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Polytone Custom Bass Amp

cbegue

cbegue

Feb 6, 2007
21
0
Dallas, Texas
#1
I have a Polytone amp that I need help finding information on. I had search all over the internet as well as tried contact Polytone directly with no luck.

Polytone 215-700 Custom Bass Amp (2 Channels)... this is a huge combo amp on wheels... built in head and 2 15 inch speakers.

Does anyone know anythign about these... dates built, etc
 
#4
I found a picture on an Italian music store website. That looks like a really early model, possibly late 60s? I'm pretty sure I'd remember it if it was built any later than that, unless it is in a fact a genuine custom build. Plenty of my buddies were playing Polytones by the mid 70s, and they looked much different by then.

What info do you need? Does it need repair?
 
#5
Passinwind said:
I found a picture on an Italian music store website. That looks like a really early model, possibly late 60s? I'm pretty sure I'd remember it if it was built any later than that, unless it is in a fact a genuine custom build. Plenty of my buddies were playing Polytones by the mid 70s, and they looked much different by then.

What info do you need? Does it need repair?
Click to expand...

Your buddies looked much different by then?
 
#7
Passinwind said:
Yeah, that too. :cool:
Click to expand...

And I bet they look a lot different now. :)

I don't recall that model Polytone either. I don't know if Polytone goes back to the late 60s. I got my first Polytone in the 70s at Barney Kessle's music store in L.A. when it first came out, I think about 1976.

Polytone made some strange amps for a while and most of them didn't catch on. They couldn't compete with the very high powered stuff that the rockers were buying and were never into that anyhow. They made amps that sounded good, at least to their ears. Very nice recording amps. I used my Mini Brute II for 10 years for recording, where it really was a winner, small trio jazz gigs, backstage practice amp on the road and home practice. Wonderful little amp.

But that 2-15 I've never heard of. Good luck getting any information from Polytone themselves. They're a strange bunch. I did get a helpful reply by email after about 2 weeks when I emailed them asking for names of local dealers. But they're not the type of company where you can call them up and talk about their gear. They sell most of their amps to working professional musicians who hear another pro using it and go out and get one themselves based on that alone. Very much word of mouth.

Edited to add--You're right. According to their website they go back as far as 1968, so that 2-15 model probably did come from that era before they settled down and made amps that catered mostly to studio musicians and jazz pros.
 
#8
62bass said:
I don't recall that model Polytone either. I don't know if Polytone goes back to the late 60s. I got my first Polytone in the 70s at Barney Kessel's music store in L.A. when it first came out, I think about 1976.
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The company website actually says they started up in '68, which was a surprise to me. '76 or so is when I first started seeing them in New England on jazz gigs. If the OP wants to PM me some parts numbers (the power transistors would be a good start) I may be able to pin it down.

The company always was a bit of a pain to deal with when I was doing repair work. I'll ask around in the geezer tech community and see if I can find anything. You might also try posting at some of the vintage gear oriented boards like the Fender Discussion Page or Ted Weber's amps forum.
 
#9
Thanks guys I really appreciate the info you have given! Yes my attempt to contact Polytone has been extremely frustrating. I know that I am not a recording artist but I wish they would even acknowledge my several attempts to contact them. Passinwind would you mind posting a link of the Italian website that you found? Thanks.

The amp sounds great… is not as loud as some would expect from looking at the size but the tone is awesome IMO. The cabinet is a little beat-up but is not too bad cosmetically. It does not have the original back to the cabinet but a replacement one has been put on. It operates fine so it is not really in need of repair; I just wanted to see if I could find out its real age, if it is rare, and possibly the worth of the amp.

I can try to post some pictures tonight if anyone is interested. Thanks again to all for your replies.
 
#10
cbegue said:
Passinwind would you mind posting a link of the Italian website that you found? Thanks.
Click to expand...

Here ya go: Invalid Link Removed Scroll down to the "P" section and click "seeit".

I can try to post some pictures tonight if anyone is interested. Thanks again to all for your replies

I'd definitely like to see more. And you're quite welcome!;)
 
#11
PassinWind: that picture on the Italian website looks exactly like mine with the exception of the three knobs in the middle of the head... the listing of the amp on that site says:
Mod.215-700,Rev+Vib,2ch,180W... perhaps mine is a version without the reverb and Vibrato so thus no three control knobs in the middle. everything else seems to fit... 215-700 (2 15inch speakers) 2 ch... mine is two channel as well, 180W... that wouldn't surprise me as I said... this amp isn't loud... but he tone is way nice. They are listing a price of € 1000, maybe I have a pretty valuable amp on my hands... I will take some pictures tongiht. Thanks again.
 
#12
well I took some pictures of the Polytone last night. Also on the back of the amp I found the serial # P-18396, as well as an interesting switch... "Room EQ Switch". Next to the serial number the model number was listed: MOdel 215-700 and it list it as 360 Watts

I am still trying to date this beast as well as find out if it is rare, and what it might be worth. Thanks.
 

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#15
cbegue said:
well I took some pictures of the Polytone last night. Also on the back of the amp I found the serial # P-18396, as well as an interesting switch... "Room EQ Switch". Next to the serial number the model number was listed: MOdel 215-700 and it list it as 360 Watts

I am still trying to date this beast as well as find out if it is rare, and what it might be worth. Thanks.
Click to expand...

I had an early Polytone 101. Same head design as your pic. but set in the back facing up like a vintage Fender Bassman. Later they came in a 15x5x5 or 4"s. Mine had the single 15 and to my memory was one of the nicest bass amps I've heard. The size of the cabinet gave a tone that the subsequent minibrutes 12" and 15" I've owned never touched. It was a small combo smaller then a vintage Fender bassman but close. I used a Y cord turned the bass all the way up on one channel and the treble on the other then adjusted the volumes. It was amazing. It would blow up for no reason or if you plugged something into the lineout and would require resistor replacement. I played it in Golden Gate Park in 1976 with a huge PA and it was incredible.
 
#16
Thanks for the replies everyone.

Justabass, you are right, this might be one of the biggest combo amps ever.

Chadds, sounds like you had a sweet Polytone as well, do you still have it?

I tried contact Polytone again today with an email and voce mail again... hopefully I will find out something.
 
#20
I'm resurrecting this thread to see if anyone can identify the Polytone amp I owned for a couple of years in the early 1980s.

It was a combo model with slanted front and removable castors. Two channels, controls on top. Closed back with bi-amp outputs. Three speaker elements, a 15", an 8" and a small one that might have been a 5". The front was dark gray foam with wavy "pyramid" ridges. The black covering was not tolex, but a softer, slightly nappy material somewhat like velvet to the touch.

I've never seen another one like it, but reading the posts here I get the impression it probably belongs with the Custom series. The Polytone website is no help at all.
 

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