![VHT Special 12/20 RT Amp Review](https://www.premierguitar.com/media-library/image.jpg?id=25780128&width=1200&height=1200)
This little beast offers much more tweakability than the vintage Fenders it’s based on.
With a full line of affordable handwired amps, VHT has nestled into a comfortable corner of the vast, sometimes overwhelming amp marketplace. Building much of its line overseas allows the company to offer working musicians a taste of boutique quality amplification for a fraction of the price. And VHT’s designers do their homework, producing amplifiers based on venerable tone platforms we know and love, yet enhancing them with tweaks that serve modern players’ needs.
The Special 12/20 RT combo we have in for review this month is a shining example of the VHT design philosophy. Like the VHT Special 6, the 12/20 RT is based on golden age American combos, but delivers more usable volume than its little brother, plus expanded tone-shaping control and amazing effects-pedal friendliness. Loaded with a 12" VHT ChromeBack speaker, the 12/20 RT is meant to be a portable, throbbing nerve center in your rig, not just another link in the chain.
Clean Layout, Robust Controls
A quick scan of the 12/20 RT’s controls will tell you that this little beast offers much more tweakability than the vintage Fenders it’s based on. Let’s start with tube selection. The amp ships with 6V6 power tubes, but is designed to accommodate easy tube swaps, allowing you to obtain your favorite valve flavors with ease. Your tube choice affects the amp’s volume as well: Set the high/low power voltage switch behind the removable rear panel to low volt position for 6V6s or EL84s and 12-watt output, or select the high volt position for 6L6s or EL34s and 20-watt output—hence the 12/20 moniker. At these output levels, we have something of a Princeton Reverb/Deluxe Reverb hybrid with the flexibility to generate British tones via the EL34/84 option.
To further adjust the output, the main panel includes a wattage control that descends to less than one watt for practice situations, as well as a pentode/standby/triode switch that reduces the output by about half when in triode mode. Depth and tone knobs adjust low- and high-end response, and a texture switch allows further adjustment to the 12/20’s high-frequency roll-off point. Vibrato and reverb controls offer a little extra adjustment power as well, with a slow/fast switch for the vibrato speed and a deep reverb position, accessed by pulling up the knob. A single volume knob with footswitchable pull-boost tops off a full, but well laid-out array of controls.
All the pedal excitement happens around back, where you’ll find a 9V DC jack for powering pedals, and a level-adjustable effects loop. Footswitch, line out, and speaker output jacks complete this ample collection of input and output delights. It’s a feature surplus, for sure, but I found that the amp’s ease of use was excellent, and its fine overall build quality left nothing on this VHT seeming like an afterthought.
That Special Feeling
With the 12/20 in pentode mode, I plugged in a Strat and got loose with some scratchy Jimmy Nolen funk rhythms. I was getting nice dynamics and touch sensitivity, with plenty of warmth on the Strat’s middle pickup, having turned the depth control fully clockwise for maximum low-end extension. At 12 watts, I was getting similar headroom to a Princeton Reverb, clean to about ¾ of the way up. With the volume knob maxed out, the amp’s breakup character was very close to a vintage Fender flavor as well—scooped, but with perhaps slightly more midrange emphasis. With the footswitch, I kicked on a touch of the 12/20’s cavernous tube reverb, giving some acoustic energy to a gritty three-dimensional single-coil sound with a deep, crisp bottom and sweet, but cutting high-end harmonics. From barking Stones-like stabs to chimey country leads, I could get a variety of convincing American tones by working the guitar’s volume knob. Harmonic complexity was nearly as good as my vintage Champ, but I only noticed the slight deficit when switching quickly back and forth between the two.
I had to work for it, but I found several usable tremolo settings, my favorite being a surprisingly rich slow throb. The boost switch was one of my favorite features, giving me a perfect volume and gain boost for solos with a quick stomp on the second footswitch. It was a great match for the Strat’s bridge pickup, juicing up the midrange and rounding out the sound for a bluesy, low-gain lead tone with good sustain. Turning down the watts control a bit got me into medium-gain territory, great for classic rock crunch at studio, but not band-level volumes. While it was a useful feature, I found that the tone quality dropped off significantly after ¾ up on the knob.
Ratings
Pros:
Solid vintage combo tone. Excellent pedal friendliness. Simple output adjustments. Huge reverb.
Cons:
Slightly too warm for darker guitars. Weight. Clean tones could be more complex.
Tones:
Ease of Use:
Build:
Value:
Street:
$649 (head), $749 (combo)
VHT Amplification
vhtamp.com
For higher-gain sounds, I ran VHT’s V-Drive overdrive pedal through the amp’s effects loop and powered it with the onboard 9V power supply. I got amazingly low noise with this setup—a night-and-day difference between this and running the pedal between my guitar and amp in typical fashion. The pedal sounded transparent, like a natural extension of the amp itself, and I could evoke recent Santana lead sounds with ease, generating snarling and syrupy tones with increasing harmonic complexity as I goosed the pedal’s drive.
The Verdict
If you’re looking for a versatile tone machine voiced mainly for cleans and tasty vintage Fender-combo breakup, the 12/20 RT needs your attention. Being warm and sweet, it’s probably a little friendlier to single-coil guitars, though I found many great tones with my Les Paul after a bit of searching. VHT was smart to retain a pure single-channel design, as it gives you a solid foundation to expand on, should you choose to do so. It offers classic amp essences with convenient features that even purists would have a hard time ignoring, especially considering the price.
The Man in Black returns with the unreleased Songwriter album. John Carter Cash tells us the story.
“The Man Comes Around” is a much-played song from the final album Johnny Cash recorded before his death in 2003, American IV: The Man Comes Around. Now, the Man in Black himself has come around again, as the voice and soul of an album he initially cut in 1993, titled Songwriter. It hits the street on June 28.
For fans who know Cash only through his much-loved American Recordings series, this is a very different artist—healthy, vital, his signature baritone booming, his acoustic playing lively, percussive, and focused. This is the muscular Johnny Cash heard on his career-defining recordings, from his early Sun Records sides like “Cry! Cry! Cry!” and “Folsom Prison Blues” to “Ring of Fire” and “Sunday Mornin’ Comin’ Down” to later, less familiar hits like “The Baron” and “That Old Wheel.” In short, classic Cash—the performer who became an international icon and remains one even 21 years after his death.
I recently visited the Cash Cabin recording studio—a log cabin on the Cash family property in Hendersonville, Tennessee, that was originally built as a sanctuary where Johnny wrote songs and poetry—with PG’s video team of Chris Kies and Perry Bean to talk about Songwriter with John Carter Cash, the son of Johnny and June Carter Cash.
In addition to getting the lowdown on Songwriter from John Carter Cash, he showed us some of the iconic guitars—including original Johnny Cash lead guitarist Luther Perkin’s 1953 Fender Esquire and a Martin that was favored by the Man himself—that dwell at the busy private studio. Check out this visit.
Guest picker Mei Semones joins reader Jin J X and PGstaff in delving into the backgrounds behind their picking styles.
Question: What picking style have you devoted yourself to the most, and why does it work for you?
Guest Picker - Mei Semones
Mei’s latest album, Kabutomushi.
A: The picking style I’ve practiced the most is alternate picking, but the picking style I usually end up using is economy picking. Alternate feels like a dependable way to achieve evenness when practicing scales and arpeggios, but when really playing, it doesn’t make sense to articulate every note in that way, and obviously it’s not always the fastest.
Obsession: My current music-related obsession is my guitar, my PRS McCarty 594 Hollowbody II. I think it will always be an obsession for me. It’s so comfortable and light, has a lovely, warm, dynamic tone, and helps me play faster and cleaner. This guitar feels like my best friend and soulmate.
Reader of the Month - Jin J X
Photo by Ryan Fannin
A: For decades, the Eric Johnson-style “hybrid picking” with a Jazz III for “pianistic” voicings. Great for electric, though not so much acoustic. I’ve been recently learning to use a flatpick, à la Brian Sutton, by driving the pick “into” the string at an angle—which makes me think of Pat Metheny and George Benson, without irony.
Obsession: I’m still focused on understanding the concepts of jazz, neo-classical, and beyond, though I’m also becoming obsessed with George Van Eps’ 7-string playing, flatpicking, hip-hop beats, the Hybrid Guitars Universal 6 guitar, and the secret life of the banjo.
Editorial Director - Ted Drozdowski
A: Decades ago, under the sway of Mississippi blues artists R.L. Burnside, Junior Kimbrough, and Jessie Mae Hemphill, I switched from plectrum to fingerstyle, developing my own non-traditional approach. It’s technically wrong, but watching R.L., in particular, freestyle, I learned there is no such thing as wrong if it works.
Obsession: Busting out of my songwriting patterns. With my band Coyote Motel, and earlier groups, I’ve always encouraged my talented bandmates to play what they want in context, but brought in complete, mapped-out songs. Now, I’m bringing in sketches and we’re jamming and hammering out the arrangements and melodies together. It takes more time, but feels rewarding and fun, and is opening new territory for me.
Managing Editor - Kate Koenig
A: I have always been drawn to fingerpicking on acoustic guitar, starting with classical music and prog-rock pieces (“Mood for a Day” by Steve Howe), and moving on to ’70s baroque-folk styles, basic Travis picking, and songs like “Back to the Old House” by the Smiths. I love the intricacy of those styles, and the challenge of learning to play different rhythms across different fingers at the same time. This is definitely influenced by my classical training on piano, which came before guitar.
Obsession: Writing and producing my fifth and sixth albums. My fifth album, Creature Comforts, was recorded over the past couple months, and features a bunch of songs I wrote in 2022 that I had previously sworn to never record or release. Turns out, upon revisiting, they’re not half bad! While that one’s being wrapped, I’m trying to get music written for my sixth, for which I already have four songs done. And yes, this is a flex. 💪😎
Guitarist, songwriter and bandleader Grace Bowers will independently release her highly anticipated debut album, Wine On Venus, August 9.
The new album adds to a breakout year for Bowers, who was recently selected as a U.S. Global Music Ambassador as part of the U.S Department of State and YouTube’s Global Music Diplomacy Initiative, is nominated for Instrumentalist of the Year at the 2024 Americana Music Association Honors & Awards and will make her debut performance on the legendary Grand Ole Opry on her eighteenth birthday, July 30, 2024. Other performances this year include shows supporting Slash, The Red Clay Strays and Brothers Osborne as well as stops at Levitate Music & Arts Festival, Floyd Fest, Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion, Bourbon & Beyond, XPoNential Music Festival and Pilgrimage Music & Cultural Festival. See below for complete tour itinerary.
Grace Bowers & The Hodge Podge - Tell Me Why U Do That (Official Video)
Produced by John Osborne (Brothers Osborne), Wine On Venus captures the electric energy of Bowers’ live performances with The Hodge Podge. The record consists of nine soul-infused tracks including a new version of Sly and the Family Stone’s “Dance to the Music” as well as previously release single, “Tell Me Why U Do That,” of which Forbes praises, “an infectious, joyous party and a worthy introduction to Bowers.” Additionally, The Bluegrass Situation declares, “an exceptional breakout talent who seems primed for a long career to come,” while RIFF Magazine calls her “The next generation’s star of American rock, blues and funk guitar.”
Of the record, Bowers shares, “I’m so excited to share my first album with the world in August! It’s been a long time coming, and I’m proud of what was created with the incredible Hodge Podge and John Osborne producing. We recorded everything live, as it should be, for this sonic journey. I hope you love it as much as I do.”
Additionally, of the title track, she reflects, “My nana was 100 years old when she passed away last year. She would always tell me that when she died, she would be drinking wine on Venus. She was a little eccentric but thought that was just something so cool. When she passed, I wrote a song about it.”
In addition to Bowers (guitar), the record features Joshua Blaylock (keys), Brandon Combs (drums), Eric Fortaleza (bass), Esther Okai-Tetteh (vocals) and Prince Parker (guitar) as well as songwriting collaborations with respected artists such as Ben Chapman, Meg McRee, Maggie Rose and Lucie Silvas.
Originally from the Bay Area and now calling Nashville home, Bowers began garnering attention after sharing videos of herself playing guitar on social media during the pandemic. In the years since, she’s been featured on “CBS Mornings” in a piece focused on a new wave of young female guitarists, performed alongside Dolly Parton as part of her Pet Gala special on CBS, joined Lainey Wilson as part of CBS’ New Year’s Eve Live celebration, performed as part of the “Men’s Final Four Tip-Off Tailgate Presented by Nissan” and been sought after by everyone from Devon Allman to Tyler Childers and Susan Tedeshi to Kingfish. Of her 2023 Newport Folk Festival debut, Rolling Stone declared, “Her 20-minute performance gave the distinct sense that everyone lucky enough to have attended was witnessing a star in the making,” while The Tennessean calls her “a 17 year old Blues guitar prodigy,” with a, “heart as big as her talent is vast.”
Most recently this summer, Bowers performed alongside Billy Idol at the Fired Up For Summer benefit concert and raised $30,000 for MusiCares and Voices for a Safer Tennesseewith her 2nd Annual “Grace Bowers & Friends: An Evening Supporting Love, Life & Music” benefit show. With the release of Wine On Venus (distributed by The Orchard), Bowers will further establish herself as one of music’s most intriguing new artists.
For more information, please visit gracebowers.com.
The new destination on Reverb will feature an always-changing collection of new and like-new music gear from top brands for at least 20% off retail prices.
“Outlet music gear is a fantastic value for music makers. Often, it’s brand new overstock or clearance music gear that retailers or brands are simply looking to clear out. Other times, it’s gear that’s been opened, used for a demo, or simply doesn’t have its original box, but is otherwise in like-new condition,” said Jim Tuerk, Reverb’s Director of Business Development. “With the launch of the Reverb Outlet, we’re making it easy to access your favorite brands for less.”
The Reverb Outlet will feature high-quality discounted music gear from Reverb’s community of authorized sellers, ranging from retailers like ProAudioStar and Alto Music to brands like Focusrite and Korg selling discounted items directly to music makers. All of the new and like-new music gear in The Reverb Outlet:
- Is at least 20% off retail prices—but often more
- Is sold by authorized retailers and brands
- Comes with free shipping, and
- Has a minimum 7-day return window.
“With economic pressures making it harder for music makers to invest in music gear, it’s more important than ever that the music-making community has access to affordable musical instruments. We launched the Reverb Outlet to make it easier for music makers to find the best deals on the instruments that will inspire them,” said Reverb CEO David Mandelbrot. “Now that players can shop discounted outlet music gear alongside our huge range of affordable used music gear, it’s easier than ever to find the perfect instrument for your budget.”
Visit the Reverb Outlet today and check back often, as new deals will be added regularly. Please note that as of now, this is available to those in the US only.
For more information, please visit reverb.com.