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What was your first amp (old guys only) Pt 2
- Thread starter Chef
- Start date
Yeah, in my case, necessity was the mother of invention. I had to order my first real amp from Montgomery Wards and it took several weeks to get it. Until it arrived the Bell/Zenith was all we had around the house. My second amplifier was a Airline with an open back and a 15" speaker.
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First was a mid-60s Univox 30 watt tube combo, then a Sano "Zon-Rio" tube combo from about 1955 with a 12" speaker and an input for an accordion. Replaced both of those with a blackface Bassman.
Vox Essex, then a Vox Westminster, then a '69 Ampeg SVT with twin 8x10's that was used in the NYC show to introduce the amp.
Come to think of it, my first amp was actually a Roland Bass Cube; I sold it to buy a used Peavy TNT 130 at a pawn shop.
Very first was a Peavey Basic 60
I also used these over the next few years
MusicMan 410-65 combo
Sunn Studio Bass combo
Carvin Pro 10
I also used these over the next few years
MusicMan 410-65 combo
Sunn Studio Bass combo
Carvin Pro 10
buldog5151bass
Kibble, milkbones, and P Basses. And redheads.
After the Peavey combo, I bought a used Kustom head and 2x15 cab - si beat up I just pulled off what was left of the padded tuck and painted it black.
My first amp was a Standel Custom ... 85 watt(I think?) solid state head with a 15" JBL D140 speaker. Beautiful looking and well made.
buldog5151bass
Kibble, milkbones, and P Basses. And redheads.
We should put the year we started as well for perspective ('79 for me). I kind of thought for late 70s into the 80s, a Peavey would be the leader by far.
I started playing bass in '86 and my first amp was a 30W Wem Dominator. Shortly replaced with a 50W Sound City. Good times.
First amp was a 1965 Blackface Fender Bassman with 2-12 cab.
My brother and I were in the same band. He played guitar so my parents thought that he could use the Normal channel and I would use the bass instrument channel and we could use the same amp at practice. Instant fuzz tone. Later I got a Showman bottom with 2 JBL D 140's. Great tone at low volume with my 65 P bass.
My brother and I were in the same band. He played guitar so my parents thought that he could use the Normal channel and I would use the bass instrument channel and we could use the same amp at practice. Instant fuzz tone. Later I got a Showman bottom with 2 JBL D 140's. Great tone at low volume with my 65 P bass.
My verry first one was a F.A.L. Kestrel 115'' bass-combo 100 Watt solid state, two channels, a muddy one and a even more muddy one. But I was happy, it was 1976, I was 15 years old and had a bass-amp!
Second one was a chinese Acoustic USA - copy, yes, they did it back in the days! It was solid state, too, but had blasting 200 Watt and was much louder than the F.A.L. Kestrel. First the amp drove a EV 15L I got into that F.A.L., than I bought a Marshall 118''-cab, red, heavy as hell, but no sound.
Third one was a GallienKrueger, it had to be about 1979 / 80, and I collected money to get me one of those GK 800 RB. Sold that Marshall 118''-cab and got me a self built 215'', that was made after the specs of the Peavey 215''-cab. I was happy, first time a good sound. Addet a second self made cab to this backline, a 212'' built after the specs of the Musicman 212''-cab. Now, this was a stack! My band went through the roof, so I purchased a second, complete identic stack.
Fourth amp was a GallienKrueger MB 200. I bought it for practise and rehersal, but my band broke up, so I sold the two big fullstacks and purchased another self made cab, a sealed 410'' who was built exactly like a Ampeg 810'' flatback, cut in half. I still have this cab. BZW, all the "self made" cabs have been built by a German music-gear-dealer who wanted to sell good cabs for a reasonable price. It was hard - and expensive - to get the original cabs in Germany this days.
Fifth amp was one of the first seen (in Germany) SWR Redheads. With the sealed cab as extension cab I had a fine fullstack. This amps served me about 16 years, than fadet away - not repairable because of the lousy CS of Fender who bought SWR some years before.
Sixth amp was a Peavey TMax, together with two TVX 410''-cabs. I still have this fullstack. Sonds great, but is a bit heavy for modern times.
Seventh was an Ampeg SVP Pro and a 2 x 700 Watt @ 4 Ohms poweramp. This one is now on top of one of my two Tecamp L 810''-cabs.
Eighth amp was a Markbass LM II I bought together with a SWR Workingman 212''-cab. I upgradet the cab with Beyma - Speakers, now it has 700 Watt @ 4 Ohm. Nice little rig for small gigs.
Amp No. 9 is my main amp now, a GenzBenz GBE 1200, it fires up a second Tecamp L 810'', because I play in three bands, every one with its own rehersal room. I love this fullstack. Fat, heavy sound.
Last not least, my amp No. 10 is an Ibanez Promethean 5110, a nice little bogger, 250 Watt @ 8 Ohm, its fine for coffehouse gigs, sessions and practising. Full 500 Watts with extension cab, so I am looking for a 110'' - cab for this amp.
I still own all amps from No. 6 to 10 - and use them all. Some people posted more than their first amp, so I decidet to post about all of my amps and cabs during the years.
Second one was a chinese Acoustic USA - copy, yes, they did it back in the days! It was solid state, too, but had blasting 200 Watt and was much louder than the F.A.L. Kestrel. First the amp drove a EV 15L I got into that F.A.L., than I bought a Marshall 118''-cab, red, heavy as hell, but no sound.
Third one was a GallienKrueger, it had to be about 1979 / 80, and I collected money to get me one of those GK 800 RB. Sold that Marshall 118''-cab and got me a self built 215'', that was made after the specs of the Peavey 215''-cab. I was happy, first time a good sound. Addet a second self made cab to this backline, a 212'' built after the specs of the Musicman 212''-cab. Now, this was a stack! My band went through the roof, so I purchased a second, complete identic stack.
Fourth amp was a GallienKrueger MB 200. I bought it for practise and rehersal, but my band broke up, so I sold the two big fullstacks and purchased another self made cab, a sealed 410'' who was built exactly like a Ampeg 810'' flatback, cut in half. I still have this cab. BZW, all the "self made" cabs have been built by a German music-gear-dealer who wanted to sell good cabs for a reasonable price. It was hard - and expensive - to get the original cabs in Germany this days.
Fifth amp was one of the first seen (in Germany) SWR Redheads. With the sealed cab as extension cab I had a fine fullstack. This amps served me about 16 years, than fadet away - not repairable because of the lousy CS of Fender who bought SWR some years before.
Sixth amp was a Peavey TMax, together with two TVX 410''-cabs. I still have this fullstack. Sonds great, but is a bit heavy for modern times.
Seventh was an Ampeg SVP Pro and a 2 x 700 Watt @ 4 Ohms poweramp. This one is now on top of one of my two Tecamp L 810''-cabs.
Eighth amp was a Markbass LM II I bought together with a SWR Workingman 212''-cab. I upgradet the cab with Beyma - Speakers, now it has 700 Watt @ 4 Ohm. Nice little rig for small gigs.
Amp No. 9 is my main amp now, a GenzBenz GBE 1200, it fires up a second Tecamp L 810'', because I play in three bands, every one with its own rehersal room. I love this fullstack. Fat, heavy sound.
Last not least, my amp No. 10 is an Ibanez Promethean 5110, a nice little bogger, 250 Watt @ 8 Ohm, its fine for coffehouse gigs, sessions and practising. Full 500 Watts with extension cab, so I am looking for a 110'' - cab for this amp.
I still own all amps from No. 6 to 10 - and use them all. Some people posted more than their first amp, so I decidet to post about all of my amps and cabs during the years.
