Jess Oliver lives on through The AMPEG PORTAFLEX CLUB - now up to lucky 7!

[christw]

Originally Posted by stiles72

I have been monitoring this amp for over a year now. It has shown up on craigslist intermitently, and a few other auction sites (not ebay). I messaged the seller a few times, and they provided me with additional pictures. I'm pretty sure that this cab is not original - or if it was - it was at one time a 2x15 that was cut down. If you look close there is a "seam" around the bottom of the cab as well as two "L" brackets on either side helping hold the bottom on. From the interior shots and the front, you can also see the remenants of the triangular ports used on the 2x15.

BTW - Chris - this was the amp I was looking at comparing your BT cab with.

Go figure! Well, your keen eye changed my opinion of that amp in short time. Too bad about the cab...

[Bass 45]

Originally Posted by stiles72

I've kept my eye on this amp for over a year now. It has shown up on craigslist intermitently, and a few other auction sites (not ebay). I messaged the seller a few times, and they provided me with additional pictures. I'm pretty sure that this cab is not original - or if it was - it was at one time a 2x15 that was cut down. If you look close there is a "seam" around the bottom of the cab as well as two "L" brackets on either side helping hold the bottom on. From the interior shots and the front, you can also see the remenants of the triangular ports used on the 2x15. The seller claims its the original cab, and has not been cut down. But an original 1x15 for the B15 should have been a single baffle cab, which this is not - and a single BT15 cab would have a shelf port and double gold piping, which this does not have.


BTW - Chris - this was the amp I was looking at comparing your BT cab with.

Yeah - definitely is a chopped 215 "column" cab

[Bass 45]

Whenever I see a vintage amp that looks as nice as the one in this link, I think to myself "I bet there is an original cover". This one fits that bill.

Ampeg Portaflex B-15N Tube Bass Amp | eBay

[ddbassGA]

Originally Posted by Bass 45

Whenever I see a vintage amp that looks as nice as the one in this link, I think to myself "I bet there is an original cover". This one fits that bill.

Ampeg Portaflex B-15N Tube Bass Amp | eBay

Wow. That's about as nice a specimen as you'll ever see of this vintage B-15N.

[jumbodbassman]

Originally Posted by Ric Vice

Jumbod Bassman,
What does the B-15T sound like? The other amp that SLM built around this time was the was the SVT 100T with two eight inch speakers. You have a rather rare amp there since they only built it for a year.

Overall Sounds pretty good. boosts are built into the tone controls which are pretty necessary to get a good tone. seems very underpowered. IIRC should be 50/100 and speaker is 4 ohm but seems more like half of those numbers... especially compared to the other 2.

[beans-on-toast]

Every once in a while I buy an amp manufactured in the 60's or 70's from Los Angeles and it comes with a paper label on the back like the one below. Approved for Electrical Safety, City of Los Angeles, Department of Building and Safety.

I imagine that the manufacturer must have had to go through a certification process to sell the product there. It must have been expensive to meet the requirements for just Los Angeles. I'm wondering if it involved some sort of end user tax?

Does anyone have any background on this?

[FenderAmpeg]

Originally Posted by Ric Vice

Tom,
That's a especially nice trio of amps, but where is the NRF B-15 cabinet that you rescued? Are you restoring presently restoring it?
Ric

Actually done with it but I was waiting for a double baffle double stack NRF photo spread (yeah it's a tease)

Originally Posted by christw

Sweet! Is the different B-15 NRF?

Yep see thinly veiled answer above

Originally Posted by christw

I still feel bad for completely overlooking the speaker size/baffle in that thing.

No worries it took me a few looks and pulling the baffle to confirm.

Originally Posted by John D

I guess it's just a matter of perspective, but FenderAmpeg's SB-12 looks too big, compared to the B-15.

The cart under the SB12 is from Fliptops, the casters are taller than the stock one on the B-15. The B-12 actually has shorter than stock casters to just throw the perspective off some more.

[John D]

Originally Posted by FenderAmpeg

The cart under the SB12 is from Fliptops, the casters are taller than the stock one on the B-15. The B-12 actually has shorter than stock casters to just throe wthe perspective off some more.

Well, it's fairly obvious, once you 'splained it to me. I'm a little slow sometimes. Nice looking trio. I kinda like the tall wheels. Gets the sound a little closer to the old ears.

[Ric Vice]

You know, since I've seen models of a B-15 on this thread that aren't even in Greg and Bill's book. I was thinking it would be great to have a set of sequential posts with pictures of a Navy Random Flair B-15, B15N, B-15NA, Blue Check B-15N(B) and B-15N(C) Black Tolex B-15NC and B-15 ND, B15NF, and B-15. It would be really nice to have it as a sticky thread at the beginning of the amp section. Just a thought. I have a B-15N(C) I can take shots of. That way a potential buyer wouldn't have to weed through this rather massive thread to see what the different models looked like. Just a thought.

Ric

[FenderAmpeg]

So as the title says I need to find a cart for a NRF B-15 cab, no aftermarket tolex match available from Fliptops so what do you think my next best option is? Just go with Blue Check?

Your thoughts please...

Color of the tolex for reference

[bassmonkeee]

Originally Posted by christw

Wha???

Congrats! You'll love it by the time it's back in shape.

Thanks! I've got some tolex to redo the back and I'll probably be springing for a complete cap job and some new tubes. Hopefully, the transformers are okay.

I think I'm going to get a new grill from Fliptops, too, since this one is warped at the bottom and stained. The original can go in the attic for safe keeping.

[ddbassGA]

Originally Posted by FenderAmpeg

So as the title says I need to find a cart for a NRF B-15 cab, no aftermarket tolex match available from Fliptops so what do you think my next best option is?

Black like the head tray.

[Alex1984]

Go for the 70s black tolex, but don't take off the random navy flair!

[bassybill]

Originally Posted by Ric Vice

You know, since I've seen models of a B-15 on this thread that aren't even in Greg and Bill's book. I was thinking it would be great to have a set of sequential posts with pictures of a Navy Random Flair B-15, B15N, B-15NA, Blue Check B-15N(B) and B-15N(C) Black Tolex B-15NC and B-15 ND, B15NF, and B-15. It would be really nice to have it as a sticky thread at the beginning of the amp section. Just a thought. I have a B-15N(C) I can take shots of. That way a potential buyer wouldn't have to weed through this rather massive thread to see what the different models looked like. Just a thought.

Ric

I personally try to avoid an over-proliferation of stickies at the top of the forum as they take up real estate, clutter the view and if every request for a sticky was met then mobody would ever see anything else - there'd be dozens of the things!

That said, if someone were to create a thread along the lines you mention, I'd be very happy to add a link to it in the Amps FAQ section. There's so much stuff in the Portaflex threads now that I think it would be a good idea to provide some sort of informative intro to the topic, condensed in a similar way to what you describe here. In that way, anyone posting in these threads asking for such info could easily be directed to the relevant section of the FAQ.

[mazdah]

All these topics and photos make me want to buy new Portaflex (old ones - beside solid state B-15T - are near impossible to get and maintain in working condition in Poland... well especially for mediocre bass player like me), because my B-200R doesn't fit here (but I think it should, especially soundwise!)

[beans-on-toast]

Originally Posted by FenderAmpeg

So as the title says I need to find a cart for a NRF B-15 cab, no aftermarket tolex match available from Fliptops so what do you think my next best option is? Just go with Blue Check?

Your thoughts please...

Color of the tolex for reference

I've used heavy denim fabric from a fabric store and 3/4" baltic birch for the wood. The thicker wood won't bend when you tighten down the bolt.

[beans-on-toast]

Originally Posted by Ric Vice

You know, since I've seen models of a B-15 on this thread that aren't even in Greg and Bill's book. I was thinking it would be great to have a set of sequential posts with pictures of a Navy Random Flair B-15, B15N, B-15NA, Blue Check B-15N(B) and B-15N(C) Black Tolex B-15NC and B-15 ND, B15NF, and B-15. It would be really nice to have it as a sticky thread at the beginning of the amp section. Just a thought. I have a B-15N(C) I can take shots of. That way a potential buyer wouldn't have to weed through this rather massive thread to see what the different models looked like. Just a thought.

That's a good idea Ric.

There is also a lot of technical info that gets repeated so a FAQ or directory of some sort would be useful. It could contain links to various posts within this group. There are also portaflex threads that aren't within this thread and it would be nice to post links here to tie everything together.

It would be a lot of work for whoever takes it on. I think that the photos would be a good place to start.

[FenderAmpeg]

Originally Posted by ddbassGA

Black like the head tray.

Originally Posted by Alex1984

Go for the 70s black tolex, but don't take off the random navy flair!

Originally Posted by beans-on-toast

I've used heavy denim fabric from a fabric store and 3/4" baltic birch for the wood. The thicker wood won't bend when you tighten down the bolt.

Thanks for the feedback, still pondering so more input welcome.

@Alex1984, fear not Navy Random Flair is here to stay!

Denim Dave...... just thought it had a nice ring to it.....interesting idea too.

[NE4TT]

Tried a Peavey 1502 DT speaker out in my post 68 cab.

Nice thick sound. Think I prefer the EVB I have been using.

jaime

[John D]

Originally Posted by FenderAmpeg

Thanks for the feedback, still pondering so more input welcome.

@Alex1984, fear not Navy Random Flair is here to stay!

Denim Dave...... just thought it had a nice ring to it.....interesting idea too.

If it were mine, I wouldn't try to match or blend the dolly to the NRF. Instead, I'd consider using an oak board, or some similar hardwood. Then, I'd paint the board and caster frames flat black. I think this combination would almost disappear on stage. After all, you don't want the dolly competing with the NRF.