my first amp was a sears and roebuck catalog Marlboro combo with a 1 15" speaker. my second amp was a Sunn coliseum solid state head with a 4 12LH and a 2 15RH. quite a difference
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What was your first amp (old guys only) Pt 2
- Thread starter Chef
- Start date
I started playing guitar in the late '60s, and moved over from guitar to bass out of necessity in the early 80's (there were lots of singing guitarists around, not many singing bass players). I had gone through the endless parade of department store amps as I progressed as a guitarist, so thankfully didn't have to do the same for bass amps.
I didn't realize it at the time, but in my teens, my guitar amp was actually a pretty kickass bass amp - an original Traynor Custom Special with 6x10 cab. It was sold long before I started playing bass.
My first amp after moving over to bass was nothing special, but a good enough starting point for the gig I had - a Yamaha B100(?) head with a 2x15 cab. it lasted about a year before being upgraded to a Monoblock II and 4530-style cab.
I didn't realize it at the time, but in my teens, my guitar amp was actually a pretty kickass bass amp - an original Traynor Custom Special with 6x10 cab. It was sold long before I started playing bass.
My first amp after moving over to bass was nothing special, but a good enough starting point for the gig I had - a Yamaha B100(?) head with a 2x15 cab. it lasted about a year before being upgraded to a Monoblock II and 4530-style cab.
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1st amp. Ever was a home made 30 watt head w/ 2 home made cabs w/15's.
My 1st REAL amp was a Fender Bassman 50 and a 2-15 cab
My 1st REAL amp was a Fender Bassman 50 and a 2-15 cab
Here's a strange one for you folks... My first ever amp (in the 70's) was a Scarab B20. A 20W tube bass head, using 2x EL84's on the power stage, driving a single 12" speaker in a separate large sealed back cab (could have fitted 2 speakers in there, but no, just one!). It was made in Rhodesia - the old name for what is now Zimbabwe, and as I remember build quality was excellent. I sold it years ago, and in recent years started regretting it, since I know so much more about amps now than when I was a kid...I have a feeling this would have been great for practice/recording now! I've tried to find out more about the Scarab company, but there's nothing on the 'net.
My first two were "Bogders," hybrid tube amps my father handwired from Bogen and Fender schematics, a 35w in 1966 followed by a 50w in 1967. These powered a couple of 15" Misco Redline speakers housed in a *very* solid cab made by a retired woodworker at our church. The coolest thing about the amp was it had taps for 4, 8, and 16 ohm loads. I still have these.
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I think I qualify as an old guy. Back in 1981:
An English made "H&H 100(something)" head and a WASP 410 cabinet.
I think I qualify as an old guy. Back in 1981:
An English made "H&H 100(something)" head and a WASP 410 cabinet.
Peavey Basic 40, circa 1984. Besides sounding totally heinous, it was a completely unreliable piece of crap that would overheat and shut itself off at random, unrelated to how loud it was being played. Yes, I know it was designed as a practice amp, but it sucked.
Peavey centurion bass head with a matching 115 BW Cab, only put out 130W barely enough to keep up, don't miss it.
Very first amp was a used Bass Mate Combo w/ 15" speaker in '68 in jr high.
First good "pro" amp was a '70 Sunn 200s with a Sunn folded 18" horn speaker cab. I joined a working high school band in '72 and took over payments for this rig from the guy I replaced.
Still have the head, but sold the cab long ago. Just traded a Marshall 4x12 for a Sunn 2x15 cab. The Marshall was a sealed bass cab, but didn't like the sound and didn't want to wreck the Celestion Greenbacks in it.
Sunn cab only has one unmarked 15" in it, so looking to reload it. Fortunately it is the front loading, driver off center, side ported version. I've read those particular design of cabs will accept pretty much any kind of 15". Would prefer JBL D or K 140s, but pretty rare.
First good "pro" amp was a '70 Sunn 200s with a Sunn folded 18" horn speaker cab. I joined a working high school band in '72 and took over payments for this rig from the guy I replaced.
Still have the head, but sold the cab long ago. Just traded a Marshall 4x12 for a Sunn 2x15 cab. The Marshall was a sealed bass cab, but didn't like the sound and didn't want to wreck the Celestion Greenbacks in it.
Sunn cab only has one unmarked 15" in it, so looking to reload it. Fortunately it is the front loading, driver off center, side ported version. I've read those particular design of cabs will accept pretty much any kind of 15". Would prefer JBL D or K 140s, but pretty rare.
I'm not that old, but my first amp head was. It was an old Fender Bassman 50. Bought it from the HS band room. $50.
Ageism sucks. I hate being excluded because I'm over 40. That said- my first was a Traynor 300w head and a Peavy 2x15 cab. I saved for a year to buy them used from Rolls Music.
Marshall 100W Lead and 4-12 cab.
Came with a '70 Precision Bass and a spare Traynor 100W head.
Paid 200 bucks for it all in 1979 or so.
Still have everything but the Traynor head. Left it at a practice in the '80s and didn't get back soon enough. The pri** sold it on me.
D
Came with a '70 Precision Bass and a spare Traynor 100W head.
Paid 200 bucks for it all in 1979 or so.
Still have everything but the Traynor head. Left it at a practice in the '80s and didn't get back soon enough. The pri** sold it on me.
D
In the early seventies I bought a late sixties-ish Sears Silvertone bass amp with a single 10" speaker. I have not been able to find a picture of a similar one. I remember that it had the words "SOLID STATE" in large blue block letters on the control plate.
It was rather awful, but it was a fine match for my kid sized Tele Star (Teisco) bass.
It was rather awful, but it was a fine match for my kid sized Tele Star (Teisco) bass.
