• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join freeLog in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Alamo Paragon

Can anyone tell me anything about this amp especially how it sounds i have a jack cassidy signature ed bass and think this tube amp would be perfect but guy i know that has one wont let me hook a bass to it says only guitars so any help would be great.
 
An Alamo Paragon bass combo was the first new amp I ever owned (prior to that I was renting a used 2-12" open back Airline combo). It cost $270 back in the early to mid-60s. It was closed back, ported, and had a 15" speaker. It looked like this: [Invalid or Expired Link Removed]. I think it was a 30 watt amp but I could be wrong. I recall it was made in San Antonio (my folks bought it for me at West Music in Iowa City) and had some sort of connection to Western Electric. I thought it sounded as good as a 2-12" 40 watt Fender Bassman that cost $399 new. But I also thought it sounded as good as a 25 watt Ampeg B-15N that cost $369 new so who knows how accurate my junior high ears were. Nevertheless, I couldn't justify paying the additional amount for those two amps. I held onto it until I bought a new Sunn 200S in 1967 or 68. Well, in the interest of full disclosure, I really traded it in on a solid-state 3-12" Fender Bassman when they came out, which I in turn traded in on the 200S shortly thereafter. I have fond memories of my Alamo. If you are able to get a clean sound out of it using a guitar, it'll probably be fine even if the guy won't let you plug a bass into it.