Vintage Guitar - September 2017 - open - 129

SHEER
MAGNETISM

Jensen Tornado Stealth Speakers

ensen has been in the speaker game for
a very long time and its wares are some
of the most sought-after vintage drivers.
The company's new 12" Tornado Stealth
series stands as proof it remains aware of
the fact guitar players want not only to create sounds they've heard on their favorite
songs since the '60s, but also want to invent
unique sounds of their own.
We had a go with all three versions - 65-,
85-, and 100-watt - using a Strat plugged
into a modern 20-watt "lunchbox" amp.
The 65-watt version offered beautifully
rounded lows that were punchy and quick
to respond to transient changes. The mids
were airy and sweet, and the highs had a
warm, slightly rolled-off attack characteristic. With a bit of overdrive, it sounded gutsy
and warm, with a low-mid grunt that gave
the highs room to breathe and expand, with
a kiss of compression to top it off.
In comparison, the 80-watt had more
air and brightness in the high mids, with
tighter, more-controlled lows. The mids
were punchy and present with a softer
attack transient. With overdrive added, it
took on a bright, Champ-like feel... if Leo
had made the Champ a 1x12 combo. Of the
three speakers, the 80-watt offered the most

Prices: $156 (65-watt); $172 (80-watt);
$158 (100-watt, all street)
Info: www.jensentone.com

cut, with a healthy amount of compression
to help it stand out in the mix.
Finally, the 100-watt felt rotund and
laid-back in the lows, with ever-so-slightly
scooped mids. The highs were punchy
and warm - the character of the
speaker was not unlike the
distant cousin of a Bassman
- big and relaxed transients
that slosh around beautifully
while sticking to the playing
dynamics. With overdrive, pick and
playing attack were more accentuated, with
harder picking belching out striking and
bold tone.
Note, too, that Jensen designed the Tornado Stealth with neodymium magnets,
which are incredibly light, so you'll find it
surprising easy to lug a cab up a flight of
stairs when it's loaded with these.
The Tornado Stealth is truly a pleasant
surprise from one of the old masters of
speaker design. While maintaining the

same base tone, it offers different flavors,
each with unique strengths that sound
and feel incredible to play. If you are in
the market for new guitar speakers, the
Tornado Stealth gets high recommendations. - Yoel Kreisler

OVATION GLEN CAMPBELL
SIGNATURE

Ovation Guitars is offering a re-creation
of Glen Campbell's 1771 model, with a
Sitka spruce top, Lyrachord body style,
five-piece mahogany/maple neck, ebony
fingerboard with Campbell's signature in
mother of pearl, and an inlaid maple-leaf
rosette. Other features include FET preamp, waist-mounted Volume and Tone
controls, and Natural or Sunburst finish.

TC ELECTRONIC HALL
OF FAME 2 REVERB

The TC Electronic Hall Of Fame 2
Reverb has the company's MASH
technology, which reacts to the pressure applied to its switch, Sub 'N Up
Octaver, eight reverb types, true or
buffered bypass, controls for Decay,
Tone, and Level, and stereo in/out.

September 2017

129

ERNIE BALL CUTLASS HSS

Ernie Ball's Cutlass HSS has an alder body,
maple neck, Music Man Modern vibrato
with bent-steel saddles, maple or rosewood
fretboard, Schaller M6-IND locking tuners,
five-bolt neck attachment, five-way pickup
selector, custom-wound ceramic humbucker, two custom-wound single-coils, and
the company's wide-spectrum Silent Circuit.

VINTAGE GUITAR

Vintage Guitar - September 2017 - open

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