Transformer Upgrade Kits
The Blackheart "Little Giant" Upgrades

About the Little Giant project

Buy an amp for the purpose of upgrading? Why not? They're inexpensive enough. And with a little help from Mercury the Little Giant makes an excellent donor platform for an outstanding but low-cost boutique-quality amp!

Sure it may sound crazy -- but you won't think so after you spend a little quality time with one of these amazing upgraded amps. Mercury produces these outstanding valued kits to help demonstrate the connection between pro-quality transformers and great tone.

This is something you need to know about! You hear a lot of talk about what makes great tone, but nothing is as dramatic as a good vs. poor quality transformers comparison. Nothing. And, these kits are your chance to find out for yourself just how amazing the improvement is.

For the "Little Giant" Mercury offers 2 cool upgrade variations:

  1. The XLG Upgrade Kit -- our "do-it-yourself" style kit, and

  2. The "Mean 13" Upgrade -- a more complex upgrade available only through Mercury-authorized amp techs.

Both upgrades give you staggering improvements in tone, but with very different voicing.

Upgrade No. 1:
The Mercury XLG Upgrade Kit

Think even-order harmonics... better note articulation... better low-end response... richer overall tone... all the good stuff that inspires you, from an amp you'll truly enjoy! The XLG Upgrade Kit will make an unbelievable improvement to your Blackheart "Little Giant."

More good news. Our XLG Upgrade Kit requires only a transformer swap, and a few minor circuit board modifications. That's it. You can do it yourself, or we can refer you to an amp tech who can make the upgrade  for you.

The upgrade is very straight-forward and easy to do for anyone who can read basic schematics and understands electronics 101. If you don't, we urge you to take the kit to a qualified amp tech, or call us for a referral to one who knows his stuff.

BEFORE: A STOCK Blackheart "Little Giant" with its
original generic Chinese trannys.

AFTER: The chassis with a Mercury XLG Upgrade. 
Note the trannys and the addition of the Mini-Choke.

The Mercury XLG Upgrade Kit includes:

  • Mercury AxiomŽ power transformer.

  • Mercury AxiomŽ output transformer.

  • Mercury AxiomŽ Mini-Choke™.

  • Other parts necessary to make the mod.

  • Mercury Magnetics "Equipped with" metal plate.

  • Fully illustrated color manual, with wiring schematics on CD-ROM.

Learn about the transformer connection to great tone. Mercury makes several different demonstration upgrade kits for you to enjoy. Call us and get yours today!

Want to find out more? Following this link from submitted from Dan Lurie of Tube Amp Repair and Paul Anwiler's "Midwest Amp Shootout" review!

Upgrade No. 2:
The Mercury MEAN 13 High-Power Upgrade

The chassis with Mercury's Mean 13 High-Power Upgrade.
Note the twin-6V6 power tubes (replacing the single EL84), the trannys and added choke.

It's mean... it's nasty... it's now 13 watts. Mercury's Mean 13 High-Power Upgrade is a total balls-out approach to modifying your Little Giant. A complete redesign of the original amp that delivers a whole new spectrum of T-O-N-E -- from classic American to classic British distortion! Awesome tone with stone-quiet performance, for a fraction of the cost of anything in its price range!

The Mean 13 High-Power Upgrade is a completely different design than our XLG kit. The Mean 13 High-Power Upgrade requires a radical modification of the Little Giant's circuit board and chassis -- including the addition of twin-6V6 sockets and it's full-custom transformers and choke. That's why it is only available from authorized Mercury amp techs.

More than any other component, your amp's transformers determine its tone. Our Mean 13 High-Power Upgrade features custom-designed, handmade and tuned, performance transformers. The same or higher quality as those used in boutique amps costing substantially more. And, like all of our upgrades, after you hear this you'll never settle for stock transformers again. Never. The improvement in tone is beyond dramatic!

To find out more about this upgrade*, or for an amp tech nearest you, give us a call (818) 998-7791 (info@MercuryMagnetics.com).

Sound sample of the Mean 13 High-Power Upgrade -- performed by Phil Woodward (Cat Scratch Fever)

*Mercury SSNs and amp techs, call for dealer information and pricing.

NEXT PAGE

    Blackheart "Little Giant" BH5H Head or BH5-112 Combo Upgrades
UPGRADE KIT PART NO. DESCRIPTION

PRICE

AxiomŽ

 BH5H-KIT XLG UPGRADE KIT -- Complete Mercury kit including transformers,
components and how-to instructions for amp head (BH5H) or combo (BH5-112) -- 4, 8 & 16 ohm taps.

NOW AVAILABLE!

 $269.45

AxiomŽ

 MEAN13-KIT MEAN 13 HIGH-POWER Upgrade -- total balls-out upgrade with twin 6V6 tubes.
And 13 watts output, too! This ain't yer momma's "Little Giant" any more!

NOW AVAILABLE!
 Only from qualified Mercury-authorized amp techs.
Call us the tech nearest you.

 CALL

PLEASE NOTE: These are specially developed and priced kits. At this time we are not selling the components individually.

*NOTE: Mercury's upgrade kits do not include the amplifiers -- only the components necessary for the upgrade of existing amps.

This project and its documentation is the result of technical investigations made by the engineering staff of Mercury Magnetics. The disclosure of the information herein may pertain to proprietary rights, and the furnishing of these documents does not constitute an expressed or implied license to use such materials. Mercury reserves the right to make changes to the Blackheart "Little Giant" kit or its components without notice, at any time. Blackheart Engineering is a trademark of Loud Technologies Inc. in the United States and all other countries. Mercury Magnetics is not affiliated with Blackheart Engineering or Loud Technologies Inc. The Mercury Tonal Satisfaction Guarantee and 10-year Warranty is only extended to transformers and chokes of our upgrade kits. Mercury assumes no responsibility or liability for the stock amp or the work done to the stock amplifier. See our warranty page for more complete information.

For more information, assistance, quotes or inquiries:

9167 Independence Ave. • Chatsworth, CA 91311 • FAX (818) 998-7835
 Info@MercuryMagnetics.com • www.MercuryMagnetics.com
 PRICE LIST / CATALOG

(818) 998-7791

 

CAUTION! The voltages in your amplifier can be dangerous. Transformers and chokes are not user serviceable parts. Installation of these components should always be performed by an experienced technician. The simple ability to use a soldering iron is not enough to qualify a "do it yourself person." Those who are inexperienced in working with electronic circuits should never attempt to service their amplifier. Household line currents can be deadly!! Transformers, chokes and large filter capacitors can store a dangerous charge for several days or more after the amplifier has been unplugged. Never touch the terminals of such devices without being certain of their charge status. Risk of shock and damage to equipment may result from mishandling and/or improper use of these components. Please use common sense and always think safety first. After all, tone is most enjoyed when you are alive to hear it.