Boutique amplifiers
Encyclopedia
Boutique amplifier is a catch-all descriptor for any type of guitar amplifier
that is typically hand built with the intention of being much better than the mass-produced variety offered by large companies. In the majority of cases, this is reflected in the price. Sometimes they are clones of older designs, often with minor improvements in layout or circuit design. Sometimes they are new designs altogether. A common claim made is that they feature better parts than ever appeared in any commercially available amplifier, and use vacuum tubes as the primary means of processing sound. In all actuality most boutique designs use the same components used by the large manufacturers in bygone eras that were abandoned in favor of minimizing manufacturing costs.
The term is probably derived from recent usage such as "Boutique hotel
", which relies on the understanding that "Boutique
" indicates that an item is not a mass-market, built-to-price-point product.
As a response to the many boutique builders, large companies have released reissues of their classic designs, touting their faithfulness to the original sound and the labor intensive building process. Terms like hand wired and point to point
wiring abound. Regardless of whether an amplifier uses point-to-point or turret board
or any other means of circuit board assembly, the term "point-to-point" has evidently been chosen as the default term to refer to all wiring methods. This has resulted in some confusion over their meaning.
Guitar amplifier
A guitar amplifier is an electronic amplifier designed to make the signal of an electric or acoustic guitar louder so that it will produce sound through a loudspeaker...
that is typically hand built with the intention of being much better than the mass-produced variety offered by large companies. In the majority of cases, this is reflected in the price. Sometimes they are clones of older designs, often with minor improvements in layout or circuit design. Sometimes they are new designs altogether. A common claim made is that they feature better parts than ever appeared in any commercially available amplifier, and use vacuum tubes as the primary means of processing sound. In all actuality most boutique designs use the same components used by the large manufacturers in bygone eras that were abandoned in favor of minimizing manufacturing costs.
The term is probably derived from recent usage such as "Boutique hotel
Boutique hotel
Boutique hotel is a term popularized in North America and the United Kingdom to describe intimate, usually luxurious or unique hotel environments. Boutique hotels differentiate themselves from larger chain/branded hotels and motels by providing personalized accommodation and services / facilities...
", which relies on the understanding that "Boutique
Boutique
A boutique is a small shopping outlet, especially one that specializes in elite and fashionable items such as clothing and jewelry. The word is French for "shop", via Latin from Greek ἀποθήκη , "storehouse"....
" indicates that an item is not a mass-market, built-to-price-point product.
As a response to the many boutique builders, large companies have released reissues of their classic designs, touting their faithfulness to the original sound and the labor intensive building process. Terms like hand wired and point to point
Point-to-point construction
Point-to-point construction refers to the method in which electronics circuits were constructed before the 1950s. Point-to-point construction is still used to construct prototype equipment with few or heavy electronic components....
wiring abound. Regardless of whether an amplifier uses point-to-point or turret board
Turret board
Turret boards were an early attempt at making electronic circuits that were relatively rugged, producible, and serviceable in the days before printed circuit boards...
or any other means of circuit board assembly, the term "point-to-point" has evidently been chosen as the default term to refer to all wiring methods. This has resulted in some confusion over their meaning.