1960s Ampeg B18N Arrived Today!

OldFenderPlayer · #1 08-02-2011, 05:25 AM

My new purchase arrived today - a 1960s Ampeg B18N Portaflex amp. I bought it from the estate of a good friend's father.

The amp plays but needs attention due to a constant hum (it likely needs a cap job).

All the original hardware is there, including the glass plate on the head. I don't know if the speaker is original but there is "18005" stamped in white ink on it. And it needs three new latches; backups I bought for my 1970s B15N won't work without drilling one of the mounting holes out. The seller has the original dolly and will send it once he finds it.

The major issue with the amp is only cosmetic - sometime during its life someone covered the entire amp with tuck-n-roll to make it look like a Kustom amp. What this may have done, besides stick a few hundred staples and a few dozen furniture tacks in the cabinet, has been to protect the black checkered tolex, which seems to be in great shape.

The photo I've attached is before the tuck-n-roll was removed. I'll post a few more pics once its removed.

rodl2005 · #2 08-02-2011, 05:51 AM

Whooooo hoooooo! Booty!
Congrats !

pbd · #3 08-02-2011, 05:52 AM

WOW, that is incredible! Contrats!!!

Todd

dbase · #4 08-02-2011, 06:06 AM

Is that a "Kustom Ampeg" ?

craig.p · #5 08-02-2011, 08:42 AM

I had a B18 when I was in high school. I have some useful advice for you, based on personal experience. Don't touch the top of the tube cage after the amp's been on more than a few minutes, LOL.

wagdog · #6 08-02-2011, 09:51 AM

I've never played a B18. Does it sound substantially different from a B15?

staindbass · #7 08-02-2011, 10:06 AM

nice, i wish i had one ! (i think this is where inexperienced people comment that 18's are slow and sluggish lol)

Jim Carr · #8 08-02-2011, 10:07 AM

Congrats! I have a question, which is not intended to offend or criticize. Please don't feel the need to defend this amp, I know it is a fine device with lots of fans here.

I played a few gigs in the mid-60's with B18s (two different ones). I was very disappointed with the lack of volume—in adequate for my needs in a medium volume band of the day, IMHO.

My question is: If you were not going to sell it, how would you use this amplifier musically? What sorts of gigs and ensembles? Will it be mic'd? Thanks!

OldFenderPlayer · #9 08-02-2011, 10:50 AM

Jim, your questions about the B18N amp are certainly not taken as criticism; my original post just said "look at my new toy!" but your post has improved it by turning it into a conversation.

Yes, the amp is low-powered at 50 watts, but I've played many gigs where high volume was not needed. Pulling from my own personal experience, I have a 1970s B15N that has just 35 watts and I've used it on several coffee-house and small jazz ensemble gigs without any issues. When I gig it I always bring a Shure SM57 mic in case I can't be heard, but I have not yet needed it. To me, the warm, fat tone the B15 puts out is worth the hassle of carting it around. And before I got the B15 I used a Polytone Mini-Teeney Brute amp with a 12" speaker for these same gigs (with a Tech 21 Sansamp to fatten the tone).

Another example of how I might use the amp is that my band is going into the studio in a few months to record a few originals for a demo, and I'll bring the B18 if its ready and sounds good, but the B15 if its not.

So I think there are plenty of opportunities to play through these antiques, from quiet singer/song writer gigs, or small jazz ensembles, or the studio. Or like where I play my B15 the most - in my music room at home just jamming or learning new songs.

Jim Carr · #10 08-02-2011, 10:57 AM

Thanks! Looking forward to more pics.

OldFenderPlayer · #11 08-02-2011, 11:01 AM

Wagdog, I can't tell if the B-18 sounds a lot different from the B15. It seems like it should, but until the easily-solved issues are fixed, I can't tell.

Right now there is some noise when the amp is played (its not there when the volume is down or the amp is on standby), and with three latches missing that hold the head in place and the tuck-n-roll covering the entire cabinet, I suspect that the cabinet isn't "breathing" the way it was designed to do.

I'll certainly A/B the amps once the B18 is good-to-go and I'll post my thoughts.

**mikeddd** · #12 08-02-2011, 11:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dbase

Is that a "Kustom Ampeg" ?

/rimshot

Nice find, OP. Good luck with it!

JimmyM · #13 08-02-2011, 12:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OldFenderPlayer

Wagdog, I can't tell if the B-18 sounds a lot different from the B15. It seems like it should, but until the easily-solved issues are fixed, I can't tell.

Right now there is some noise when the amp is played (its not there when the volume is down or the amp is on standby), and with three latches missing that hold the head in place and the tuck-n-roll covering the entire cabinet, I suspect that the cabinet isn't "breathing" the way it was designed to do.

Unless the ports are blocked, the cab is "breathing" just fine with the tuck and roll. Cabs aren't supposed to be resonant on their own.

As for the latches, not entirely sure but you might be able to jury rig something, but you would need the original screw plate to do it. My 77 B-15N which I no longer have needed a new latch, and the ones Fliptops sells are a different size, but I didn't want to drill holes either. So I took the new latch off the screw plate and attached it to the screw plate that was still attached to the cab, and it worked great. But if you don't have those plates, I don't know if there's much you can do except drill new holes.

OldFenderPlayer · #14 08-02-2011, 01:06 PM

Thanks Jimmy. I was unsure if any ports were blocked when they added the tuck-roll, or of the tone changed if the head was not secured to the cabinet.

The original latches on the B18 have one big hole (for a bolt that goes through the cabinet and secured by a nut on the inside) and one small wood screw that just keeps thinks in line. The latches I have from Fliptops have two small holes, and there isn't enough metal around the hole to drill it out. Since I need to order new corners because they removed them when adding the tuck-n-roll, I may just spend the $30 on new corners.

stingray56funk · #15 08-02-2011, 01:15 PM

Love B-18s! Enjoy that amp! It does appear that the grill cloth was changed along with the front baffle being turned. I've never seen one with the wooden bar going vertically vs. horizontally? Anyone else think this?

JimmyM · #16 08-02-2011, 01:31 PM

I don't know much about B-18's either, but yeah, I've never seen a vertical bar.

Also, most of the real experts like Mark Gandenberger and David Beans on toast monitor the Portaflex club thread, so you might want to post in there, too.