Two-Rock Amplifiers

Last updated
Two-Rock Amplifiers
Company type Private
Industry Musical instruments
Founded Rohnert Park, California, United States (1999;27 years ago (1999))
FounderBill Krinard, Joe Mloganoski
Headquarters,
United States
Key people
Eli Lester, Mac Skinner
Products Guitar amplifiers
Website two-rock.com

Two-Rock Amplifiers is a Rohnert Park, California-based [1] manufacturer of guitar amplifiers co-founded by amp designer Bill Krinard and his partner Joe Mloganoski in 1999. [2] A prominent brand in the boutique amplifier market, [3] Two-Rock's early models were based on Dumble amps like the Overdrive Special, [4] but added such features as spring reverb and effects loops. [5]

Two-Rock has since developed a range of its own designs, generally focusing on clean, high-wattage amps similar to Fender's amps in the 1950s and 1960s. [6] The company's amps are mostly aimed at—and priced for—the top of the pro market. [4]

In 2010, Two-Rock was sold to Premier Builders Guild, which purchased multiple amplifier companies, but Premier struggled and closed in 2016. Long-time Two-Rock enthusiast Eli Lester purchased the brand with Mac Skinner, who had been running its operations as general manager since 2004. The two discarded all the existing inventory and brought back co-founder Krinard to help design new models. [3] Lester's goal was to "make the biggest, most three-dimensional, clean amplifier you can." Most of Two-Rock's models are 100 watts, including their Classic Reverb Signature and Bloomfield Drive models. [3]

With only 25 employees (as of 2025), Two-Rock has declined offers from large retailers to carry their products, with Lester and Skinner preferring to keep the company small. The same team also produces amplifiers for the brand Divided by 13, which Lester and Skinner purchased from the company's founder, Fred Taccone, in 2024. [3] [7]

Notable Two-Rock players include Carlos Santana, [2] Joe Bonamassa, [5] John Mayer, Matt Schofield, Ariel Posen, and Eric Johnson. [3]

References

  1. Guppy, Nick. "Two-Rock TS-1 review: Two-Rock's flagship is reborn". musicradar.com. Music Radar. Retrieved 30 December 2025.
  2. 1 2 Tarquin, Brian (November 2016). Guitar Amplifier Encyclopedia. Skyhorse Publishing. ISBN   9781621535010 . Retrieved 29 December 2025.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 Kobylensky, Paul. "The Two-Rock Revival: How a Hand-Built Amp Brand Quietly Ascended in the Guitar World". premierguitar.com. Premier Guitar. Retrieved 30 December 2025.
  4. 1 2 Guppy, Nick. "Two-Rock Cardiff Head review". musicradar.com. Music Radar. Retrieved 30 December 2025.
  5. 1 2 Price, Huw. "Two-Rock Classic Reverb Signature Review". guitar.com. Guitar Magazine. Retrieved 30 December 2025.
  6. Dickson, Jamie. "Two-Rock Amplification: the tonal approach and philosophy behind the company's sought-after sound". guitarworld.com. Guitar World. Retrieved 30 December 2025.
  7. Koe, Crystal. ""This opportunity sounded too inspiring for us not to explore": Two-Rock acquires Divided by 13". guitar.com. Guitar Magazine. Retrieved 30 December 2025.