Tone Hammer 210 combo.... Looks nice. 🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶

[JPJ]

As others have said, it reminds me of the old SWR Workingman’s stuff, a look I was never a fan of, and this new Aguilar does nothing to change my opinion. 

[three]

Sounds good in the marketing video (but it would). Love the ‘50s sci-fi lab aesthetic of the DB750, but the ‘70s kitchen styling much less so. I’m assuming class D but haven’t seen confirmation in specs. Agi seems to have moved-on a long way

[Ben Jamin]

RE: just marketing and such, I don't know about the Daves etc, but they mention that this is designed for small clubs, churches and pit bands etc, where there's not much space. In churches/pit bands at least the amp never really gets moved, it's more of an install.

I reckon this fits the bill. It's small enough to sneak on some stage noise, the rear connections open up a bunch of options for in-ear monitoring, and having some simple impulse responses available on the DI outputs is actually pretty handy. As an aside their new Octamizer / TLC pedals have some genuinely nifty features too.

The new Ashdown series looks ace but it just has one plain DI out - it's a different thing. It's a shame you can't connect another cab to the Aguilar, but that'd kind of defeat the point anyway. Maybe it's a bit pricey but my experience with my Tone Hammer head is that it's a 'buy well, buy once' thing.

Re: Eco-mode, maybe it's similar to some modern active PA speakers. We use a big HK Audio system with an eco-mode. If it doesn't receive any audio signal for a while, it powers itself down, and automatically turns itself back on as soon as it gets a signal again. This could be pretty handy for the target venues.

Edited Saturday at 12:06 by Ben Jamin

[snorkie635]

Self-confessed Aguilar fan-boi here - own four of their amps, two DI units and a mixture of their pedals. Having cogitated since first becoming aware of this one, the answer has to be no!

[Marvin]

No.

 

It may sound good however, aside the awful aesthetics it looks really awkward to move.

[MichaelDean]

It looks to me to be ideal as a music shop amp. You can sit in front of it with a bass and easily see all of the controls. 

[fretmeister]

Both Aguilar and Darkglass amps have lost something since they were bought by Korg.

[gjones]

15 hours ago, ped said:

300w no extension out

 

 

Probably not good for metal.....

[Jack]

Adore the look. Will pass on feature set for the price. 

[Musicman20]

23 hours ago, Jack said:

Adore the look. Will pass on feature set for the price. 

Agreed.

[Ed_S]

I personally think it's ugly, but I also question whether they've hit their utilitarian design statement.

 

I still don't think I'd buy one, but I could maybe look past the aesthetics more easily if...

 

- the back of it was completely blank so it could be used tight against a wall and transported safely laying flat

- the power connector was on the side under one of the vents and the power switch was on the front panel

- the amp controls and power switch took up only the left (or right..) half of the twin-tub front panel

- a front facing patch-bay took up the other half of the panel, housing all the stuff that's currently on the back

- it came with a flightcase style clip-on 'lid' that made it cuboid in transport and protected the panel/patch-bay

[Beedster]

33 minutes ago, Ed_S said:

it came with a flightcase style clip-on 'lid' that made it cuboid in transport and protected the panel/patch-bay

 

That I think it going to be the downfall of this when owner reviews emerge, I long ago ditched attractive open front/back retro tolex head cases due to the number of times I or one of my bandmates broke controls when moving the gear around. I get that the manufacturers seem to think that this is more of an installation unit - theatre pits, rehearsal rooms, and studios - but they're all situations in which, while the unit might not be in and out of a van or car boot every day, space is still at a premium, and instruments, mic/drum stands, and various other solid objects are often being moved around with less care than should be the case (my DB's current impromptu extra soundhole is testament to the effects of a poorly placed mic stand and a clumsy musician). I've not found any evidence of the manufacturer asking bassists themselves what they need from a small form factor combo in the was Mesa/ @agedhorse have been doing recently. Perhaps they'll need to do some after the fact market research re cases etc? 

[ossyrocks]

Epic toanz, really clean.

 

 

[Ed_S]

34 minutes ago, Beedster said:

I long ago ditched attractive open front/back retro tolex head cases due to the number of times I or one of my bandmates broke controls when moving the gear around.

Absolutely - I’m all about the miniature and lightweight gear, but much of that gives plenty of cause for concern with dials and switches protruding from very droppable little boxes.

 

Was lucky to find a suitable EVA case for the little TC head I’ve been using lately, which whilst not that tough is better than nowt.

 

 

The best way of protecting this new offering would appear to be Calgon.

[Kev]

I think it looks entirely terrible.

 

It could sound fantastic, but I just couldn't rock up with that, unless we used a Currys van to drive to gigs.

[Jack]

58 minutes ago, Kev said:

I think it looks entirely terrible.

 

It could sound fantastic, but I just couldn't rock up with that, unless we used a Currys van to drive to gigs.

Yeah it would be an awesome practice amp, as furniture it would blend into my office decor way better than the qsc wedge does. Unfortunately it is shaped, sized and featured like a home amp but priced like a stage amp.

[Kev]

It's like what has already been said, it's been designed for these conversations, to look different.  Almost every element of it is not practical compared to any other flat top design they could have done.  Just bizarre.

[Ben Jamin]

Good points on portability - I still really like it as a venue amp - something installed in a church/pit situation. The I/O works great there IMO, and it looks kinda funky.

Appreciate that I seem to be alone on this though, maybe I have rose-tinted Aguilar goggles! Maybe it's a deeply subconscious call to tackle the pile of washing that's been building up for a couple of weeks now.

[chris_b]

My guess is that very few players are going to gig with these combos. Looks to me like they're intended for music rooms, studios and home players.

[chris_b]

6 minutes ago, Ben Jamin said:

Good points on portability - I still really like it as a venue amp - something installed in a church/pit situation. The I/O works great there IMO, and it looks kinda funky.

Appreciate that I seem to be alone on this though, maybe I have rose-tinted Aguilar goggles! Maybe it's a deeply subconscious call to tackle the pile of washing that's been building up for a couple of weeks now.

 

Beat me to it!!

[ped]

3 hours ago, Ed_S said:

I personally think it's ugly, but I also question whether they've hit their utilitarian design statement.

 

I still don't think I'd buy one, but I could maybe look past the aesthetics more easily if...

 

- the back of it was completely blank so it could be used tight against a wall and transported safely laying flat

- the power connector was on the side under one of the vents and the power switch was on the front panel

- the amp controls and power switch took up only the left (or right..) half of the twin-tub front panel

- a front facing patch-bay took up the other half of the panel, housing all the stuff that's currently on the back

- it came with a flightcase style clip-on 'lid' that made it cuboid in transport and protected the panel/patch-bay

Great points. I can see this working in home studios and practice rooms etc but only if everything is on the front. Particularly the power switch. 
 

I’d do exactly what you say, put big aluminium skids on the rear and wheels on the bottom, with a lid that incorporates a handle for tilting and wheeling. 

[Musicman20]

I do think Aguilar lost a lot of what made them great when Korg acquired them. They've barely done anything to move forwards, expect increase their prices significantly.

 

I still think their Tonehammer Pre and DB cabinets are absolutely fantastic, but by now I'd have expected them to move on with brand new ranges.

 

Now that I see the criticism of this combo, I can see why people are surprised at the design of it.  They would have been better to make a combo like TC/Genz did with either a cradle or a separate 'shelf' on top of the cabinet (that is totally covered), and kept it at 500W. At the price this combo will be, I'd expect an exceptional 2x10 that can handle most of what a mid level amp can throw at it (say 400+ w).

 

In the UK, I'd probably go for Ashdown now with their UK manufactured combos/amps.

 

 

Edited 6 hours ago by Musicman20

[Chienmortbb]

On 24/01/2026 at 10:06, Merton said:

Glad I’m not the only one. Hideous thing!

  I could not turn up to a rehearsal with that. Add the fact that I don't like the TH sound  and......NAH! 

[Linus27]

Hideous looking thing.