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NAD: Calling all 60's Ampeg B15 gurus!!!! Wheres Jimmy!?

JSandbloom

JSandbloom

Supporting Member
Feb 2, 2004
1,763
3,032
Redding, Ca
Disclosures
Lakland Basses
#1
Howdy folks, I ordered a Ampeg B15 off reverb today and its shipping to me in a flight case! The guy sold me what he thought was a 1965 and looks up the serial etc it looks like maybe a 1966. Its shipping with the original speaker but it has a replacement installed right now. It has also been serviced where some of the caps and power chord were updated. What are yall's take on this guy, is it a 66 or 65?

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B151966.jpg
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#2
JSandbloom said:
Howdy folks, I ordered a Ampeg B15 off reverb today and its shipping to me in a flight case! The guy sold me what he thought was a 1965 and looks up the serial etc it looks like maybe a 1966. Its shipping with the original speaker but it has a replacement installed right now. It has also been serviced where some of the caps and power chord were updated. What are yall's take on this guy, is it a 66 or 65?

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Yes
 
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#8
It's a 66. Serial number puts it square into 66. Insanely clean. Ampeg changed the design to this one (B-15NF) in 65 and left it so they're the same. 30w fixed bias, single baffle cab, Ampeg badged CTS stock, JBL D130F available as an upgrade. Speaker looks like an Eminence, and if it's a Delta or Beta 15a, thumbs up! I have Deltas in my repro cabs and they sound just like the CTS. If it comes with newer 6SL7's, do yourself a favor and get the cheapest NOS tubes you can find and you'll thank me later. Done good, Josh!
 
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#9
JimmyM said:
It's a 66. Serial number puts it square into 66. Insanely clean. Ampeg changed the design to this one (B-15NF) in 65 and left it so they're the same. 30w fixed bias, single baffle cab, Ampeg badged CTS stock, JBL D130F available as an upgrade. Speaker looks like an Eminence, and if it's a Delta or Beta 15a, thumbs up! I have Deltas in my repro cabs and they sound just like the CTS. If it comes with newer 6SL7's, do yourself a favor and get the cheapest NOS tubes you can find and you'll thank me later. Done good, Josh!
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Thanks for the heads up on the tubes. I'm not an expert anything by 12AX7s. Here's what's loaded in it now.

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#10
New Tung Sols, eh? Actually, those might work. I was thinking of Sovteks and didn't expect Tung Sols. Stay away from Sovteks bigtime! JJ's making one now and I never tried it, but I doubt you'll do better than the Tung Sols. They're supposed to be the top ones now. If you get bored, you might want to pick up a cheap NOS 6SL7 and try it in V1 and see what you think, but the Tung Sols are supposed to be the best 6SL7's made today and I've heard they're pretty good. I have a little stash of old Sylvania 6SL7's (what Ampeg mostly used) and haven't needed any new ones for a while.

The rectifier tube is definitely old, but very nice and they don't break very often at all, and those Tube Amp Doctor tubes are some high dollar new power tubes, but honestly, the only time I could hear a change in tone is when swapping the V1 and V3 preamp tubes.
 
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#17
JSandbloom said:
Howdy folks, I ordered a Ampeg B15 off reverb today and its shipping to me in a flight case! The guy sold me what he thought was a 1965 and looks up the serial etc it looks like maybe a 1966. Its shipping with the original speaker but it has a replacement installed right now. It has also been serviced where some of the caps and power chord were updated. What are yall's take on this guy, is it a 66 or 65?

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Looks great, looks like they bypassed the original 4 pin Amphenol connector between the head and the cabinet. I’d really recommend retrofitting the original cab connector and head cable with connector, as it puts the head into standby mode if you forget to connect the cabinet.
 
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#19
Ric Vice said:
Looks great, looks like they bypassed the original 4 pin Amphenol connector between the head and the cabinet. I’d really recommend retrofitting the original cab connector and head cable with connector, as it puts the head into standby mode if you forget to connect the cabinet.
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Good eye. Wouldn't be the first time I've seen that bypass done. Mine got retrofitted with the 4 pin XLR's and attached speaker cable when I had it resto'd, but before that, it had 1/4" jacks on both ends, and I so wish I'd have just left them.
 
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#20
JimmyM said:
Good eye. Wouldn't be the first time I've seen that bypass done. Mine got retrofitted with the 4 pin XLR's and attached speaker cable when I had it resto'd, but before that, it had 1/4" jacks on both ends, and I so wish I'd have just left them.
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My dad had his bass player-TV repairman (remember them, if you do, you're old like me :)) friend change his over to 1/4. I may still have the old parts. It's in a baggie in the amp I believe.
 
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