pawprint
Halfnote
Posts: 77
Formerly Known As: pawprint
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Post by pawprint on Apr 26, 2020 17:30:40 GMT -5
So I ordered one of these over 5 months ago: www.positivegrid.com/sparkIn case you have been living in a hole for 6 months, it's a small practice amp made by Positive Grid, who have put out some other well-reviewed software and hardware. They created this amp using their expensive software engine as a way to get into the non-pro artist population. They did this by basically crowd-sourcing for the cash to build it. As a result, the rollout has been pretty disasterous. They clearly had more orders than they knew what to do with. I paid around 200 bucks and have waited, waited, waited. No big deal - not the only amp I have. They've been getting torched, though, online. Anyway, received it last week, and have been playing around with it. It is pretty damn fantastic. Really tube-like modeling, an infinite number of tweaks, and a cloud that contains about a billion more. Backing tracks, Bluetooth, 40 watts, it's insane what is packed into this. Seems well made. You guys may dig it. Or you may give up waiting for it. Or you may think it's made by Ron Popeil...
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Post by LTB on Apr 26, 2020 17:40:22 GMT -5
Saw those. Good to hear it worked out for you. I needed an amp and chose the Katana series instead.
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pawprint
Halfnote
Posts: 77
Formerly Known As: pawprint
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Post by pawprint on Apr 26, 2020 18:42:27 GMT -5
Thanks. Yeah, well, I went full SS and bought a Katana Artist, as well! Spending too much time on this forum...
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Post by LTB on May 3, 2020 7:23:11 GMT -5
Thanks. Yeah, well, I went full SS and bought a Katana Artist, as well! Spending too much time on this forum... How do the two compare to one another?
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Post by langford on May 9, 2020 11:45:26 GMT -5
I've been looking at these as a practice amp or something to take to small jams/rehearsals. Does it have the volume to stand up when there are other instruments in the room?
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Post by Stinger22 on May 11, 2020 15:41:52 GMT -5
Ordered one 2/29 for a mid-May delivery. Not surprised last week or so was moved to mid-June with the COVID thingy so not upset about it, don't even think much about it so it will be like Christmas in June!! Nice to hear your revenue, I intend this for the living rig for when I just get a hankering and don't want to fire up the studio.
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pawprint
Halfnote
Posts: 77
Formerly Known As: pawprint
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Post by pawprint on May 13, 2020 17:35:04 GMT -5
There are a couple of forums on FB about the Spark, and a visit there is a visit to THE most disgruntled group of players I've ever seen. The wait has been horrendous, communication terrible, and all of this was bad before the world went to hell. How NOT to roll out a product.
Eventually though, they have been working through their inventory problems so the wait doesn't seem as terrible. I ordered in the middle of November - over 5 months wait, and they of course, had my money for that long.
Stinger, they REALLY should not be telling you that you'll be getting it THAT soon. That's the problem that makes people so irate. I truly hope I'm wrong, but Labor Day should be your goal.
It's a total gas, though. If you have a spare couple of hundred bucks, it's kind of a no-brainer.
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Post by Stinger22 on May 14, 2020 22:39:22 GMT -5
As I said I don't even think about it and have been through a couple of these pre-order thingys and they are always delayed. Were they in production and shipping when you ordered? They were when I did so I wouldn't expect the same lead time as from back in November. June would be about 4 months. We'll see but sounds like I won't be disappointed when it does arrive.
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pawprint
Halfnote
Posts: 77
Formerly Known As: pawprint
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Post by pawprint on May 15, 2020 8:46:29 GMT -5
Fingers crossed, man! Let us know when you do get it...
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Post by Stinger22 on May 15, 2020 19:09:37 GMT -5
Fingers crossed, man! Let us know when you do get it... HA, so I went on YouTube and listened to some new reviews and now I'm gassing to get it and IT'S ALL YOUR FAULT!!!
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pawprint
Halfnote
Posts: 77
Formerly Known As: pawprint
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Post by pawprint on May 18, 2020 10:03:34 GMT -5
You know, it is pretty cool though. A lot of fun for $200...
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Post by LTB on May 18, 2020 20:37:27 GMT -5
I did a pre-order in February for my new Katana Artist MKII due to come in (at that time) March 26, 2020 (was the release day) I came in March 22 shortly after covid-19 thing picked it up. Only the manager and 2 others were there at Guitar Center and the place was vacant. Apparently just before total shutdown. But back to the subject. Yes, took about a month.
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Post by Stinger22 on Jul 22, 2020 15:29:03 GMT -5
Fingers crossed, man! Let us know when you do get it... Finally received today. Not a happy camper after people who ordered in April and May began receiving theirs and those of us who ordered in January and February had nothing and only canned messages from PG and then finally a admission they just skipped over all those orders and then didn't even put us ahead in the queue or even expedited shipping. Anyway just about 10 minutes to check to see if I would get the hum people were complaining about due to the power supply shipped with it and so far no. I had an old from form an old laptop with the grounded transformer handy just in case as that is the solution people seem to have until PG ships them a replacement one. Hope to put some time in tonight and get the app loaded up and try out some tones.
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Post by Blacksunshine on Jul 22, 2020 16:03:41 GMT -5
My friend just got his. Same story as yours, he waited a LONG time but he loves it.
I've heard some quick clips of him playing it, it definitely does the high gain/metal thing. Not sure about any of the milder or clean settings, my friend gravitates towards the super saturation sounds so I haven't heard all it can do.
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Post by windmill on Jul 23, 2020 0:44:25 GMT -5
Know a bloke who got one recently, he is very impressed with it.
It sounds good.
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Post by Stinger22 on Jul 23, 2020 14:04:40 GMT -5
Highly impressed. Was worried about in being boxy and limited tonally because of the small size and speakers but this thing sounds BIG. Not a metal player tried out mostly the clean amps clean and with some crunch and they sound fantastic. Even plugged in the acoustic and tried the acoustic amps and it sounds great. The backing tracks are fun and signed up for Spotify and created some song list. The Super Jam thingy is not that great for what I tired and limited to just two drummers and their limited styles, hope that will be expanded with future updates.
I did start to pick up the hum people are talking about so sent a message to get the replacement power supplies they are sending out.
It's for my living room setup not the studio and perfect for that. Will be going down to visit my son soon and one of my grandkids has become a really good little player and definately has talent and this will be perfect to take along so we can jam and I can show him stuff again.
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pawprint
Halfnote
Posts: 77
Formerly Known As: pawprint
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Post by pawprint on Jul 23, 2020 15:32:52 GMT -5
Thanks for the update! Glad it's worked out for you...The hum thing is an easy fix, I'm told.
There are Facebook groups about the amp. I got off of them because they were basically bitch sessions from people waiting for their amps. Maybe they've gotten better. If so, you might want to check them out if you haven't yet.
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Post by Seldom Seen on Jul 26, 2020 14:15:11 GMT -5
A friend of mine expects his in a week after a thirty-day wait. I have zero interest. Give me a tube amp and maybe a couple of pedals, oh and a guitar, and I am happy.
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Post by Stinger22 on Jul 27, 2020 8:09:48 GMT -5
A friend of mine expects his in a week after a thirty-day wait. I have zero interest. Give me a tube amp and maybe a couple of pedals, oh and a guitar, and I am happy. I have plenty of tube amps in my studio and that I gig and been a "tube snob". Even a tube rig and pedalboard set up in the living room. The Spark replaced that and is a pretty fantastic little rig so far with upgrades and improvements to the app coming. I'm not a have 50 presets with all kinds of weird effects guy and not a metal heavy distortion player. Using one of the Fender models have dialed in what will be main 90% preset tone and for such a small package it has a very nice Fender tone just on the edge of break up like I would have in the studio. And then the app and pulling in songs and giving some quick and easy backing tracks. If I get a hankering to play just flip a switch and it's all there. For those looking for something small that sounds great and has some neat learning tools don't know what's better out there.
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Ayns
Wholenote
Posts: 767
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Post by Ayns on Jul 27, 2020 10:35:05 GMT -5
Thanks for that review Stinger. I'd never heard of these until during lockdown, then all of a sudden people were raving about them everywhere My friend/ guitar tech got one a few weeks ago after a 6 month wait. I had a tiny play through it, but not long enough to form an opinion. If they do sound as good as people say, they sound like an ideal desktop/ studio/ small gig amp. I'm extremely tempted.
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Post by rangercaster on Jul 27, 2020 22:31:36 GMT -5
If your drummer isn't too loud . .. You might get by gigging it ...
In a small room ...
Maybe not ...
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Post by Seldom Seen on Aug 5, 2020 12:11:56 GMT -5
My buddy left a voicemail message for me. His amp arrived 30 days from ordering. He’d had it for one day and said it was amazing. I’ll wait a week before I call him back to let it sink in.
I’ve watched the reviews. I’m not a tube amp snob, just an old analog guy and there is way too much going on with the Spark for me to be interested. I thought my Tech 21 TM10 was versatile enough but I gave that to my son. That said, perhaps I’ll drop a quarter and see what all the fuss is about. Lord knows I’ve a fortune in pedals.
I think I’ll head to the man cave and play the Microcube then read a book about dinosaurs. 🦖
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Post by Leftee on Aug 5, 2020 13:30:53 GMT -5
I bit.
Seems like a fun little practice tool. Now the wait, however long it is these days.
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Post by Stinger22 on Aug 6, 2020 20:22:02 GMT -5
Those who have already don't miss out plugging your acoustic and and using the acoustic amps. This thing sounds amazing as an acoustic amp and I could gig it for that.
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Wish
Wholenote
You Were Here
Posts: 157
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Post by Wish on Aug 8, 2020 11:29:33 GMT -5
I pulled the trigger as well. It is supposed to ship in about 2 weeks.
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Post by Leftee on Aug 18, 2020 20:16:06 GMT -5
Nothing yet.
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Post by Seldom Seen on Aug 18, 2020 20:24:36 GMT -5
I’ll be playing my buddy’s Spark in a couple of weeks when I drop by for a visit. He keeps sending me the soon-to-expire discount offer of $225. He’s obviously impressed.
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Post by Leftee on Aug 18, 2020 20:37:51 GMT -5
I was just on Drudge Report and that ad was present. 🧐
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Post by justin on Aug 21, 2020 12:38:09 GMT -5
I too have been seeing this amp around lately. I don't play my tube amps as much these days due to volume limitations at home. I have a Yamaha THR5 that I think sounds amazing. BUT... I ordered one of these Positive Grid Spark amps two days ago just to see waht the hype is about. They say they're in stock and I think it said shipping is 5-7 days. We'll see when I actually get mine. They already took my money, but I understand they do that even if your amp is 6 months out.
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Post by Leftee on Aug 21, 2020 13:11:58 GMT -5
I got a “shipped” email today.
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