NAD PF50-T into PF115HE... sounds great!!
Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
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.
Official Ampeg Portaflex Club
- Thread starter JimmyM
- Start date
Thanks. I believe it is a Rapco Horizons rebranded by my local music store.
#534 aetheriac
#535 Xavierbass
Xavier hasn't posted his rig yet, but he just got a 70's SB-12 and PM'd me about it.
#535 Xavierbass
Xavier hasn't posted his rig yet, but he just got a 70's SB-12 and PM'd me about it.
Hello guys, I just got my new SB-12 today!! I think it's in very good condition and I really loved how it sounds, specially with my Rick and my Classic 50's PBass! I promise to make a little review about it.
Thank you JimmyM!
Thank you JimmyM!
NAD!!!
I found a '74 B15-N in great condition. Pots say '73 but some writing on the power resistor says 5-3-74. I certainly didn't need another one, but couldn't pass it up. Original CTS speaker, all of the resistors and caps are original. Sounds very nice, a little different than my '73, but I also replaced a lot of parts in the '73 to bring it back to normal operating condition. Time to take some component readings and replace the electrolytic caps. Also some corrosion on the jacks to clean up. I love working on and playing these amps. Here's some pics.
I found a '74 B15-N in great condition. Pots say '73 but some writing on the power resistor says 5-3-74. I certainly didn't need another one, but couldn't pass it up. Original CTS speaker, all of the resistors and caps are original. Sounds very nice, a little different than my '73, but I also replaced a lot of parts in the '73 to bring it back to normal operating condition. Time to take some component readings and replace the electrolytic caps. Also some corrosion on the jacks to clean up. I love working on and playing these amps. Here's some pics.
Not only is it clean as a whistle, it looks all original. Wow!
I'm sure you'll get it happening. So what's different in your other amp? Same speaker? Tubes? I see that your latest has a replacement logo badge that's more recent. Too bad Fliptops no longer has the period correct badges, but they do turn up from time to time on Ebay. Still, I wouldn't throw it out of bed for eating crackers with that badge on it 
Wow, good catch on the badge. I didn't notice it until you said something. The two are identical.I'm sure you'll get it happening. So what's different in your other amp? Same speaker? Tubes? I see that your latest has a replacement logo badge that's more recent. Too bad Fliptops no longer has the period correct badges, but they do turn up from time to time on Ebay. Still, I wouldn't throw it out of bed for eating crackers with that badge on it
The newest one is mostly original except the badge and tubes. It has the original CTS speaker. It has Sylvania 6sl7's with red letters. Most of the originals had yellow letters. It has 5881 Sovteks for power tubes which are definitely not originals.
The '73 was all original but had a black widow speaker. No dolly!
I bought a damaged '73 CTS and had it reconed at Orange County Speakers. I replaced all the caps and the power transformer. It is up to specs and sounds great.I'll be going through the new one and hopefully will only have to replace the tubes and the electro caps (and the badge now)
The guts are identical.
Last edited:
I just acquired a 1964 B-15NC! To make it happen I sold a late 70's B-15S and a B-100R, but this is the amp I've always wanted plus I still have a 70's V4B (hard to justify four Ampegs).
The pics depict the amp as I received it - mostly stock, sounds great with no hum or noise, the original CTS speaker is strong, and decent cosmetics.
This forum has guided my punchlist over the last week. First was a thorough cleaning (I can't believe how much grime I extracted), then polishing the chassis and supergluing loose tolex. I ordered a new dolly from Vintage-Blue (one of the last with blue tolex, thanks Mark!), installed new gasket foam, replaced the bulbs with LEDs, painted the tube cage plus swapped the wingnuts for decorative cage nuts. Up next is cleaning pots, jacks etc, replacing the shock mounts, swapping the grill cloth, installing a handle, and re-covering the black vinyl on the chassis tray (thanks to Bruce at Fliptops for all the supplies) -- which leads to a few questions:
The pics depict the amp as I received it - mostly stock, sounds great with no hum or noise, the original CTS speaker is strong, and decent cosmetics.
This forum has guided my punchlist over the last week. First was a thorough cleaning (I can't believe how much grime I extracted), then polishing the chassis and supergluing loose tolex. I ordered a new dolly from Vintage-Blue (one of the last with blue tolex, thanks Mark!), installed new gasket foam, replaced the bulbs with LEDs, painted the tube cage plus swapped the wingnuts for decorative cage nuts. Up next is cleaning pots, jacks etc, replacing the shock mounts, swapping the grill cloth, installing a handle, and re-covering the black vinyl on the chassis tray (thanks to Bruce at Fliptops for all the supplies) -- which leads to a few questions:
- I ordered a faux leather blue handle, then noticed my chassis mounting board is drilled for two holes, not four. Is there a source for pre-64 handles and if not, would it be a crime to modify the amp for a leather handle? This amp will be a player not a show queen so I'm inclined to swap, but also appreciate the value of keeping it stock
- Somewhere along the line the protective crossbar on my baffle was removed. I'm inclined to install felt and new grill cloth to my current baffle, but interested in second opinions on whether to replace it
- The schematic says B15, not B15NC, it seems errors and corrections were the norm back in the day...
You struck gold with that amp.
The grille cloth has clearly been restapled. I'd replace it and yes, add the felt. If desired, a replacement cross piece could be glued in. Mark could make you one that could be trimmed down to fit.
The handles with two mounting screws are not available. You can simply not install the handle. I never lift these amps by the handle. It isn't unusual to see a four screw handles installed.
Is it possible that you have an older head mated with an NC cabinet? The schematic matches the 5U4 printed on the chassis. The tolex color is different. There are date codes on the pots and lord mounts.
Very nice amp! Congratulations.
The grille cloth has clearly been restapled. I'd replace it and yes, add the felt. If desired, a replacement cross piece could be glued in. Mark could make you one that could be trimmed down to fit.
The handles with two mounting screws are not available. You can simply not install the handle. I never lift these amps by the handle. It isn't unusual to see a four screw handles installed.
Is it possible that you have an older head mated with an NC cabinet? The schematic matches the 5U4 printed on the chassis. The tolex color is different. There are date codes on the pots and lord mounts.
Very nice amp! Congratulations.
b-o-t, thanks for your advice on crosspiece and the handle.
Interesting observation about the tolex color - I haven't noticed a big variance but will give a closer look in daylight. It could be a trick of the light, here's another angle for comparison.
I can make out CTS codes of 1376323 and 1376315 which if I'm correct in interpreting as Apr and June of 63 seems to add up.
Interesting observation about the tolex color - I haven't noticed a big variance but will give a closer look in daylight. It could be a trick of the light, here's another angle for comparison.
I can make out CTS codes of 1376323 and 1376315 which if I'm correct in interpreting as Apr and June of 63 seems to add up.
#536 helpcraft
Great score! I love my 64 as well.
Absolutely they could, as Ampeg couldn't make them fast enough to meet the demand back then, but there were some double baffle B-15's made in 65. It wasn't like they started the new year with an all-new design
Great score! I love my 64 as well.
It appears that you do indeed have an earlier B-15N 63 head mated with a 64 B-15NC cab. It could have come from the factory this way.
In 1963, the speaker was a Jensen, the handle was plastic; in 64 they went with the square magnet CTS speaker and leather look handle.
Later in 63 they switched from the 5U4GB tube to the solid state rectifier based B-15NA/B, then in 64 to the 5AR4 rectifier based B-15NC.
Given the tube chart on the cab and the layout on the amp I'd guess they were combined later, but the cabinet style is right at least. The serial number stamped on the 5AR4 chart (411054) codes to November 64 which matches the speaker and is different from my Jan 65 double baffle which has the 65-later style code. But given the tolex difference, the rectifier tube, etc, I'd think it was just a mismatched pair.
Latest posts
-
-
Greetings, and help me value my basses, please.- Latest: MochaFiend
-
-
-
