Straight 8

Cultivated 68' Plexi tone by Kool & Elfring

We have always been a big fan of the Plexi amps and it’s phenomenal three dimensional rich and open sounds. It took us almost 2 years of intensive research to discover the secrets behind the magical tones of this legendary amp. Thanks to some dear friends in the music industry we could compare our versions (and there where many!!!) with some awesome original JMP’s.

Growling smooth like a straight 8 engine...

Beside the original plexi tones the Straight8 offers a second, hotrodded channel: the ultimate Plexi overdrive. The beauty of this channel is that it's got the Plexi-vibe all over it. It's ultra dymamic and even with the gain at 11 it still cleans up nicely.

Beefed up vintage tone & modern features

Like all K&E amps the Straight8 is very is easy to use due to its convenient single-row-chicken head-knob control panel. It takes just one glance to check your settings and you're ready to burn. Everything fits in a sexy, road-ready, convenient 50x25x25cm head. Furthermore it has some modern features and inovations like a foot-switchable ‘true bypass’ effects loop and double SVC ''Seamless Volume Control'' system that lets you to play at high and low wattage and boost your solo’s.

Write history!

The Straight8 is the ultimate hardrock tool and an oasis of inspiration for new music. We left no stone unturned when designing and building this rock machine, now it’s up to you to write new history...

18 Watt: EUR 1.549,-
50 Watt: EUR 1.699,-

Channel 1 'Mild mode' is more clean with tighter bass response

The sounds of channel 1 'Mild mode' are best described as dynamic, three-dimensional, open and sparkling. It’s warm yet with good definition. The gain setting starts at splendidly sparkling and dynamically clean. Beyond one o’clock the clean morphs into a clean sound with sweetly organic edge of breakup. Around three o’clockvery gradually the sound changes into a sweet and subtle 3d-crunch.

Channel 1 'Hot mode' Is hotter with fatter bass response

The 'Hot mode' is close to the original Plexi sound and feel. The sound breaths, its three-dimensional and open sounding with spongy bass response, very fat mids and those rich halo-kind of high frequencies that fade away just before becoming to harsh or brittle. Just like the original this amp is super dynamically. Even with the gain at full you're still able to clean up the tone by soft attack on the strings or turning back the volume knob on your guitar. Turning up the the guitars volume knob and hitting the strings hard will give you that that briliant complex saturation which makes Plexi tone so unique.

Channel 2 : Overdrive / Hotrodded Plexi

Channel 2 captures the perfect blend of 90's overdrive and 80's plexi-tone. Extra gainstages are added to the internal circuitry resulting in a more compressed tone with endless sustain. The overall ''Plexi feel'' is still there but just bigger, fatter and hotter. Sweet, tonesoaked overdrive for the contemporary rock gods!

SVC -Seamless Volume Control- Tube amp volume under control...

The SVC power feature enables the amp to produce 0,1 Watt bedroom levels yet retaining great tone. That is without thinning up the tone nor destroying the sustain.

Main Features:

  • 2 channels: channel 1 (mild/hot) channel 2 (overdrive)
  • 2 modes on channel 1: 'mild' and 'hot'
  • SVC - Seamless Volume Control: from 0,1 watt 'bed room' levels to 50 watt 'Rock Arena' levels (no tone loss at lower volumes, no need for power-soak)
  • Ultra wide gain range control for ultimate gain versatility
  • True bypass effects loop
  • SVC Volume boost
  • 3 button footswitch: channel, effects loop, volume boost
  • Outputs 4, 8, 16 Ohm or 2x16, 2x8 Ohm

Specification Straight 8 - 18 Watt:

  • Output: 18 Watts R.M.S.
  • Special designed 'Plexi' output transformer according to original '68 specs
  • Power tubes 2x6V6 power tubes
  • 5xpre-amp tubes: 4x12AX7 + 1x12AU7(effects loop)
  • Outputs 4, 8, 16 Ohm or 2x16, 2x8 Ohm
  • Weight: approx. 12 kg
  • Handsoldered printed circuit board in the Netherlands by Kool & Elfring

Specification Straight 8 - 50 Watt:

  • Output: 50 Watts R.M.S.
  • Special designed 'Plexi' output transformer according to original '68 specs
  • Power tubes 2xEL34 power tubes
  • 5xpre-amp tubes: 4x12AX7 + 1x12AU7(effects loop)
  • Outputs 4, 8, 16 Ohm or 2x16, 2x8 Ohm
  • Weight: approx. 15 kg
  • Handsoldered printed circuit board in the Netherlands by Kool & Elfring

Finish & Construction:

  • Handmade A to Z bij Kool & Elfring
  • dimensions: H=25 cm W=50 cm D=25 cm
  • 13 ply lightplex
  • Finger joint corner construction
  • Asymmetrical handle for perfect balance
  • High quality vinyl covering
  • Nickel plated corners
  • Tolex: 'Black Rose'

Straight 8 manuals