Hughes & Kettner Coreblade 100W Tube Guitar Amp Head
Coreblade tube amp head is the flagship of Hughes & Kettner's line of programmable tube amps. 4 independent channels, 3 parallel FX modules, an intelligent noise gate, automatic power tube management, and analog programming technology add up to an awe-inspiring arsenal of merciless sounds. And that makes Hughes & Kettner Coreblade amplifier the top-notch tube amp of choice for modern metal axe-slingers.

An Amp Head with Wicked Tone

Two of the four channels are voiced to offer completely different high-gain alternatives. Beyond that, the amp head sports a phenomenally versatile Drive channel and a Clean channel offering oodles of headroom. Boost is separately switchable, and three effect modules may be used simultaneously for each per channel. The ultra precise, remarkably musical Intelligent Dual Breakpoint (IDB) noise gate (which simultaneously measures the gain at the input jack and after the preamp, to react perfectly in any given situation) is available for all channels. The power amp feedback circuit reconfigures to tap the full sonic potential of each channel, evoking sounds that do everything from sparkle and chime, to sing and scream. With jackhammer riffs, full-blown metal madness and more, this Hughes & Kettner tube amp head gives you wicked tone galore.

No compromises in tone control

Programmable and maintenance-free PRN (Programmable Resistor Network) potentiometers are the most sophisticated analog sound-shaping tools. Only Hughes & Kettner has mastered the science of these elaborate knobs to benefit your art. Engineered to deliver a lifetime of service without ever becoming scratchy, these knobs let you tweak each of the four channels fully independently. No two channels share even a single knob. All Gain, EQ, Presence, Resonance, and similar settings may be stored in 128 presets and retrieved with a simple toe-tap. Best of all, every sound is purely tube-powered—no modeling here. An included MIDI board affords easy access to presets. What's more, Hughes & Kettner Coreblade is the first tube amp worldwide that downloads presets directly to USB sticks and uploads presets at the touch of a button.

Superb sound-sculpting tools

The on-board effects enhance tone without sacrificing integrity. The innovative IPM (Inversed Parallel Modulation) circuit lets you blend the wet signal in with the dry, dialing not only in reverb and delay, but also in chorus, phaser, flanger, and even tremolo. The guitar's signal stays in the analog domain from the input jack to the speaker out, with all its punch, power, and dynamic range remaining intact. Every strike of a string means something, and H&K engineers developed a superior noise gate to get the musical message across in all its dynamic complexity. The amp head's automatic IDB circuit outperforms conventional noise gates by simultaneously gauging levels at the input jack and the preamp's output. Used as a radical stylistic device on stage or as a sensitive noise suppressor in the studio, its response always remains musical.

Unique tube tone customizing

The the Hughes & Kettner Coreblade's Tube Safety Control (TSC) is a power tube management circuit that automatically biases the amp to ensure stable sound and long tube life. It also shuts down defective tubes to get you through the gig, and indicates ratings to make tube selection an exercise in convenience. TSC even lets you run EL34 and 6L6GC tubes simultaneously. Tube tone customizing doesn't get any easier or more gratifying than this.