About

How do you get what you want? Design it. 

My journey began as a young guitarist who was dissatisfied with the tone I was getting from the gear I owned.  I would buy an amp or a pedal and it didn't sound as good as I though it should, or just didn't do what I wanted it to.  So in my early twenties I first discovered modifying my pedals, learning the science behind the sound, and how to achieve the tones in my head.  Eventually I began building them from scratch.  This evolved into working on my amps as well.  The first real amp build for me was when I gutted my JTM45 reissue and rebuilt it to '65 specs, back in 2003.  The next step was to start building amps. I learned everything I could about the process, building amps based on Marshall, Hiwatt, Fender, Dumble, and the mid 70's Oranges. In 2008, my friends took notice and I began building custom amps for them, and that was the true start of our business.  My partner Kevin joined the team in 2010 and together we started building our own unique cabinets for guitar and bass.  I also studied speaker design and learned how to tweak existing designs to satisfy the tone I was searching for, and how to scientifically design cabinets to work with particular drivers.   Our business continues to grow and evolve, and we are grateful to all of our customers for their support!

I'm a guitarist, singer, songwriter, recording and live sound engineer, and working musician.  For me, being a maker of custom gear is more than just a business, it's my art, and my life's work, and I treat it as such. 

We are based in Columbia, Missouri, and we make our products one at a time, from scratch, by hand. All of our products are handmade to order in our shop, including our pedals.  All of our speakers are built for us by American companies. 

We specialize in tube amplifiers that sound great and a million other companies aren't making. Our pedals are designs created and selected to compliment our amps, and also to provide affordable, versatile sounds. Byron Amps cabs are top-quality Baltic Birch or Pine and ready for heavy use on the road. Let us know how we can help you.

-Byron

Press: 

Columbia music scene supports creative enterprises -Columbia Tribune

Coming through loud and clear -Columbia Tribune

Music Makers -Inside Columbia Magazine

Testimonials

General:

"For professional quality; handmade gear, it doesn't get any better. Ask and you shall receive! Talk to Byron and he can help you achieve an amp that is better than you ever dreamed possible. If a hand made point to point wired amp isn't currently in your budget, check out his line of pedals. I currently have 3 in my signal chain, each with a unique voice and endless possibilities. Be treated and sound like a pro! Check out Byron Amplification today!" --Jason Caton, Don't Mind Dying, Oversight Committee

"Between pedals, amps, cabinets, speakers etc...yeah I've bought a lot of gear from Byron. Cabinets are of high quality and built with attention to detail and care. My amp was built to the specs I needed and turned out to be more versatile than we intended! I've stopped using vintage gear live and have been a happy and returning customer for the past 6 years. Stuff looks great and sounds great." --Jon Huffman, The Abominable Showmen

"Byron is a craftsman. An artist. Dedicated to being the best." --David Dearnley

"Everything about working with Byron on your sound is personal. He understands, he designs, he tests, he builds with his own hands. You deserve this." --Tony Lotven

Amps: 

"Amazing amps! I have the Workhorse 20 and I play rock, power pop, country, rockabilly and rocked out bluegrass and it can handle it all. It'd be great for blues too. And it has enough volume for the loudest drummer with enough headroom to stay clean if needed. And with a price way less than you'd pay for other boutique amps. And it looks fantastic!" --John Galbraith, The John Galbraith Trio, Two-Bit Steve

"My Byron amp is a dream come true!!! It's the sound I was meant to have." --James Allen Webb, Madora

"I love my workhorse! It truly lives up to the name, it's a solid and trustworthy steed. I'm able to use it in any sized venue which I need playing in churches. Can't beat the customer service either. These amps ooze out love and tone!" --Andrew Tellman, worship leader

"Everything this guy does is to the max. I can assure you there isn't a better amp out there." --Drew Daro

Cabinets:

"Byron was totally responsive, took my input on what I was looking for, made great recommendations down to every last detail (speakers, baffle, wiring, tolex, grill covers, handles, etc.). He listened to what I was going for tonewise, the type of music I play, etc. We decided to go with 10" Ragin'Cajuns by Eminence and port the baffle for a tad more bass response. He used a picture of my MusicMan to match up grill coth and tolex. He and his team met my build time and shipped the cab impeccably protected. I just got it and tested it and it totally kills. It surpassed all my expectations and I believe I got it at a very competitive price. I also took a chance and bought one of his Phattie overdrive pedals (while the cab was being built) and the thing is a total monster too!" --Mike from Florida

"Such a great looking and solidly built cabinet!! The cab is great! A bit heavier than my Avatar cab, but worth it for the great low end response that thing carries! " --Justin from Missouri.

"Great cab. Nice workmanship. Thanks." --Anthony from New York

Pedals:

"I use a Roswell Series pedal and I love it. I drew a picture of what I wanted on a pizza box and sent it to him. "No prob, good drawing," he says... I'd like it to look like I pulled it out of a creek. "Its your pedal," he says... I've taken it back a couple times to have things added (ground lift, etc) too. Quick, easy, and arguably the most reliable piece of gear I own. As this disposable mass market junk of mine dies off, I'm replacing everything with something made by his hand." --Pat Kay, Pat Kay OMB, The Kay Brothers

"World class! My Roswell series pedal is the the most versatile, quietest, we'll built pedal I've ever played through. And I've played through a few." --Tony Potter, Left Hand Black

 "Everyone - if you were on the fence or just need a week to save up for both of these, it is so worth it. If I didn't have respect for my neighbors the red and blue would be flashing outside! I'm playing through a Splawn so yes the tone is already hot rodded, but the Phattie pedal has a totally unique mid-range and bass boost to it that I'm just sitting here bummed it's after 2100 and excited for tomorrow afternoon to get as loud as possible. If a piece of gear makes you want to play more you know you made a great decision!" Joey Ball, Digital Vulture

"Sweet n hot box (and you weren't kidding about the bass, Brother!). I think it might be moving my Tonebone Classic off my pedal board." --Mike from Florida

"The phattie overdrive blew me away. I wasn't expecting a stomp box to sound that good!" --Tony from Missouri

"As a boost the pedal manages to kick the amp off into heavy chugging territory, but the pedal has so much bass and body to the sound that you don't lose ANY low end from the amp that one tends to get when putting a Tubescreamer to overdrive the amp." --Harmony Central review

"I love it, more range than my Rat! Loud!" --Joey from Missouri

"pedal is very cool. like a amp sound. very good." --Atsushi from Japan