Janky-A Rigs of Doom

[Bugeyed Earl]

I just saw this exact combination somewhere (pawn shop?? IDK) but they wanted $399 for it.

Don't think so - mine was cleaner - but that doesn't mean it wasn't abused on it's way down to South Florida. Does yours have the original packet of spare fuses stapled to the inside of the cab near the amp section? Mine did - I thought that was cool. And I don't think mine said "BASS" on the front, and it only had one EQ section. Memory is fuzzy there.

Ah, I guess yours was the earlier version with the distortion knob. This one didn't have the spare fuses, but it has a wide rubber strap on the inside of the amp cover plate, I think that's meant to store the power cord, also a nice touch.

 

[gtlover]

Ah, I guess yours was the earlier version with the distortion knob. This one didn't have the spare fuses, but it has a wide rubber strap on the inside of the amp cover plate, I think that's meant to store the power cord, also a nice touch.

First gen B100 "BASS" amps have the 4 knob tone section and distortion in the wiiiiide chassis. B100-II has the narrow case, no distortion, additional 5 band EQ, and spare fuses. B100-III is shorter, and adds parametric EQ.

 

[mexicanyella]

First gen B100 "BASS" amps have the 4 knob tone section and distortion in the wiiiiide chassis. B100-II has the narrow case, no distortion, additional 5 band EQ, and spare fuses. B100-III is shorter, and adds parametric EQ.

What's the distortion like with bass on the 1st Gen ones?

On the G50-112 (I) that I tried (with guitar), the distortion was weird, thin, and fuzzy, but amusingly unlike anything else I'd tried before. Had I bought that amp, I could see using it for overdub textures or something. Like, it might sound at home in a Polvo mix.

 

[gtlover]

What's the distortion like with bass on the 1st Gen ones?
.

It's a decent 70's kinda fuzz, which fits the overall vibe perfectly. Lately I've been cranking it up for a some extra oomph and it sounds pretty good.

 

[alaskaleftybass]

@Bugeyed Earl strikes again! Pretty janky amp there. I remember in the 70's I got my first professional (a big $75 apiece a weekend) gig at the local American Legion. There was a traveling band that came through town and they were caught dealing drugs. They were 86'd out of town and left the equipment in the Legion. For years an old Yamaha bass amp, a Fender 12" combo, and a Shure P.A. provided service to various bands that played there over the years.

I remember playing the Yamaha. It had a massive bass sound. I remember at times when another band was playing the Legion, I'd be walking across the street and hear the bass clearly through the walls. I was so new and young I can't remember what the tone was but it was fun to play. Good score there Bug Eyed Earl!

 

[Bugeyed Earl]

I like how all of @Bugeyed Earl 's janky-A amp stories seem to involve a period of airing out in the garage. It adds color. Between silverfish attacking the speaker cone, damp climate funk, termite colonies and now stripper-vaping fumes, these stories never disappoint. They go nicely with the stagnant bat-water Peavey folded horn cab saga from a year or so ago.

I think it's all part of the Florida experience, but that Peavey soup-cabinet was the high water mark!

@Bugeyed Earl strikes again! Pretty janky amp there. I remember in the 70's I got my first professional (a big $75 apiece a weekend) gig at the local American Legion. There was a traveling band that came through town and they were caught dealing drugs. They were 86'd out of town and left the equipment in the Legion. For years an old Yamaha bass amp, a Fender 12" combo, and a Shure P.A. provided service to various bands that played there over the years.

I remember playing the Yamaha. It had a massive bass sound. I remember at times when another band was playing the Legion, I'd be walking across the street and hear the bass clearly through the walls. I was so new and young I can't remember what the tone was but it was fun to play. Good score there Bug Eyed Earl!

Thanks for sharing Will, great story!

 

[gtlover]

I've been meaning to post this up forever.

On the bottom is my trusty Peavey 115 cab, which I found in a pawn shop in Bellingham, WA circa 1997 for $75. It's been my main cab ever since, and currently has a 4ohm 300W Celestion driver. I added casters and proper side handles too.

On top is another story.
My wife's stepfather is a vintage audio junkie, and is always buying and restoring old tube amps. A fellow in the area was having a garage sale (more like a barn sale) with some pieces of home-made gear for sale. This thing followed him home. I don't know who this dude is. His woodworking and metalworking skills are rudimentary. I'd bet someone who is legally blind could do a better job with tolex or Naugahyde or whatever this box is covered with.
But damn, he can build an amp. Sure, the power tubes will fall out if you try to move it.
Who cares, it sounds beautiful! I've not delved too far into it, but it's got a vintage Fender transformer and a random yet well matched set of old tubes.

Mostly it's just warm, round, and expressive, but it breaks up nicely when pushed.

My future plan is to mount it in a Blues Senior chassis from rocknrollamps.com and put that in an older Blues Junior reissue cab (for which I traded yet another Peavey 115).

 

[mexicanyella]

That is pretty cool. It would be a
Cool stay-in-one-place studio or practice space amp just like it is!

 

[daveman50]

That's what we mean by janky-a!

 

[alaskaleftybass]

I've been meaning to post this up forever.
View attachment 4269804
On the bottom is my trusty Peavey 115 cab, which I found in a pawn shop in Bellingham, WA circa 1997 for $75. It's been my main cab ever since, and currently has a 4ohm 300W Celestion driver. I added casters and proper side handles too.

On top is another story.
My wife's stepfather is a vintage audio junkie, and is always buying and restoring old tube amps. A fellow in the area was having a garage sale (more like a barn sale) with some pieces of home-made gear for sale. This thing followed him home. I don't know who this dude is. His woodworking and metalworking skills are rudimentary. I'd bet someone who is legally blind could do a better job with tolex or Naugahyde or whatever this box is covered with.
But damn, he can build an amp. Sure, the power tubes will fall out if you try to move it.
Who cares, it sounds beautiful! I've not delved too far into it, but it's got a vintage Fender transformer and a random yet well matched set of old tubes.
View attachment 4269813
Mostly it's just warm, round, and expressive, but it breaks up nicely when pushed.

My future plan is to mount it in a Blues Senior chassis from rocknrollamps.com and put that in an older Blues Junior reissue cab (for which I traded yet another Peavey 115).

Janky in the coolest way!

 

[Bugeyed Earl]

That's what we mean by janky-a!

Yep, that's the very definition!

 

[Razman]

Now normally this rig wouldn't qualify for this thread but today it is not a bass rig. No sir, today it is a makeshift karaoke system! Using my Vox Adio GT for Bluetooth connectivity, I'm running the signal through a small Yamaha mixer and then into my 700rb/Henry 8x8 stack. Doesn't sound too bad, but definitely janky IMHO! Had to throw something together quick for a memorial gathering.

Raz

 

[mexicanyella]

I would love a chance to try a Henry the 8 x 8 cab someday. Never seen one, other than photos, but they look mean.

 

[Razman]

I would love a chance to try a Henry the 8 x 8 cab someday. Never seen one, other than photos, but they look mean.

I like it better than a fridge. I'm thinking about upgrading the drivers to Dayton's, which would make it a 1600 watt cab. Buhahaha!

 

[mexicanyella]

I highly recommend FaitalPRO 8PR200s, based on happy experience with my Audiokinesis Birdhaus 4 x 8 cab...but that would also make the Henry a $1,600 cab. Cue the SNL "Debbie Downer" trombone flourish.

 

[Razman]

I highly recommend FaitalPRO 8PR200s, based on happy experience with my Audiokinesis Birdhaus 4 x 8 cab...but that would also make the Henry a $1,600 cab. Cue the SNL "Debbie Downer" trombone flourish.

Did some research and I feel the $300-ish I'd spend on them would provide enough of a performance increase to make me happy without breaking the bank. That project is a way off though. Going to keep the 700rb in check so as not to blow any of the stockers.

 

[Bugeyed Earl]

A pal gave me a pair of tatty old Klipsch KP-250's recently, so you know I had to see how they sound with a bass! The verdict? Meh, I wasn't too impressed, but it might be that they were sitting in front of my garage door, and I've never really liked the little Genz Benz through anything less than a fridge. Hooked up to my garage stereo on the other hand, wow!! I need to find some strong wall mounts for these cabinets, they're going to kick out the jams in the workshop for the foreseeable future. True to form, they were a roach motel, but the old EAW monitor that I got with them was really gross.

 

[mexicanyella]

A pal gave me a pair of tatty old Klipsch KP-250's recently, so you know I had to see how they sound with a bass! The verdict? Meh, I wasn't too impressed, but it might be that they were sitting in front of my garage door, and I've never really liked the little Genz Benz through anything less than a fridge. Hooked up to my garage stereo on the other hand, wow!! I need to find some strong wall mounts for these cabinets, they're going to kick out the jams in the workshop for the foreseeable future. True to form, they were a roach motel, but the old EAW monitor that I got with them was really gross.

View attachment 4337825

Cool! I really dig your Electra bass; it reminds me a little of the G&L that Aaron Beam plays, in Red Fang, through a Sunn Beta Lead and some guitar 4 x 12 cab (I think).

Aaron Beam needs to show up in the thread with some jank.

 

[Bugeyed Earl]

Cool! I really dig your Electra bass; it reminds me a little of the G&L that Aaron Beam plays, in Red Fang, through a Sunn Beta Lead and some guitar 4 x 12 cab (I think).

Aaron Beam needs to show up in the thread with some jank.

Thanks, I picked that up back in May. I'm really digging it, it has some character

 

[Smokey P]

Maybe not super janky, but definitely stoner dooming on a budget with this rig. Haunted Facebook marketplace to secure this jawn for under 500 bones. Serves me great, probably gonna live in the rehearsal space more than it has been since I'm looking to add a 2 112 array for basement shows, save this babey for outside and big rooms.