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What was your first amp (old guys only)

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My first amp was a 60 watt 2x15 combo (purchased covered in dust in 1993) branded simply as "Monarch" - it had a badge with a lion symbol (not disimilar to the GMH/Holden lion) and an address in Melbourne, Victoria (Australia). I'd love to find out more about it. The switches & circuit board suggested it was built in the 70's but I could never find any info about it's maker. It had a really cutting sound, they seemed to get more volume per watt back then.
 
A Kalamazoo, which I think was a division of Gibson at the time. I bought it circa 1976 and it was probably about 10 years old then. I also bought the Kalamazoo bass with it which was junk but the amp had great tone. About 30 tube watts, 2 x 12", flip out controls on the back. Ended up giving it away to Amvets in a fit of misplaced charity in the late 80's. It still sounded good but I had a mesa boogie then and thought I didn't want it anymore :bawl:
 
Marlin 50B bass combo!

Weird, it had a gain and volume control (OK they're fairly normal), bass and treble and a 6 band graphic EQ! It also had a built in compressor.

Single 15" speaker and it even had a speaker output for another cab. Got new in '89 it now lives with a guitarist friend (who I'm going to see this weekend) for his bass amplification duties - although he just got rid of his pre Ernie Ball 'Ray to fund yet another geetar acquisition.....


The thing I thought was cool about it was it had the silver fabric type stuff on the front, but it was on a frame held in place with velcro in the 4 corners. You could take it off - there was a tba for this ,and expose the single 15"......whihc looked good
 
morebass! said:
A Kalamazoo, which I think was a division of Gibson at the time. I bought it circa 1976 and it was probably about 10 years old then. I also bought the Kalamazoo bass with it which was junk but the amp had great tone. About 30 tube watts, 2 x 12", flip out controls on the back. Ended up giving it away to Amvets in a fit of misplaced charity in the late 80's. It still sounded good but I had a mesa boogie then and thought I didn't want it anymore :bawl:

Ah yes, the Bass 30. It's actually got 2 Jensen 10's in a sealed box. I got this one and a Kay 720 1x15 30 Watt tube amp from a guy at a flea market for $100. They are both good for jamming with acoustic guitars or recording, but that's about all the volume they can muster. Good thumpy sound though.

Chris

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My first amp is still in my garage, a beast of an amp.

An Acoustic 320 Head and an 804 Cabinet. The cab has four 15 inch speakers, two facing out, and two in the middle: one up and one down.

I found a picture of it on an old ad at the Acoustic360.com site

bassamp.jpg


Writeup on the head, also courtesy of acoustic360.com

"The 320 measures 26.5" x 6.5" x 11.5" and features two switchable channels and one blender channel!! Each channel features: Input Jack, 10dB PAD, BRT, Volume, Treble, Midrange, Bass There are Power Boost and Equalizer switches, and a 5-band EQ "

All I know is my guitar player at the time had a full Marshall stack and this amp could drown him out when I felt like punishing him in practice.

It shook the windows whereever it went, and could be heard for blocks at outdoor parties.

It's huge, almost 6 feet tall I would guess. It has a built in dolly system: two huge handles a set of wheels only in the back. Tip it back and coast it around like a fridge!

I love it!

George
 
1st amp was a mid 60's Supro. Head had 4-6L6GC's, not sure of pre's. Bottom, 2-12 Jensens, laid on it's side, probably 80 to 100W tops :)

I was lucky enough to go to the Chicago plant & pick it up, Dad knew the VP. Wow, National's, Dobro's, Supro's, bunches. The VP asked if I wanted to blow up a couple 12's! Too young, too dumb, what fun!

Traded '70 to Paulus Music, Jax, Fl, sorry no pic's. Traded for a Acoustic 360/361, still got it and specs :D

Going to try and get a pic or two of it in...

Hope that worked

BC
 
I think I got the front to come out OK, here's the back with built in casters, kick plate, outlets for four bottoms on the pre box and outlet on the powered bottom, 18" reverse-folded horn.

Had some fun when I brought to practice a couple weeks ago! :D ;)

BC
 
Kustom 50. A 15-inch speaker on wheels and a real fart machine.
It's still in my father's garage. It buzzes horribly but I want to use it as an ext. cab only for my Ampeg Rocket 100 but my lead guitarist won't let me. the Ampeg doesnt have a ext. jack and he won't tell me how to hook it up, saying i would ruin the ampeg and the Kustom looks and sounds horrible. Those last two points are pretty much right on.
 
Oh man, I almost forgot the best part, must be that old man dementia, 52 annual rings on the trunk ;) , er, torso ;)

"Had" a '66 Ford Galaxie 500, 7 Litre, convertible, 4 spd, 4 barrel, 428, big block, yes, yes.

Me and the guitarist, now brother-in-law, would put the top down, the 360/361 bottom on it's side and would fit perfectly in the back seat plus the rest of the goodies in the trunk.

Cruisin' over to Bishop Kenny HS or the beaches at an extemely high rate of speed!! :D Hmmm, Jax Liquors actually had a drive through window for glasses of ... it's all coming back :eek:

BC
 
i started with a vox t60 stack and i mean the original first ever solid state bass amp that paul mcartney started with...then it was another later vox...then .selmer valve bass and treble 50..then an h&h...then a tnt130... then nothing....but now ive just got back into bass playing with an ebs !!!!
 
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