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Non-Ampeg Tube Amps

#261
I have an old tube amp from the 70's that looks almost homemade. It came with a nameplate on the original housing (now fallen apart) that said "NOMAD", but I doubt it was an actual Nomad amp. It may have been made by Eddie Spitzer when he was making amps. Anyway, it sounds incredible with tonal complexity I wish my other amps had. But it is old and it would have to be mic'ed, so I don't entirely trust it for gigs. It was pronounced unsafe and unusable by a renowned (unnamed) local amp tech, but Chris Barnett (best amp tech I know) got it going for me. There is Plexglass on the front to cover the cobby chassis details and the housing is just plain plywood. Big iron in this thing.
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#263
Willy-D said:
Yes- the iron needed to generate or output the additional power may cost 10 lbs or so. Guitar amps can get by with less output transformer and may get a touch more.
For my money 45lbs of 100 watt vs 35 lbs of 25-30 watt isn't enough diff for the power loss. The 100 will be gigable in most instances. The 30? Not so much
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disssa said:
It depends on the size of the gigs. Do you use a PA?
I use the CTM30 and a 410+115 cab for rehearsals with moderately volumes as a standalone. It is loud enough for a rock band.
We are using a PA for live gigs and a use the CTM30 and a 210 cab for bass monitoring and the really good sounding DI-Out of the CTM goes to the PA.
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We play very quiet gigs, and yes with a small PA. which means that the 100w and 410 are left at home. :(
I have been using my zoom b2.1u as a tube amp emulator, xlr to the panel, or into a ss amp when no PA.
so... before using the tube amp I had thought of getting a class d/light cab or combo; after :) I started wondering about a LB/CTM or old style low output head with a light 115 (maybe 112?) as an option. Not looking for distortion/overdrive (maybe a little at times) - just a nice classic valve tone.
No idea just yet, still thinking.
 
#264
bklee said:
I have an old tube amp from the 70's that looks almost homemade. It came with a nameplate on the original housing (now fallen apart) that said "NOMAD", but I doubt it was an actual Nomad amp. It may have been made by Eddie Spitzer when he was making amps. Anyway, it sounds incredible with tonal complexity I wish my other amps had. But it is old and it would have to be mic'ed, so I don't entirely trust it for gigs. It was pronounced unsafe and unusable by a renowned (unnamed) local amp tech, but Chris Barnett (best amp tech I know) got it going for me. There is Plexglass on the front to cover the cobby chassis details and the housing is just plain plywood. Big iron in this thing.View attachment 1051716 View attachment 1051720 View attachment 1051721
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Wow!

Are those EL34s?
 
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#267
My newly acquired Dynacord Bass King 50W all tubes amp from '64, just recently renovated.

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Here with my small new 15" cab.
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Will soon join the rehearsal room placed on top of my solid state Trace Elliot GP75SM 130W 15" combo, where I will run it with the Trace via the Trace's tuner output (which is a pre EQ preamp outtake at instrument level and impedance).
 
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#268
TinIndian said:
Just picked up a MusicMan HD 150 a couple of weeks back and took it to our gig a couple of days later. I only ran it on the low power setting and it still had more than enough to keep up with my loud ass drummer.

Sounds Killer!
View attachment 1086414
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Old Musicmans (Musicmen?) Kick butt. I had an old 65HD that I replaced with my first rack rig. New rig had 140 watts a channel and it couldn't keep up like the MM did. Dropped money on a 300 watt/ channel QSC and then I could finally bury the drummer with the Kevlar snare head...
 
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#269
Willy-D said:
Old Musicmans (Musicmen?) Kick butt. I had an old 65HD that I replaced with my first rack rig. New rig had 140 watts a channel and it couldn't keep up like the MM did. Dropped money on a 300 watt/ channel QSC and then I could finally bury the drummer with the Kevlar snare head...
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Absolutely. I don't know how long this sat before I found it, pawn shop score 300.00, but I opened it up and replaced the power cord and gave the caps a once over. Works great. At the gig it got louder as the first set went on and towards the end of the set I actually turned it down! 75 Watts, Sure! Was running it at lo power on the switch. I do think the tubes need to be replaced though. Had plenty of bottom end but was just a little on the flabby side. I think a new set would tighten it right up.
 
#275
lowend1 said:
Looks like a YBA-1A Bass Master MKII.
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You may be right I do remember seeing MkII on it. I still have it but it does not work like used to. I remember it had a ground problem. One night the singer went to tell me something in my ear and her lip touched my ear and we bot like to got electrocuted. There was a Frankenstein bolt from her lips to my ear, she dropped the mike and of course it had to feed back. It was so funny, the audience did not know what happened.
 
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#277
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New to me this week is a pristine EBS T90. My tube amp experience is pretty much limited to the Ashdown LB, so this one steps it up a few notches. I can't say I've got a grip on performance yet, especially since it hasn't been out of the house for band practice yet. I like the simplicity and output. Maybe the selection of passive and active input jacks is a comp for lack of a gain knob. No middle EQ knob, but I will probably juice this with a pre amp pedal like my Ampeg SCR DI or Tech 21 VT. Really looking forward to exploring this amp. Suggestions please let me know bros.
 
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#280
stevecaronna said:
You may be right I do remember seeing MkII on it. I still have it but it does not work like used to. I remember it had a ground problem. One night the singer went to tell me something in my ear and her lip touched my ear and we bot like to got electrocuted. There was a Frankenstein bolt from her lips to my ear, she dropped the mike and of course it had to feed back. It was so funny, the audience did not know what happened.
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The MKII is an absolute monster for an amp with two power tubes. 90 watts out of that configuration is almost unheard of. The transformers are huge, voltages are high, and some versions have a factory-installed fan to keep everything cool. They are more popular these days with guitarists than bass players because the circuit is practically a clone of the Marshall Plexi.
 
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