Clouston Amplifiers

If you try to put a guitar in my hands and make me play you something I will almost always say no. Unless you’re my Grandma Justine. She was the first person to put a guitar in my hands and start me down this path, and for that I will be forever grateful. ❤️

Happy New Year from me and my bench! I’d like to send my thanks and appreciation to everyone who trusted me with their busted gear, build ideas, and friendship in the year 2022. The music community (both players and repair people alike) is one of the most uplifting things i’ve ever been a part of.

One of my fourth quarter goals was to be less active on social media and more active in my tangible spaces. I joined a new band and I’ve been trying to make more art. I think it has greatly improved my world.

Anyway, here’s a selection of reference shots of things I’ve seen lately.

I hope you and yours are well!

Did you know I have a lifetime warranty on my pedals? A limited lifetime warranty on my amps?

This was the first clone pedal I sold and it recently came back across the bench for a blown zener diode. It was very nice to check in with it and get it back up and running.

I had a blast talking to the After School Music Program last week! We talked tone, tubes, transistors, and what it’s like to be a touring tech. I love sharing knowledge, especially with a room full of inquisitive young minds!

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I like how this one turned out. Hope you’re all having a good weekend! 🌵

Recently celebrated the second anniversary of taking a chance on myself and leaving my full time job to start my own business.

A massive thank you to all who have trusted me to repair their gear, purchased some of my pedals, or sent words of encouragement. The biggest thanks of all goes to my incredible life partner . Self employment isn’t for the faint of heart and I literally could not do it without all of you.

Cheers!

Always happy when there’s a package inbound from !

Another killer strap from !!

This one was a very thoughtful anniversary gift from . I love how it looks with the aging finish on my LP.

Happy Birthday Leo ! Thanks for the inspiration hombre.

Happy wedding anniversary to and I!! I couldn’t imagine a more wonderful, down to earth relationship to help me through this twisted tale called life. I love you to the moon and back my dear! ❤️

This lil fella was a curious case. Came in with the not-out-of-the-ordinary report that something smoked and they shut it off immediately and called me.

Turns out, it was a freak accident caused by a design flaw. One of the pcb foils was very close to a chassis mounting post. Over the years the mask on the foil continued to degrade until one day it made enough contact to make fireworks. 🧨

I went in, cut out the charred up pcb, and ran the lead from the destroyed pcb pad to a neighboring pad. Now it’s running great!

I was going to post a picture of me with a grumpy caption about what a pain it is to run a small business and to have to report my first half of year sales tax to the suits. But the memory of this magical swimming hole we visited yesterday won’t let me get curmudgeony enough to get bent out of shape about something I gleefully signed up to do.

I encourage you to find somewhere to hang out in nature this week, preferably with no cell service, even for a few hours.