*UPDATE* Our first batch of these amps was so popular they sold out QUICK!! But never fear, more are on the way arriving the first week of February!
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When Mark Bartel designs an amplifier, he doesn’t follow trends—he quietly reinvents categories. That’s exactly what’s happening with the Bartel Swingland, a three-watt tube combo that has been years in the making and defies every expectation of what a low-watt amp can be.
Paul Schein of Chuck Levin’s Guitar Department recently sat down with Mark to talk about the Swingland, and it quickly became clear: this isn’t just another small tube amp. It’s the most sophisticated, deeply engineered amplifier Mark has ever built.
A Long History of Innovation
Chuck Levin’s has a long history with Mark Bartel, going all the way back to the early Tone King days. Over the years, that relationship has produced some remarkable amps—including a special 65th Anniversary model for Chuck Levin’s. But the Swingland is different.
Mark spent nearly three years developing this amp—longer than any project in his career. What began as the idea for a simple two-knob mini amp turned into a full-blown engineering statement.
“This ended up being the most sophisticated amp I’ve ever put together,” Mark explains. “It’s really a different product category.”
Not Just Another Low-Watt Amp
Yes, the Swingland is rated at three watts—but it’s a loud three watts. More importantly, it’s not a Champ-style reissue or a scaled-down copy of a larger amp. Every stage, from the input jack to the speaker output, was designed from scratch to deliver authentic vintage tube tone at volumes that actually make sense for home and studio use.
This is an amp built for blues, jazz, standards, and rock & roll, with plenty of headroom and nuance. It’s not a metal amp—and it doesn’t try to be. Instead, it focuses on clarity, dynamics, and feel.
A New Approach to Tone Shaping
At the heart of the Swingland is a completely reimagined tone control system.
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Mid-Range (Voicing) Control
While it’s labeled “mid-range,” this control functions more like a voicing knob. It can both boost and cut mids using carefully shaped curves that emulate classic vintage amp characters:-
Low settings lean toward a Princeton-style scoop
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Mid settings flatten out into tweed territory
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Higher settings push forward into thicker, more aggressive midrange voices
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Tilt EQ Tone Control
Instead of separate treble and bass knobs, the Swingland uses a tilt EQ that shifts the entire frequency spectrum. Turn one way for darker, bass-heavy tones; the other for brighter, more cutting sounds—without disturbing your midrange voicing. -
Presence Control
Fine-tune the very top end to adapt to different rooms and speakers.
Together, these controls make dialing in tones intuitive but incredibly powerful.
Reverb Done Right
The Swingland features a tube-driven, three-spring reverb, carefully voiced to avoid the overly splashy character many players have moved away from. The result is a lush, smooth decay that Paul described as “almost like a plate reverb.”
Even when pushed hard, the reverb stays musical and balanced—no constant tweaking required.
The Real Star: The Overdrive Circuit
The true magic of the Swingland lies in its overdrive stage—the part of the amp that took the bulk of those three years to perfect.
Rather than relying on output tube distortion, Mark engineered a complex, multi-stage overdrive circuit that recreates the harmonic behavior of a large vintage amp pushed into overdrive. This includes proprietary design elements and a unique harmonic balance circuit, adjustable via a rear-panel control.
The result?
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Smooth transition from clean to overdrive
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No brittle, crackly “in-between” zone
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Harmonics and dynamics that feel like a cranked Super Reverb—at manageable volume
As Paul joked, this wasn’t good enough to do the “normal” way. Mark wanted a helicopter engine in the back of the car.
Built by Hand in Baltimore
Like all Bartel amplifiers, the Swingland is:
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Hand-wired
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Master-built
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Manufactured in Baltimore
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Outfitted with a custom Lenco output transformer
Mark himself performs a significant portion of the work, ensuring every amp meets his exacting standards.
Future-Ready: Analog Line Out Expansion
During development, Mark also created an exceptional analog speaker and mic simulation, featuring classic mic models like a Shure 57 and a Coles 4038. Rather than compromise to fit it inside the amp, he designed a proprietary 5-pin XLR interface on the back panel.
Later this year, optional external interface boxes will offer:
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Live-ready mic and speaker sims
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Home studio and headphone solutions
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Effects loops and stereo reverb options
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Advanced studio-grade mic blending
The Swingland ships ready for these future expansions.
A Studio and Home Amp You’ll Reach For Every Time
The Swingland was built for players who care about feel, nuance, and tone, whether they’re recording in a studio, playing at home, or shaping sounds with pedals. It offers remarkable flexibility without ever losing its musical soul.
As Paul summed it up:
“We’re very proud to represent Mark’s work because it’s among the finest that’s ever existed on Earth. We think you would be very happy with it.”
We couldn’t agree more.
The Bartel Swingland isn’t just a new amp—it’s a new benchmark for what low-wattage tube amplifiers can be.
Shop Bartel at Chuck Levin's!
