Korg ToneWorks Ampworks

May 1, 2004 12:00 PM, By Mike Levine

From Korg's ToneWorks division, which makes the tiny but powerful Pandora effects units, comes the Ampworks ($179), a guitar-effects processor that delivers a big bang in a small package. A little less than six inches wide and three inches deep (and weighing just under half a pound), the Ampworks is small enough to throw into the pocket of your guitar case. It's powered by two AA batteries, which, according to Korg, yield about 10 hours of continuous life. An optional AC adapter, the KA 193 ($9.50), is also available.

Overall EM Rating (1 through 5): 4

Control knobs for Gain, Treble, Middle, Bass, Volume, and Effect Depth reside at the top of the Ampworks' front panel. Below them are detented model-selector knobs for Amp Type, Cabinet Type, and Effect. The names of the various models are printed on the knobs, which makes it easy to set up a patch. Dial in the desired amp, cabinet, and effect; set the preamp settings and effect level; and off you go.

The rear panel has a ¼-inch TS input and a ¼-inch TRS stereo output that doubles as a headphone out. A Line/Amp switch lets you use the unit as a DI box or as an amp front end. The footswitch jack accepts Korg's optional PS-100 ($19.99) footswitch, which can be used to switch between the two user presets and Manual Mode or one user program and Bypass.

Program Limits

The Ampworks is fairly stripped down in the features department. It offers 11 factory preset sounds and just 2 memory locations for user-edited patches. ToneWorks' decidedly low-tech solution to this memory shortage is a piece of paper called the “programmer's chart,” a template that shows all the front-panel knobs, on which you jot down the knob positions so you can replicate your settings later.

The Prog/Manu button allows you to toggle between Manual mode and the two user presets, Program 1 and Program 2. In Manual mode, the unit is governed by the current knob settings. When it's set to Program 1 or 2 or to one of the factory presets — which you access by pressing the Preset button and turning the Amp Type knob — the settings jump to their saved state (regardless of knob position) and the knobs must be moved to become active.

The manual for the Ampworks is more pamphlet than book, but it contains useful information about the unit's functions, including a handy list that describes the available amp models and gives cabinet recommendations for them.

The Works

The Ampworks' models, which use Korg's REMS technology, are the strength of the unit. You get emulations of a Blackface Fender Twin, several Marshalls, a Mesa/Boogie, a Dumble, a pair of Voxes, and a vintage fuzz box. The models do a nice job of capturing the flavor of the amps that they're based on, and they produce a variety of usable tones (hear Web Clips 1 through 4).

The distorted sounds are crunchy and fat and run the gamut from overdriven Tweed to classic British distortion to aggressive modern-rock buzz. Impressively, the clean tones sound realistic, which is often not the case with amp modelers. Also available are 11 cabinet models. They range from a 1×8 Tweed to a 2×12 combo to three varieties of 4×12.

Nine effects are offered; many are stereo. Only one can be used at a time, but two dual effects pair chorus with delay and reverb. The manual doesn't specify which pedals were modeled for the effects, but the quality is good. Besides the Effects Depth knob, the only parameter control for the effects comes from the Tap button, which can be used to control delay and reverb time and the speed of the modulation effects.

Although the Ampworks lacks the bells and whistles of many of the more expensive modelers on the market, it sounds good and is an excellent value for direct recording or practice applications.

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Korg USA, Inc.
tel. (516) 333-9100
Web www.korg.com