Those sweet JBL K140's

[jnewmark]

Just for fun I thought I would post some tracks my Corporate/Wedding band did for a CD to be included in a promo pak to send out to prospective clients. What's different about these studio tracks is that, I chose not to go through the board, but used an old Kustom 215 loaded with JBL K140's, and a 200 Kustom head. Definitely trying to cop a Duck Dunn vibe here, but, man those JBL's sound sweet. It's an old Wilson Picket tune.

[Exxcell]

I love me some Kustom..

[beans-on-toast]

That's a great sounding track. I like it loud. The bass has punch and is very musical.

[John D]

Smokin'. You made me drag my bass out and play along. Great tone.

Edit: I'd buy that CD.

[mntngrown]

Niiccee! What was hangin off the leather strap? strings too please.

[jnewmark]

Thanks for kind words. I had a hand in mixing, so I tried to get the bass bumped up a little. But, the tone is pretty much how it sounded live. Those old JBL's have a certain vibe I've never found in another driver. Of course, the tuck 'n roll has alot to do with it also !

[jnewmark]

Here's another cut, a Sam and Dave favorite.

[1bassplayin]

Nice job great tone. Keep on thumpin'

[John D]

Originally Posted by jnewmark

Here's another cut, a Sam and Dave favorite.

Made me do it again!

[JimmyM]

Dang, sounds great! Great playing and tone.

[mntngrown]

I thought I was playin D140's back then ? Not K140's. Anybody know the history. I just put flats on another bass an hour ago. These cuts are gettin me juiced up!

[John D]

Originally Posted by mntngrown

I thought I was playin D140's back then ? Not K140's. Anybody know the history. I just put flats on another bass an hour ago. These cuts are gettin me juiced up!

D140 in the 60s,then K140, and E140, but I'm not sure of the order or time of the last two.

[mntngrown]

Thanks JohnD Come on Johnnie we all know it's in the fingers but what's the axe and strings?

[johnk_10]

classic! great tone and nice playing!

[jnewmark]

Originally Posted by mntngrown

Thanks JohnD Come on Johnnie we all know it's in the fingers but what's the axe and strings?

The bass was an '89 Fender P and the strings were GHS Bass Boomers, well broken in. The studio was the guitar player's. It was in an old building, big room , all wood. We did rhythm tracks first ( bass , drums, guitar, keys ), then horns, then vocals. I was isolated in a 3 sided cube, so I could see the drummer. Great sounding room, but, the guitar player could not make a go of it, and had to let it go. I played on a couple of local Blues' musicians' tracks there also, strictly as a sideman, but went through the board then. The Kustom 215 survived and it's still in the guitar player's basement. It's my practice rig for the wedding band. Thanks for the compliments. I love those old JBL's !

[bjabass]

Thats the sound that made me want to play bass way back then. Now I have GAS to get my Kustom 200 3-15 metalflake blue rig back.

It's funny how everybody here is down on the old Kustom stuff until you post an actual track....

(OBTW, the GAS went away quick when I remember how much that baby weighed...)

[Exxcell]

Originally Posted by bjabass

Thats the sound that made me want to play bass way back then. Now I have GAS to get my Kustom 200 3-15 metalflake blue rig back.

It's funny how everybody here is down on the old Kustom stuff until you post an actual track....

(OBTW, the GAS went away quick when I remember how much that baby weighed...)

I have a few vintage Kustom amps. Nothing sounds the same....

[zon6c-f]

I have owned my Kustom 200 since new in 1971. I thought I was the baddest in Atlanta, until I met a guy with an Acoustic 361..made my little Kustom seem anemic.

Eventually every guitarist I knew bought a Marshall Stack. I was mute against that. So, I bought a 370 head and powered it with a used Sunn 1-18 vh[ folded horn] which I LOVE.

Oddly, by the time I had a "decent" rig, I was no longer playing rock [ losing $$]. I was in a country band [ making $$$], playing Top 40 [ 1980s then] country and oldies; going up against a Fender Super or 2. In that arena, Kustom sat in well; equal in volume. Half the time I used my Kustom, especially when gigs needed lower volume; smaller clubs, where the 370 Sunn was overbearing and requests were more often for us to turn down. Our younger audience was my age now..nearly 60..LOL..

Back to 1971: I was nearly totally ignorant, as I grew up on poor side of the tracks, where Silvertone was a real choice, but Fender Bassman and Kustom was always the goal. While I was keenly aware of Ampeg sb 12 and 15, I never heard of SVT untill years later..LOL.. I tried Bassmans; low volume and little tone. Tube maintence was not what I envisioned for a fun hobby. SB 12 and 15 flip tops have beautiful tone, and even less volume than my Kustom, so they were never a consideration. Also, T-N-R Looks so much more modern/ cool than that retro 1940's look of flip tops..my opinion..LOL..

Also, I was totally unaware of speaker choices with Kustom: CTS, or ALTEC and JBL upgrades. As my luck would have it, my Kustom came with CTS. My only experience with a Kustom cab loaded with JBLs..[don't know which JBL].. was a 3x15 Kustom cab with JBLs at an audition; I was asked not to bring a cab; only my head. Now that cab coupled with my AC 370 sounded awesome.

Had my Kustom been loaded originally with JBLs, would I have been able to keep up with Marshalls?

People say Kustoms are loud, but mine sounds like Jack Bruce and Felix Pappalardi any volume past 10 o'clock or better; louder, yet far more distorted. Kustoms were "front loaded" for volume; little volume increase and major distortion increase beyond "noon".

Also, in order to realize the 100 watts RMS of the K200 head, I would have to use (2) 2x15 cabs. One Kustom cab is heavy. 2 cabs is a lot to lug just for jams. Of course, I was much younger in those days.

I have asked in the TB Kustom Club and a choice for weight reduction would be Emminence but that leads to tone vs weight vs BFM and the religion of x-max..lol..

K200B is a highly reliable amp. Mine has never failed to power-up; only issue with mine is with the "bright" switch, on the Bright side, which can be repaired. Of course I can use Normal side; just not as much treble tone.

As I have no gigs, I will neither be looking at repairs or speaker relacement in the near future.

[jnewmark]

With the K140's wired for 4 ohms, I was getting all I could out of the K200 head, but, I always used that rig in a RootsRock/Blues band, where the volume never was an issue. I did use E140's in the band that you hear on those tracks for many years, but, when all the lightweight stuff started to appear, I went down that road.. Stll, every once in awhile I'll drag my old 215 out, and fire it up just for fun.

[countrybass007]

I used D140s in an old Magnatone cab in the 60s. I actually replaced them with Jensen Lifetime guarantee 15s, as the D140s got blown several times. No cost to me as they were also guaranteed.