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DUE TO OUR RECENT MOVE TO OUR NEW HOME, MOST PRODUCTS WILL BE ON HOLD FOR A MONTH OR TWO WHILE I BUILD MY NEW WORKSHOP.  THE EXCEPTION IS THE MODEL 1A AMPLIFIER, BECAUSE I HAVE A FEW COMPLETED AMPS ON HAND. 

IF YOU WANT AN AMP OR OTHER PRODUCT, PLEASE CALL OR EMAIL AND I'LL LET YOU KNOW WHEN THEY'LL BE READY TO GO AGAIN.

THANKS FOR YOUR PATIENCE.


Fat Dog T-Shirts

Get them in Large, XL, and XXL

The Signal Splitter
The Signal Splitter  sends your signal in up to three directions.

Combo Amp Models

There are four Fat Dog combo amp models to choose from:  the Model 1A, the Model 2A, the Model 4A, and the Classic 40.  



A Fat Dog amplifier is not just another reworked guitar amp.  Each model was designed and built from start to finish as a harmonica amp to give you the good old fashioned blues harp tone you want.  Fat Dog amps respond to the way that normal musicians play the harmonica.  They go from sweet, mellow tones to full honk, and the overdrive threshold is right where you want it so you don't have to put up with constant annoying distortion or excessive clean headroom. 

Most importantly, Fat Dog amps don't have that "Big Fender" sound that you hear from the fixed bias 4x10 amps that seem to be everywhere.  There's nothing wrong with the Big Fender Sound, but the world didn't need one more amp with that sound.  Fat Dog amps sound more like what you hear on the old recordings from the 1950s, a lot of which were done with Valco, Lectrolab, and other small, cheap department store amps of the old days.  Fat Dog amps were designed for little amp sound in a big amp, so you can have that great vintage tone with big stage volume!

All Fat Dog combo models have preamp tubes in common, but the power amps are different.  As a result, each amp has its own voice.  The class A amps are bright and brash, whereas the Classic 40 has more smooth overtones.  The lineup includes amps for every room from a small bar to a large club.  If you want a great vintage tone, you're sure to find just what you're looking for.

We've done a lot of testing of different speakers to find which ones work the best in each different amplifier model.  If you want to know what we figured out, see the speakers page.
The Model 1A

The Model 1A is a single ended class A combo driven by a 6L6 power tube.  It comes standard with a 12 inch speaker.
The 1A was intended for those who are new to amplified playing, or for those who simply want a smaller amp.  I don't recommend this amp if you play in loud bands with out of control guitar players, but it does get pretty loud for a small amp, and it has great vintage tone just like the larger models.  The tone is very rich, with a crunchy note attack and a hornlike sound much like a muted trumpet when the microphone is cupped.

If you want a small amp, the 1A is a great choice for class A tone and howling blues.

The Model 2A
The Model 2A features stereo class A power amps, each with its own 6L6 power tube.

Although not quite as loud as the 4A or the Classic 40, the Model 2A offers a nice compact package.  The 6L6 power amps in the Model 2A will drive a pair of ten inch speakers hard, providing a very edgy tone.  The 2x12 is smoother and provides noticeably more punch.   Order the 2x10 if you want a compact unit, or order the 2x12 if you want it to sound like a much bigger amp.

The Model 2A is louder than the 1A, but it's not as loud as the 4x10 amps.  If you play in a band that doesn't always want to turn tho volume up to eleven, this amp is a great way to take some weight off.  The 2x10 version weighs only 32 pounds. 

The Model 2A is equipped with Jensen C10R and P10R speakers for the 2x10 version,  or C12R and P12R in the 2x12 version.


The Fat Dog Model 4A represents the pinnacle of thick blues tone from a class A amplifier.  With quadraphonic 6V6 power amps, the Model 4A has a smooth, creamy overdrive that you have to hear to believe.  If you like hornlike tones, Chicago honk, and rich crunchy note attacks, this is your amp.  After I heard a customer play on the 4A and the Classic 40 in a side-by-side comparison, it was obvious that the Model 4A is the crunchiest dirty Chicago blues amp in the Fat Dog line.

The Model 4A's four separate power amps create a very thick, complex tone, with a huge reduction in feedback tendency.  You can turn this amp ALL THE WAY UP without creating a feedback nightmare, and it's louder than you would believe possible from a low power unit.  With around 25 class A watts, the Model 4A is perfect for a working blues band.  The sound has an amazing ability to penetrate to the back of the room.  If you need a little more volume, check out the Fat Dog Classic 40 amp.

The Model 4A is equipped with two Jensen P10R alnico and two C10R ceramic speakers. 



The Fat Dog Classic 40 is currently undergoing a redesign for maximum stage presence. 

The Classic 40 is a more traditional amplifier, with a cathode biased 6L6 push-pull power amp and a single speaker output driving four 10 inch speakers.  



While the class A amps offer a down and dirty Chicago honk, the Classic 40 produces more harmonic overtones to give the notes a ringing quality.  This amp has crunchy note attacks and a nice level of compression to produce a horn-like tone, but it is considerably cleaner than the class A amps. 

The speaker output on the Classic 40 has a standard 1/4" jack and a three position knob to select 2, 4, or 8 ohm speaker load.  This feature allows you to play with standard equipment or add an extension cabinet for maximum speaker area. 


If you still don't know which Fat Dog amplifier is right for you and your playing style, drop me a line or give me a call and we'll see if we can figure it out.  They all share the same preamp design, but they all sound just a little bit different.
Need more info?   Contact Robert Reynolds: 443-255-5521 or 417-646-8090  fatdogamps@harmonicagear.com