So after swearing-off "small iron" (tube amps less than 50 watts), and circuit-laden channel switchers last year... I thought I'd likely be going with classic styled amps like Fenders and Plexis from here on out. Have owned lots of great boutique amps over the past couple of years. Bogners, VHT, Engl, Lickliter, and more. All were great, but I felt like there was too much going-on in there and wanted to simplify by tone chain. Main two amps over the past year have been a Marshall 2203X and Straub Hurdy Gurdy (blackface, 2X6L6, P2P). Both simple, single-channel amps that sound great.

And then, I plugged into a Hughes & Kettner Grandmeister last Friday. Holy crap this thing can cover a lot of ground! My local dealer (long-time friend) sent me home with the last one they'll have for at least a month and I proceeded to wring this thing out over the last 4 days. Used 4 different guitars (MM Morse Y2D, Dean Soltero USA, Sterling Luke, and Schecter Damien C7 Elite).

Started with some country stuff. As usual, the H&K amps always produce awesome, glassy cleans. (I used to gig a 100-watt H&K Triamp Mk I in a country rock band and it was awesome... but HEAVY!) Anyways, back to the Grandmeister... push the boost on for some hair. Add some chorus, reverb and delay to taste. All very pristine. Favorite guitars in this mode were The MM Y2D and Sterling Luke. Plenty of spank, chime, and glass here. Played through a bunch of Kenny Chesney, Keith Urban, etc. Had been considering joining another country/rock band lately and this amp would be perfect. Sure... it's overkill for that. But it's got the tone, and more features than you could ever fully use... so why not?

Then on to crunch rhythm and lead programming. This took me longer. At first I felt that the tones were a bit loose, spongey, flubby, and grainy. But [despite my disdain for the buzz-kill of spending time tweaking instead of playing] after some quality time tweaking I had tightened-up the rhythm crunch and leads and was really liking them. Did some dry patches, as well as ones with reverb and delay for leads. I like OD on an amp to have immediate response. So once I'd found those tones (found them in the Lead and Ultra modes with the gain rolled-back, and the volume punchy enough to be "spanky")... I went through the Dean Soltero USA (LP-style) and really loved the crunch and clarity, yet fluidity that I was hearing as I did lead work.

And lastly, I pulled-out the Schecter 7-string, dialed-up an awesome scoopy patch on the Ultra channel and channeled my inner teenager. The thing was tight and inspirational as I played numbers from Halestorm, Evenescence, Chevelle, Saliva, etc. I was VERY impressed with the HUGE tone this thing was delivering through my V30/H30 loaded Line6 4X12. Later, for band practice I used my Egnater 1X12 cube and this amp still sounded awesome. I've never really cared for that cab until now!

I'm convinced that there's NO ground I couldn't cover with this thing. It's small, fits in a small carry bag, has all kinds of features like the Redbox DI, scalable wattage (silent, 1, 5, 18, and the full 36 watts -- programmable to EACH of the 128 patch locations!), etc.This thing is PERFECT for someone who has to cover a lot of ground, but needs to keep his rig compact and possibly quiet (though it will get loud as hell!).

I HIGHLY recommend that you check them out if you are curious in the least. Makes sure you understand how to operate the FX and tone controls. I've got the FSM432Mk III footswitch that goes along with the amp and it's perfect.

Take it from a guy who has owned many of the great buotique tube amps... this thing is legit! The only real question in my mind is durability/reliability. There's a WHOLE lot of stuff going-on in this tiny (yet chunky) head. it generates a decent amount of heat, so I've been running a small fan on it to keep it cool. Between it being made in China and doing so many things... I'm a bit wary of it breaking-down. So I'll be taking a spare to any gigs (which I'll be doing tonight in fact). If I continue to be high on this amp and it becomes my main gigging one, I'll eventually get another to have as a spare.

Also, I didn't cover the fact that you can create and save patches on this thing via an iPad or iPhone app. I don't have any Apple products (nor will I), so that feature isn't of any use to me. I'm hoping that there will eventually be a Droid app for it so I can use my Samsung Galaxy S4 phone and Galaxy tablet.

Btw... the output tranformers in this thing are BIG for its 36 watts. They're every bit as big as the trannies in many of the 50-100 watt heads I've owned. So that's a good sign.

Pic of the head on my Laney LT212 cab...

Been on my short list.....love the fact that you can program the output wattage as a preset .....

Tempted on the tubemeister 18. But may upgrade to the 36 grandmeister

Guys... I HIGHLY recommend trying-out the Grandmeister before you go for an 18 or 36. They've had both of those at my local shop for a year and I always dug the spankey, chimey, glassy cleans (H&K has always nailed those). But the OD has never floated my boat. I got spoiled with the likes of the Bogner, Lickliter, Marshall, VHT, and Engl amps that I've had. The OD tones on the 18 and 36 just didn't strike me as being smooth enough. Kinda "ratty" and course. But the Ultra channel on the Grandmeister has a tone that's very similar to all of those great amps when setup right. I use the boost button and then roll the gain nearly all the way off and run the volume high. It makes a thick, smooth, roaring crunch to searing leads like those awesome EL34 amps. It's just that impressive. I can own two of these babies new, for the price of one of those. And I will! I'll be grabbing one of the next batch that comes in to the store to have as a gigging spare.

I was noticing how big and bold the thing sounds through my 4X12. With other "lunchbox" amps that I've owned, their low wattage was given away in their lack of headroom and girth, even when plugged into a 4X12. But this thing sounds every bit as huge as the 50 and 100 watt beasts that I've owned. Gotta be those big transformers that cause that (at least that's what I'm thinking).

I think voicing and the overall poweramp design has something to do with that girthy sound too. Sure the big iron plays a role (which is one of Mesa's tricks as well), but I think there's more to it than that.

I am soooo close to pulling the trigger on one of these.  Been playing with a Tubemeister 18...at the local GC every chance I am there...

Now the issue I am having is this...I JUST had my Marshall 50 watt plexis worked on...went through them with a fine tooth comb...replaced a few filter caps, cleaned pots, replaced and biased new EL-34's and pre-amp tubes.  Both of them sound on fucking fire.  I LOVE 50 watt plexi's

the Tubemeister / Grandmaster is sooo appealing...so small...easy to transport, and awesome sound.  

Who has the best price on the Grandmeister or the 36 watt Tubemeister?  Any smoking deals on the Tubemeister 18?

I always just look on ebay to see the best prices on things and so far the standard $1199 MAP price for the Grand seems to be as good as it gets out there. Probably because they're so new.

Redlabel

You officially suck.....lol

Because of YOU....I now have a Tubemeister 18 watt head

Cool,little fire breathing amp!

NICE! You KNOW you "needed" it!

I was playing it tonight thru an old Marshall grey check cabinet with 25 watt Celestions.  This thing is amazing.  Ran it at 18 watts, all the way down to 1 watt.  Bad ass little head...looks treat...sounds great...

Found mine used on craigs for $375 with new JJ power tubes and Groove Tube preamps.

I am digging it.  

I did compare my Blackstar HT 5 to it thru the same cabinet.  Blackstar sounds a bit more like a Marshall..  Still dialing in the settings on the Tubemeister.  I can say i will be buying the Grandmeister or 36 watt tubemeister soon.

Seriously... make sure you try the Grandmeister before you buy your next one. Focus on the Ultra channel. The Tubemeisters don't have it. And it's bigger and badder than the channels on those amps. And I'm not talking just gain. I'm talking about girth. When setup right, it sounds BIG. Like my various boutique and fire-breathing 100 watt heads big! (Bogner XTC, VHT Pitbull UL, Marshall 2203, etc). I'm getting older and have much less use for fizzy, mushy gain than I used to. But this is still my favorite channel. I dialed the gain back almost to zero and then pump the volume up and it sounds awesome. I'll likely eventually have a 2nd Grandmeister for a gigging backup.

Quick question on the Grandmeister

Say you have your sounds programmed in...the programming includes the master volume and power output levels

Now you need to increase your volume due the room, drummer, etc.  can you manually override the program at the amp to crank the master up?

Saw one at Pro Music in Des Moines today. I didn't dare try it out though, because I was afraid I'd blow my gun shopping budget on it. I was up there to look at carry guns & wound up with a M&P9 Shield.

Been carrying a Shield every single day for the past year. LOVE IT!!! Before that I'd carried a Kahr CW9 for the past five years and never planned to replace it. But I'd already had my full-size M&P9 as my nightstand gun, and when a salesman had my pull the triggers on the Shield and a CW9 at the counter... it was all over. The Kahr got sold soon after. I've also got an M&P22 (pistol), and M&P15-22 and M&P15 riles. That's 5 M&Ps. And I'd still like to complete the set and pickup an M&P9c compact!

The Master Volume is the ONE thing that's not programmable, it's global. You use the Gain and Volume for individual channels. Which is the way it should be.

Still loving the amp. It's pretty awesome. Wish they made them in 2xEL34 and 4xEL34 50 and 100 watters! It's certainly not a volume issue, as the 36 watter is PLENTY loud. But big bottles always seem to have a tab more headroom and grunt. Anyways... it's VERY subtle, because I haven't felt myself wanting for power yet with this thing. I guess that some people would consider the Switchblade to be the "gruntier" version of the Grandmeister. But it doesn't look as cool!

That is great news about the master being global.  

I was playing my 18 watt version yesterday...very creamy, brown sound.  Tone knobs are very sensitive...i.e...does not take much at all to make a major change..they all have a wide range of effect.  The amp is fucking rock solid....it is built like a tank.

Definately will be picking up the Grandmeister to replace one of my Marshall 50's.  I LOVE my Marshall's but can see them approaching retirement due to lack of effects loops, etc.  

may have to sell one of the Marshalls and buy a couple Grandmeisters

Proud Grandmeister owner here. I recently started playing again and upgraded to this running through a 1960AHW from a Marshall 50dfx. I only had youtube videos to base my decision off of since none of the music stores around here had any H&K amps, but it's probably the best blind purchase I've ever made.  The MIDI ipad control app also satisfies my inner nerd. One note if going the MIDI ipad route. I originally ordered a Line 6 MIDI Mobilizer II for the connection and it was DOA. I replaced it with an IRig MIDI and got it to work instantly. I've read up on some tube upgrades for the Grandmeister, but until my ear matures enough to hear a possible improvement, I'll continue to cook the stock ones.

 




















 

I've actually taken the Chinese 12AX7Bs out of my Ibanez TSA15H and put them in my Mesa Nomad 55 for the gain channels.  They are better than the Tung-Sols, and much better than the Mullard reissues in my particular amp.  The 12AX7B has a very, very cool overdrive sound.  Both the Tung-Sol and Mullard (which came highly recommended by many) underwhelmed me... the Mullards, though, stayed in the input and clean stages, where they seem to work well.

I'm brand new to the tube game so any comments from here on out are being absorbed.

Love the sound of H&K amps.  I'm a Tubemeister 18 owner myself and bought one of the first ones available in the US when they were announced.  Been eyeing the Grandmeister 36 for a while but until I get back into a band I'm not sure I can justify it.  Sounds like it can definitely cover all of the Tubemeister territory and then some, probably up almost to Switchblade or Triamp territory.

All in a small blue package with the builtin powersoak and RedBox DI.  What's NOT to love!

Here's my rig... I've replaced the GT-10 on the pedalboard with a GT-100 but the rest is the same:

Very nice! I used to rock a pair of PRS Custom 24s with "10" flame tops (whale blue and black cherry) and bird inlays back in the late 90s. Great axes! If I had them now, I'd swap-out the stock VB and HFS pickups and dump the 5-way rotary in favor of a 3-way toggle.

The beauty of the Grandmeister, is that you can replace that big Boss unit with a tuner pedal. It's really got most everything in there. And it's got a bigger tone than the Tubemeisters because of the Ultra channel.