The Combo Club

[GwenOnBass]

I owned a classic amp in the late 60's which would classify as a Combo but also a separate head and cab, even though it really was classed as a combo. It was an Aussie made Goldentone 60watt BassMaster valve (tube) amp.
The head which was attached to a baseboard of its own, was then attached to the cab with 2 latches either side of the cab (if you look carefully at the left side of the pic you can see the 2 left-side latches). The cab was an unusual design where the head slotted into the top of the cab and was clipped down. When transporting, the head was turned upside-down on its base board and clamped again by the same 4 latches (2 on either side), so in effect the head was inside the cab and from the outside it just looked like a cab with no head. It did make it heavy to carry as you were picking up the entire cab with the head inside lol The head had a carry handle on both top and bottom, the bottom handle being attached to it's baseboard so when the head was turned upside-down and clipped to the cab you could carry the entire rig by it's "bottom" handle.

The speakers were 2 Rola 12" drivers. Easy to replace the speakers...just remove the head and the cab entry was though the top where the head sat, so you could reach down with both hands and unscrew the speakers from the front baffle board and replace them with ease if needed. From memory the speaker cable at the rear of the head plugged into the socket at the rear of the cab. The power cable was at the rear of the head too. When transporting, those cables sat inside the cab when the head was reversed and clipped.
It was a two piece unit as such but ran as a one piece unit when fitted together, just like a combo these days.
If you look carefully you can just see the seam along the leading front edge which is the baseboard the head is attached to..also at back left rear in the pic. An example of a very early flexible combo type amp.
View attachment 3434068
View attachment 3434086

Lot of thought went into that. "Goldentone" must have been a real hit with the kid who got to play the school dance.

 

[Giffro]

I was loll I believe my dad bought me the amp when I was 14 after pestering him for a home made bass guitar I also saw in a pawn brokers shop.
ps. The pic was from the net as I dont have a pic of that Goldentone..my Kodak Box Brownie was out of action loll

 

[G-Dog]

I owned a classic amp in the late 60's which would classify as a Combo but also a separate head and cab, even though it really was classed as a combo. It was an Aussie made Goldentone 60watt BassMaster valve (tube) amp.
The head which was attached to a baseboard of its own, was then attached to the cab with 2 latches either side of the cab (if you look carefully at the left side of the pic you can see the 2 left-side latches). The cab was an unusual design where the head slotted into the top of the cab and was clipped down. When transporting, the head was turned upside-down on its base board and clamped again by the same 4 latches (2 on either side), so in effect the head was inside the cab and from the outside it just looked like a cab with no head. It did make it heavy to carry as you were picking up the entire cab with the head inside lol The head had a carry handle on both top and bottom, the bottom handle being attached to it's baseboard so when the head was turned upside-down and clipped to the cab you could carry the entire rig by it's "bottom" handle.

The speakers were 2 Rola 12" drivers. Easy to replace the speakers...just remove the head and the cab entry was though the top where the head sat, so you could reach down with both hands and unscrew the speakers from the front baffle board and replace them with ease if needed. From memory the speaker cable at the rear of the head plugged into the socket at the rear of the cab. The power cable was at the rear of the head too. When transporting, those cables sat inside the cab when the head was reversed and clipped.
It was a two piece unit as such but ran as a one piece unit when fitted together, just like a combo these days.
If you look carefully you can just see the seam along the leading front edge which is the baseboard the head is attached to..also at back left rear in the pic. An example of a very early flexible combo type amp.
View attachment 3434068
View attachment 3434086

Giffy, that reminds me of my first serious guitar amp in the mid '60s, a Sears & Roebuck Co. Twin Twelve combo (built by Danelectro) of the same type; a head & cab 'permanently' linked by the speaker cable, and the head tucked into the back of the cab for transport by a single strap on top. Billed as 60 watts, which was probably peak power, instead of RMS, I know from direct experience it didn't hold a candle to the power of a 45 watt RMS Fender Super Reverb of the time. My first amp mod was to "cut the cord" and install ¼" jacks on the head & cab, and ¼" plugs on each end if the zip cord! A few years later, when the band all graduated high school and all but me went off to college, I bought my lead guitarist's Twin Twelve and his Fender Musicmaster guitar. Wow! I then had 2 neato Fender guitars and a stack of 2 Sears Twin Twelve amps! I was ready for stardom ... that didn't come. But my college girlfriend asked if I could play bass ... and the rest is history.

 

[GwenOnBass]

Sensing a theme here. Combo amps, certain of this.

 

[GonePlaid]

I owned a classic amp in the late 60's which would classify as a Combo but also a separate head and cab, even though it really was classed as a combo. It was an Aussie made Goldentone 60watt BassMaster valve (tube) amp.
The head which was attached to a baseboard of its own, was then attached to the cab with 2 latches either side of the cab (if you look carefully at the left side of the pic you can see the 2 left-side latches). The cab was an unusual design where the head slotted into the top of the cab and was clipped down. When transporting, the head was turned upside-down on its base board and clamped again by the same 4 latches (2 on either side), so in effect the head was inside the cab and from the outside it just looked like a cab with no head. It did make it heavy to carry as you were picking up the entire cab with the head inside lol The head had a carry handle on both top and bottom, the bottom handle being attached to it's baseboard so when the head was turned upside-down and clipped to the cab you could carry the entire rig by it's "bottom" handle.

The speakers were 2 Rola 12" drivers. Easy to replace the speakers...just remove the head and the cab entry was though the top where the head sat, so you could reach down with both hands and unscrew the speakers from the front baffle board and replace them with ease if needed. From memory the speaker cable at the rear of the head plugged into the socket at the rear of the cab. The power cable was at the rear of the head too. When transporting, those cables sat inside the cab when the head was reversed and clipped.
It was a two piece unit as such but ran as a one piece unit when fitted together, just like a combo these days.
If you look carefully you can just see the seam along the leading front edge which is the baseboard the head is attached to..also at back left rear in the pic. An example of a very early flexible combo type amp.
View attachment 3434068
View attachment 3434086

Sort of a B-15/B-212

 

[Flamingo21]

They surely knew how to make stuff look nice, in those days.

 

[GwenOnBass]

They surely knew how to make stuff look nice, in those days.

and someone looking to restore one. Why, not sure, maybe as a stage prop as a Fender Studio 800 does the work. Which is cool.

Yeah common theme here, kid in band at the sock hop comes to enjoy the accolade .... of owning a great combo amp

 

[chupacerveza]

Hey, chupacerveza (try spelling that three times fast after a schooner of Pabst), post a pic of your rig(s) and I'll award you another membership # to add to your already-interesting collection of clubs. If you're a combo-kind-of-guy then we'd love to have you represent all of us. Kick it around and post if interested!

Oh, I guess I never got a Combo Club number, thanks for the reminder! Let's see, in no particular order...

I'm selling my Ampeg BA-108 so let's not use that; then there's the Fender Rumble 100 combo, the Phil Jones Bass PB-100 combo (with BG-100 extension), and let's throw in the vintage Boogie (#328) for off-topic discussion value.

 

[G-Dog]

Oh, I guess I never got a Combo Club number, thanks for the reminder! Let's see, in no particular order...View attachment 3434482 View attachment 3434484 View attachment 3434486 I'm selling my Ampeg BA-108 so let's not use that; then there's the Fender Rumble 100 combo, the Phil Jones Bass PB-100 combo (with BG-100 extension), and let's throw in the vintage Boogie (#328) for off-topic discussion value.

Very nice, Chuy! I remember that pic of your Rumble from the Rumble Club. And very nice PJB and Boogie, too.

But, I believe that Fearless Leader's still unanswered question is, "would you like to join our merry band of combo enthusiasts?" [Sometimes ya just gotta spell it out for him! He don't wanna be pushy. I, on the other hand, push on.]
.

 

[bhendrix]

Oh, I guess I never got a Combo Club number, thanks for the reminder! Let's see, in no particular order... View attachment 3434484 View attachment 3434486 I'm selling my Ampeg BA-108 so let's not use that; then there's the Fender Rumble 100 combo, the Phil Jones Bass PB-100 combo (with BG-100 extension), and let's throw in the vintage Boogie (#328) for off-topic discussion value.

That Yamaha is simply beautiful! I'll bet it plays as good as it looks!

 

[chupacerveza]

Very nice, Chuy! I remember that pic of your Rumble from the Rumble Club. And very nice PJB and Boogie, too.

But, I believe that Fearless Leader's still unanswered question is, "would you like to join our merry band of combo enthusiasts?" [Sometimes ya just gotta spell it out for him! He don't wanna be pushy. I, on the other hand, push on.]
.

Is there a combo creed I need to recite? LOL! Yes, I'd like a number please.

With the advent of the newest Rumbles you may consider me a combo advocate, although I won't be giving up my Portaflex in this lifetime.

 

[chupacerveza]

That Yamaha is simply beautiful! I'll bet it plays as good as it looks!

Thanks bhendrix, I think it plays well above it's weight! Folks love the sound.

 

[G-Dog]

Is there a combo creed I need to recite? LOL! Yes, I'd like a number please.

With the advent of the newest Rumbles you may consider me a combo advocate, although I won't be giving up my Portaflex in this lifetime.

Uh, ... ... um, . . . . Yeah, sure. Uh, ... Raise your right hand and repeat after me:

I, (state your TB username), do hereby solemnly swear that I will uphold, defend and advocate the dignity, integrity and facility of combos, and our Fearless Leader, everywhere, unless in the service of the "greater good*", and to joyfully, and with exuberance, play my bass(es) thru combos as long as we both shall live. Amen!​

*Such as elementary education, and other noble causes as may be encountered. i.e. See "He Blinded Them With Science" under the What Makes Our Leader So Fearless section of the Combo Club Wiki.
.

 

[iagtrplyr]

Just to be a weisenheimer, what do you need a BA108 for? Looking to drown out a troupe of belly dancers and their finger cymbals?

Ya weisenheimer! I need another amp like a third hole in the head. I miss having a wedge monitor and in a small room the BA108 v2 works perfectly.

My other birthday option, and feel free to weigh in if you like, is to do that popular upgrade to my Rumble 100 v3 combo. For basically the same $, I can improve the speaker (from what I’ve read) and line the interior. I love that ‘lil guy so much I thought it’s be a fun summer vacation project and make it even more valuable to my ears. Thoughts?

Ultimately I want the perfect combo to play in an acoustic band that I’m working up. Small to medium gigs most likely, and I’m thinking the 100 might be the amp for it. My back thinks so too.

 

[iagtrplyr]

I bought it in 70, still have the receipt!

Very cool, GP. Very cool.

 

[iagtrplyr]

View attachment 3433415
MarkBass Jeff Berlin Players School combo.
1x15", 250W@4ohms, so approx 150W@8ohms
Fender P (Japan 2017)
Harley Benton strap. Thick, wide (4") and cheap.

Happy bassist

Gonna get you a number as soon as I enter the Club’s secret command chamber where all the numbers are kept. Thanks for posting!

 

[GwenOnBass]

Ya weisenheimer! I need another amp like a third hole in the head. I miss having a wedge monitor and in a small room the BA108 v2 works perfectly.

My other birthday option, and feel free to weigh in if you like, is to do that popular upgrade to my Rumble 100 v3 combo. For basically the same $, I can improve the speaker (from what I’ve read) and line the interior. I love that ‘lil guy so much I thought it’s be a fun summer vacation project and make it even more valuable to my ears. Thoughts?

Ultimately I want the perfect combo to play in an acoustic band that I’m working up. Small to medium gigs most likely, and I’m thinking the 100 might be the amp for it. My back thinks so too.

And this is something that also went through that bit of me higher than my shoulders - the BA108 as a personal wedge monitor. What is / was unknown (to me) is if it is enough to hear myself. Word here at TB is swap the BA108 stocker to an Eminence Alpha 8A and line the wee beastie. Heck might even do it myself.

 

[iagtrplyr]

Oh, I guess I never got a Combo Club number, thanks for the reminder! Let's see, in no particular order...View attachment 3434482 View attachment 3434484 View attachment 3434486 I'm selling my Ampeg BA-108 so let's not use that; then there's the Fender Rumble 100 combo, the Phil Jones Bass PB-100 combo (with BG-100 extension), and let's throw in the vintage Boogie (#328) for off-topic discussion value.

Welcome Chuey! I had to come up with something shorter. I’d say you more than passed the entrance requests. You share a lot of commonality with a number of members and their choices of amplification. Which, may I ask, do you enjoy playing through the most?

I’ll get you your number before the night ends. Thanks for climbing aboard the combo train.

 

[iagtrplyr]

And this is something that also went through that bit of me higher than my shoulders - the BA108 as a personal wedge monitor. What is / was unknown (to me) is if it is enough to hear myself. Word here at TB is swap the BA108 stocker to an Eminence Alpha 8A and line the wee beastie. Heck might even do it myself.

That’s like taking the two options I tossed out there and improving the Ampeg. Interesting! I never giggled with the 108. Do you find it small gig-worthy, M, or would I be better off with something a little more powerful? I was kicking around the Foxy Voxy...that is, until ‘Dog let it disappear off the radar, replaced by his new Studio 40!

 

[GwenOnBass]

Well the BA108 may be gig-worthy if needs are very (very) modest. For what it is, it is an excellent amp.

All of which is why (in part) I have an Elf - for situations smaller than what the Phil Jones rig covers. (And the Elf arrived to cover my needs until the BG-400 and I are on the same continent again.) With multiple line outs on the PBJ, the BA108 could act as a personal wedge monitor. Or not. Really not certain if it can fill that duty or not. It's a 20 watt practice amp. A very good 20 watt practice amp but that's what it is.