Mercury Magnetics "How-To" Series: Transformer Upgrade Kits NOW AVAILABLE!
Blackheart "Little Giant" Head

About Mercury's Blackheart "Little Giant" project

Summer of 2007 -- the folks at Blackheart Engineering contact Mercury about a basic and inexpensive tube amp they were working on. What's so unusual about that? They've designed an amp specifically for modding -- and are welcoming other companies to get involved!

Buy an amp with the purpose of modding? Why not? They're inexpensive enough. Ruin it and for about $100 bucks you're back in business! What a cool idea!

At Mercury we've already shown what could be done with a basic single-ended tube amp (see the Epiphone Valve Jr. or Fender Champ "600" projects). Mercury's educationally-based "demonstration kits" (as they were originally called) were developed to introduce the uninitiated to the dramatic effect of pro-grade transformers on guitar amp tone. Mercury's demonstration kits convert these inexpensive amps into something that rivals, and often surpasses, many boutique offerings costing anywhere from hundreds to thousands more.

We're extremely proud to announce that our Transformer Upgrade Kits have captured the industry's attention and imagination. They're giving savvy amp techs, from around the world, a new and better way to look at and evaluate meaningful guitar amp tone quality. Indeed, our transformers have many players, techs and manufacturers re-thinking what they thought they knew about amp tone.

Why 2 upgraded versions?

The Blackheart "Little Giant" represented an interesting challenge. Our goal was to deliver Mercury's typical "Oh my gawd!" reaction -- but in a completely different way than the Champ or Valve Jr. projects. In the process we developed 2 completely unique mods that sound so amazing that we decided to make them both available.

Those who know tone already know that without premium transformers it takes a lot of sweat to wring acceptable tone from an amp's circuit. But, amp builders and manufacturers face a serious dilemma -- namely, high quality transformers are expensive!

The good news is that with Mercury's help you can turn almost any tube-based amp into a tone monster!

Factoid: Transformers are the single-most important component in an amplifier. More than any other component, the transformers determine the character of the amp's tone. However, they are also the most expensive components. You can gauge the value of an amp by the quality of its transformers.

 

The Mercury STANDARD Upgrade

Give your Blackheart "Little Giant" better voicing, even-order harmonics, better note articulation, richer overall tone, and a better low-end response. This is the way to go! Our STANDARD Upgrade Kit requires only a transformer swap, the addition of a choke, and minor circuit board modifications.

The mod is very straight-forward and easy to do for anyone who can read a schematic and understands electronics 101. But, if you don't we urge you to take the kit to a qualified amp tech, or call us for a referral to one who knows his stuff.

The Mercury STANDARD Upgrade Kit will be available in mid-February 2008.

A bone STOCK Blackheart "Little Giant" with its original trannys.

The chassis with a Mercury STANDARD Upgrade. NOTE: The trannys and the addition of the mini-choke.

The Mercury STANDARD Upgrade Kit includes:

• Mercury Axiom® power transformer.

• Mercury Axiom® output transformer.

• Mercury Axiom® Mini-Choke™.

• Other parts necessary to make the mod.

• Mercury Magnetics "Equipped with" metal plate.

• Fully illustrated color manual, with wiring schematics on CD-ROM.

The Mercury "MEAN 13" High-Power Upgrade

Mercury's "Mean 13" High-Power Upgrade is a balls-out approach to modifying your "Little Giant." Although it's effectively a complete redesign of the "Little Giant" it will give it a whole new spectrum of tone—from classic American to classic British distortion!

The "Mean 13" Upgrade requires a radical modification of the "Little Giant's" circuit board and chassis -- including the addition of twin 6V6 sockets. At this time we're planning on making it available only through authorized Mercury techs. Please call us for more information.

Sound sample of the "Mean 13" mod -- performed by Phil Woodward (Cat Scratch Fever)

*Note: Mercury intentionally did not add a 5 volt wind to the power transformer as we feel adding a tube rectifier creates too much sag in the amp.

The chassis with Mercury's "Mean 13" High-Power Upgrade. NOTE: The twin 6V6 power tubes, the trannys and added choke.

To order call Paul Patronete or Patrick Selfridge at (818) 998-7791!
(Mercury SSNs call for dealer pricing.)

Also see the Mercury mods for the Fender Champion "600" and the  Epiphone Valve Jr.!

PLEASE NOTE: These are specially developed and priced kits. At this time we are not selling the components individually.

*NOTE: Mercury's kits do not include the amplifiers -- only the components necessary for the upgrade of existing amps.

This project and its documentation is the result of technical investigations made by the engineering staff of Mercury Magnetics. The disclosure of the information herein may pertain to proprietary rights, and the furnishing of these documents does not constitute an expressed or implied license to use such materials. Mercury reserves the right to make changes to the Blackheart "Little Giant" kit or its components without notice, at any time. Blackheart Engineering is a trademark of Loud Technologies Inc. in the United States and all other countries. Mercury Magnetics is not affiliated with Blackheart Engineering or Loud Technologies Inc.