Fine Guitar Amps since 2003

Introduction, History, Tech & Reviews

Introduction

Lehnert makes handbuilt tubeamps for guitar. We offer excellent sounding products with a high service level to affordable prices.

It is our opinion that a guitar amp is an integral part of the instrument. We build high class amps to suit your taste, playing style and your instrument.

The Lehnert Rambler amps: 12,5, 30 or 50 Watts,
head or 1X12" combo.
Rambler is an one channel amp. A transparent serial effects loop is standard.

The Lehnert Sunbeam is a two-channel amp with channel switching and independent tone controls,
available as 50 Watts head or 1x12" combo. Transparent effects loop included.

30 Watts? Is that really strong & loud enough? Yes, due to the high efficency of the amp. When the Rambler is not loud enough for your needs, you have to put a microphone in front of every other instrument in the ensemble as well.
(The bassdrum, the brassinstruments, the violin and the keyboards already prey on the PA, don't they?)

But if you really need some more raw power and headroom, we also offer 50 Watts versions of our models, all tube Class A/B with 2x EL34's, in the poweramp. Other power tubes are offered on request.

 

History

It all began in 1977 when Lehnert was working extra as a cable- & troublemaker with the dynamic Eric Antoni (founder of Musikbörsen & nowadays owner of JAM supermarket).
"Nysse" Nyström was another obstinate employee at the store.
He had a Gibson GA-30 amp that sounded very nice and
he let everybody know.
He still has it, looks awful and presents a fair context to the owner.

The service manager Tommy Wistrand declared: "We can build such one", and parts were ordered for the project.

It sounded no good.
Eventually late one night Lehnert borrowed the output transformer from Nysse's amp & things fell into place.

Unfortunately, the project was discontinued.

It was not until 2003 the project carried on. This time with a new approach: to take the the goodness from the old amps, and taking things further.
In the middle of the summer same year, the Rambler amp prototype was ready.

Vimse project reborne as Mother of Rambler

Tech

Rambler 30 W is cathode biased.
They come as head or combo with a 1x 12" Celestion speaker.

Tubechart: 3 pcs. 12A_7, 2pcs. EL34. (35W version)
You can also use 6V6GT power tubes (gives about 25W).

Rambler/Sunbeam 50 Watt: fixed bias all tube
head or combo with 1x 12" Celestion speaker.
Tubechart: 3 pcs. 12A_7, 2pcs. EL34.

You can also use 5881, 6L6GC or 6550 as power tubes
(after proper bias adjustment).
This is easily is done with a DMM from the outside of the chassis.

The amps are hand wired with high quality components and great care.
They come as "Steel Top" head or as open back Combo in
classic black vinyl covering.

A 12" Celestion Vintage 30 (60W power rating) speaker is standard equipment in the combo models.
Other speaker alternatives may be offered on request.

What is Power Scaling?

Power Scaling is a proprietary technology London Power by Kevin O'Connor developed to allow the maximum power of an amplifier to be dialed down to whatever level you need.

It is not just like a speaker load box. "Speaker load boxes", "speaker emulators," and "speaker attenuators" are all forms of attenuation that are interposed between the output of a power amp and the speaker. They work for some people but are notorious for sounding "buzzy" at high attenuations.

The key to Power Scaling is that it is applied to the power output tube stage itself, and so comes before the output transformer.

A 'master volume' will do the same thing only in specific situations. If you only play clean or you only use preamp overdrive or distortion tones, then a 'master volume' will satisfy you.

Power Scaling is the best solution for those players who incorporate some amount of output stage "effect" in their sound.
This effect can be some clipping, heavy clipping, or just that cusp of compression you get in a tube power amp approaching clipping.
Power Scaling allows you to live at that cusp or beyond, but at any loudness you need.

 

Read the 50W head review
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Read the 25W top review
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Read the combo 1st generation review