Product Description
Hand-built in limited numbers from vintage parts, this unit features all the hairy sonic goodness of the originals with less noise and more low end in a convenient and reliable rackmount unit.
Available now and ready to ship, is the last Type 636 - the one we didn't know we had until the others were all built and signed off and we knew the parts we had left (restored tank, spare faceplate, transistors, transformers etc) were not going to be required to get the ordered units out the door. This is in no way a "second" or runt of the litter though - from end to end it has been built to the same ridiculously high standard and sounds incredible.
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The work involved in preparing vintage spring tanks and other components is considerable and combined with the increase in all component costs during the past year, the price of these builds has risen steeply.
To anyone reading this who has seen much cheaper versions for sale claiming they feature the Grampian 'preamp circuit taken note for note' we can categorically confirm that, while these units may be interesting in their own right, the circuit is certainly not an accurate recreation of the Type 636, nor do they sound at all close to either an original Grampian, or the Soundgas units. You get what you pay for. The mic transformer (one element of our design process that took a considerable amount of R&D to perfect) is not the correct value, and the circuit design means the Soviet germanium transistors are not actually being driven in any meaningful way. The overdrive/distortion these units produce is not the harmonically rich germanium distortion that is the signature sound of a Grampian Type 636 (it's mostly the opamps in fact; no opamps in our unit at all). We have already spent a good deal of time researching whether we could build a modern unit at a much lower price point by redesigning the original circuitry but sonically it simply does not stack up.
And if you have seen a certain guitar pedal that claims to recreate the sound of the Grampian Type 636 aux circuit as used by Pete Townshend of The Who, we can confirm that what this digital processor actually does is create a slightly boosted signal with none of the harmonic richness of the mic preamp circuitry, which is what Pete actually used...
MORE INFO:
Updated information on this and our Type 636P preamp in the new blog.
The Soundgas Type 636 Spring Reverb brings the hallowed Grampian Type 636 into the 21st century. Whether you seek the ultimate dub reverb, the meatiest distortion, or achingly beautiful organic textures, the Type 636 has it by the truckload.
These units are hand-built to order in very limited numbers using many vintage/original parts for an authentic sound.
The design is as faithful to the original as possible and delivers all the hairy sonic joy of the originals. Dr Huw's 21st century re-imagining does not mean corners cut - far from it - the attention to detail evokes a bygone era when gear was hand-built with care. The circuit boards have been lovingly crafted and deliver all the wild tones and textures with none of the extraneous noise and hiss of a neglected original. Wherever possible, we are using period correct parts for absolute authenticity.
The Soundgas Type 636 is a Grampian with less noise, more low end and greater reliability, designed with the benefit of hindsight and decades of experience with the originals. We've taken the best from various eras of 636s and brought them together with a studio sensibility - accentuating exactly the flaws and foibles of the design that are so beloved of today's users. Individual Grampian 636s all have unique sonic signatures due to age and construction and each hand-built Soundgas Type 636 will be a unique piece. We keep two Grampians in the Soundgas Studio because they have quite distinct characters (one has an original Gibbs tank, the other a later Accutronics tank, but the circuit designs are quite different also).
A true studio classic designed and built with love and attention to detail for today's musicians and producers.
Very limited production - handbuilt using original reconditioned Gibbs tanks for authentic sound.
Available now and ready to ship, is the last Type 636 - the one we didn't know we had until the others were all built and signed off and we knew the parts we had left (restored tank, spare faceplate, transistors, transformers etc) were not going to be required to get the ordered units out the door. This is in no way a "second" or runt of the litter though - from end to end it has been built to the same ridiculously high standard and sounds incredible.
========
The work involved in preparing vintage spring tanks and other components is considerable and combined with the increase in all component costs during the past year, the price of these builds has risen steeply.
To anyone reading this who has seen much cheaper versions for sale claiming they feature the Grampian 'preamp circuit taken note for note' we can categorically confirm that, while these units may be interesting in their own right, the circuit is certainly not an accurate recreation of the Type 636, nor do they sound at all close to either an original Grampian, or the Soundgas units. You get what you pay for. The mic transformer (one element of our design process that took a considerable amount of R&D to perfect) is not the correct value, and the circuit design means the Soviet germanium transistors are not actually being driven in any meaningful way. The overdrive/distortion these units produce is not the harmonically rich germanium distortion that is the signature sound of a Grampian Type 636 (it's mostly the opamps in fact; no opamps in our unit at all). We have already spent a good deal of time researching whether we could build a modern unit at a much lower price point by redesigning the original circuitry but sonically it simply does not stack up.
And if you have seen a certain guitar pedal that claims to recreate the sound of the Grampian Type 636 aux circuit as used by Pete Townshend of The Who, we can confirm that what this digital processor actually does is create a slightly boosted signal with none of the harmonic richness of the mic preamp circuitry, which is what Pete actually used...
MORE INFO:
Updated information on this and our Type 636P preamp in the new blog.
The Soundgas Type 636 Spring Reverb brings the hallowed Grampian Type 636 into the 21st century. Whether you seek the ultimate dub reverb, the meatiest distortion, or achingly beautiful organic textures, the Type 636 has it by the truckload.
These units are hand-built to order in very limited numbers using many vintage/original parts for an authentic sound.
The design is as faithful to the original as possible and delivers all the hairy sonic joy of the originals. Dr Huw's 21st century re-imagining does not mean corners cut - far from it - the attention to detail evokes a bygone era when gear was hand-built with care. The circuit boards have been lovingly crafted and deliver all the wild tones and textures with none of the extraneous noise and hiss of a neglected original. Wherever possible, we are using period correct parts for absolute authenticity.
The Soundgas Type 636 is a Grampian with less noise, more low end and greater reliability, designed with the benefit of hindsight and decades of experience with the originals. We've taken the best from various eras of 636s and brought them together with a studio sensibility - accentuating exactly the flaws and foibles of the design that are so beloved of today's users. Individual Grampian 636s all have unique sonic signatures due to age and construction and each hand-built Soundgas Type 636 will be a unique piece. We keep two Grampians in the Soundgas Studio because they have quite distinct characters (one has an original Gibbs tank, the other a later Accutronics tank, but the circuit designs are quite different also).
A true studio classic designed and built with love and attention to detail for today's musicians and producers.
Very limited production - handbuilt using original reconditioned Gibbs tanks for authentic sound.