Elmwood M60 Modena - Initial Review! It's in and it's BAD!

J

joshsage

Member
Ok some of you have been waiting, others are sick and damn tired of hearing about it... Here we go basic breakdown!
1st - Know a Mesa Mark 4
2nd - Add Matchless to the list

And here we go....
It is a gorgeous Dark Red!

It is built like a 3k+ boutique amp should be, it is a Swedish amp imported and one can see that it was built with the upmost care.

And the breakdown....

Channel 1 - This is an astounding clean channel for a high gain amp head, smooth, sensitive, and responsive. It is clean and has great clarity. Truly this stands out compared to most amps I carry.

Channel 1 w/ Drive engaged- This is where the "Magic" is in this amp! It goes from adding a definate sparkle to making the clean overdriven towards the SRV tone. Wow, what a nice change of tone compared to most the amps that come across my way. This can be very OPEN and DISTANT sounding if not correctly dialed in. (IT IS POSSIBLE TO DIAL THIS AMP IN WRONG AND IT SOUND LIKE SHIT, JUST LIKE A MK4) This can do a killer solo!

Channel 1 Controls

3 Band Parametric EQ - Responds like a MK4 in terms of tapering. The EQ is extremely touchy and has a super wide range of controls.

Volume- nicely tapered and works up till 1 o'Clock and then saturation sets in, this is ideal for most cases.

Drive 1- This is the clean boost for this side of the amp, really nice really smooth. Think OD808 level up, OD down into a fender twin boosted to Pissed off plexi!

Drive Volume 1- This boosts the power amp signal in the amp along w/ Drive 1 to give a fully overdriven tone, this is not a GAIN CONTROL!

CHANNEL 2

OK Wow freaking WOW

3 Band Parametric- SAME AS ABOVE

Volume - Clean tapered as the other

Gain - Completely different type of gain structure... Can't compare to another amp. Clips will have to be posted. This isn't a real rhythm channel. Its cutting though w/ the higher mids would simply drown out other instruments, and I am not saying this as a good thing. As a solo however, it is gonna make a statement. It has a unique tone that will cut though. As I stated, clips will have to be posted.

Drive 2- This is a boost/power amp booster...Really nice in tandem w/ the gain control. Found myself playing w/ this in low gain settings to get a wide array of tones.

GLOBALS

Fat - As it says, Fat, make this amp a fat bastard, truly a thick bottom end, in too high of settings it can be a bit mushy. This can be compensated w/ the Edge option

Edge - Compensates for making the amp too fat. Adds grit w/ fat to compensate and make this amp do what it does so well, CUT. Too high and it makes the amp somewhat piercing...
*Fat and Edge work great together*


Master1 - Clean Tapered
Master2 - Clean Tapered
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Ok so I must say, I had really high hopes for this amps, and surprisingly I wasn't let down at all. It is in stock and available. Can order most colors, they are built and shipped from Sweden. I was absolutely just floored by this amp. I want to thank JB for the recommendation to get the Elmwood line. Now officially set up and taking orders. This one won't make it through the week. I got too many people eyeing it!

Thanks,
Josh

BTW I WILL UPDATE AS OFTEN AS I CAN
Their website is http://www.elmwood.se
Working on some photos and clips...just got some crappy photo's w/ my cell camera...
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Thanks again
 
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carlygtr56":393f6 said:
If that amp isn't factory sealed , IMO, it's used.
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Sorry bro, not how it works...Very new product, and boutique import here, has to be out of the box... Gotta check it when it gets in.
 
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carlygtr56":c40d0 said:
If that amp isn't factory sealed , IMO, it's used.
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Yeah, that's what I said when I went to buy a new car, but damn it, all of the cars were out of the box and the dealer wouldn't sell it to me as a demo or used. Then I went to buy some shirts and jeans and what do you know? They were out of the box and the store still wanted new prices on them. :mrgreen:

Sorry Carl, I disagree with you completely. What about guitars? Do you want the one you played off the wall that rings like a bell and plays killer or do you want the one in the box in back that is tonally dead, plays like crap but is still sealed in the box?
 
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carlygtr56":e2c37 said:
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That's cool.
I don't buy used shit....if I do, I don't pay full price for it.
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Well I am sure your friends at Goldsmiths Gap and Buckle will agree with your opinion! The amp is new, end of story!
Peace!
 
Been so tied up w/ all my high end stuff I haven't got a chance to get one in yet! So I don't know a thing yet! Sounds like a super sweet deal. I am used to my 2,3 and 4k amps so a good 850 one is a nice change of pace. It will be a great budget high gainer!
Josh
 
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carlygtr56":572af said:
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It was till you played with it :roll:
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I dont get this at all. No one says you have to buy anthing so what's the problem. Someone made the reference of buying a guitar off a wall at a music store. Do you think someone else may have played it? Do they take the guitar down and factory seal it in a back room for you? It's still in the Dealer's possesion and there is no other official owner so it is a NEW piece of Equipment.
 
cool review, the amp looks nice as well

if i'm concerned about the condition of something i simply make an inquiry before i buy it...it's not difficult to explain that you want something in dead perfect condition, and most dealers who remove a product from the box (for whatever reason) understand this

if you're buying from someone you trust, this will never be an issue
 
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carlygtr56":17dbd said:
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Dumb?
No, the guy who pays full price for an amp played with is fucking dumb.
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My take is that I would be glad that someone I TRUSTED took it out, went over it with a fine toothed comb, made sure the tubes are working, no tolex nicks, etc.

If it's gigged and spends a month in his basement, then I'm going to cry foul, but otherwise I appreciate a little TLC and double check before I shell out $3.3k on a piece of metal.

EP
 
I REALLY wish this thread was more about the amp (which sounds AMAZINGLY cool) and less about someone's hang-ups about buying out of box merchandise.

Lame. :jerk:

EDIT: I found the Elmwood website and it has some killer clips AND vids of this amp. Check it.

http://www.elmwood.se/
 
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carlygtr56":e7f07 said:
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I was thinking of buying this.....till he used it :finger:
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You mean until he tested it? It would be pretty irresponsable for a dealer to ship an amp to a customer before he knew it was in full working order. It would really suck to receive an amp with something wrong with it that could have been found at the dealer, instead of paying for it, shipping it, receiving it, shipping it back, etc, etc.

I would rather a dealer test out an amp that was shipped from the other side of the planet before I bought and paid for it. But that's me. I know, I know, I'm just crazy.
 
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