ala tweed. As far as power goes, don't expect to gig with it. But, if you seek a personal at home practice amp, or an amp for that killer studio sound they are it. Tone without the eviction letter. They are underpriced, a total steal." Jeramy N.- CA

"Curt, Karen, I have received your Superbaby and am thoroughly satisfied with what you have built... I played a 1970 les paul through it and... wow! What a delight, clear and concise at the quiet side of the dial and when I turned it up and let it get saucy it really showed up to the ball... every note can be heard in an arpeggiated chord even with the distortion, achieved by pushing the tubes, which is very refreshing because I don't get huge dB's just huge sound... I have several great amps in my collection, but your Stagebaby and this Superbaby are what I believe I will be using to achieve my own personal sound and for that I say thank you... I have already started tossing coins in the jar for your Microbaby. Thanks again for what you do."  Hunter D. -UT.

"I just wanted to drop you a note to let you know how much I dig the Superbaby... I've never had so much fun with an amp before! I have tried just about every combination of tubes you can think of. I've come across many great tones and I'm still blown away by the tremendous variety of tones there are available just by swapping tubes...the amp really lets the character shine through. The graduation from clean to saturated is very even and sweet, and the amp is a perfect compliment to my 2x12 cab loaded with Celestion Blues. I also really like how you voiced the tone circuit, being able to completely bypass it is one of the smartest features I've ever come across on a single ended valve amp." Robert S.

"I've made a living as a guitar player since 1968. Over the years I've played through damned near every amp anybody's ever heard of, and known some real tone freaks, Stevie Vaughan being one of them. I know how to get a good sound out of ALMOST anything. The amazing thing about the Superbaby is that you can't get it to sound ordinary no matter what you do. Anything you play, super clean or REALLY cranked, sounds intense and saturated like you've spent years learning secrets from the masters. If you lived in England and the Queen played guitar, you'd be a Knight for sure. Thanks" Bill L. -CA

"Just got to my mailbox and saw your amp and cab on the cover of VG. Way to go, man. I have 3 of your amps, two Micros and a Superbaby and I love them. They are just the best amps ever. Just glad to know that VG got around to realizing what I've known for years, (hey this is my letter so I get bragging rights): your amps SMOKE anything else I've ever had, they continue to amaze me and make me want to practice some more. Hell, sometimes they even make me want to be a better person! It's a pleasure having equipment like your amps. That way, I know (not to mix body part metaphors and sound like a bad country song) I can see my ears talking to my fingers, and my feet nod their heads. Congratulations on a good cover, and a dynamite amp." Rick S.

"I got the Microbaby, the speaker cabinet & the tube kit in excellent shape. It sounds fantastic! I am extremely happy with it, and my wife thinks it sounds great and looks cool (a definite plus!). If I start playing with a drummer or electric bass, I'll keep my eye on the Superbaby, hehe. Thank you very much, and keep up the great work!" David S. -NY

"Wonderful amp! All I can say is that my guitar & amp & cabinet complement one another in every way. And it's hard to put all these wonderful instruments aside for ordinary activities. I'm very happy!" Markus O. -Germany

"The Superbaby is stunning! The tone quality is so rich and present, and the tube selection offers everything from a pure clean signal (6V6/12AT7/Tight) to a wonderful harmonic grind (EL34/12AX7/Loose). I've always considered the amp as a part of the instrument. The Superbaby confirms that impression. The resonant cab makes a huge difference and constitutes an instrument in itself." Craig S.- GA

"The Superbaby arrived today. I will echo The Joker in saying VERY NICE WORK!!!! Sonically, I prefer bare wood cabs and yours does not disappoint, it sounds wonderful. I like open back and I usually keep them close to a wall to let the sound project. I can't wait to hear a KT66 in this baby!" Chris H.- CA

"Hi Curt, The Microbaby is simply wonderful! With the beautiful cabinet and Weber Pup, WE HAVE LIFT-OFF! Beautifully made and great sound! What a rush to hear my guitars through the speaker, so harmonically rich. Quality of this level is almost impossible to find anymore in our 'planned obsolescence' society, assembly line, cut corners culture. Thanks again." Michael S. -VA

"My Stagebaby is a "One Size Fits All" American Beauty! From 6 watts (easy on the marriage), to 40 watts (easy on the drummer). This Baby does the trick:

1) play gently - The ultimate love-making machine?
2) dig in - H-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-re's Johnny!
3) Anything in between - Roland will never figure out this Sweet Sweet Magic!"
Klime K. -FL

"Please know that your amps are second to none! After the show, a guys came up to me as I was carrying my gear out, looked at the amp and
said "what the hell IS that?". I told him and he said "Man, that thing sounds ridiculous" (which was a complement, I think). Seriously, he was
impressed."
Bill F. -TN

"I've had the Microbaby for a week now and I want to let you know that I'm extremely pleased with it. It sounds as good as I hoped it might and I can get those tones that I remember from 70s (not to mention many others tones as well)." Richard L. -HI

"Wanted to let you know how much I'm enjoying the Superbaby and cabinet. Just terrific on all counts! I'll be playing my first gig with it on Saturday. Everyone in the band really likes the sound, and look, equally as much. Currently I'm in love with the 12AX7, EL84, GZ34 configuration - but have had tremendous success with the 12AX7, 6V6, 5Y3 setup as well. Anyway, thanks for the terrific service and for making such a simple, musical, beautiful amp." Bob D.- TN

"Hi Curt. The Stagebaby really invites the guitar player to make a direct emotional connection (soul-guitar-amp) when playing through it. The most instantly noticeable feature is the way it reacts to my picking. This amp is really working with me. It's as if the very first moment I played it, the amp and I were bonded as one. I find myself becoming enveloped by the clarity of the sound. It's like my creative flow just switched from an RCA cable to a hi-resolution optical cable. It's high fidelity." James L. -CA

"You are a true artist in your design & implementation..." Doug B.

"I wanted to break in the speaker before giving you some feedback and I can say that I am pleased in several ways. First, the thing is a piece of furniture. A lot of us older guys have wives that just don't like tolex and you have to hide your rig in the closet! Next is the sound. Its hard to explain in some ways; I remember back in the Sixties, when everything seemed to have Jensens, the holy grail was a high end speaker like a JBL or maybe an Altec. We liked them not for their sound but their efficiency - they made your amp louder. Later, when I got my first Vox (an AC50) I discovered the Brit speakers and though we blew them up as easily as any Jensen the Goodmans and Celestions had a lighter, less dark sound. I think that the 10" in your cabinet has that kind of thing but with a twist. Usually a cabinet "aims" or projects the sound where your cabinet is less directional; the sound is all around the cabinet - kinda different and kinda cool. I have a box of tubes and enjoy changing things around (currently using a Mazda 6V6 with a Dutch 12AY7 and a JAN 5Y3) a nice setup for my ES-175 with a Charlie Christian bar pickup." Michael D. -CA

"Hello Curt, I have purchased a Superbaby and have been playing it every day for a week now. I must say it is the 'greatest thing since sliced bread'. What a great sound!!!!" Jerry V.

"I wanted to send you a quick mail just to say how great the Superbaby sounds - the variety of tones from this amp are amazing, even without switching the tubes. I've never heard a tone control that sounded so good!" Eanne C. -Ireland

"Received the Superbaby... it's amazing! Bass sounds great too... thanks."
James -UK Broadcast

"I just wanted to tell you....that amp you built for me flat out ROCKS!!!! No problems of any kind. WOW!!!! I did not think an amp soooo small could kick so much ass and be so versatile in the tone dept. Your amp, along with Artinger guitars is definitely going to make me a better musician. Thank you." Nyles N. -HI

"Greetings Maestro Curt, I am way stoked. The Superbaby is a revelation in sound and feel. My bandmates' jaws dropped. We had our best and most fun rehearsal in years. The rig is rocking correctly in a big way." John L. -CA

"This thing is FANTASTIC! Everything I expected, more in fact. This sounds better than all my other amps. Victoria, Fender, Hi -MU, H&K. Thanks loads, this is the best amp value on the market. Think I'll be keeping this one. What was it that Charlton Heston said? When you pry it out of my cold dead fingers? HA, anyway thanks, you nailed this one. One happy customer." Bobby C.

"Thanks VERY much for the incredible amplifier. I'm amazed by the range of sound I get from this thing, and I've only started on switching out tubes... I haven't even gotten to trying different rectifier and preamp tubes, just the outputs. Best of all is enjoying the fantastic sound quality without getting yelled at. I haven't been kicked out of the living room, let alone banished to the garage. Not only that, my wife thought it was so gorgeous, she didn't object to it being visible. Thanks again for a remarkable sounding and beautiful piece of equipment." Joe P.

"Curt, I received the amp yesterday and could not be happier with it. The workmanship is superb and the sound is truly amazing. Thanks also for making me realize what I've been missing all these years." Michael P. -MN

"The Microbaby is awesome. As good sounding as it looks! I will write a review in harmony central as soon as I can stop playing! With the Yellow Jacket it has that kind of British tone to it! Works great with my Les Paul! Nice break up! Crunchy tone!" Paul M. -CA

"Curt, The Superbaby and cab arrived today after I missed a delivery attempt yesterday (...talk about suffering). It looks and sounds wonderful. It's been a while since I was giddy about anything but this has done the trick. I look forward to the mad scientist phase. What a superb idea superbly executed. You're the kind of folks that make private enterprise a noble endeavor. Thanks again for the amp. It is a unique experience." Craig S. -GA

"Nobel Peace prize in amp making? The Spotlight sounds incredible...from heavenly/infernal organic distortion on one end, to down to earth/cloud 9 clean tones on the other- and all the juicy nuances within the sound spectrum, arrived at by variations in playing dynamics."
Max G.-CA

"Well Curt, I would have e-mailed you sooner, but every day I find more I want to say about these lovely little amps. I couldn't be happier with these babies. I won't even try comment on the sound though. All the emails on your testimonial page don't even get close to describing the beauty of it, and I won't be able to either. Every time I use one of the amps, everyone wants to know about it. I don't know if it's the perfect sound, cute design, or huge light, but these amps make me the center of attention. Thank you very much!

P.S: The Seymour Duncan SFX-01 Pickup Booster Pedal works wonderfully with your amps." David G. -Mexico


"Wanted to let you know I am more than satisfied with my recent Microbaby purchase and am truly impressed with its tone and construction. THANKS!"
Jeff C. -AL

"I've been using the Microbaby and it does have a very good smooth vintage recorded distorted electric guitar sound. Thanks a bunch!" Trevor -NY

"I own one of your excellent Microbaby heads, and your cabinet with the 10" Blue Pup speaker. Thanks for your excellent products. In my studio I record everything through this amp and that includes my own psychobilly, jazz, and heavy sci-fi rock projects." Andrew L. -NYC

"The Superbaby & Cab is everything I expected. Love the way it sounds and feels under the fingers, I particularly like how the cab resonates, certainly don't miss having reverb. I can now get that sweet spot feeling of my gigging amps (Clark Tyger and Fargen Blackbird) at reasonable volumes for practice and recording." Jon D. -England

"I want to thank you for my Superbaby, the best little amp I have ever seen or bought. It's opened a whole new world of sound and options to me." Robert C. -TX

"Wow, what an amp! I've been having a gas with it. Thanks Curt...I am inspired with this amp, bro." Joe A. -CA

"I bought my Microbaby & Mad Scientist tube kit about a year ago. I still love it. I knew you were ahead of the curve when I got my amp and again when I saw your amp on the cover of Vintage Guitar magazine." Richard L. -HI

"Thanks Curt - the Microbaby is a really great little amp. The little amp that could, amazing!" John M.

"
The Superbaby arrived safe and sound today, and it sounds great. The Wurlitzer and Rhodes sound great through it too. What can I say? The thing is beautiful and is a lot of fun to just look at. Hats off for producing a thing of excellence, something very rare these days." Beau B. -NY

"I luv the amp..." Mark L.

"My Emery is the only amp I now use and it's still outstanding. I have acquired a good library of tubes and also get fabulous results with a Blackstone pedal (quite simply the best o/d I've ever come across)." Les B. -UK

"My amp is still running great. Sounds better every day and I've had it for three years now. I use the amp every day and it has never skipped a beat." TiBBy -ME

"The Superbaby is stunning!! Have no time to write, must play and test tubes. Thanks for bringing quality to life, Curt:)" Pål M. -Norway


"THIS IS THE END OF MY SEARCH FOR THE PERFECT TONE! If there exists a heaven for guitar freaks, they will use Emery amps up there ... and God plays a golden Superbaby! Thanks a lot Curt! You are building the absolute greatest amps in the Universe. Deeply impressed!"
Roland B. -Austria

"The Microbaby arrived in perfect condition. What a fabulous sounding amp. I'm glad I didn't get the 8 watter - 1 watt is plenty loud in my small house." John M. -CA

"I am absolutely ecstatic over the Microbaby. With the tube set, it's my Gibson Skylark, AC15, Princeton Reverb, and 1940s Electar all rolled up into one tiny baby amp that, ironically, records as huge sounding as anything." David S. -NYC

"The Superbaby has been getting a very solid workout indeed. My band has been gigging quite a bit and the amp has been a real feature. I have settled, for this band (60s protopunk ala Sonics), on the Bendix 5992. Just THE gnarliest! Using it with a Mullard 12AX7 and either a 5Y3 (for extra squish) or Mullard GZ33 (it seems to bring out a mid range harmonic that I particularly like). It is perfectly loud enough to balance in with the volume of the bass and drums, even when not miked up. A few of my other guitar playing mates have told me it is "spot on", and they remark about the massive variety of sounds it's capable of extracting."
Rob W. -Australia


"Just wanted to let you know that the Cabinet arrived in good shape. My initial impression is extremely good, seems to really open up the amp, making all the cool little nuances from the Superbaby that much more notable. Also really must compliment you on the construction, very impressive wood work. The combination of the Superbaby and the cabinet is visually stunning, big time cool factor."
Dave C.

"I just got my amp today and it sounds great. It has great tone and a lot of sounds that I did not know were in there. Awesome, and I have so far only used one tube. " Rob

"Aloha Curt, I wanted to let you know that the Microbaby sounds AWESOME! It's keeping my days busy playing... thanks again for making the amp, I don't know where I'd be without it..." Zach D. -HI

"Just wanted to let you know the Microbaby arrived, it's unbelievable. Flawless in every way, exceeds all expectations! Like its big brother, this baby really rocks, I'm having a ball with it. For home/recording use, its plenty loud and really really versatile! Many thanks - Once again, I'm just blown away with your gear." Paul Z.

"My new babies (Bass & Super) rock! I am very happy with them. I have been looking and pondering for years what amp to buy
that I can actually use to its full capabilities at home or in the studio. Until I came across your website it seemed like the only options for lower volume amps were the cheap practice amps that the major vendors produce. Imagine spending $2500 on a high-end guitar and then having to play and record it through a crappy practice amp! Why do all the large companies think that high-end amps need to produce hundreds of watts? I don't think I ever got my 50 watt to actually saturate its tubes. You'll have hearing damage well before it reaches that point. There must be a huge market of people that are serious about music and want high-quality amplification at acceptable volume levels. For bass amplification I've found nothing worth trying below 100 watts, I am almost sure there is nothing besides the Bassbaby. I think the lowest watt tube guitar amps of good quality are 15 watts which is still far too much for my purposes.

Bassbaby: It sounds very good through my 200W Mesa/Boogie EV-Thiele cabinet. My bass is a Warwick 5 string and for the first time I am actually hearing the full quality and the wide range of sound-colours this bass can produce. Not only does the Bassbaby produce a great sound with an impressive dynamic range (even the low-B string comes through very well), it is also very quiet, as in virtually noise-free. Something I was not used to, even with my other high-end tube amps or preamps.

Superbaby: these 8 Watts are actually quite loud through my Celestion cabinet! I tried two different tube combinations so far. I'm impressed by how much the sound can be influenced by changing the tubes. I am playing a Parker Fly Classic, Parker Fly Deluxe, and Godin LGX, again I am hearing so many more sound details in my guitars than I have heard before.. The control over clean vs. distorted sounds out of the Superbaby just by turning the volume knob on the guitars is absolutely great.

I'll keep you up to date on my Mad Scientific experiments! Looking forward to recording some new music with the Babies. They do inspire!" Jeroen L. -Netherlands

"I just wanted to let you know that 6 months later I'm still enjoying my Microbaby & Blue Pup cab. My girlfriend loves the low volume, I love the low noise, being able to crank it and getting the smoldering grind from the hardworking power tube. I haven't tried any other tubes other than the stock NOS RCA 6G6 that shipped with it. I'll be ready to try out other ones soon. The Blue Pup performs admirably, thanks for your suggestion to go with it. My old Tube Screamer seems to agree real well with the amp & gives my signal a nice boost. I'm very happy with that because it is my favorite stomp box. I've played a PRS Custom 22 with McCarty electronics through it but it absolutely loves my Burstbucker equipped 1958 RI Les Paul. Man, the sounds that I get out of that Paul. I'm thinking about a Superbaby. My best regards!" Ernie P.

"I *now* know exactly what you mean about the dynamics and sound.....I currently have the combination of MiniMASS and a direct box which allow me to DIME the Superbaby at will and keep the volume as low as I want -- probably the next best thing to having the 1x12 cabinet in an isolation room -full volume- with a good mic on it! When turned up to max volume, the 5Y3 sag is obvious -- but when turned down *just below* the point of that "noticeable maximum sag", wow - I thought I was imagining the amazing sound! And with a solid state Fulltone FD2 pedal in front of it pushing the power tube, absolutely incredible!" Anthony A.

"My Superbaby arrived and I've just had a chace to fire it up. Very, very nice. I'll be spending many happy hours swapping tubes in this baby. The next session will be a Mullard EL37. I had to make one other modification, though. I realize that the clear pilot light jewel matches every decor, but I had to go with a green one. Another swapable feature of your great amp. Tonight I think we will be going - purple! ;<)" Steve T.

"I received both the Microbaby head and cabinet in one piece and without problems a week ago - thanks! It´s taken up until now to really get to grasp of the incredible range of sounds available from this amp! Not only does it sound magnificent - an EL84 with the 12AT7 is my favorite combination at present for that late 60´s grind - but with the Zebrawood it looks magnificent too. I really am absolutely delighted with it, and have already started spreading the news to any other guitarists that are prepared to listen! Thanks again Curt - I´ll probably end up ordering a Superbaby too!" Chris M. -Columbia

"Totally Awesome.....................:) With a Baker Crucible (Humbuckers) and an Alessandro/Audioquest cable direct, it sounds like someone resurrected Duane (think Blue Sky). Thanks for awesome tone. I use the 'babies in stereo and individually as well. I get a big open sound with the two. A '59 Les Paul Historic sings through the 'babies. I'm a happy guy. The amps work flawlessly. Currently using a Mullard GZ34, Mullard CV 4024, and JAN Phillips 6L6 in both amps. Very sweet sound." Wayne R. -GA

"Curt, Yow! Was up all night 'cuz Microbaby was crying the blues! I Thank You. I pity the fools with the full stack and sore back. I've got THE sound with only a cord straight in. Finally. Dang am I glad I saw your ad. Cheers," Ken J.-CA

"I have the Superbaby which I use with a Blue Dog. I really enjoy it - thank you." Charles O.

"First off, bravo on the design! I've never been so happy with a piece of gear. Being able to saturate the power tubes and still have plenty of volume is a great experience. My first thought after playing the amp was, "Now what am I going to do with all these overdrive pedals?"
Jake R.

"Thanks,After a few months of using my Superbaby, I just had to write to let you know how delighted I am with this superb little amp....It has replaced all others in my armoury, even being used for live gigs (miked up for the bigger venues) and has a simplicity and depth of tone which is inspirational."
Joe N.-UK

"Wow, it's everything that the reviews say it is - you've designed an incredible sounding amp; nearly dead silent regarding power hum and with my PRS plugged straight into the amp, just playing clean at low volumes, it sounds better than any other amp I currently own or have owned in the last few years, great signal path! When overdriven it gets a beautiful "Jimmy Page" sound with various power tubes pushed *just* to the point of distortion when using a Gibson LP, with the pickup selector switch in the *center*.

Last night I was using a "Silver Special' 12AX7, the Ruby 5AR4, and the EH EL34 in the Superbaby head- and was just amazed at the sound. Your amp sounds *alive* compared to others, ALL the nuances and harmonics from the guitar come right through, loud & clear. Man, and any sloppiness in playing style will come right through, too! My playing has definitely improved (much cleaner) because of this - hehehehe. Finally, I ran a bass through the Superbaby... one word: WOW It's very, very cool!" Anthony A.

"I must say I am very pleased with the amp you built for me. The workmanship, the sound, the design, you should be very proud... your products are truly 1st rate!" Tom S.

"What a sound you have achieved in this amp. Congratulations, I am impressed." Tore V. -Norway

"I've been enjoying my Microbaby enormously, it's a great amp! Amazing that the 6G6G is 47 years old, its box looks like it was made yesterday. Mark me down as a *very happy* customer!" Damon L. - Toronto Can.

"The amp arrived this afternoon. Beautifully finished and even has that new tube amp smell. I'll have to say that it is very satisfying so far in its ability to produce different tone characteristics with the tone knob alone. I think the term 'interactive' is an understatement. Overall my impressions are that the amp is very quiet as far as hum, pretty loud as far as volume and has a very creamy sound; just what I was after!" Michael D.

"I want to let you know that my Microbaby is in every respect a great success. Genuine power tube distortion and incredible harmonics at ludicrously low volume. It's exactly what I wanted. I played through it for several hours today, on three of my guitars. In my experience, low-wattage tube amplifiers homogenize tone; i.e., they tend more or less to erase the sonic distinctions between instruments. This little gem, however, not only preserves each guitar's identity far better than any other low-power amp that I have known; at least to these old ears, the Microbaby is also superior in this regard to the handful of higher output "boutique" amps presently in my possession. Anyway, Curt, I'm having outrageous fun playing through this amp, and I thank you for putting it out here for the rest of us. No one in the house has asked me to turn down the volume. I suspect that they don't even know when I'm playing. My wife's dog, however, thinks I'm God!" Steven D

"The amp arrived yesterday, I think it might be perhaps the best sounding amp I've heard in person! No joke. My jaw hit the floor. I was using my jazz guitar, a thin hollowbody Ibanez AM 200 (the scofield model) with the big humbuckers. Damn, it sounds better than ever. Can't wait to run my strat and a pedal steel through it. It's the way the note kinda oozes and fluctuates a tiny bit during the sustain that makes it so organic and cool. Really nice work! (can you tell I like it?) Truly baddass!!" Brad Z. -WA

"Just wanted to remind you how much I like my Superbaby, I've used it at more small club gigs than any of my other amps. Thanks for a great amp" Jamie S.- WI

"I've had the Superbaby for about 6 mos. w/ the Mad Scientist tube set. It's indispensable in the studio. A great tone master. No amp/mic changing - just switching tubes to get the best sound for the part/instrument. I've actually gigged w/ it here in NYC small clubs. Sound guys love it, always guaranteed to start a conversation. Thanks much." Andy T. -NY

"The Microbaby, as Jackie Gleason said... how sweet it is!!! Curt Emery gets the award for guitar tone at 2 watts and for thinking out of the box by copying no one! What a concept and probably the best recording amp ever designed." Alan F. -NY

"Got the Microbaby, and I love the tones I've been able to get so far. Best of all, I love being able to crank it for the distortion and not have my wife complain. She told me with my studios door shut she could not hear it while she was watching TV in the kitchen, even though I had the volume maxed! Too cool! While I got it primarily for OD tones, I have to say that the clean tones are also quite pleasing." Chris T. -CA

"What a cool little amp! I love that warm, just on the edge of breaking up sound on 40s and 50s jazz guitar records and your amp does that at living room volumes. I can't wait to start recording! A real sweet surprise is how the Microbaby sounds with a Brimar 6V6GTY I yanked out of my Princeton Reverb. Very nice indeed! Great for jazz. However, I suspect the 6G6 will be the tube that will stay in the Microbaby most of the time. Great amp, Curt!" Wayne G. -Canada

"I got the amp, the workmanship is great, the cabinet and head are beautiful, the Mad Scientist tube set is plain cool, and the amp and cab sound great with amazing tonal response. I'm having to fight the urge to order a second cabinet just because it looks so good : ) Thanks for building such a fine amp."
Ed G. -New Zealand

"I received my Micro-Spotlight today. It's wonderful! I feel like I'm hearing my '62 ES-175 the way it was intended to be heard - for the first time! The amp is even warmer and smoother than I expected. The volume is just right too - thanks for your advice! I'm very, very happy" Mark R. -Japan

"I searched tons of boutique amp makers before I found you. I just knew you made the cleanest & purest amps out there. I try really hard to not use equipment from the big corporate giants. I look to patronize the guys who are really creating Art. They are definitely the most serious studio amps on the planet. I really like the mellow textures and tones I can get out of the amps. The sweetness is incomparable. Your little amps are also perfect for small intimate gigs, and sound huge in those settings. Keep up the good work, Curt!" Ricky R.- FL

"I just wanted to take a moment to tell you how great your amps are. I didn't want to turn them off last night. If I didn't have neighbors I probably would have woken up to the sound of feedback and drool on my guitar. You have been awesome to work with on this and the end result is a testimony to your clever and musical designs as well as your eye for aesthetics. Imagine...an amp that sounds as cool as it looks! These are some of the nicest amps I have EVER played. They also suit my particular style better than any other amp I have played. The tone and feel is like nothing else. I'm not sure why, but ALL my guitars sound great with your amps. It always seemed that my other amps sound good with a few guitars and not as good with others, but no matter what guitar or pickup configuration I plug in, they all sound great." Ty G. -CA

"The amp sounds amazing. My favorite amp previously was my 60's Vibro-Champ, but to be honest the only time I've used it recently was to pull the tubes out to try them in the Superbaby." Frank S.

"I have been having a blast with my Superbaby! It's incredible how easily I can fine tune it for whatever guitar I want to use. I also didn't initially contemplate using this amp for "clean", jazzy sounds, but it's at least as good at that as it is at screamin' and yellin'! Even at very very low volume, it's a thing of beauty." Brad C.

"I just used the Superbaby with the EL84 with my Tele through a Jenkins cabinet over the weekend in a recording session. I don't own a Vox, but it sure did smack that chimey thing really nicely! I was able to control the amount of clarity I needed with the guitar volume while leaving the amp at 11. It's really serving me well! On the recording this thing sounded like $20,000 worth of vintage gear and sounds amazing in the mix! Your Superbaby has what I'm wanting to call a "brownish" tone. With no EQ it's earthy right out of the box. It's the most excited I've ever been about a guitar tone I've recorded!" Paul S. -CA

"
So far so great! I'm really liking the Microbaby. Very well suited to my home environment and the distortion tones are spectacular. Much more playing and experimenting to do." Aaron S.- CA

"I love this amp." Norm D.

"Yes, I swear I really love that little amp you made. It sounds truly outstanding with every guitar I use. I'm not kidding you when I say that I am divesting myself of three or four other amps that I will no longer be using on account of the versatility of your amp." Michael S. -IL

"I really have enjoyed my search to get all the tube combinations covered. There is no doubt in my mind that this is the best low wattage amp available at any price. Great job on the cabinet. It is both nice to look at and to listen to. Extremely resonant. Great match with the Superbaby."
Rich M. -CA

"I received the Superbaby and the tube set today. Your idea and craftsmanship are brilliant and very educational. You can expect another order from me soon. It is nice to find a vendor with integrity these days." Dennis A.-CA

"I've played guitar for 20 years now, and your amp have bring out some sounds I've had in my head for a very long time. What a pleasure!! Don't have to search anymore, just have to play. For the moment I'm playing thru a 30 year old 4x12 Hiwatt cab (my Hiwatt heads are going to take some holidays!) I'm very impressed by the tonal range you get and the dynamic and... everything on your amp. The Superbaby is a piece of art. Well done." Mat S. -France

"
I finally had some time today to set everything up and fired up the KT66. All I can say is "wow"! What an amazing tone... I'm sure it's going to provide hours of fun for me...amazing early Zep-like tones, harmonics, instant response. In all it's everything you claim and more, and I'm just one tube in!!! I'm sure it will make me a better, cleaner player as you can really pick out every nuance in the notes. It really makes the guitar sing. Thanks for the great work, Curt."
Karl U. -MA

"
Man, quite impressed with how the Superbaby sounds through a 4x12 cabinet -- dude! A plexi without the bleeding ears." Jude Gold, Guitar Player asst. editor -CA

"The Microbaby is really a great amp with a lots of tone - thank you." Stephan R. -Germany

"Just wanted to drop you a line and tell you how blown away I am with the Superbaby. I'm a fan of getting whatever sound fits the track by whatever means necessary, and the Superbaby makes the whole experience absolutely fun. Even getting fat tones, and I mean PHAT fat tones, was a breeze with some intuitive tube configuring. I really love the way the amp is so responsive to how hard or soft I strike the strings, using a pick or my fingers, and different pickup selections. This amp really lets the character of my guitars shine through. Running any kind of pedal in front displays much of the same responsive nature. In general...this is a great studio amplifier. The Superbaby is gonna be all over our next disc. Just wanted to say thanks!" Rob J. - TN

"I've been abusing my Superbaby baby for the last couple of weeks, and loving every plugged in minute of it!!! This little brute has really warmed me up here in Silicon Valley. My girlfriend even moved out 'cuz she wasn't getting any attention from me." Jamie K. - CA

"Having been used to multi-channel amps w/FX loops & several gain channels, as well as rack systems which did tons of different stuff, I was unprepared for the pure tone of my guitars. What a sweet amp! So far I've used the 6L6, a NOS Mullard EL34, an EL84 w/ a Yellow Jacket, and one of the new EH 6V6's with great success... All my pedals sound awesome through the head. I love it. It sounds amazing!" Steve K.- Sound Lounge NYC

"My Superbaby is the amp I play the most in the basement- chosen over Matchless, tweed and blackface Fender, vintage Marshall and Vox, Dr Z, Hiwatt, Fuchs, etc" Bob S.- WI

"I just wanted to drop you a line and say that I've really been diggin' that lil' class-A cathode-biased amp you built me a while back. I play it through an old Marshall 4x12 w/ the volume pegged and it sounds GREAT with all the guitars I've tried through it." Kent S. - CA

"Thanks for the best amp I've ever played."Mark T. - ME

"The sound is mind boggling. It is exactly what I had hoped for. I must say that the build quality is outstanding and it is an extremely classy design . The attention you devote to all the details is present in the physical aspects of this amp." Greg M. - CO

"I have had the Superbaby and 1x12" Blue Dog cabinet for over a little over a week now and I gigged with it on this past Friday and Saturday nights. The tone is awesome!!!!!!! It fits very well with my venues, many of which look like living rooms (coffee shops are comfy)! On your web site, you talk about the sound radiating from the cab, and it does, really. As for the speaker, the tone of the Blue Dog is just right. The tonal balance works for my ears and my guitars' voices. It is a great combination for me. I really like the switch on the tone control, and keep it set for the tone feature turned off! Fantastic!

This is the most flexible amp that I have ever used, truly an amazing amp. To say that I am completely satisfied is an understatement." Nightwolf -sings the blues... -PA

"The Superbaby is so f*n amazing! I have already plugged in thru a Bruno 2x12 cab with Celestion Blues, wholy moly!!!!!!!!!! In went the Telefunken 12AX7 and the Old RCA 6V6, plugged in a Tele, and jeez, my hair stood up. I am playing in a small place tonite and I am takin it with me. I will run this in stereo with a Bruno Baby (18 watt Tweed deluxe clone) on the other side. This should be a gas!" Alan F. - NY

"The Superbaby arrived and I wound up taking the day off from work. It's a wonderful amp, the sound is so warm and full that it's hard for me to stop playing. It's beautifully built as well, it looks like art. I couldn't be happier. I'm amazed how different various tubes sound!" Sonny R. - NY

"The Weber sounds incredible...it has an enormous range, and the ability to put out a lot of bottom!!! It sounds great clean or cranked. I find a new subtle nuance every time I play the amp. I am slowly learning the relationships between tubes, volume and tone controls, guitar volume and tone tweeks, string attack etc... I find the amp very 'open'. I am mostly using the Strat, but I was flipped out when I plugged my humbucker equiped PRS...wow....a whole new territory ...really thick and focused. I am playing blues and chord melody, some comping, country licks, funk..you name it, the amp is able to do it all. There is an elastic conection between the guitar and amp..a totally interactive connection between the player and the instrument...the amp sounds and looks fabulous.
I couldn't be happier..it suits my style(s) perfectly...I have a bunch of old 'vintage' (40's, 50's, & 60's) small amps, supro, danelectro, premier, fender, alamo, etc.. your amp catches the vibe of these amps, but it is better..it is clear and crisp and noise free...with the tonal flexiblity of power, rectifier, and preamp tube exchange (something you wouldn't want to try with a vintage amp)..honestly, I can envision my old amps becoming less valuable to me as they sit and collect dust while the Superbaby gets all the fun !! Thanks Curt."
Barry H. - FL

"The Superbaby really shows up the modeling amps as the toys that they are! INCREDIBLE versatility from so few controls. The amp lets me change my tone simply by altering my picking. Very musically expressive...I can forget about my gear and just play." Jerry S. - CA

"Curt and company, hello again. For the past four days I have been in aural ecstasy, and my fingers are definitely sore from the workout. My new Superbaby is way too cool, what an incredible amp! It seems to be an unlimited palette of sonic joy and expression. The amp arrived well packed and in perfect order. Your guide-lines for tube selection seem to be spot on, it will take me some time to sort out those 36 combinations! My compliments, and thanks to you for an incredible product, so much heart in such a little package! Between the tube set, my Klon Centaur, and an Analogman modifed TS9, my sonic desires are more than satisfied. The whole set-up and all its variations continues to absolutely knock me out! I'm very happy to hear that you are doing so well with what I consider to be such an outstanding product." Bill T.- MI

"I just purchased one of Emery's Superbabys about a month ago and it fills a need I've had for years; a great, low volume tone machine (I live in a condo with some not-so-friendly neighbors). I've used EL34, KT66 and 6V6 power tubes to great effect. I run the Superbaby into a Celestion Blue reissue speaker and the sound is fantastic. I would not hesitate to buy this amp again." Mark S.-NC

"I just wanted to tell you again what a great little amp the Spotlight is! I've had a chance to check it out some more and I greatly admire the physical design and workmanship. It sounds totally awesome! Hard to believe that much tone and volume from one tube." Les B.-MA

"a few more notes about the Superbaby with the Weber...
Today I tried something a little different..I stuck a Lawrence soundhole pickup in my acoustic guitar and gave it a whirl through the Superbaby. The Weber really shines in this application...the bass response is really accentuated in a very natural lush sort of way...

It seems that no matter which guitar I use, this little Superbaby handles the job, and each guitar retains it's uniqueness. It sounds great for jazz comping with my 335, it nails the gutbucket thing for slide with my old danelectro...I will be giving it a workout with my lap-steel guitar when I get back off the road. I sold my M*** B***** to acquire the Superbaby and it is the BEST thing I could have done for my sound (and my back). The Superbaby is simply amazing. Everybody who has heard it has been blown away." Barry H. - FL

"Let me say again how impressed I am with your 'out of the box thinking' electrical design, as well as the mechanical design and fit 'n finish. I really dig several aspects of the amp, from the top-mounted (clear!) jewel light to the screw-on name plate to the nice rear panel label to the plexi bottom. The overall aesthetics really float my boat... Well done!" Dave B- CA

"I have the amp, it's great! Best regards and compliments to your superb product." Charles C.- NY

"The distortion tone I got with my Barden bridge humbucker raised the hair on my arms." Gary W.- FL

"I can't believe how big it sounds. It's beautiful! You've made my dream amp. Its better than anything I've ever played through. Big amp tone, in my house. " Klime K. - Miami Beach

"Hey Curt, one more time...... Holy s**t! .......... This Superbaby amp of yours is completely amazing, I really love it, thanks again for the custom work, it's beautiful as well. By the way how the hell do you make a 10" speaker cab sound F#$@ing huge?!" Mark D.-NY

"Your amp sounds fantastic, I really like the sound of it. There is no audible noise from the amp, it is very quiet. It would be an insult to this amp to place reverb in front of it! The amp seems to have its own reverb... I assume this must be the sag of a tube rectifier, I was not aware of this till I played your amp. The guitar I use most is an archtop made by me with a Kent Armstrong pickup. I have the tone control on the amp wound back to zero and its the best jazz sound I've heard, and its mine, thank you very much. I'm hooked on sag." Kim D.-New Zealand

"The custom bass amp Emery Sound built for me kicks major ass!! Its thick, warm sound fills the room with Motown, and with just a touch of gain I can reproduce that heavy, fat distorted bass tone of the great 60's and 70's rock giants. All this in a unit that I can carry around with one hand. This is the best studio bass amp I've ever played. " Robert M.-WA

"Love the Microbaby you just sent me with the"blue pup" cabinet." Jon B. -CA

"The Dominatrix has destroyed my chub. Its like I went to bed with a rabid woodchuck." Randy F - AZ

"I couldn't be more overjoyed. I really like it and its the neatest looking thing." John R. - WA

"The fundemental tone is there. It sounds great with every guitar I've tried." Jeff B. - PA


Harmony Central User Reviews

Emery Sound Superbaby head-

-Features: 8

I just got this amp in. It's THE most bare bones head you can imagine- tube rectifier, 1 preamp and 1 power tube. It's set up so that you can use any power tube with an octal base (and EL84s if you get a Yellowjacket adapter). Volume, tone, and a tone stack bypass switch. That's it! But what more do you need for tone-it's a
question of engineering something well and letting it do it's job.

-Sound Quality: 10

Since you can change much of the character of the amp by changing tubes-you can use it for almost any sound. It doesn't play clean AND loud-that's what you lose with only 8 watts, but it goes from smooth distortion, thru Clapton's tone on Layla, to almost metal territory. The tone stack bypass really opens it up, and shows what we're missing in our tone by having all those extra controls. It can purr like a Deluxe, scream like a Vox, or pummel you like a mini Marshall. And when you're pushing 8 watts thru a 4x12 cab it's earplug loud. I got it as much for a tube tester (if it sounds good stripped nearly naked, it should work well in any amp), as for anything else. Now, hopefully, I can answer for myself those questions about whether it's worth the extra money for NOS tubes...

-Reliability: N/A

Not sure, there's not much to go wrong, Curt is pretty easy to contact, and builds things pretty carefully. I'd probably get a road case for it, but I'd gig with it...

-Customer Support: 9

Very responsive, well done.

-Overall Rating: 9

In the quest for pure, stripped down, tube tone, this is the best. Allen makes the Class Act-master volume and too many tone controls, similar concerns with the Kendrick, which'll also be PCB by the time you read this. I'm not aware of any other amp this basic and well built."

submitted by Dr. Bob Smith-WI on 11/27/2000

Features: 7
Feaures? What features?? This is as barebones as one can get. But that is not necessarily bad. It has a half-power switch, one speaker output(4-16 ohm), one tone(bypassable) and one "volume" control. What you get is pure tube tone. Oh, and it is cathode biased so you can substitute 6L6, 6V6, KT88(6550), EL34, and several other varieties of power tubes including EL84(with Yellow Jacket adapter). Various 12a?7 preamp tubes and a variety of tube rectifiers. Max output is about 11 watts so you won't be doin' those stadium gigs with this baby. Would be nice to have parallell effects loop and/or headphone out

Sound Quality: 10
I used a single-coil strat and p-90 (Gibson ES-330), Birdland, and L5 with this amp doing rock, blues, and jazz(my main thing). This amp is a rock and blues monster. doing everything from chimy clean to chainsaw rockin' and all point in between. I drove it with an old TS808 and it screamed. It was almost as good as my solid state Walter Woods amp for jazz but simply lacked the headroom and added too much coloration for clean jazz. The advantage of solid state amps are that they simply amplify the sound of the guitar which in the case of birdlands and large-body jazz guitars is just what i want. i don't need distortion or tube coloration when i'm getting nice smooth tones from the guitar itself. But when one wants to stray into the realm of rock or jazz then tubes become another tool to use and are IMO better than SS amps. Nevertheless, even the "baby's clean sound is pretty damn appealing with a KT88 or 6L6 at the end of the chain. So if yer interested only in rock or blues or stuck on tube amps the Superbaby is as good as it gets. I have played a THD Univalve and a GT Soul-o-Single. Both are excellent amps and more versatile than the Emery Superbaby. But for pure tone and variation on those tones i'd go with the Superbaby, especially in the studio. So for rockers and blues junkies i'd give this amp a 10

Reliability: 10
Can't tell you anything about reliability as I have only played it for about 20 hours and it seems well-built. I opened it up (sorry Derek, i couldn't resist!) and the wiring and solder joints are first-rate...not one cold-solder joint. Top-quality components too. Should be an heirloom.

Overall Rating: 10
I've been playing in bands and solo for 38 years. Have owned dozens of amps over the years and the Superbaby is as good as any tube amp I've owned and much better sounding than most. I'm sorely tempted to buy one of these things. I wish it had an effects loop but then that might be defeating the purpose of the builder. It is a unique piece of art that inspires lust in the heart of collectors and ears of players. Derek? Did I tell you it might not be coming home?

submitted 08/01/2003

Features: 10
Wow! Who knew you could get so much from so little. In my opinion, controls are there to serve one purpose only - to get the sound in your head to come out of the amp. In this regard the amp is nearly perfect. With just a (switchable) tone control and volume knob on the front, and a "tight/loose" switch in the back it gives me all I need. If you're a fiddler of knobs this is definitely not be the unit for you, but if the amp serves the purpose of "tone" and not "toy" this is one of the great investments you can make in your sound. I give this a 10 based on true utilitarian need.

Sound Quality: 10
I mainly play a '73 strat with Fralin steel pole 43's in the mid and bridge positions and an old EMG in the neck spot. Other guitars that I've run through this unit are an L-4, and a Gibson 446 prototype, both stock. The amp is then run through a cab I made out of solid pine with a pair of Weber 12A125/P12Q's.The amp makes each of these wonderful guitars sound even better and yet more like themselves. The sound in each is rich, super full, and incredibly organic when set to a clean sound and when cranked up still retains the same qualities. In my opinion, dirty sounds are usually easier to achieve while the clean sound is the true litmus test and this is one of the rare amps that can pull this off. Since I play mostly jazz and a fair amount of Dead I'll leave the harsher sound reviews to someone else. A true perfect 10.

Reliability: N/A
I've only owned this amp for about a month now so I cannot speak to its durability especially since I have no intention of it ever leaving the house again to get beat up gigging. On the upside, I would have to say that it seems very well made when you hold it in your hands and aside from the possibility of breaking off one of the tubes in their base (you wouldn't let that happen to you would you?), I can't forsee any problems besides just plain dropping it since its so small and lightweight.

Customer Support: 8
I found this unit through a magazine ad and Harmony Central reviews so naturally I had a truckload of questions for Curt. In the numerous phone calls, I always got hime personally on the phone and found him to be patient and informative while I asked the exact same questions everyone else does. As to any future service it may need, I can only guess that it will be more of the same.

Overall Rating: 10
Am I going to sell my Silverface Twin or my '60's Deluxe? Of course not, but then they serve much different purposes than the Superbaby. What I was looking for was a rich, organic tone in a "practice" amp for home/recording use only. In that regard the Superbaby fills its niche flawlessy and I went through quite a few boutique brands to find one I was really psyched about. The ease in changing tubes is crucial (no re-biasing) and if you can't figure this amp out there's just something wrong with you. What's wrong with it you may ask? Well, always reaching over a rectifier tube hot enough to burn your wrist to the standby and power switches is more of a gripe than a problem, and pulling such a small amp onto the hard floor by the guitar cord would be your own fault wouldn't it? Sometimes I think it would be nice to have an effects loop in there but with such simple wiring there really isn't a good place for one. That's the price you pay for such tone. Really, its pretty hard to bitch about such a niche-perfect unit. In a little more than 20 years of banging on guitars, its the only piece of equipment I've ever owned that aquaintances come over to see and hear just by word of mouth. Holland, GT, THD, Bad Cat, just didn't compare. The only other unit I'd think would give this a run for its money would be the Vintone Clipper and its twice the price. Oddly, with something so basic I thought I'd just turn it on and be blown away and to a certain extent I was. In reality, it takes a few weeks to get the tube choices and amp settings just the way one likes them. My only advice is to stay with it. Once I got (and continue to get) things just the way I like them I really am awed.

Submitted by Jeff at 04/08/2004

 

Features: 10
Not many other than fantastic sound But isn't that the point. Most of the great vintage tube amps that I have played through or heard did not have a lot of features either. One of it's few features and it is a fantastic one is the Self adjusting cathode bias setup which allows you to change the tubes including the power tube at will. This in it's self is a very powerful feature which opens the door to a large variety of vintage tube sounds. Another feature is the ability to by pass the tone control. If you turn it counter clockwise you get a more open boosted sound. While at first glance the Superbaby may not appear to have many features the ones it does have offer a large variety of tonal possibilities.

Sound Quality: 10

I purchase my Superbaby about three months ago. It is difficult to describe how good this amp sounds. The clean sound is rich and lush while the overdriven sound is smooth and not gritty. As I mentioned above changing the tubes can make a big difference in the tone you get. I am currently using a NOS JAN el84, (using a yellow jacket adapter) Philips 5y3 and a RCA 12ax7 and I am running the Superbaby through a 70's Marshall 4x12 cabinet. It has the g12h speakers which Marshall used back then. The amp sounds big, full and articulate through that cabinet. Your technique really comes through. As mentioned in other reviews the amp is very touch sensitive. It makes you want to get on that note an pull every sweet, whispering, screaming, ballzy nuance out of it.

Here is a point I want to make for any one reading this. Some people spend a lot of money for really nice guitars and run them through crappy amps. If you get a great amp like the Super Baby it will make just about any guitar sound good. Like wise a poor amp will make a great guitar sound not so good. I purchased a Jimmy Vaughan strat just to have a guitar that I could haul around with out worrying about it getting damaged and leave my more fragile guitars like my holobodys and vintage SG custom at home. Guess what? The Superbaby makes that inexpensive MIM strat sound like a pricey MIA strat.

Reliability: 10
Well build. Should last a long time.

Customer Support: 10

Support! You call and you talk to Curt Emery who is a musician just like you who is interested in great tone. You can talk to the man who built the thing.

Overall Rating: 10

I started playing in the late 60's and quit in the early 80's. I had sold my Marshall superlead and some of my other gear. I started playing again a few years ago and have been searching for the right amp. I looked at a lot of amps and were not happy with any of them. I was unsure about purchasing a vintage amp because of the price and the other issues that come with a 30 or 40 year old amp. The Superbaby has been the answer! When you buy it you are getting a new 40 year old tube amp. I could not be happier.

Submitted by Ed at 04/18/2003

Features: 10
My other review capsulizes this. They are aesthetically works of functioning Art. They look like old chassis tube amps from a by-gone era. Has anyone noticed how many "10" ratings that Emery Amps have? This ought to speak volumes...

Sound Quality: 10
Jackson and Hamer very custom axes... one pick-up, one volume. Many styles from Blues to Techno. Emery amps can be sweet or nasty at the turn of a knob. The distortion sings and the amps have incomparable sweetness. My fave thing is to put the two heads into the stereo ins on a 4x12" cabinet. It is huge!!!

Reliability: 10
The Emery amp is near indestructable. Never have these amps broken down or failed in the least. If anything, I'm always more surprised at how amazing they are all around.

Customer Support: 10
Curt Emery is a one-man Factory and Designer/Creator. His amps are NOT imitations of existing designs but INNOVATIONS. The amps are warranteed, sure, but so reliable and Curt is so great to deal with, it's never a hassle. Curt is friendly, wise, and knowledgeable about amps. He can actually tell You why You like certain tones and sounds and help You to get Your own sound and tone. No one can do that as well as Curt. He's an electrical engineer who thinks like an Artist. He's the Da Vinci of amps.

Overall Rating: 10
I've owned about every amp brand around and some obscure ones, since 1975. I quit using them all in favour of Curt Emery designs. I'd be absolutely lost if I lost one of my amps. I know Curt would build me a new one, but after You own an Emery amp, You get attached to it bigtime. I LOVE my Emery amps. No other amps compare except to say they suck by comparison, in terms of tone, and service a guy gets. With Curt, You get real human service, in-put, and knowledge. I only wish I had enough money for more Emery Stuff.

Submitted by Martian7@firemail.de at 06/17/2002

Features: 10
I own two early 2001 Emery Superbaby heads. They are simple straight-away amps like a 1940's or 1950's type of amp. Just an input and the output. The marvelous Emery aesthetic makes them look like 1940's tube heads and yet somewhat futuristic. There is only a Volume and a Tone/Filter knob that seems to act like the choke on an old Vox amp. They are studio amps but each head will power a 4x12" cabinet really well for that big Jimmy Page Headley-Grange sound... did I let out the Secret? I use these amps like so: I go into either a BOSS GT6 or a Roger Linn ADRENA-LINN unit and the stereo outs go into the Emery heads. Very simple, and astonishingly powerful and toneful... the amps have only one In and one Out. A Superbaby normally comes with a cabinet with a 10" Weber speaker and it is mind-bending.

Sound Quality: 10
My guitar is a very custom Hamer Virtuoso with long scale and only one simple Seymour Duncan Hot-Rails pickup into one simple valume knob with no tome capaciter to ruin the purity of the signal. This is one reason a guy buys an Emery amp is that You are getting as close to the pure signal path as humanly possible. The amps are warm and versatile in numerous styles. No amp on Earth is as sweet sounding in tone as an Emery Superbaby. I use mine with strictly EL84 tubes and had the Amps made that way rather than opt for the tube-switching options. They sound like a mix of say an old Vox AC10 and a good Matchless, but sweeter and nicer in tone. Yeah, it's that great. I plug it in and it's instant British Invasion tone but better-like. The amps go dirtier as you turn up the volume and they are incredibly touch-sensitive. They will register every bit of pick or finger nuance. You could for instance finger-pick a delicate passage and then slam the strings for a crescendo effect like in Zep's "Baby I'm Going to Leave You." And that delicacy and impact will happen simultaneously on an Emery amp as much as a fine acoustic guitar. The distortion on an Emery amp is fine and each note will be clear and fine and yet the grit is there. If You buy an Emery with the switchable tube set-up, You can play with power tubes and pre-amp tubes to go from brutal to delicate and bluesy. It's probably the most simple and versatile studio amp on the planet. Look, I love these things and have used about every amp on the planet. I swear by Emery Sound today because of what Curt Emery does. It's Magicke. I use the amps for Industrial/Goth and Techno in the Break Scene. The many variations in nuance and tone allow me to make a LOT of different music from soulful ambient stuff to really freaky stuff. My amps were set up to use only the humble EL84 tube... BUT, they are very versatile in tone. The chief interesting thing about an Emery amp is how Curt gets a power-tube to distort as well as the pre-amp tubes. On almost all current amps on Earth, what you hear in distortion is all coming from the pre-amp tubes and that is why it's hard-sounding and not really deep and with that sag that older amps or carefully hot-rodded amps have... remember here, you are dealing with a tube-rectified Class-A/Cathode-Bias amp. It will run hotter in Class-A and have a sweeter overall tone with more "sag" from the 5Y3 rectifier. you can make it harder with a GZ34...

Reliability: 10
My Emery amps have been all over the continental USA in every climate change and setting You can dream up. They have never let me down. They are the most dependable amp around. The amp has never broken down. I've used the hell out of my two Emery Superbabies, and haven't changed tubes yet. The aircraft-aluminum chassis seems to help the amp stay even better in studio running for long periods.

Customer Support: 10
Curt Emery is a one-man factory and his client/creator relationship is second to none. Curt Emery is the authorized service-center. He's an electrical-engineer who can create like the best Artist. Imagine that. The only companies I rate this high are Future-Retro and JoMoX. Curt is extremely wise and knowledgeable about every aspect of amp construction. I want the readers here to know that Emery amps are NOT like Boutique copies of old existing schematics, but entirely new designs in amps. The amps have a Warranty, but are so dependable and tough, who needs one? And Curt is a great guy to deal with, one-on-one. He's the best amp-guru on planet Earth.

Overall Rating: 10
I have been playing since 1975. I own and have owned a LOT of incredible gear. It would just about kill me if one of my Emery amps was stolen or lost. But I honestly take them every place I go and don't let them out of my sight. I will NEVER buy another amp by any maker whatsoever. I spent a LOT of time using amps of all types before I found Emery Sound. I spoke to Curt about my amps and his vast knowledge educated me about why I liked the sounds I did. And them he made me two beautiful amps that exceeded all my sonic expectations. I LOVE my Emery amps. Superbabies. I hate that big-name conglomerates that turn out sonic crap are rolling in money while men who are creating real genious stuff like Emery Sound does go un-noticed. Curt's Superbaby is the FINEST SERIOUS STUDIO AMP on the Earth. They are not cute small practice amps. They are simple, toneful, sophisticated and powerful sound tools for a TONE freak. Most bang for the buck...

Submitted by Ricky Ray at 03/25/2002

Features: 10
I took delivery of the SB in October, 2002. I was looking for an amp that you could play at home without waking up the kids. I had heard about this 8 watt wonder and had seen a few ads in Vintage Guitar, so I called Curt Emery and ordered one. This is about as pure true amp, cable guitar tone you will find on the planet. The 3 page manual, tells you everything you need to know and thensome, but its clear and concise.There is 1 input, speaker out (4-16ohm), on/off, standby, and half power switch on the rear and a volume and tone knob on the front. Its mounted on a polished glass (yes glass)panel with 2 - 1/2 moons of Zebrawood at each end almost like bookends, very cool indeed. On the top are 3 tube sockets, fuse cap and a transformer. I appreciate designers that think out of the box and develop new and usuable product. This thing is right up there with the light bulb and US currency. I use the amp at home thru a variety of speakers and cabs. Ya know what kids??? this should be that tone device that judges all speakers, cables, guitars, cabs and all the other necessary crap we let get in the way on the road to tone nirvana. As I said its only about 8 watts also depeding on the tubes you put in it.I do use a MAxon AD-80 delay with it to "open it up" a little. This can accept KT66, 6V6,6L6, and EL-34 tubes in the power tube socket and a host of different rectifiers, preamp tubes are your 12AX-7 variety and also can accept AT's, AU's etc. etc. You get the point, best of all there is no need to bias or adjust anything, plug and play. I give this a 10 for the pure, basic simplicity of this amp. If I could rate a 12, I would. Change the tubes, change the sound, very simple process, change the speaker, change the sounds again. Shit this is fun.It weighs a few pounds and could fit in a shoe box. Its also fun too look at!!!! As this catagory asks about versatility, This and the Univalve are the most versatile amps out there. I have not tried the Univalve. You won't play the Garden with this but for home use, miked thru a PA or at an at home jam with friends. It always came thru.

Sound Quality: 10
I use this mostly with Humbucker oriented guitars (Kendrick, Suhr) and my G&L ASAT Classic with single coils. This takes you from So. Cal. roots tone to all out growl. It makes all my guitars take on a new dimension of sound, being that I am hearing the true tone of all the components of the guitar, wood, steel, nitro, plating. I always use it with the tone stack bypass mode. PURE GUITAR> I have tried this with a Vintage 30 Anniversary model into a Mesa 1x12 Theil and a Mesa 1x12 3/4 Open Back cabs. In doing so, I have also tried a GreenBack, Fane Alnico Blue (Imagine, an 8 watt amp feeding a 80-100 watt rated speaker?), an Weber P12B, I also ran it into a BluesPearl 2x10 Vibrasonic with Jensen C-10Q's and a an old (62) Fender Super 2x10 with JBL 110-E's. I have tried all sorts of Tubes, Telefunkens, RCA's, BugleBoys, Visseaux, and Sovteks. I fooled around with the tubes so much, I forgot what came with it. As you know the tubes, like speaker and everything else in the signal have different characteristics and sounds. I have played this for about 20 hours a week for about 6 weeks and finally plugged it into a Tony Bruno 2x12 cab with very well broken in Celestion Blues. Mamma Mia. I was using a Valve Art (Chinese) KT-66, an old Tung Sol 12AX-7 and JAN Phillips 5Y3 Rectifier. Wanna sound like a real BluesBreaker try that combo, back off on the guitar crank it stomp on it, its all GREAT. For people who want to get pure saturated tube tone, with harmonics I have never heard before, that makes you realize the true tone of your guitar and your playing style/attack, this amp is the test and the amp.

Reliability: 10
It came very well packed, as I said it will fit in a shoe box. The top of the amp (tube section) is exposed. I put it in an old fishing tackle box to play one night. I will mount this into a protective head shell. Curt also offers this in a 1x10 combo. As you can read, I have speakers coming out my... . so I opted for the head

Customer Support: 10
Curt was great during the whole process. I never asked about the warrantee, but I guess as long as he (Curt) is in the biz, he will take care of any problems. I called him to order His EL-84 based Dominator but he said he stopped making em due to the overwhelming requests for the Superbaby. He then told me about the Microbaby, a one watt job. I ordered one. The review will be up soon. I need some more time with it. He picks up the phone when you call and I know he and MS. Emery Sound have been busy and just had a Superbaby of their own, so E-mail worked best for us to communicate by. I am now a very loyal customer.

Overall Rating: 10
I think I gave you all my thoughts about the amp. In a day, where everyone copies the same 10 or so "old school" versions of 60 years of musical instrument amplifiers, its joyous to find an innovator that not only used the most simplistic design to achieve the goal, but did it a reasonable price, in a great package. I do like handbuilt high end gear. When you play a Tony Bruno or George Alessandro amp, you not only hear the difference, but you feel it as well. Set up your rig with one of those amps, then ask the other guitar player to play your set-up for a few minutes and you see what I mean. I play daily, rehearse weekly and gig monthly. I am not a working musician, though I was a bazillion years ago. There is somthing to be said about old fashioned time, dedication and quality and usuing good materials. I have had most boutique manufacturers product out there. They are different and for the most part good. However I rank the Emery up there with my Bruno's, Brown and Black Fenders, early Budda, Demeter, Carr, Holland.
If you want an amp that sounds like a wall of amps while you can have a conversation this is the ticket. For you folks who record, or mike the amp you must check it out. Stay dialed in for my Microbaby review.

Submitted by Alan at 11/23/2001

Features: 8
See Emery Sound website for features. I should give it a 10 because I think less is more.

Sound Quality: 10
I have an arsenal of different guitars. They all sound great. This is the first amp I have ever played thru that made any guitar sound fantastic.

Reliability: 10
Not much to go wrong with because of the simplicity of the circuitry. Just think of all the old Fenders that are still out there and still sound and work good. The workmanship in this amp is top notch. Not just any amp off a production line. This is hand built with much care.

Customer Support: 10

Overall Rating: 10
I have spent probably thousands of hard earned dollars trying to find the right amp. I wish I new about the Superbaby before I spent my kids inheritance. This is the best sounding amp I have ever heard. Real responsive. Change tubes for different tones. My favorite is a 6V6 with a 5Y3 rectifier and 12AX7 preamp tube in the 1/2 power mode. But try them all. They all sound good.

Submitted by Mike R. at 09/10/2001

 

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