Jez
Right then — I'm Jez, and I've spent the best part of 25 years chasing the same thing: a cranked British valve amp on the edge of breakup. Cut my teeth in smoky blues clubs around the North West, then spent a decade on the bench fixing other people's amps, which taught me more about tone than any pedal ever did. I'm a sucker for an EL34 power section and a bit of natural sag. I'll always tell you straight whether an amp's worth the money or whether you're paying for a badge.
3 published articles · most recent June 11, 2026
Right then — I'm Jez, and I've spent the best part of 25 years chasing the same thing: a cranked British valve amp on the edge of breakup.
I cut my teeth in smoky blues clubs around the North West, then spent a decade on the bench fixing other people's amps — which taught me more about tone than any pedal ever did. I'm a sucker for an EL34 power section and a bit of natural sag.
I'll always tell you straight whether an amp's worth the money, or whether you're just paying for the badge on the front.
Articles by Jez
How your picking attack shapes amp tone (and why technique is your best tone control)The way you strike the string does more for your tone than most gear swaps. Jez explains how picking dynamics interact with valve amps.
Your First Tube Amp: What to Look ForWattage, channels, attenuators and pedal-friendliness — a plain-English guide to buying your first valve amp without overspending or over-volume-ing.
Tube vs Solid-State vs Modelling Amps: Which Should You Buy?The three families of guitar amp explained in plain English — how they sound, what they cost to run, and which one is right for you.