Harmonica Amp
Built for harp. Built for volume. Built to be played.
High Stakes starts with the DNA of some of the greatest tube amps ever built—but it was never intended to recreate any of them. Every part of the circuit was chosen around the needs of amplified harmonica.
The front end stays full and warm without getting muddy. The power section gives when you lean into it, with a softer response that adds compression and harmonic character without losing definition. Frequency-shaped negative feedback keeps the upper end controlled while the Presence control lets the player bring the edge back when it’s needed.
Two independently voiced channels can be played separately or combined with the MIX switch, creating a third voice with more body and complexity. Switchable fixed and cathode bias changes the feel of the entire output stage—from tighter and more immediate to softer, warmer, and more forgiving.
Think tweed Bassman front end and deluxe poweramp.
The goal was maximum usable volume, great amplified-harp tone, and an amp that works with the microphone instead of fighting it.
Takes pedals great, but no pedals required. No unnecessary controls. Just a purpose-built harmonica amplifier with several genuinely useful ways to shape how it responds.
Specs
Power: ~20W
Power Tubes: 2× 6V6
Rectifier: Tube (5AR4 / GZ34)
Phase Inverter: Long-tail pair
Preamp: 12AY7-based front end
Channels: 2 independently voiced channels
MIX: Switchable parallel-channel operation
Bias: Switchable fixed / cathode bias
Tone Controls: Treble, Middle, Bass
Presence: Variable high-frequency feedback control
Negative Feedback: Frequency-shaped
Screen Supply: Dynamic screen-voltage sag
Speakers: 2×10"
Output: 8Ω
Chassis: Princeton Reverb format
Construction: Handwired eyelet/turret board
Harmonica Amp
Built for harp. Built for volume. Built to be played.
High Stakes starts with the DNA of some of the greatest tube amps ever built—but it was never intended to recreate any of them. Every part of the circuit was chosen around the needs of amplified harmonica.
The front end stays full and warm without getting muddy. The power section gives when you lean into it, with a softer response that adds compression and harmonic character without losing definition. Frequency-shaped negative feedback keeps the upper end controlled while the Presence control lets the player bring the edge back when it’s needed.
Two independently voiced channels can be played separately or combined with the MIX switch, creating a third voice with more body and complexity. Switchable fixed and cathode bias changes the feel of the entire output stage—from tighter and more immediate to softer, warmer, and more forgiving.
Think tweed Bassman front end and deluxe poweramp.
The goal was maximum usable volume, great amplified-harp tone, and an amp that works with the microphone instead of fighting it.
Takes pedals great, but no pedals required. No unnecessary controls. Just a purpose-built harmonica amplifier with several genuinely useful ways to shape how it responds.
Specs
Power: ~20W
Power Tubes: 2× 6V6
Rectifier: Tube (5AR4 / GZ34)
Phase Inverter: Long-tail pair
Preamp: 12AY7-based front end
Channels: 2 independently voiced channels
MIX: Switchable parallel-channel operation
Bias: Switchable fixed / cathode bias
Tone Controls: Treble, Middle, Bass
Presence: Variable high-frequency feedback control
Negative Feedback: Frequency-shaped
Screen Supply: Dynamic screen-voltage sag
Speakers: 2×10"
Output: 8Ω
Chassis: Princeton Reverb format
Construction: Handwired eyelet/turret board
