There are many classes when word comes to instruments: low-priced entry-level, beginner-class, advanced, pro and the custom-shop, usually hand-made, user-specced "royal-class" gear. Now, you see, I haven't met any of the latter that I didn't like, whether it was a bass or an amp or extreme-custom drums or whatever you want: even if I wasn't that fond of the design itself sometimes, I just had to admire the beauty of the craftsmanship and the sheer noble feeling they emitted.

Such gear is always drawing attention like a magnet draws iron towards it - and this is a very natural thing: beauty drives attention to it! So is the case of the new guitar amplifier head from the exclusive maker and designer Harry Straub: he is some sort of haute-couture master in what making a guitar amp is concerned.

His latest creation, the Twisted Triode is nothing unlike the previous model, Cantus, but is way off the usual line guitar amps usually are. First of all, you must learn that you will never see Straub in the stores due to one simple fact: there are only 10 amps made each year!

Secondly, the outer finish: while most luxury amps come in tweed or leather, the Twisted Triode comes in a marvelous wooden cabinet made of solid Sapele Mahogany dovetailed slabs, completed with the leather handle atop of the whole structure.

The Twisted Triode is a low-wattage amp perfect for home or studio use and even small gigs: its tubes drive a 12W maximum level with 0 Negative Feedback. The Twisted Triode runs in fact on an atypical valve, codenamed 2A3. This tube is less used by amp manufacturers due to its low power - nevertheless, Harry Straub finds that it is simply perfect for his creation and even proves it in the working of the carefully hand wired Triode.

Inside the beautiful wooden cabinet, one can find 2 x 2A3s Power Tubes, 1 X 12AT7, 1 X 12AX7 and 1 X 6SN7 preamps and 1 solid state rectifier. The Twisted Triode is powered by handmade Heyboer transformers and it also sports a special biasing circuit allowing technicians to finely tune the amp so the hum goes away for good.

Twisted Triode is a rocky amp since it sports the traditional Bass, Mid and Treble pots aided by Gain and Boost switches driving the saturation needed for a classy distortion sound. Finally, the "face" of the amp is made of engraved wood and an engraved acrylic backlit faceplate whose intense colors are up to the buyer to choose.

It sells for no less than $1,945 but if you're in for noble beauty AND a top-shelf sound, then the Straub Twisted Triode is a must!