The Runt-50 is a two-channel, 50-watt head running a pair of EL-34s and four 12AX7s, in a black Tolex cabinet of Baltic birch 22.5 inches wide. The clean channel is American in flavour, with volume, bass, treble and a three-position bright switch that goes from clean to a slightly broken-up blues or country sound. The overdrive channel is the core of the amp: a Boost switch and the Gain knob set how hard it pushes, from classic rock into metal, and Friedman says it cleans up with the guitar's volume knob even at higher gain settings.
On the back is a cab-simulated XLR output with ground lift, level and a center/edge speaker switch, so the amp can feed a front-of-house desk or a recording interface directly. The series effects loop is buffered, and Friedman voiced the front end to take pedals: boosts, overdrives, phasers, flangers, tremolos and wahs.
Next to the Runt-20, the 50 swaps EL-84s for EL-34s, adds bass and treble to the clean channel, and offers a 4 ohm setting. The Runt-20 has the internal load for playing with no cabinet connected, which the 50 does not. If you'd rather have the speaker built in, the Runt-50 Combo is this amp in a 1x12 with a Celestion G12H Redback.
SPECIFICATIONS
AMPLIFIER
Country of Origin: United States
Type: 50 Watt all-tube head
Channels: Two (Clean, Overdrive)
TUBES
Power Tubes: 2 x EL-34
Preamp Tubes: 4 x 12AX7
CONTROLS
Clean Channel: Volume, Bass, Treble, three-position Bright switch
Lead Channel: Volume, Gain, three-band EQ, Boost switch
Global: Presence
Footswitch: Single button footswitch
CONNECTIONS
Direct Output: XLR Cab Simulated output with Ground Lift, Axis and Level switches
Effects Loop: Ultra transparent series FX loop (buffered)
Impedance: 4, 8 and 16 ohm impedance selector
CABINET
Construction: Baltic birch
Covering: Black Tolex
DIMENSIONS
Dimensions: 22.5″ (W) x 9.5″ (D) x 9.25″ (H)
Weight: 31 Lbs.
