There has always been a demand by guitarists for economic amplification which can provide a great sound in any style. The Sessionette 75 Mark II by Axess Electronics Ltd provides all of this in a combo the size of a 14" portable TV set.

Weighing just 16kg could this start a trend in balsa wood bins and reinforced polystyrene long-throws? I expected a sound far inferior to the one this pokey little number actually delivers.

The Sessionette 75 Mark II is the updated version of the model first introduced in 1981, and now features a new Mosfet power amp stage.

Axess have opted to stay with the successful doughnut-shaped toroidal transformer. Although more expensive than standard transformers, the toroidal virtually eliminates all hum radiation which usually interferes with the reverb unit. Because it is smaller and lighter than other transformers, this contributes greatly to the size and weight advantages of the Sessionette.

Its maximum output is an impressive 90 watts RMS which the specially designed 12" driver handles without complaint. I decided to quell my suspicions regarding its robustness once and for all, so in succession I tried my Les Paul Standard, two Strats (one a Squier), a Washburn and an Ibanez — it's great to have friends in guitar shops. Apart from a little bit of feedback at maximum level, the Sessionette came through admirably. Making continual comparisons between the clean channel and the now mandatory overdrive stage, I found it very easy to leap from the super-clean end of Country and creamy-smooth Jazz to the much sought after dirt and raunch of Messrs Jeff Beck and Steve Lukather; all of this was achieved with a wonderfully simple set of controls.

The two-channel selector switch on the front panel allows the choice of either channel without the use of the optional footswitch or, when the footswitch is in use, it can be simply set to the centre position. The overdrive stage (Channel A) comprises two gain pots and one pot for the harmonic filter. Gain one sets the desired amount of overdrive sustain and gain two is the master volume for Channel A. The harmonic filter set at zero produces mellow sustain; with the Gibson in particular this gives the authentic Clapton 'woman tone' (Ah! the memories). The setting at 5 will give a flat response for 'natural' overdrive tonality and at 10 adds a hard-edged cut to the overdrive, especially when used with the bridge pickup. This is great for dishing up those meaty power chords. The filter pot was very responsive and I found that by juggling between settings I could get a wide variety of classic Rock sounds without even having to switch pickups.

Still dealing with the front panel controls, the EQ Mode Selector allows a choice of either the rotary EQ controls to be used in the standard manner or when switched to 'Set' removes the three-band EQ circuit completely and is replaced by a narrow band 'Preset' tone. As this feature only applies to the Distortion Channel (A), th is takes on a fat, rounded character which is simultaneously gain-boosted to make the guitar rich in 400 Hz signal and provide long sustain.

Valve Sound

When switching back to the clean channel the EQ is automatically engaged back in circuit.

The unique design of the Eq Circuit results in a brighter but warmer sound usually associated with the natural 'losses' found in valve amps.

Although I've always found the EQ stage of many combos to vary from deficient to exceptionally average, I was pleased to discover a similar level of response to that which I found in my old friend, the filter pot. The bass operates over a 50 Hz to 200 Hz band; the mid over a 200 Hz to 1kHz band; and the treble over a 1kHz to 10kHz band, which is more than adequate for even the most discerning guitarist.

Gain B sets the desired level for the clean channel — B, and I must re-state here that either in clean or distorted mode, this little monster is loud.

The reverb unit, built by Accutronics, employs three different delay springs which gives a really clear, deep effect.

The supply switch which combines the mains on/off and neon indicator caused my first concern. As there is no standby stage, I experienced a disturbing 'thud' every time I switched on. This happened even when all the controls were zeroed and I was worried about the eventual effect this would have on the speaker cone.

The remaining features on the front panel are the 750mA mains fuse and the single high impedance jack input, used to reduce the amount of hiss caused by the usual two-jack high/low impedance system. This last feature exemplifies the approach that Axess have taken with the overall design of the Sessionette. Built with the working guitarist in mind, the single jack feature really personalises the amp and, together with the simplicity and easy accessibility of the front panel controls, makes it a pleasure to work with.

The rear panel facilities comprise line-level output with volume control; effects send; effects return; DIN footswitch socket; phones output and external speaker output. The line level control and output jack were designed for use with the Axess PM 120 Guitar Monitor System or with the line-in of a tape recorder, mixing console, fold back or other guitar amps. The signal at this stage is variable from 775mV to zero for perfect matching and is post effects send/return.

The effects send can feed effects with line level (0dB) signal for low noise operation and this will drive all 'pro' rack mounted units. The effects return is for returning the signal back to the amp after the signal has been processed by effects units and may also be used as the 'main amp in' jack when two Sessionettes are being driven via a stereo chorus or other stereo effects.

The five-pin DIN socket for the footswitch brings me to a minor criticism I have of this feature. The footswitch itself is designed with separate switches for channel selection and reverb on/off. These are situated on the angled face of the unit, adjacent to each other but with a small dividing area between them. Not being the most deft-footed of creatures, I found that while attempting to hit one of the switches I quite often engaged the other by mistake. Although this is not a major inconvenience while working at home or in a studio, gig work (especially dark clubs) could create a slight problem. I would also like to have seen a light for each side of the unit showing exactly which facility was or was not engaged.

The external speaker operates at 8-16 ohms only. It was through this feature that I linked the Sessionette up to a hefty 4 x 12 cabinet (a veritable David and Goliath combination) and found the result to be comparable with any of the larger, big-name systems. The sound was truly impressive; the bottom end provided real grit and substance, while at the top end of things this raunchy mini-stack really came through with the tortured screaming stuff.

A friend of mind has one of the Sessionette SG 75-210s and prefers the 2 x 10" Celestions to the 1 x 12" driver in the SG 75-112. This gives him more bite and sustain, particularly as his guitar has single coil pickups, but this really comes down to individual preference.

The Sessionette is semi-enclosed at the back to push all the sound upfront, and to stiffen the low frequency response. It is finished in matt black vinyl with chrome corner-protectors and it has a single black handle which is secured to the top of the cabinet with chrome attachments.

Versatility

Axess have created an entirely UK built combo that can meet the stringent demands of the top professional guitarist. It has been designed as a result of researching the requirements that, sadly, for a long time were only being satisfied by the American and Japanese manufacturers. Apart from the minor criticisms I have already mentioned, the Sessionette 75 provides great tonal versatility in either the clean or distorted modesand has plenty of volume if required. There is richness and depth from the reverb, and all the controls are both easy to understand and highly responsive when operated.

This product is designed to provide the musician with the variety and quality of sounds he needs in a compact, light, economic package. My grateful thanks to George Thorne and Gigsound for supplying the review model.

SESSIONETTE SG:75-112 MARK II COMBO - RRP: £249