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Acoustic 370

254 stringer

254 stringer

Apr 15, 2010
1,760
1,889
Waco Texas
#1
I just bought one of these at a pawn shop it was $60 plus tax do I couldn't pass it up. It seems to be in decent shape looks a little rough and is missing the chrome cap to one knob and one slider for the eq. It made sounds and everything was working but some of the pots and sliders are scratchy. The only real problem I noticed is when I turned it off it takes about a minute before the sound quits coming out of the speakers. I know nothing about these so any info and help would be great.
 
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#2
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#3
254 stringer said:
I just bought one of these at a pawn shop it was $60 plus tax do I couldn't pass it up. It seems to be in decent shape looks a little rough and is missing the chrome cap to one knob and one slider for the eq. It made sounds and everything was working but some of the pots and sliders are scratchy. The only real problem I noticed is when I turned it off it takes about a minute before the sound quits coming out of the speakers. I know nothing about these so any info and help would be great.
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Not a problem, that is how they are. No mute circuit and takes time for the power supply reserves to bleed off. If it didn't do that, THAT would be a concern.
 
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#5
B-string said:
Not a problem, that is how they are. No mute circuit and takes time for the power supply reserves to bleed off. If it didn't do that, THAT would be a concern.
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Thanks for that info that was the one thing I was worried about.
Laklandfan said:
What a steal.
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The price tag said $89 I was gonna offer $75 but when he said $60 plus tax it was shut up and take my money time.
 
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#9
One of the reasons those are as heavy as they are is enormous capacitors. There are capacitors in there that look almost like a Foster's beer can. Well, not quite that big, but big enough and about that color of anodized blue. As far as I can tell, that's one of the contributors to how those amps sound and one of the reasons they take a while to discharge. If you don't bleed off the charge by continuing to play through the amp until it makes ugly sounds then no sounds, that charge will be in there for a long time. I had one sitting around for a month or more, and plugged in a speaker with the amp unplugged. The speaker made a whump noise when the cable went in. That's a bit of stored juice, especially after a month or so. I assume those huge capacitors were common back in the '60s, '70s and 80s, so I don't know why other solid state amps don't sound more like Acoustic Control amps, but they don't.
 
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#10
254 stringer said:
Thanks, I can't wait to take it home and hook it up to my ampeg 8x10. I only got to try it through a guitar 4x12 at the shop but I could tell it gets pretty loud pretty fast.
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I've ran mine through 410', 810's, 810's (plural) 2x15's, 18 & 2 10's sounds great through all. It's best at 2 ohms. But four ohms is plenty loud. It can throw some SERIOUS lows messing with the EQ. You'll love it through your Ampeg 810.
 
#15
What a deal! If you want to sell it at a (nice) profit let me know, I'm in Austin. I have one and it would always be good to have an extra for parts. If you want to get the most out of this head find a 371 cab (folded 18") and a pre '75 4001. Crank it up and your bleeding eardrums will thank you! As the others have said what you hear is normal, it's those monster caps.
 
#18
10cc said:
Never
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Don't pee on my deal!!! :) Have to agree though... but if he does...

A thing to know about the 371 is that the wave doesn't really fully form until about 20' from the cab so in a small room you a somewhat pressuring the room. You can barely hear yourself standing in from of the thing, but at 20' all anyone else will hear is you. I play my 370 through a 371 and have two additional cabs that contain each contain a Altec 421-8HX (prototypes snuck out the back door of the Altec labs, I'll never get rid of those) with Emilar EH-800 horns.

I grew up in OC CA in the 70's (about a mile from Fender) and it was a musicians wet dream. I had friends that worked at Fender, Altec/JBL, Rickenbacker, Emilar, etc. Most didn't play so they back-door'ed a lot of prototypes for me (statute of limitations now :)). Sadly the only prototypes I have left are the Altecs and Emilars. Funny thing is even Altec couldn't identify the speakers when I contacted them recently to get some specs, even after I sent a picture. When I told them how I got them they did some research and found them in their files. They wanted to by the back at a pretty high price! Some things you never sell...370's come to mind.

(p.s. how do I stop this thing from turning my smiles into emodes? I feel embarrassed. smile...)
 
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#20
Mine was way more beat up than that when I bought it used in the late 70's.I drug it around the country playing thru a 2X15" EV cabinet and it never let me down and never needed to go past 1/2 way driving a 4ohm load.I recently retired it because at my advanced age I've gone to a lightweight Markbass combo but I'll never sell it!
 
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