Positive grid Spark amp

Steel guitar amplifiers, effects, etc.

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Bill Dobkins
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Positive grid Spark amp

Post by Bill Dobkins »

Anyone have any experience with this little amp.
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Larry Dering
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Post by Larry Dering »

Bill, Ron Hogan has videos and sound clips posted. Sounds too good to be true.
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Bruce Bjork
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Post by Bruce Bjork »

Great little amp I use mine for practice on guitar (acoustic & electric) and pedal steel, quick demo.

https://youtu.be/-aCfFKJ2tcw
Banjo, Dobro, Guild D-40, Telecaster, Justice Pro Lite 3x5, BOSS Katana 100, Peavey Nashville 112 in a Tommy Huff cabinet, Spark, FreeLoader, Baby Bloomer, Peterson StroboPlus HD, Stage One VP.
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Michael Lester
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Spark

Post by Michael Lester »

'Sounds too good to be true' ... in this case, it's true.

I bought one after watching Ron's demo videos. Ron graciously uploaded his amp settings (there are potentially 1,000s of variations included in this technology) to the SPARK database.

I downloaded Ron's settings to my Spark amp through my phone and stored them in my amp. My Carter Pro sounds amazingly close to the tone Ron is getting with his guitars.

I also downloaded several violin settings from other players and saved them to this amp. I play a YEV-104 electric violin and it's so close to a mic'd standard violin it's eerie.

Best $260 I ever spent on an amp.
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Michael Stephens
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Post by Michael Stephens »

Another Spark fan here. I use it for practice and for playing steel in an acoustic jam situation. Pretty darned good tone and plenty of volume. Super light. I uploaded my own settings to the cloud if anyone's interested in them.
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Bill Dobkins
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Post by Bill Dobkins »

I ordered one yesterday but I'm hearing some bad story's about receiving them. I ordered mine though E bay. I hope it isn't coming from China.
Custom Rittenberry SD10
Boss Katana 100 Amp
Positive Grid Spark amp
BJS Bars
Z~Legend Pro,Custom Tele
Honor our Vet's.
Now pass the gravy.
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Larry Carlson
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Post by Larry Carlson »

I've had mine for about 8 months now.
Ordered it from Amazon and it arrived in 8 days.
I like the little amp a lot.
I have been using a Yamaha THR10 for playing at home and the Spark really sounds much better.
A huge full tone for such a small amp.
I've never used all their presets and settings since I have made my own so I don't know much about them.
But it sounds great, the bluetooth works great with an older galaxy notepad I have and I am very happy with it.
I have stuff.
I try to make music with it.
Sometimes it works.
Sometimes it doesn't.
But I keep on trying.
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Bill Dobkins
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Post by Bill Dobkins »

Mine came today. Sounds great out of the box for Steel and Tele. Trying to figure out how to get the app to download.
Custom Rittenberry SD10
Boss Katana 100 Amp
Positive Grid Spark amp
BJS Bars
Z~Legend Pro,Custom Tele
Honor our Vet's.
Now pass the gravy.
Ron Hogan
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Post by Ron Hogan »

As said, I have many samples on the Forum plus on my YouTube channel.

Here is a sample.

CLICK HERE

Ron Hogan
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Gene Tani
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Post by Gene Tani »

Bill: do you have an apple or Android tablet/phone? App should be findable in either App store by searching "Positive Grid sparK" and then you have to redo the bluetooth connection every time you turn on the Spark (also it seems like it would be tough to use the app on a smartphone, you'd have to be constantly zooming in to twiddle those little simulated amp knobs)

I like it a lot but everytime you change presets, it goes back to hockey stadium mode/ 103 decibels and you have to grab the Master Volume and turn it down.
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Bill Duncan
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Post by Bill Duncan »

I have had one for about a year. I like it for size and I used it for a while at home. I gave it to my 12 year old daughter for a guitar amp a month ago. I grew tired of it. I believe pedal steel sounds better through it than guitar. Just my opinion. It is well built and seems to do as advertised if you spend enough time with it.
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Bill Dobkins
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Post by Bill Dobkins »

Gene Tani wrote:Bill: do you have an apple or Android tablet/phone? App should be findable in either App store by searching "Positive Grid sparK" and then you have to redo the bluetooth connection every time you turn on the Spark (also it seems like it would be tough to use the app on a smartphone, you'd have to be constantly zooming in to twiddle those little simulated amp knobs)

I like it a lot but everytime you change presets, it goes back to hockey stadium mode/ 103 decibels and you have to grab the Master Volume and turn it down.
I have an Apple smartphone. I have the app on it but am trying to get it on my Dell laptop. What I really want is to be able to build the drum and bass backing tracks. Yes it is a great sounding steel amp.
Custom Rittenberry SD10
Boss Katana 100 Amp
Positive Grid Spark amp
BJS Bars
Z~Legend Pro,Custom Tele
Honor our Vet's.
Now pass the gravy.
Ron Hogan
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Location: Nashville, TN, usa

Re: Positive grid Spark amp

Post by Ron Hogan »

Bill Dobkins wrote:Anyone have any experience with this little amp.
Bill...Here is the latest recording I did with the SPARK.

SAMPLE HERE

Ron
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Bill Dobkins
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Re: Positive grid Spark amp

Post by Bill Dobkins »

Ron Hogan wrote:
Bill Dobkins wrote:Anyone have any experience with this little amp.
Bill...Here is the latest recording I did with the SPARK.

SAMPLE HERE

Ron
Sounds great Ron.
Custom Rittenberry SD10
Boss Katana 100 Amp
Positive Grid Spark amp
BJS Bars
Z~Legend Pro,Custom Tele
Honor our Vet's.
Now pass the gravy.
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Scott Appleton
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spark amp

Post by Scott Appleton »

O dear .. too good to be true .. but it is true .. i play a tele or a Les Paul or my GFI ultra 12 through it and get a better sound than i have ever got live through my Quilter or V8 pre .. I can play shows that mike me up with no problem .. just set it on a bar stool right next to my pickup .. incredible ..
Ron Hogan
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Post by Ron Hogan »

Scott, I use the mindset of it's just a practice amp, that way I don't get disappointed.

I have wondered if I bought it to a band rehearsal as we are never very loud. I have also thought, well what if it was miked at a live gig, allowing the "front of the house" to control the volume. It would be a great experiment for me.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FKmdqA8mMZk
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Bill Dobkins
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Post by Bill Dobkins »

Ron, I go out of the headphone jack into my Katana. It works the same as an output source. Only thing is it shuts the speaker off I also Y into my recorder. Seems to work really well.
Custom Rittenberry SD10
Boss Katana 100 Amp
Positive Grid Spark amp
BJS Bars
Z~Legend Pro,Custom Tele
Honor our Vet's.
Now pass the gravy.
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Bill Dobkins
Posts: 4276
Joined: 3 Feb 2007 10:18 pm
Location: Rolla Missouri, USA

Post by Bill Dobkins »

ttt
Custom Rittenberry SD10
Boss Katana 100 Amp
Positive Grid Spark amp
BJS Bars
Z~Legend Pro,Custom Tele
Honor our Vet's.
Now pass the gravy.
Ron Hogan
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Joined: 4 Aug 1998 11:00 pm
Location: Nashville, TN, usa

Post by Ron Hogan »

Michael Stephens wrote:Another Spark fan here. I use it for practice and for playing steel in an acoustic jam situation. Pretty darned good tone and plenty of volume. Super light. I uploaded my own settings to the cloud if anyone's interested in them.
Mike, what did you call the settings you saved in the cloud? I'd like to see what you came up with.

Did you set your amp for clean or acoustic?

Thx, Ron
Ron Hogan
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Post by Ron Hogan »

TTT
Last edited by Ron Hogan on 26 Jan 2022 9:17 am, edited 1 time in total.
Ron Hogan
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Post by Ron Hogan »

Worked on a home recording today. SPARK amp, MAGNUM D10, TRIO+ looper band creator.

Audio here
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Eric Reeves
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Post by Eric Reeves »

Curious if someone has presets to DL as well, any updates?
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Ron Hogan
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Post by Ron Hogan »

Eric Reeves wrote:Curious if someone has presets to DL as well, any updates?
Eric, You can go to the SPARK's cloud storage. There are over 10,000 downloaded presets from players. A lot of the presets are garbage. You can search "ron Hogan" and it will lead you to about a half dozen of my presets to test, download and then tweak them to your liking.

Ron Hogan
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Tom Jordan
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Post by Tom Jordan »

Ron,

A question for you since you are also Trio user; do you ever use the the "jam" function on the Spark? Is it similar to the Trio's rhythm ability?

I keep hearing your work and reading about this Spark amp and am considering getting one for the music room and practice.

Thank you!

Tom
ZB Custom SD10, Dekley S10, Nashville Tele w/Parson B Bender, Dobros, Lap Steels
Fender Tube Amps and stuff...
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Bill Dobkins
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Post by Bill Dobkins »

It's an awesome amp.
Custom Rittenberry SD10
Boss Katana 100 Amp
Positive Grid Spark amp
BJS Bars
Z~Legend Pro,Custom Tele
Honor our Vet's.
Now pass the gravy.
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