Verellen owners club.

[krlpuretone]

Not home theater, music.

Stereos. Records, turntables, speakers, etc.

The amount of money for an amp of that build quality is quite reasonable in the realm of home audio.

[Jwar]

Not home theater, music.

Stereos. Records, turntables, speakers, etc.

The amount of money for an amp of that build quality is quite reasonable in the realm of home audio.

Ok. Please show me one because I'm confused.

[Jwar]

Also it says television which would imply home theater as well.

[Jwar]

Oh and just so you know, I probably sound like I'm being a dick, but I literally am not trying to be. lol. I just don't get the appeal.

[TheStevenLasombras]

Ok. Please show me one because I'm confused.

An example of other high-end home stereo amps? Perusing the inventory on Echo Audio (PDX's finest!)'s website...

http://echohifi.com/details/8555/McIntosh_MC240
http://echohifi.com/details/8553/McIntosh_MC-2102
http://echohifi.com/details/1181/Manley ... es_Snapper
Oh, and of course http://echohifi.com/details/8485/Audio- ... Monoblocks

...the Verellen price point sounds reasonable, especially given his solid reputation for quality. Home audio stuff gets ridiculous - ridiculously expensive but also, apparently, ridiculously good (assuming you have speakers good enough to be able to hear the difference).

[Adelbatross]

I just ordered a custom Loucks and I can't wait. Lots of love for the Meat Smoke and Skyhammer, but for me the Loucks just sounded like what I was after. People mention the price, but I can't think of any other amp builders out there making hand built custom designs for the prices of some factory made, dime a dozen amps. His amps sound so HUGE and FULL, and really unique at the same time. His prices are totally fair if you ask me.

Ben is also awesome to deal with. Just kick ass customer service. I'll admit I've been a bit picky, changing my mind on colour, adding different mods, and Ben has been great. If I were him I'd have told me to piss off ages ago! Haha! Its also worth mentioning that he responded to me while on tour with his band Helms Alee (who are awesome, btw) in Europe. Never met the guy in person because I live in Australia, but he rules!

I'll be sure to post once it arrives. My neighbours won't even know what hit 'em!!

[HAVN]

What did you wind up ordering? Enclosure size? Color? Cutouts? Give us the deets.

Welcome to the club.

[xrleroyx]

I originally wanted a Loucks, but I got a Skyhammer used.

Whenever I can afford it, I'd like to commission a lower wattage combo or even get a Spaldo.

[Adelbatross]

Got the loucks with built in spring reverb + footswitch, plus 1/2 power switch as well. Got the ebony stain with spalted maple face, no cutouts standard size. Can't wait for it to be finished!

[HAVN]

Sounds rad, post pictures when it comes.

[casecandy]

Alas, there is no GAS more bittersweet than Verellen GAS. It is the platonic archetype of GAS.

[Adelbatross]

Update: Apparently things are pretty crazy in Verellen land at the moment. Made my order and payment on March 25, but the amp isn't going to be ready now until the week of July 13. I was under the impression this would be an 8 week job which has now turned into 16 weeks to basically build a standard Loucks but add reverb. Can't say I'm pleased, I mean Ben has been good to deal with up to this point, but it would have been nice if he let me know this ahead of time. I get he's a small business, but that's no excuse for setting the wrong expectations with customers. Personally, to me this is why small businesses go out of business, by not taking care of their customers.

[casecandy]

To weigh in on the conversation re: Verellen entering the home audio/HiFi market, I think it's a PHENOMENAL idea and if I had the money, I would jump on it. Tube phono amps are as good as tube guitar amps. Some of you are here saying $2000 is too much for a HiFi amp, you'd never pay that. Perhaps you don't understand what Ben's doing here: he's actually introducing an AFFORDABLE tube amplifier for vinyl.

The audiophile world is batshit fucking crazy. Beyond expensive. Like, a lot of the best companies, you would have to be a wall street cat to even afford the entry-level shit. Take Oswalds Mill Audio, for example. Well, one look at their website and you'll drool/poop your pants. But a set of speakers from them would cost (and I need to stress that I'm not even close to exaggerating) a year of your salary. (If you don't believe me, here's their pricelist). Then there's my personal favourite... McIntosh... if I won the lottery, one of their component systems would be in my livingroom overnight. I say "If I won the lottery" because it costs the same as a Mercedes. Ditto Woo Audio, etc.

Ben is offering a high-power, high-quality tube vinyl amplifier for a price that's reasonable given his expertise and construction. Same price as one of his guitar amps. What's sad is that the audio market has been so deeply divided into "convenience" consumers (the 90% of audio consumers who will pick what's good enough over what's really awesome, due to the price) and extreme audiophiles (the 10% of consumers for whom money is no object, and the only people buying high-end shit anymore) that no one appreciates what Ben is doing... His Kickstarter didn't get funded.

I'm broke either way. So much Verellen GAS. Anyway these people in Canada (where else) make pretty awesome home theatre and music systems for not THAT much, I guess.

[krlpuretone]

For what it's worth, nothing in my years of guitar playing improved my playing more than putting together a good home stereo system.

So much easier/more accurate to play along with and lift licks...plus a good system cuts through (like the difference between a Line 6 and a real tube guitar amp)

[Ancient Astronaught]

Update: Apparently things are pretty crazy in Verellen land at the moment. Made my order and payment on March 25, but the amp isn't going to be ready now until the week of July 13. I was under the impression this would be an 8 week job which has now turned into 16 weeks to basically build a standard Loucks but add reverb. Can't say I'm pleased, I mean Ben has been good to deal with up to this point, but it would have been nice if he let me know this ahead of time. I get he's a small business, but that's no excuse for setting the wrong expectations with customers. Personally, to me this is why small businesses go out of business, by not taking care of their customers.

It didn't put EGC out of business when they would promise 4-6 month ETA's and then deliver the guitars 3-4 years later.