# Mack Amps - Closed for Business



## jimsz (Apr 17, 2009)

Some years ago, I put up a thread here on how to cover a head cabinet with tweed, the cabinet was for my Mack amp. Over the years, I've had some back and forth emails with Don Mackrill and recently sent him an email but never got a response, then I noticed his website was gone. Does anyone know what happened?


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## Chito (Feb 17, 2006)

His facebook page is still up. But there is no link to the website anymore. I'm curious too. I have the Gem 2.


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## KapnKrunch (Jul 13, 2016)

As I recall his amps were very reasonably priced... maybe too "reasonable". 

Is this the guy?


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## jimsz (Apr 17, 2009)

Got a response back from Don, he has officially pulled the plug last month on Mack Amps. He said there were too many reasons that led him to that decision. My Mack has been my go to amp for gigging, rehearsal, jamming, everything and has never let me down.


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## KapnKrunch (Jul 13, 2016)

Thanks for the info. Wasn't sure clicking "LIKE" was the thing to do...

I would like to hear one of his amps sometime. His former site seemed to indicate he was a no BS kind of guy. Straight forward amps at a decent price.


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## jimsz (Apr 17, 2009)

Volume, tone and three-way gain switch are all the controls. We had my 30 watt Skyraider up against a 50 Wizard head, both using a Wizard 4x12 stack and it sounded great, not as good as the Wizard, but pretty close. Here's what Don had to say about it...

" Mack amps are very 'sensitive' (meaning that they are very sensitive to picking dynamics and changes to the level of the signal coming from the guitar pickups) and because there is so little in the amp's signal chain (no treble, middle, bass tone controls and other stuff) the sound from the amp has a wider frequency range (the fullness and distinction you mentioned).

This is why it is possible to set up the amp on the edge of overdrive and simply by altering your pick attack morph the tone from the amp from crystal clean to overdrive. It's also why it is possible to alter your tone dramatically by adjusting your guitar volume.

The result is that these amps tend to be more lively and clearer than some other amps (although as I hope you have found out, the tone at any setting never lacks warmth and as you turn up the volume it produces warm overdrive and distorted tones) - I often tell customers that they will hear, perhaps for the first time, what their guitars really sound like. For the same reasons that is why your pedal sounds different - you're hearing what it is really capable of."


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