West Fillmore Reissue!?

bassdie · #1 10-06-2011, 08:38 AM

So my uncle has been talking for years about this legendary amp. Every time I go looking for amps he says just keep your eyes out for a West Fillmore, he says its the best bass amp ever created. Now I will take what he says with a grain of salt but I saw on West Labs website that they are reissuing their classic amps, including this white whale of an amp.

Has anyone ever actually heard one of these things?
And does anyone know what the deal is with these reissues?

JimmyM · #2 10-06-2011, 10:15 AM

No idea about the reissues, but the originals were all over Grand Funk Railroad's first 5 albums.

chadds · #3 10-06-2011, 01:41 PM

They were Heathkit amps.

Mojo-Man · #4 10-06-2011, 01:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JimmyM

No idea about the reissues, but the originals were all over Grand Funk Railroad's first 5 albums.

+1
I think they were made in Detroit.
And had some connection with Grand Funk Railroad.
Kind of remember the name Mark West ? (Builder)

Buster Brown · #5 10-06-2011, 01:56 PM

Honestly, it wouldn't surprise me in the least (but I have no knowledge).

Fender is Reissuing their amps, Acoustic USA has returned with their 360/361, Ampeg has their Heritage line.....

It's probably just a matter of time until Sunn is brought back from the dead.....

So, yeah, why not West as well???

Gord_oh · #6 10-06-2011, 01:59 PM

i might have to look into this.
GFR's bass sound is one i sought after...

sanderic · #7 10-06-2011, 02:04 PM

I used a West Grande as a bass amp back in the late 70's. It was rated at 100 watts (all tube) into 4 SRO 12" speakers. However it only had two power tubes, making me believe it was an overrated 50 watt amp. I have seen someone else on these threads who has knowledge of these amps ( I think Bassman Paul) and I believe he said there design did pull that much power, at the cost of needing new tubes every six months. I never had to retube mine. The amps controles were volume, bright switch, treble, middle, and bass, and a switch labeled L.O.U.D., that would bypass all controles and have the amp at full blast. I have seen the West Labs web site, (Dave West is a great guy), and I believe they have been advertising these reissues for years, yet no prices or reissues have been seen yet. What Dave does do is rebuild vintage West Amps to modern specs. As far as sound, it was comparable to a Sunn 2000S or Ampeg V4B.

bassdie · #8 10-06-2011, 02:06 PM

I emailed the guy Dave who's apparently the new guy in charge of west labs. But he has yet to get back to me with any info. I'm most interested in what the price on these puppies is going to be.

HTTP://WestLabs.com/Frames.HTML

sanderic · #9 10-06-2011, 02:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chadds

They were Heathkit amps.

What is a Heathkit amp?

bassdie · #10 10-06-2011, 02:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sanderic

I used a West Grande as a bass amp back in the late 70's. It was rated at 100 watts (all tube) into 4 SRO 12" speakers. However it only had two power tubes, making me believe it was an overrated 50 watt amp. I have seen someone else on these threads who has knowledge of these amps ( I think Bassman Paul) and I believe he said there design did pull that much power, at the cost of needing new tubes every six months. I never had to retube mine. The amps controles were volume, bright switch, treble, middle, and bass, and a switch labeled L.O.U.D., that would bypass all controles and have the amp at full blast. I have seen the West Labs web site, (Dave West is a great guy), and I believe they have been advertising these reissues for years, yet no prices or reissues have been seen yet. What Dave does do is rebuild vintage West Amps to modern specs. As far as sound, it was comparable to a Sunn 2000S or Ampeg V4B.

This is what I was afraid of, it doesn't look like they have updated their website in a while...

Bassoballs · #11 10-06-2011, 02:17 PM

I have a West Grande w/ 2 West single 15 cabs.

fjadams · #12 10-06-2011, 02:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sanderic

What is a Heathkit amp?

Back in the "Olden Days" people used to buy electronic kits and assemble them their self. Heathkit was probably the biggest of the companies that offered these. Way cheaper than going to Sears or some other store and buying them. Offered options on a lot of the kits.

Made some pretty good electronics. Never used any of their amps, but my dad had a few of their ham radios.

N.F.A. · #13 10-06-2011, 02:20 PM

Heathkits were do it yourself kits, popular in the 60's.

Buster Brown · #14 10-06-2011, 02:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fjadams

Back in the "Olden Days" people used to buy electronic kits and assemble them their self. Heathkit was probably the biggest of the companies that offered these. Way cheaper than going to Sears or some other store and buying them. Offered options on a lot of the kits.

Made some pretty good electronics. Never used any of their amps, but my dad had a few of their ham radios.

Geeezzz..............I'm too damned old!!!

I remember Heathkit like it was yesterday

rodl2005 · #15 10-06-2011, 02:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Buster Brown

Geeezzz..............I'm too damned old!!!

I remember Heathkit like it was yesterday

Well I guess I'm almost too old

I remember the one my old Man built as an amp for his home 'mono', & it doubled as an ok guitar, organ & bass amp.
I think it was an all tube 10w, so pretty powerful-especially thru the HUGE speaker cab he'd built. It had a single 12" & a slot port & was about 36"x18x18
Sounded great! When I was 12 at least.

LongHairFreak · #16 10-06-2011, 08:48 PM

Like others, I know nothing of the reissues. I do however have a '70/'71 West Fillmore. Wicked cool sound to my ears. It's reputed to be 200 wats (4-pwr+2-pre tubes), but my tech (Savage Audio) measured it out at 170 screaming watts. Standard setting is pretty freakin' loud. That's not even considering the L.O.U.D. switch mentioned above.

spiritbass · #17 10-06-2011, 09:16 PM

I remember reading that the West amps were initially built from Dynaco kits.

JimmyM · #18 10-06-2011, 09:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by spiritbass

I remember reading that the West amps were initially built from Dynaco kits.

Possible. Sunn amps started out using Dynaco stuff.

edbass · #19 10-06-2011, 09:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sanderic

I used a West Grande as a bass amp back in the late 70's. It was rated at 100 watts (all tube) into 4 SRO 12" speakers. However it only had two power tubes, making me believe it was an overrated 50 watt amp. I have seen someone else on these threads who has knowledge of these amps ( I think Bassman Paul) and I believe he said there design did pull that much power, at the cost of needing new tubes every six months. I never had to retube mine. The amps controles were volume, bright switch, treble, middle, and bass, and a switch labeled L.O.U.D., that would bypass all controles and have the amp at full blast. I have seen the West Labs web site, (Dave West is a great guy), and I believe they have been advertising these reissues for years, yet no prices or reissues have been seen yet. What Dave does do is rebuild vintage West Amps to modern specs. As far as sound, it was comparable to a Sunn 2000S or Ampeg V4B.

Yep, I think that reissue ad has been on the website for at least 6 years or so. I hope it eventually happens, they were great amps!
I agree with the 2000S comparison, very similar but maybe a little more "raw".