SWR gear on the Anagram

SWR was founded in California by Steve W. Rabe, whose initials gave the brand its name. In the 1980s and 1990s it led a move away from dark valve stacks towards clean, full-range bass rigs. Its heads paired a valve preamp with solid-state power, and its cabs added tweeters so slap and harmonics came through.

On the Anagram, all four SWR-inspired blocks are built in. Darkglass does not name the originals, so each is likely, inferred from the name and the controls.

SWIRL-900 draws on the SM-900, a two-channel head that many session and touring players used. SWIRL 1x15 lines up with SWR's 1x15 cabs, SWIRL 4x10 with the Goliath 4x10 and SWIRL 8x10 with the larger Megoliath.

The SWR sound is wide, clear and hi-fi. The low end is deep but controlled, and the top is crisp because of the tweeters. The Aural Enhancer control, a feature of many SWR heads, scoops the mids and lifts the lows and highs together. That made it a favourite for slap, funk and modern jazz.

If you play a five or six string, or an active bass, this family is a good fit. It keeps the low B tight and lets the detail of the string attack through. It is less suited to growly rock tones, where the Ampeg-style blocks do better.

Try SWIRL-900 into SWIRL 4x10 first. Keep the drive low and use the enhancer-style shaping to find the scooped, open tone.