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10.04.2023: Candy Old Guitars

Javier Alemany was Nacho's guitar builder from 2015 to November 2021. He built all the guitars and also made the relics on all guitars. You've probably noticed that I haven't ordered any guitars from Nacho since 2021 and there were reasons for that. Now Javier is finally directly on the market and is now building the best 50s style Leo guitars using the finest tone woods, hardware and components. This instrument was made to last a life time and become the ultimate!

5.04.2023: Gladius Plus Updates on all JTM’s Models:

Initially the Gladius JTM amplifiers were designed for enthusiast players who wanted the sounds of the old plexi amplifiers of the 60's and 70's,  the early period of the then emerging rock music with their famous guitarists, Blackmore, Beck, Gilmour, Page and many others.

However time is not standing still and in the course of the following 30 years a fascinating progress took place bringing innovative sounds, better skills of the guitar players, and new creativity, that was never seen before.

As a consequence a continuous development of the Gladius Amps was necessary, with implementation of additional features, which were not available in the old models of the glorious past, in order to meet the demands of today's guitarists.

The JTM Mk IV Series  was upgraded  with an advanced post phase inverter master volume (PPIMV).  This Master Volume allows playing a crunchy tone with much distortion even at low volumes without losing the genuine sound character and sound quality of the amplifier.

The JTM Mk V was launched in early 2023 and is the latest version of the JTM series.  The Mk V series is equipped with the innovative three-way Gladius Bright Switch. It extends the capabilities of the high treble channel with better control and and by amplifying the treble in a defined range.

It will be used for more modern sounds and is particularly useful for a good presence of a band's solo guitarist on stage.

With this switch the sound of the high treble channel can be drastically modified into a very modern high gain/crunchy tone.

Unlike similar solutions in the market, the Gladius Bright Switch offers two different bright modes and is working without a patch cable.

At position 1 some treble frequencies are increased for a sharper tone, properly in a setting with distortion at  higher loudness. The clean tone becomes significantly “brighter” and clearer than the genuine sound, which is softer.

At position 2  the high treble frequencies are much more increased and the tone becomes very aggressive with even more distortion, very “crunchy“ for modern Hard Rock, Metal sounds. In  a clean setting it is glassy clear and very modern, no more blues character.  As usual the bright switch with both channels combined.

The Bright Switch is a great enhancement. It enables the guitar player to use tones, which were not playable with this type of amplifier without connecting additional electronic equipment. So the Mk V covers the whole range from classic plexi sound up to the sounds of modern amps as they are largely used by today's musicians.

30.03.2023: Intra-community distance selling: One Stop Shop (OSS)

All non-commercial customers within the EU will receive an invoice from ProGuitar from April 1st, 2023 with the VAT rates that are customary in the European country of the customer. Since Germany has one of the lowest tax rates, our non-commercial customers can experience a price increase of up to 6%. So in order to publish an actual selling price for our European customers on our web site, we would have to use net prices. Which in turn would be a contradiction for German commercial law. Thank you dear EU for further hurdles that we somehow have to overcome. 

16.01.2023: All Bartel 2023 models have now an immense sound improvement:

Updates: Fane A60 speaker, Lenco transformes, Red Base tubes!

To me, the Celestion alnicos never quite achieved the essential characteristics of a well broken-in, vintage alnico, while the Fane does this reasonably well.The Lenco transformers made a small improvement too and some of the redbase tubes we're using now sound a little better than the older types, but I think most of the difference you are hearing is the Fane

23.11.2022: The Gladius AVT 18 is back

By popular request from our customers, we have reissued a small number of the popular AVT-18 amps. Master Volume, Variac and Bright Cap are now standard.

18.11.2022: Fender Masterbuilt Guitars:

I want to share one thing with you today: Yesterday 2 Fender Masterbuilt guitars from Vincent Van Tright arrived. These guitars sell as soon as they hit the store. I ordered these guitars 3 years ago. If I ordered them today, I'd wait more than 10 years. But Fender is no longer taking orders for master builders Dale Wilson and Vincent Van Tright, both of whom have been booked for more than 10 years. I was very fortunate that I recognized in time which master builder builds the best guitars for me and my customers.

I was very fortunate that I recognized in time which master builder builds the best guitars for me and my customers.

Ich hatte das große Glück, dass ich rechtzeitig erkannt habe, welcher Baumeister die besten Gitarren für mich und meine Kunden baut.

I was very lucky that I recognized in time which master builder builds the best guitars for me and my customers.

Ich hatte großes Glück, dass ich rechtzeitig erkannt habe, welcher Baumeister die besten Gitarren für mich und meine Kunden baut.

 I also saw the development coming 2 years ago and therefore brought another master builder on board. Kyle McMillin - check out the guitars on my web site www.proguitar.de - he builds on the same level as his two colleagues Dale and Vince. And that "even" at a lower price. Isn't that Rock'n'Roll Ladies and Gents 🤘🏻

22.08.2022: Amplified Nation

The D-Style amps from AI are maybe the best replicas around the world and are back in stock now with new models and 3 options of speakers. 

20.06.2022: Gladius is steps into the D-Style jungle

Until the D-Style amps from Gladius are finally available at the end of the year, I can already present the final version of the 2x12" cabs today. This D-Style box was modeled after the version used by Robben Ford in Europe!

18.12.2021: Trainwreck vs Gladius

A nice review came out today in the German magazine Gitarre & Bass about the 3 famous Trainwreck amps Express, Rocket & Liverpool and versions from Gladius including power reduction!

25.10.2021: Trainwreck Amps made by John Mark added to my web

it was a long journey to get the legendary and now incredibly expensive amps from Ken Fischer called Trainwreck. For almost a year I exchanged views with John Mark, Ken Fischer's long-time sound tech, to get to the heart of the spirit of the legendary Trainwreck amps. From now on you can compare the original Trainwreck amps with the Express, Liverpool and Rocket models further developed by Gladius includes VARIAC and Master Volume. We are also looking forward to a comprehensive report by Udo Pipper in the 1/2022 issue of Guitar & Bass.

6.04.2021: Fender Ultimate Strat arrived after 5 years waiting

These guitars were designed and ordered directly in the box by John Cruz in Corona in 2016. Vincent Van Treight has now finished John's work. Five years later the time has finally come - I've never seen such a great before!

22.03.2021: Matchless C-15 now available

Matchless is very bussy and the backorder time is now more than 4 month. But we have the new C-15 head in stock based on the best seller C-30! 

25.02.2021: Gibson Murphy Lab

We are really proud to be one of the first in Germany to get guitars from the Gibson Murphy Lab - just when you open the case you smell the difference. Finally really aged new guitars from Gibson - great!

24.02.2021: Dale Wilson

In 2016 Fender invited us to Corona in the Fender Custom Shop to have very special guitars built by the masterbuilders. Since I'm a big fan of Philip Sayce and I was able to document his guitar in detail at a concert, Dale and I reproduced the guitars at the time, but out of respect for Philp’s guitars with a different aging. 5 pc. arrived today - Wow - 5 years waiting is over now.

15.12.2020: Bartel

All new 2021 model with push/pull bright switch on Volume pot arrived today. Very cool colors are now available!

30.11.2020: Gladius Liverpool available today

The logical consequence is of course to round off the Trainwreck offer. From today the Gladius Liverpool is officially available. The difference to the one-to-one comparison with the original is now only due to the old tubes that the original used. Otherwise Gladius guarantees the original sound, but with VARIAC and loss-free power reduction, as well as the very popular 3-stage Bright switch. A drew comes true.

19.11.2020: Gladius Express available today

It took many years to unravel the myth of the legendary original Trainwreck amps. Gladius was able to extensively test the original Trainwrecks from Ken Fisher, as well as those from John Mark and today presented his version of the Express. The US made transformers, which cost three times as much as conventional ones, but ultimately make the decisive difference, were a big challenge. Ken with his original amps, as well as Mark with his Trainwreck certified amps, still used old tubes from the 60s, Gladius, however, is only allowed to use new tubes (old tubes have the clarity, the explosive attack and an unbelievably great compression), that alone was already one huge challenge. But also the arrangement of components, as well as their location underlines the genius of Ken Fisher again. I myself first heard his Apms in the Ultra Sound Studios in New York and have definitely been my all-time favorite amps ever since. For me personally, the Gladius Express is one of the best new amp that has ever been built.

29.05.2020: The Gladius Rocket 1x12“ Cab!

The Gladius Rocket Guitar Amp is already the most successful amplifier in Gladius history. That's why he was given a matching cabinet. Incredibly beautiful, it sounds sensational in every volume and weighs only 12.2kg!

9.06.2020: John Cruz

Today I received sad news from Fender. John Cruz, the leading master builder at Fender Custom Shop was fired for an unfortunate facebook post. I have known John and his family since around 1995 - he is an incredibly friendly and lovable person and has always worked for Fender more than ever and has always been loyal. His expertise and love of building guitars is unparalleled. Of course we live in difficult times and especially in the USA at the moment. The post was unfortunate and was meant as a joke, was removed promptly, but I can not understand at all that Fender just dismissed its flagship with a delivery time of more than 3 years. Head up my friend, we'll see you again.

We’re backordered over 200k Euros with John’s guitars up from 2017 - we’ll try to move these orders to Dale or Vincent!

24.05.2020: The Gladius review in Gitarre & Bass 6/2020!

The new Guitar & Bass, the most read German-language trade magazine, is published today! On the front page is one of the most impressive new amps ever. The Gladius Rocket. The sales figures prove it, one of the best new amps with the spirit of Trainwreck amps. Test the amps exclusively in my shop!

10.03.2020: The Gladius 2204 is born!

The new Gladius 2204 is a further development of the 2204 from 1973. Unlike the Gladius JTMs, its sound is much more modern and rocking, but with all the features that have made the British sound so unique. The most important feature that modern guitarists are looking for is the solo boost function. However, not as a channel switch, but as a lossless pre-master volume, foot switchable. This enables the player to jump in volume for his solo at any gain level without loss of dynamics, for clean or distortion. Hence the post-master volume, which, like all Gladius amps, enables completely loss-free master volume at any volume. In order to get the full tone at Bedroom Level, the Gladius cabinets are recommended. With the Variac you can set the power tubes of saturation / distortion, which then changes the tone dramatically - like EVH. The pre-gain has enough distortion for metal in hi-input. The Lo input is specially designed for clean sounds and pedals. The difference is powerful and not just a few db as with commercial amps. A lossless effect loop (passive parallel) remains tight even with delays. The Gladius 2204 has the variety of sounds from the 2203 to the JCM 800 with Mullard tubes and aged transformers. Killer tight and fast in attack like the roman sword Gladius.

21.01.2020: Gibson Custom Shop News:

Gibson continues the hugely successful 60th Anniversary Les Pauls. There is now the 60th 60s Anniversary Les Paul available with three different neck profiles:

V1 corresponds to the 60th *59 (this is exactly the 60th ’59 Les Paul)

V2 is the original 60s with a smaller neck shape

V3 makes it possible to have an even thinner neck profile on the ’60s

All guitars have the same specs and quality like the ’59 60th Anniversary had!

The ES 335 is now available from Nashville Custom Shop in a quality we never had before:

ES 335 ’59

ES 335 ’61

ES 335 ’64

14.12.2019 Kikusui AC Power Supplies:

Yesterday we had a visit from the company DHS Elmea Tools, the German distributor of Kikusui, who manufacture the most popular AC power supply for many well-known musicians. The most important question now was, how do our amps sound at 60Hz? Present were Mr. Reccius from DHS, the electrical engineer Sigi Bombik who worked for us, Andy Blueml one of our best guitarists and me. For decades I have been trying to compensate the 60 Hz problem with my manufacturers using a modified power supply, but this does not always work. Yesterday, however, we took a lot of time to really get to the bottom of it. And there was an incredible difference to be heard. The 60 Hz makes the sound much bigger, a bit louder but much fatter and more organic. Thanks to the stepless control from 45 Hz to 70 Hz, the differences were quickly heard clearly as the tone changes. The biggest surprise, however, was the absolutely flawlessly screened power supply. By eliminating all disturbances in our power network (and there are quite a few), the amps sound much clearer, tidier and also softer in the heights. The more you play distorted, the more drastic the difference is. Now we can clearly understand why so many of our guitar heroes opt for a very expensive Kikusui power supply.

6.12.2019 Gladius Rocket now Available:

This amp now has 5 years of research and development behind it to revive the spirit behind the amps of Ken Fisher's Trainwrecks. For me personally, these are the best British style amps I've ever heard. Gene Sinigalliano from the Ultra Sound Studios in NYC made that possible for me many years ago. This sound just burnt into me and I've been searching for many years. Many have tried, but are miles away from this unique sound. Finally, I can announce: the Gladius Rocket has him: the spirit of Trainwreck amps.

This amp has the latest technology for lossless power reduction on board. A Variac and a post phase Master Volume developed by Ken Fisher. A 2x bright switch as well as usual for Trainwreck, the most harmonious Gain ever.

6.11.2019

Gladius MKIV Versions now available!

The now available MKIV versions of all best selling Gladius amps are now available for JTM65/66/67/68. The new MK IV version opens up an unprecedented power reduction with a modified „Trainwreck“ Post Phase Inverter Master Volume WITHOUT any tone loss on the back and a real Varic on the front. All tubes are now from the expensive manufacturer Mullard, which make an incredible sound difference. The most significant change is the tone harmonization in single notes (also known as Plexi Ghost Notes). These 4 elementary innovations make the biggest difference in the history of Gladius Amps.