Electrical Audio Gear Dork - Garnet B.T.O.

Gear Dork is where we talk about gear. Like dorks. This one is about
1970s Canadian warhorse amplifier, the Garnet BTO Special, built by
charming, storied eccentric Gar Gilles in Winnipeg, Manitoba and NOT
named after the Bachman Turner Overdrive.
Video by Jeff Perlman (jeffperlmancreative.com)

[@RoxanneGillies-x6g]

RIP Steve Thanks for featuring my Fathers Amp. Wow, the conversations you two are gonna have🤗

[@theelectrodefunhouse4651]

His book is worth it’s weight in gold!

[@deadredeyes]

Calling Ian from Don Cab about the high guitar strap had me rolling. So good Steve!

[@SolamenteVees]

Albini and a nod to Don Cab? Subscribed.

[@Two-Eyed_Boy]

Quite literally had my guard down and a Don Cab reference was the last thing I expected from this 🤣

[@User-jk8wq]

Steve’s deadpan delivery combined with the goofy editing makes for absolute comedy gold...plus an absolute treasure trove of audio tidbits. Please never stop making these videos

[@robf1557]

Reading this comment after hearing he'd passed made me so sad

[@johnpickk7526]

@@robf1557 me too :(

[@tmm850]

@@johnpickk7526 me too 😢

[@cranklabexplosion-labcentr8245]

Those knobs sound so satisfying to pull

[@lootwijk]

Indeed. “Whonk!”

[@ShinyShinyBlack]

They sound like bombs dropping.

[@beachcomber4141]

'crack'

[@Koettnylle]

The innuendo tho

[@kentuckychromedesign]

It's like a solid kick drum sound! I love it.

[@FursAndMasksMusic]

More Gear Dork please. We will all appreciate it.

[@Vrangor]

Steve, You've passed away 1000000000000000000000000000000 Gear Dork episodes too soon! Stay well, wherever You are!

[@daverice2426]

Man, that bright circuit doesn't fuck around and the stinger is just demented. 10/10

[@BrunaHera]

I'm always happy when Electrical Audio uploads

[@area51pictures]

The absolute CONTEMPT when he says "Gear Dork" at the beginning XD Keep going. Seriously. You guys are my favorite and I was sad when you weren't posting stuff.

[@alexstewart839]

I took a screen shot to (lovingly) send to friends when they text something asinine or fucking stupid.

[@eriktrickey3871]

oh man, I'd give anything for more gear dork. RIP. best wishes for Electrical Audio staff

[@pepsipimpin6010]

Steve is a national treasure.

[@dnbarg]

Great video. I visited Gar a number of times with my '84 Fender Deluxe Reverb II. He told me "You've got a good one", even though the spring reverb has had trouble numerous times. I miss visiting his shop since he passed. Always had his white lab coat on. In a fairly rough part of Winnipeg. The last time I saw him, he was laughing about telling people with solid state amps he couldn't help them. He said he was old enough to say that. Such a treat. Thanks for the video Steve.

[@Bkoded]

that fuzz sounds crazy, great to see a recent upload

[@JJTFishing]

I miss going to Gar's shop. He was such a sweet guy.

[@pileofstuff]

I'm just happy that the building is now home to a lutheir's shop (Beardsell guitar workshop). It's a fitting use for the place. He's even got a Garnet sign on the wall inside!

[@JJTFishing]

@@pileofstuff Totally! Al is awesome too!

[@nicolle.mp3]

The coolest man alive. Could hear him talking about gear or, hell, just about anything for hours on end

[@ryza4rox4]

Not many people in the world could wear a beanie like that as still look like a genius. Rest in peace Steve ❤

[@TimSamoff]

This actually made me laugh out loud. Love it. R.I.P., dude.

[@dinosaursr]

Always excited to see what the wizards of audio are up to. As a Canadian, proud to see some Garnetitude on display.

[@JMC4101994]

Back here after the awful news... this channel will be another great part of Steve's legacy, sharing some top notch info about engeeniering, making it always insightful, but with a pinch of humor and quirkiness that makes everything more enjoyable to learn.

[@FoxUncleCharlieKing]

This qualifies as “CanCon” (Canadian Content) and should be played on late night Canadian television before the national anthem.

[@haywarddaryl]

Heritage Moment

[@LaterHolmes]

Truly an exemplar of Gargillian Design and Philosophy.

[@MothElectric]

Yesss. More of these, please.

[@briandaniels2126]

The look on Steve's face during his close up while he starts using the stinger is absolutely priceless and hilarious!!!!!

[@Havreflan]

I will never get tired of this stuff. Keep it coming.

[@LiamCShepherd]

rest in peace steve, grateful for all you have done for music and it's engineering. for anyone interested, source audio makes a wave folding distortion that is conceptually similar to 'the stinger' in this amp.

[@WeAreTheFallPod]

Shout out to whoever edited this as well. Cheers!

[@Jeff_boyardee_]

Me! Thank you!

[@hiki2853]

also, please don't wait another year to upload something, these videos are fantastic ♥

[@adeadhum]

Hi Steve. Long time fan, first time caller. Feel free to make more content about anything you have this level of interest in. It is endlessly enjoyable and I really appreciate the comprehensive breakdown and genuine excitement about what makes it special to you.

[@kentlaframboise]

Nice! I was hoping Steve would do a video on his B.T.O! I have a few Garnet amplifiers: The smaller “The Pro” model (B190D) as well as a Session Man (G250TR) and a re-issue Herzog pre-amp. Pull-brite knobs are such a nice touch. Drinking from the Sound Fountain is lovely. There is not much else like shaking the walls with the growl and sustain of the Herzog fuzz! I see Steve also has a Mann GW100BH which is a “Stencil” re-brand Garnet. Not to exclude the many Traynor amps! So much Canadiana there!

[@squirrelray1]

The Pro was my first good amp. It had the same tremolo and stinger circuits I bought it in '77 used. Should have kept it.

[@DeLoreanPug]

I will forever miss you Steve! You left an indelible mark on this world and a massive void where no one else can fill. This loss cut much deeper than most.

[@jerryleemelton1860]

Yes. Lots more of this please.

[@PeasGraveny]

Steve's gone? I only found out today. That's fucking heartbreaking. Goddamn

[@BELL314159]

Gonna get me one of those garage jumpsuits and never take it off.

[@ononearts]

Love your videos not only for the interesting info, but the weird little cartoony bits!

[@paulcope834]

I love that Duuff sound when he engages the bass and the treble pot.

[@DrillForAbsentee]

More of these types of videos, please. As a musician ever in search of the exotic and path less traveled in terms of gear, these types of videos are always appreciated.

[@BataraKado]

what can i say im a man of class, i see a new electrical audio video, i click and watch every second, thanks again Steve Albini

[@chrisdawson1352]

Not only am I a gear dork, I'm a gear book dork as well. Just ordered a copy. Thanks.

[@Lantertronics]

I'd watch these all day long.

[@marceugeni]

What an incredible fuzz tone!!! Steve, I'll always miss you. I've been to every Primavera Sound I could, in the front row or in the mosh, enjoying your Shellac show, no matter which band was playing at the very moment (most of the time alone, as my friends wanted to see The National or Tame Impala... or whatever hipster band). You have been one of the most influential personalities in my life. RIP, dude. Love

[@harveyradius]

Did not expect Steve to call Ian from Battles. Absolutely hilarious editing and I always love how in-depth and passionate Steve is. Please never stop making these.

[@williamaeronlewis]

SOUND FOUNTAIN !!! amazing. light show is pretty amazing too. nice work, Gar !

[@carnage77]

Oh... The bright + tremolo setting ❤😮😍

[@carnage77]

And that Fuzz.... Shiiiiiiiiiiiiii

[@dtb2229]

Please keep doing these. Entertaining, engaging, and informative. The way Steve and Brian talked about the gear/effects just felt...organic, like they wanted to talk about it.

[@spazzriff_appreciator]

i just want you guys to know how much love i have for this team and this inspiration is going to take me far over the rainbow

[@fuzzmountain7583]

Awesome! I have 67 Garnet Pro which is the half power version of the BTO. Same features though. Love that amp!

[@FrankTheAranda]

Thank you guys for making these videos

[@sundogaudio851]

no way Steve we love these keep em coming!

[@CyrilBdok]

KZbin tells you when people log off your videos, so he may actually have evidence to back his claim. Keep em coming anyway Steve!

[@beaarthurmiller]

This is the kind of gear video I actually want.

[@zotpedals]

I'm surprised by Steve's misunderstanding of the amp's circuitry. The amp's EQ is not similar to a Fender amp, but rather more akin to an Ampeg, PA mixer, or hifi amplifier of the time as it has a "James" style EQ. The push-pulls also do not add any additional amplifier stages. The Bass switch changes the value of the coupling capacitor following the preamp stage. The Treble switch engages a cathode bypass capacitor on the phase invertor. And the Volume switch engages a "bright cap" across pins 2 & 3 of the volume pot like most amps featuring a bright switch. Bias tremolo was the norm back then for nearly every amplifier in the 60's. Lastly, the tone control for the Stinger is not a bias control, it's a simple treble roll-off like you'd see on most guitar's tone controls. The way the Stinger works is it is fed an inverted phase signal off the first gain stage, which is then amplified & again inverted by the pentode before being reintroduced into the original inverted phase signal before the second gain stage. All of this is featured in the book mentioned in the middle of the video and is clearly shown in the schematic. It'll be difficult to take any of your technical videos seriously when this one is so rich with incorrect information.

[@ddqd123]

I think those inaccuracies are part of the bit

[@airwindows]

I was just thinking, the only way to be rebellious in 2024 is to waste my time and his own. Your observations line up with what I heard more than what Steve claimed, to the point where I wondered if it was a bit and he'd be using exactly the same sound each time ('stinger' convinced me the sound was changing, tho) Looks like you can be a teeny bit rebellious too, as you've now wasted just a bit more of my time and your own :D

[@stevealbini402]

Hey genuine thanks for all this detail, you know a lot more about this amp than I do! I'm sorry for the inaccuracies, this video was done quickly without doing enough homework, and I'll try to improve on that.

[@stevealbini402]

I should also note that circuits varied a lot in Gar's amps, he changed them around whenever he got a bright idea. We've had three different BTO Specials here at Electrical and there are radical differences in them. One has a transformer phase-splitter and a different tremolo circuit, one has a different active tone section than described, many small parts changes. Gar -- and his amps -- were unique.

[@zotpedals]

@@stevealbini402 I appreciate your taking the time to write me a response, as I truly do enjoy your videos. I feel you provide expert opinions on many subjects. I was just taken aback by the incorrect information considering your tech had the schematic in their hands. But I understand that not everybody can interpret circuits and their functions at first glance. Thank you for clarifying the reasons for the inaccuracies. I myself am an amp tech in Winnipeg and have seen dozens of Garnet amps on my bench, including a few that I've posted to my own account. There's definitely a bit of variety to their models sharing the same name or appearance.

[@dm-h6986]

Always jarring when the pots are pulled. My LD190 is a fave :)

[@camarotrash]

I don’t think I could ever tire of the topics that Steve wants to make videos about. I could listen to him talk about all the different recipes of asphalt that could be found around the different counties of Pennsylvania, ffs.

[@leiferickson3183]

Lovely video Steve.

[@LongDeathBlueNeck]

These videos are so awesome. Great to see the master playing a guitar too

[@charlesmcbride4097]

Thanks for posting this. The only 'fuzz' that I have ever heard that has what I would call...actual...sustain. Really impressive.

[@gregdoran5850]

More please! Thank you Steve!

[@DruggedBunny]

That sounded more and more amazing as each thingy was engaged

[@dinosaursr]

Gonna miss you every day Steve.

[@juancitolimon8743]

si te llega una notificacion de que electrical audio de que subio un video significa que es el mejor dia que vas a tener hasta que suban otro video mas literal

[@bobbydreg5597]

I love this stuff. You’ll be missed Steve!

[@blackearwax]

That is a great sounding amp. Love the fade in of the tremolo

[@cheekbone4554]

Better than most TV show productions

[@lippi2171]

Hell yeah they're back

[@knowknaime]

All the best from Winnipeg! It’s cool to see a Garnet is being used in a pro studio outside of Canada. I think Gar would be pleased.

[@coldworldmelancholy]

That pop noise is incredible.

[@thebeatclinic9000]

Please do these more. I'm a massive dork.

[@paniccleo]

This series really satisfies my taste for hearing what weirdo amps sound like. So cool.

[@searchiemusic]

steve you are an inspiration to me, another audio engineer that gets way too obsessed with everything they touch, thank you for sharing, i'd listen to you rant for hours dude

[@Ottophil]

Dats tism my dude

[@boronoro]

Thank you so much! Great great great stuff! Much love, Electric Audio team and Steve Albini!!! You rock so hard guys!!!

[@voronOsphere]

Wonderful amp! Great demonstration! Lovely photography! Fun old photo of hometown hero Ian Williams from the Don Caballero days!

[@valleywoodstudio7345]

Cool. Traynor also had the Tremolo across the power amp stage as an oscillating bias - I think! It also fades in a little like a Leslie ramping up.

[@denverrandy7143]

That sounded awesome!!!Thank you

[@CleanConnections]

Awesome fuzz you got there Monsieur Albiní but my favourite audio delight was the ‘POP’ of the push/pull pots 😃 May I sample it as a kick for my drum machine 🙏

[@dontstop2517]

good to see you Steve! thank you for the vid, such an awesome amp

[@2ndRick]

Hello Steve! Randy Bachman JUST posted about this amp and his long relationship with Gar. Nice timing. I had not heard of this product or brand over my entire life, and now twice in just a short time!!

[@Magic_City_Madman]

Please do more videos of this kinda stuff. It's really good.

[@_mysilentblue2227]

Cool to see you posting again.

[@Brannington]

World class as always, Mister Electrical Audio! as a budding gear dork on a shoestring budget i still have so much more to imbibe and learn about! Those knobs sound like a Ham getting smacked with a Catcher's Mitt.

[@ESTcor]

Love these videos. Always makes my day whenever these drop

[@kaduthurler]

Loved the fuzz! Always great to see new Steve Albini videos 🫡

[@CrowCourtBand]

Incredible video!

[@Lu_Woods]

Such an odd bird, thanks for showing it off. (reminds me of Jesse Oliver's amps)

[@TheNathanMChannel]

I loved the BTFO-your-neighbors speaker popper knobs, but I now kinda covet that stinger folded-in-on itself waveform fuzz.

[@lootwijk]

This was a lovely presentation. Thank you guys.

[@danthegeetarman]

Love these segments!!

[@nj1255]

Could be the coolest amp I've ever seen. That Stinger fuzz sounds amazing!

[@NineVoltDigitalCinema]

Goddamn. I’m gonna miss Steve’s gear videos. RIP

[@Scotty_Russell_Music]

That fuzz is very lively indeed. Cool amp.

[@mrpres17]

The best videos on KZbin! Thanks for making these

[@vvessel_]

Great kick drum sounds out of those pulls

[@airwindows]

No lie told. If Steve was cool he'd have the audio clips of it up somewhere nobody could find so you could take them and do whatever :)

[@Bring_MeSunshine]

Not me, though. I love watching this channel as it is one of the most original and interesting audio engineering channels on thr block, and great to see it back in my feed.

[@coupe-lee]

This seems like another really great project for John Snyder to put into an Electronic Audio Experiments pedal!

[@turdusmerula_]

Love you Steve, you're the greatest

[@JamesStrassburg]

I ordered that book in about three seconds!

[@ektopia]

More more more of this! Awesome

[@slythefamilydrone]

Wild to see Steve wearing a strap like that and playing an SG. Amp sounds amazing though!

[@sebbityseb]

That sounds fantastic. Thanks for this!

[@pongotv22]

Nice video once again!

[@aliwalkeraudio]

Good God this amp sounds incredible!!

[@robwalsh9843]

My condolences to Steve's wife and employees. RIP