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My Long Lost Friend is back!!

Kukulkan61

Kukulkan61

Inactive
Feb 8, 2011
9,247
10,273
Northern Arizona
#1
I bought this brand new from AMS many years ago and gigged it up until 2015, than I involuntarily retired from music because of my MC accident which took out my whole left side and amputated below the knee. So I wasn't using it and sold it to an up and coming bass player in High School along with an Avatar 410 4ohm cab that was very loud and punchy when needed. I just recently started contacting him and enquiring about the rig, he finally responded back and I asked him if he would sell it back to me and he agreed since his band broke up and he wasn't playing much anymore, so after a year of trying g to connect to do the deed I finally met up with him today, gave him 2 bills and my old friend is back where it belongs, we have alot of history and if it could talk it would have alot of good and bad stories to tell. The amp is just as it was when I sold it so I give him alot of credit for taking good care of it, the case is a little bit more banged up then before but that's what it's for, it sounds just like I remember, some of the pots were a little scratchy so I did the constant turning of them until the noise went away. I've never had this amp serviced or tuned up or anything, never had an issue but just wondering if I should, what do you all think? I'm a if it ain't broke dont fix it guy myself, anyways it's good to have it back, I'm gonna pair it up with my Mesa Subway cabs and bang away. I'm sure I will gig it whenever that starts up again??
Thanks for hearing me out I'm just excited and happy its home!
20200727_202336.jpg
 
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#2
Kukulkan61 said:
I bought this brand new from AMS many years ago and gigged it up until 2015, than I involuntarily retired from music because of my MC accident which took out my whole left side and amputated below the knee. So I wasn't using it and sold it to an up and coming bass player in High School along with an Avatar 410 4ohm cab that was very loud and punchy when needed. I just recently started contacting him and enquiring about the rig, he finally responded back and I asked him if he would sell it back to me and he agreed since his band broke up and he wasn't playing much anymore, so after a year of trying g to connect to do the deed I finally met up with him today, gave him 2 bills and my old friend is back where it belongs, we have alot of history and if it could talk it would have alot of good and bad stories to tell. The amp is just as it was when I sold it so I give him alot of credit for taking good care of it, the case is a little bit more banged up then before but that's what it's for, it sounds just like I remember, some of the pots were a little scratchy so I did the constant turning of them until the noise went away. I've never had this amp serviced or tuned up or anything, never had an issue but just wondering if I should, what do you all think? I'm a if it ain't broke dont fix it guy myself, anyways it's good to have it back, I'm gonna pair it up with my Mesa Subway cabs and bang away. I'm sure I will gig it whenever that starts up again??
Thanks for hearing me out I'm just excited and happy its home!
View attachment 3922127
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I'm stoked for you -- your story brought a smile to my face.

I'm sorry to hear of your accident, but I commend you on coming back and on having, from what I can tell, a strong, positive attitude and a spirit of perseverance.

May you and your now-reunited buddy make sweet music together.

Thank you for sharing!
 
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#8
msb said:
I ran one of those for over twenty years . It never let me down , one of the toughest amps I've ever seen . Thank you for sharing this , I hope you'll give it lots of use .
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Yup, I will hopefully add another more years to the over 20 I put on it in the past, I can’t believe how punchy and articulate these amps are I’m really digging it again !
 
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#9
Kukulkan61 said:
I bought this brand new from AMS many years ago and gigged it up until 2015, than I involuntarily retired from music because of my MC accident which took out my whole left side and amputated below the knee. So I wasn't using it and sold it to an up and coming bass player in High School along with an Avatar 410 4ohm cab that was very loud and punchy when needed. I just recently started contacting him and enquiring about the rig, he finally responded back and I asked him if he would sell it back to me and he agreed since his band broke up and he wasn't playing much anymore, so after a year of trying g to connect to do the deed I finally met up with him today, gave him 2 bills and my old friend is back where it belongs, we have alot of history and if it could talk it would have alot of good and bad stories to tell. The amp is just as it was when I sold it so I give him alot of credit for taking good care of it, the case is a little bit more banged up then before but that's what it's for, it sounds just like I remember, some of the pots were a little scratchy so I did the constant turning of them until the noise went away. I've never had this amp serviced or tuned up or anything, never had an issue but just wondering if I should, what do you all think? I'm a if it ain't broke dont fix it guy myself, anyways it's good to have it back, I'm gonna pair it up with my Mesa Subway cabs and bang away. I'm sure I will gig it whenever that starts up again??
Thanks for hearing me out I'm just excited and happy its home!
View attachment 3922127
Click to expand...
Only thing tougher than that 400RB is YOU. Glad you two were reunited!
 
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#11
That is an awesome story! Like I said, I have the same head (1993) and I also have a 91 with the older graphics and fixed power cable, last year before switching design. Soundwise they are pretty much the same, I even had a beat up 86 model that I sold and that sounded the same as well. I had a 2003 model (400rb III) and it wasn't as warm sounding, a little more crisp and sharp in the mid range but still great. I also have a Backline 600 (same preamp as 400RB III), killer head with more bottom and headroom (not that I need it) than the 400RB III. I just leave it at the practice space for gear share. Its more similar to a 700RB than 400 in my opinion.
 
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#12
Spirit of Ox said:
That is an awesome story! Like I said, I have the same head (1993) and I also have a 91 with the older graphics and fixed power cable, last year before switching design. Soundwise they are pretty much the same, I even had a beat up 86 model that I sold and that sounded the same as well. I had a 2003 model (400rb III) and it wasn't as warm sounding, a little more crisp and sharp in the mid range but still great. I also have a Backline 600 (same preamp as 400RB III), killer head with more bottom and headroom (not that I need it) than the 400RB III. I just leave it at the practice space for gear share. Its more similar to a 700RB than 400 in my opinion.
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Interesting. I have a 400RB IV (picked up earlier this year), which I got to finally try the amp that made some of the music I heard growing up. From what you say (and hints in stuff I've read elsewhere), it would be interesting to hear it next to an older 400 RB. Mine still sounds warmer to me than a 700 or 1001 RB II, but I've not A/Bed those directly.

I do dig the old-school look of the OP's amp, but the IV isn't exactly garish and flashy!

Hope all are well and that the OP is still enjoying his old/new rig.
 
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#13
MarkA said:
Interesting. I have a 400RB IV (picked up earlier this year), which I got to finally try the amp that made some of the music I heard growing up. From what you say (and hints in stuff I've read elsewhere), it would be interesting to hear it next to an older 400 RB. Mine still sounds warmer to me than a 700 or 1001 RB II, but I've not A/Bed those directly.

I do dig the old-school look of the OP's amp, but the IV isn't exactly garish and flashy!

Hope all are well and that the OP is still enjoying his old/new rig.
Click to expand...

The 400RB IV is supposed to be warmer than the III so it probably sounds closer to the 400RB II which is what we have.
 
#15
msb said:
I ran one of those for over twenty years . It never let me down , one of the toughest amps I've ever seen . Thank you for sharing this , I hope you'll give it lots of use .
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I've still got the one I bought in the very early 90's and it works as good as ever, barring the effects loop trick which gave it a second wind a few years ago. I pull it out every so often when I need a big sound for a large stage and pair it with an Ampeg 810 'fridge. Sounds great. Nice story, glad you have yours back.
 
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