1699R Statesman 50W Tube Guitar Amp Head

The 1699R Statesman is a two-channel, 50W amplifier that unites vintage Supro tone with modern channel switching functionality, tube-driven reverb and a multi-purpose, all-tube effects loop.

The red channel found in the Statesman uses the two-knob preamp from the legendary Supro Thunderbolt amplifier for high-headroom rock & roll power. The Statesman’s blue channel contains the high-gain preamp, 2-band EQ and all-tube reverb section of our acclaimed Comet model. The Statesman provides A/B/Both channel switching operation, allowing the two channels to be run in parallel, creating a massive, dual-preamp sound where each channel contributes part of the overall texture.

In addition to the tube-driven spring reverb, the Statesman’s blue channel contains an all-tube, switchable effects loop that provides a set of useful functions—including “wet only” reverb effects, which can be independently dialed in and blended with the dry sound from the red channel. The variable send and return levels allow the effects loop to function as a level and/or gain boost when engaged, even when nothing is plugged into the loop. The effects loop can also act as a master volume for the blue channel when bedroom levels are desired. As a final touch, both the effects loop and the reverb on the Statesman feature a relay-controlled “spill-over” effect, allowing reverb and delay trails to decay naturally when switching between channels.

The 50-watt power amp in the Statesman is switchable between Class A and Class AB operation. The Class-A (cathode bias) setting provides the distinctive midrange growl that has been the cornerstone of the Supro sound since the company was founded in 1935. The Class AB (grid bias) configuration presents less compression along with additional headroom, more punch and faster attack. The Statesman comes loaded with military-grade Sovtek power tubes that are precision-matched at the Supro factory in Port Jefferson, NY.

The Supro Statesman is available in a 1x12 combo format or as a compact head, covered in black rhino hide tolex and sized to sit perfectly atop the 1x12 and 1x15 Black Magick speaker cabinets, as well as the new, 2x12 Statesman speaker cabinet. Designed by Thomas Elliott, this all-tube masterpiece is equipped with 16-ohm, 8-ohm, and 4-ohm speaker outputs with enough power to drive up to four 2x12 cabs simultaneously for a look and sound worthy of the biggest stadiums and arena stages.