Electrical guitars are superior in nearly each method, however they’ve one shortcoming that’s unattainable to disclaim: they produce nearly zero sound till you join an amplifier. And that’s a giant deal for anybody who desires to jam whereas they’re out and about, as a result of guitar amps are historically cumbersome and heavy. Even the favored Fender Frontman 10G — a really compact mannequin — weighs in at 11.7 kilos and can barely slot in a backpack. The handmade Nicotone mini guitar amplifier, then again, is sufficiently small to suit inside an empty cigarette pack.
Synthrotek leaned into the theme when designing this gadget, because the PCBs function cigarette motifs, Marlboro-style font, and labels that learn “CIGARETTE AMP.” We in all probability don’t want to clarify that that is in all probability a product finest suited to adults.
This can be a quite simple pocket amplifier that solely does one factor: pumps up the amount. It doesn’t actually have a quantity management, so that you’ll have to rely solely on the one constructed into your guitar. In fact, there isn’t a knob for tone or overdrive, both. In response to Synthrotek, this at all times produces a “gritty, distorted tone.” To my ears, the distortion is clipped and crunchy with a tinniness to it.
At the very least a few of that tinniness is probably going because of the small built-in speaker, however the Nicotone features a ¼” output jack so guitarists can use it as a pre-amp for a bigger cupboard (4, 8, or 16Ω). That’s a cool function in case you dig the sound or just overlook to carry your distortion pedal with you to apply. Energy comes from a regular 9V battery, so you may maintain a Nicotone in your bag always.
However the huge promoting level is the aforementioned model and an empty cigarette pack completes it. Synthrotek designed the Nicotone to suit inside a regular (American) cigarette pack, so customers can personalize their amp. Use your model of selection or enhance an outdated pack with customized art work.
You possibly can order a Nicotone with a pre-cut thriller field or by itself from Tindie. These price $74.99 and $59.99, respectively.