Michael-Hull bass amp combo

[ken daniels]

Anyone have any idea what one of the insanely rare (two known in existence?) Michael-Hull (Ampeg forerunner) wood cabinet bass combos might be worth? May have just unearthed one so does that mean that now there are three????? Pretty cool let me tell you.

[JimmyM]

I think there are more than two in existence, but they are insanely rare. I would have no idea what it's worth now, and condition and operability would have a lot to do with what it would go for. Amps don't quite have the cachet that guitars and basses have, but considering it's a rare piece of history, I would think it would probably get low to mid 4 figures, eh?

I could be wildly off, though. Basically it's worth what someone's willing to pay for it. So got any pics?

[bassman527]

I wouldn't be surprised if sold to the right upright jazz bassist for 6-8k. Does it work?

If you actually have one, you are incredibly lucky, it's a piece of bass history.

[Ric Vice]

Originally Posted by bassman527

I wouldn't be surprised if sold to the right upright jazz bassist for 6-8k. Does it work?

If you actually have one, you are incredibly lucky, it's a piece of bass history.

Bassman 527,
Since I do play upright a great deal, I'm not sure that the Michael Hull-Bass amp would really appeal to most Double Bassists. Granted, it is a piece of history, but more to the point, the really famous jazz bassist from the time it was manufactured didn't use amps. To my knowledge no one like Paul Chambers, Milt Hinton, or Ray Brown used a Michael Hull Bass Amp. There are pictures of Joe Comfort, who played with Nat Cole endorsing one, he was a great player, but not of the stature of the three I mentioned before. If it is the one with the bass clef speaker logo it's very cool looking, but I doubt that it sounds very good. Just my opinion though. There are promotional pictures of Oscar Pettiford using a Ampeg Bassamp, and Charles Mingus using a BT-15, but, as far as I know, that's never caused a lot of upright players to try and score one.

Ric

P.S. There aren't any pictures of either Pettiford of Mingus using Ampeg's in a club or at a concert that I've ever seen.

[JimmyM]

Les Paul had one...said it saved his life when he had the car accident that caused his arm to be set in one place. When he crashed, the MH amp tore through the roof of the car, enabling rescue workers to get him out. Chubby Jackson from Woody Herman's band also used one. At the time, there was nothing better for bass, but let's face it...wasn't until 1960 that bass amps got good.

[BassmanPaul]

http://www.talkbass.com/forum/f15/up...s-amps-166101/

not to be a party pooper but rulz is rulz!