• 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 free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Kustom Amps

GaryLC

GaryLC

Apr 6, 2006
1,825
149
72
Scotia, NY
#1
I know I'll get a lot of flack about this, but it's all in the ears of the beholder, right? :cool:
I'm a 58 year old bass player, been playing since I was 14....now mainly playing classic rock. I've gone through literally dozens & dozens of amps through the years, low-fi, high-fi.....currently use a Carvin B1500, a Musicman HD150, an Acoustic 320, all through a pair of Mesa Boogie Diesel 15's, and or an Epifani UL310. I recently picked up an old Kustom 200 head (I've had many in the old day), and I think I've found nirvana! I honestly think the Kustom paired with the 2 Mesa cabinets, gives me the sound that none of the other heads give me!

I must be nuts......
 
#2
GaryLC said:
I know I'll get a lot of flack about this, but it's all in the ears of the beholder, right? :cool:
I'm a 58 year old bass player, been playing since I was 14....now mainly playing classic rock. I've gone through literally dozens & dozens of amps through the years, low-fi, high-fi.....currently use a Carvin B1500, a Musicman HD150, an Acoustic 320, all through a pair of Mesa Boogie Diesel 15's, and or an Epifani UL310. I recently picked up an old Kustom 200 head (I've had many in the old day), and I think I've found nirvana! I honestly think the Kustom paired with the 2 Mesa cabinets, gives me the sound that none of the other heads give me!

I must be nuts......
Click to expand...

Nah, there are quite a few Kustom lovers out there. I'm one.

Sturdy, cheap, and they have a great tone!
 
#4
You're not alone, my friend. I've got you by about 2 years and my first great rig was a '66-'67 B100 head with two 2-15 CTS cabs. That all burned up in a house fire about 17 years ago. I've now got a '68 B200 head with one 2-15 CTS cab. Still looking for a second to complete "the rig." Friend of mine once saw James Jamerson play live and along with his trusty PBass, used a late 60's Kustom rig. Settings were bass-all the way up, treble-all the way down. :cool:
 
#5
Recently scored from a guy I used to see play in Miami when I was just an upstart... the guy was really a lasting influence, a great player and turns out a really good, soulful cat. This amp kills with the two Emi Kappalite 3015s under it, pix'd here:

KustomHeadwith15s.jpg


KustomK200B.jpg
 
#7
Another Kustom nut here! I have a K200B-5 PA head, that needs a little work. Does anybody have a schematic I could purchase? I have been on the Kustom site and they say they are no longer available to purchase from them...I bought one of the Kustom TRB 400 units w 4-10's and use it for medium size clubs. It does a good job and looks like it came from the 60's and 70's. Lots of compliments on it.:bassist:
 
#8
I went back to using the amp section from my old Charger combo on gigs for the last few years. Built like a tank and gnarly SS tone.

It's liberating when you only have 4 knobs to fiddle with on your amp. :cool:
 
#10
Greetings from the North,

Kustom of Chanute Kansas made a great product for their time. Great looking, great sound and they stood behind what they built. I remember sending it back for repair twice and the turn around was quick and they even gave you a note telling you what they did. i still like that swanky Tuck n Roll look.

Rezdog
 
#11
I bought a Kustom Profile 200 compact PA system for 300 bucks from MF.com and couldn’t be happier. It’s a great rehearsal/party PA with 100w x 2 (rms) going into a pair of heavy plastic molded speakers, each housing two 6.5” woofers with a tweeter between them.

Great vocal clarity and gets louder than we’ll ever need (with the drums un-mic’d). Vocal effects are nice also. Extended 3 year replacement warranty only cost me 30 bucks and shipping was free. We line an IPOD into when we’re learning songs and it works very well. The price went up to 500 bucks so our timing was good.

As for bass, I’ve heard good things about their new little class D head.
 
#12
If you want that classic Duck Dunn, James Jamerson tone,the Kustom stuff is hard to beat. I used a 200 head,and a 215 loaded with JBL's in a Blues/Rockabilly trio for many years. I also was fortunate enough to see Jamerson play in one of the early Motown Revues, which is where I first saw the Tuck n Roll beauty. If you want something a little louder than a B15N, the Kustom 215/200 is a good choice.
 
#13
I could never talk bad about Kustom!

A local shop I used to work at kinda collected Kustoms, they have Bud Ross's first Kustom ever and a good handfull of other crazy stuff. Chief among them a Sparkle blue 68' K200 head and pair of matching 2x15 sparkle blue cabs loaded with those killer CTS's...

This thread makes me wanna go buy it... :help:

On second thought better not I'd wanna put EVM's in the cabs too bad :bassist:

What? SRO's are harder to come by :P
 
#15
Oren Hudson said:
You're not alone, my friend. I've got you by about 2 years and my first great rig was a '66-'67 B100 head with two 2-15 CTS cabs. That all burned up in a house fire about 17 years ago. I've now got a '68 B200 head with one 2-15 CTS cab. Still looking for a second to complete "the rig." Friend of mine once saw James Jamerson play live and along with his trusty PBass, used a late 60's Kustom rig. Settings were bass-all the way up, treble-all the way down. :cool:
Click to expand...

What? You mean he did not set his amp flat? lol
 
#16
I bought my B200 from a Kustom showroom in Chicago in like 1971. It was a great sounding amp that I kick myself for selling.
Now I'm 60 and playing again and I wish I had my old amp back. My new Acoustic B200 MKII just doesn't have the same punch.
 
#19
I have an old 70's Kustom II or III that I purchased when I was a kid. I dont know exactly which one it is, as the model is covered by an old Peace Sign sticker that was on the amp when I purchased it pre-loved. And since that Peace Sign sticker is the source of much mojo, I dare not remove it. What a killer old school tone that amp has. It sounds great with any cab.

Also, the studio I play at from time to time has a newer Kustom rack mount head. I Think its a Kustom Deep End, or something like that. It really sounds great! Its shocking how awesome the tone is on that thing. If I didnt have so many bass amps laying around, I would seek out a used one on the cheap and buy it.
 
#20
Funny to stumble upon this thread. I had a B1500 for years. Great powerful amp but for some reason it never sounded awesome. Sold it a few weeks ago and took a chance on a Kustom Groove 600 head that was for sale at a nice price. WOW, never would have thought it would match so nicely with my Schroeder 15+L's! My custom jb5 rarely sounded this good. Not in an 'instant boutique tone' kind of way, it sounds just 'right'. Very happy with it!
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back