Joe's 1990 Fender Strat Plus and Li'l Dawg Champster Special amp.Yay! I’m finally getting a tube amp. And not just any old tube amp. Jim over at Li’l Dawg Amps creates hand-crafted guitar amps that use classic point-to-point circuitry for true vintage tone. I was actually looking to make my own cabinet, and found Li’l Dawg Amps through a Google search for custom cabinets. He does those, too, but I decided to bite the bullet and order one, instead.

I’m going for a Champster Special (15-watt), which is reminiscent of the classic Fender Champ, but with a bit more volume. It’s a 20″x20″x11.5″ cabinet, with 2×10″ speakers. That should give me enough volume for playing live, but still provide that sweet vintage tone of the classic Fender tube amps. For anyone looking for a classic tube amp, definitely check out Li’L Dawg Amps. It’s a one-man shop that’s literally in this guy’s garage, so you won’t get your amp instantly (there’s a long waiting list), but it’s hard to beat the value. What I *really* dig is the care and craftsmanship that only a passionate guitar guy can put into a product like this. It’s a boutique amp without the boutique price, and I’m really lucky to be getting one!

You can check out the pics of my amp being built in the online gallery. I’ll post more pics as he sends them!

Joe Griego
Bishop, CA