A Spanish “boutique” amp built to the customer’s taste. All George amplifiers are assembled by hand using point-to-point wiring. The electronic materials are very high quality: the output transformer is made in the USA. The signal coupling capacitors are Orange Drop and Silver Mica, and the electrolytic capacitors are German-made TAD Gold Caps... The choice of these components and the final tuning of the circuit result in great tone. The tubes are TAD (TubeAmpDoctor), specially selected for high-end applications.

This 50-watt combo is based on classic American sounds from the late fifties through the early eighties. The option of running with a rectifier tube and in Class A lets the guitarist recapture the classic tones of that era. The George Custom Lead 50 is a clear commitment to vintage sound, achieved through handcrafted construction and strict component selection. Boutique, Made in Spain.

Top Panel
· Input: instrument input with a sensitivity of -20dB
· Preamp. The design is inspired by the classic sounds of the legendary single-channel amps of the fifties and sixties. The aim of this design is to find maximum tone through a clean, robust sound. The passive EQ controls have a wide range of action, allowing the final tone to be shaped very flexibly. The controls, from left to right, are:
- GAIN: preamp input volume. It adds no distortion to the sound, but it fattens up the final tone as you turn it up (clockwise).
- BASS; MIDDLE; TREBLE AND VOLUME

· Reverb. This control sets the desired amount of reverb at the output. The reverb circuit is 100% tube and uses an original Accutronics long spring tank. The result is a clear, crisp and very deep reverb.
· Power. It has a main power switch, a power indicator light and a standby switch that leaves the amp in standby while keeping the tube heater system active.

Bottom Panel
1 AC input: includes two protection fuses (the main one and the one for the tube circuit) and the 230V AC input.
2 Rectifier selector: lets you enable the rectifier tube (GZ34 position) or solid-state diode rectification (Diodes position). With the rectifier tube selected, the sound is somewhat compressed and sweeter and more velvety. With diode rectification, the amp gains liveliness (punch).
3 Class AB / Class A selector: Class A was widely used in amps in the fifties. In Class A the amp has less power (about 30 watts), but the sound is much richer in harmonics and more defined. Class AB raises the amp’s power to 50 watts and adds a bit of dynamics.
4 Impedance selector: thanks to this selector the amp can work with different cabinet and speaker configurations. You can choose between 4, 8 and 16 ohms.
5 Speaker output: dual output for connecting speakers. It is designed so you can connect a 2x12" or 4x12" extension cabinet.
6 Reverb control input: connection for a reverb footswitch pedal.

Putting it to the test
The manufacturer sent me this combo for testing. Starting the analysis, we find a sober amp, with no deceptive cosmetic frills. A well-finished combo with a solid look. The control panel is simple, located on top behind the ventilation grille and the handle. I liked the detail of the casters, since they make it easier to move around the rehearsal room, studio or stage without having to carry the weight of the amp.

Its sound
Without wanting to go on too long, but with the aim of letting you know the reality of this amp, I can say that all the sounds coming out of it share one criterion: quality.

I ran it through different settings, pushing to the extremes to check the versatility the amp could offer us. The tone is certainly very good. I got a round, warm, thick sound with real flavor, well defined, and with a percussive body when I wanted it. Personally, I missed a touch more saturation when I was looking for it, although given the “built to your taste” way these are made, I conclude (seeing what I have seen) that the manufacturer is perfectly capable of building exactly the machine that gives me the sound I want. To put it generally, the idea is that you describe your preferences and the manufacturer helps you decide which components your amp will carry to give you exactly what you are looking for, within the construction lines of this company.

Conclusions
These are amps with very good sound, great versatility in getting exactly what you want, and “handmade” prices that don’t go overboard. The truth is that many of the tube amps on the market, which are machine-built, inflate their price because of the brand, so in the end you pay (in the mid/high range) good money that is no lower (in some cases) than what this one can cost you. Although the prices are reasonable, it is not a cheap amp, but given the exquisite build, it seems to offer good value for the money within the mid/high or high range.

General features of the amplifiers

  • 1.5 mm two-tone iron chassis
  • RUBY TUBES preamp and power tubes
  • MAGIC PARTS / RUBY output transformers
  • Custom AMPTEK power transformer
  • RUBY Gold Cap electrolytic capacitors
  • RUBY Orange Drop and Silver Mica signal capacitors
  • MOUSER/ALPHA potentiometers
  • SWITCHCRAFT / CLIFF connectors
  • CARLING switches
  • CARLING switches1,705.00 EUR: George Custom Lead 2x12" with Jensen C12Q speakers and with the Reverb, Rectifier and Class A options