ID this vintage amp !

pnut166 · #1 10-06-2010, 10:45 PM

Anyone know what it is ? There are no identifying marks on it. Has what appears to be a matching 215 cab.

GlennW · #2 10-06-2010, 10:58 PM

Montgomery Ward?

MIJ-VI · #3 10-06-2010, 11:13 PM

Sears Silvertone amp kit?

bass-flyer · #4 10-07-2010, 12:22 AM

Sears Silvertone was going to be my guess.

pnut166 · #5 10-07-2010, 12:23 AM

not worth much, I`m guessing.

T-Bird · #6 10-07-2010, 12:51 AM

Hi.

Quote:

Originally Posted by pnut166

not worth much, I`m guessing.

SS or tube?
How much power? Even the draw would be helpful.
What's the asking price?

And most importantly:

Can You test how does it sound??

Vintage rigs, especially matching head and cab(s) are always worth something.

Regards
Sam

pnut166 · #7 10-07-2010, 02:12 AM

Tube. He doesn`t know power output. Havent heard it. Cool looking rig, though.

MIJ-VI · #8 10-07-2010, 02:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pnut166

Tube. He doesn`t know power output. Havent heard it. Cool looking rig, though.

Have you asked what the type number of those power tubes is?

pnut166 · #9 10-07-2010, 02:39 AM

I haven`t. I don`t know anything about it, or really tube amps in general - haven`t seen it in person. Apparently, he doesn`t know anything about it either.

Bassmec · #10 10-07-2010, 04:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pnut166

I haven`t. I don`t know anything about it, or really tube amps in general - haven`t seen it in person. Apparently, he doesn`t know anything about it either.

Looks like 4 6l6 or el34 and 3 ecc80 somethings either way its about 100 watts.
The most important thing to know is what output impedance's it offers on its output transformer windings and how they are switched to match speaker loads.
I think it will sound very good. As its probably the nearest thing to a fender bassman 100 the original? manufacturer thought he could get away with.

bassvi · #11 10-07-2010, 05:48 AM

Looks very similar to a Montgomery Ward's amp I had as a kid. It was marketed with a picture of the Cryin' Shames using matching guitar/bass rigs of this type.

dbase · #12 10-07-2010, 05:53 AM

http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=...ed=0CCcQ9QEwBA

You are correct sir .. Montgomery Ward amp

GlennW · #13 10-07-2010, 05:56 AM

And if all is working, those three slits across the top should light up.

Edit: That head would be worth quite a bit to a guitar player.

dalkowski · #14 10-07-2010, 06:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GlennW

And if all is working, those three slits across the top should light up.

Oh man -- worth the price for that feature alone! (I'm being serious.)

pnut166 · #15 10-07-2010, 01:28 PM

hmmm...very curious now. The face is the same as Dbase`s linked pic of the guitar version, but the knobs have different functions. On the one in the pic, the knobs on right are reverb and tremelo controls. From what I can tell in my pics, it`s simply a two - channel layout with Vol, bass, treble on ea. channel. He said he was going to the church today and would try to get the specs. He said it works perfectly, is in really good condition, and sounds great. He also has the matching cover.

pnut166 · #16 10-07-2010, 01:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bassmec

Looks like 4 6l6 or el34 and 3 ecc80 somethings either way its about 100 watts.
The most important thing to know is what output impedance's it offers on its output transformer windings and how they are switched to match speaker loads.
I think it will sound very good. As its probably the nearest thing to a fender bassman 100 the original? manufacturer thought he could get away with.

found an identical head on another website. This is lifted from there: " Seller says 80 watts with four 6V6 but that sounds a little generous. More like 30-40 watts (think AC30 if tubes are in Class A not push-pull) - however there is a good chance this amp can also take 6L6 tubes (cathode Bias? Fixed?) so you'd have to check As it is I bet if you crank it up it sounds like Sweet-Mother-Of-God tube crunch. There may be a diode rectifier in this one. Note that this is a real P-T-P amp (there is no tag board) versus simply hand-wired. Don't make em like this anymore. Also Note: This is Montgomery Ward not Airline - just a branding issue but would matter to some.">>>>>Not to sound stupid; I know nothing about tube amps or obscure vintage gear. Is this actually a bass amp, or a guitar amp that a bass player is using ? Does it matter ?

GlennW · #17 10-07-2010, 05:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pnut166

Not to sound stupid; I know nothing about tube amps or obscure vintage gear. Is this actually a bass amp, or a guitar amp that a bass player is using ? Does it matter ?

Not sure, but I'd guess it's Montgomery Ward's answer to the Silvertone 1483 bass head because of the absence of Rev & Trem.

That thing was likely made by Valco and would made guitards' pants get tighter.

billfitzmaurice · #18 10-07-2010, 08:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GlennW

That head would be worth quite a bit to a guitar player.

Probably not. They were very poor quality amps. A friend of mine went through three of them in less than a month, he finally gave up on them and got a Fender. Some Sear's Silvertones were fairly good, being re-badged Dan Armstrong amps. The Monkey Ward stuff was not.

KramerBassFan · #19 10-07-2010, 08:26 PM

My first guess was a National branded one, but a MGW sounds right too.

pnut166 · #20 10-08-2010, 07:09 AM

Ah well, it got sold last night before I could go see it anyway. FWIW, he was asking $300 obo, which seemed a great price based on others I saw after you guys steered me in the right direction - I was basically getting the cab free. Also, bass amps live on forever on my local CL - they just absolutely do not sell in my neck of the woods unless you just give them away. This one sold in less than 24 hrs.