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What was your first amp (old guys only)
- Thread starter TheCreature
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1985 can't be anywhere old enough to qualify for this thread or I would've posted my fender Sidekick50 here.
I disagree, unless there was an actual cut-off age or year specified then if you think you are old enough to post then you probably are.
Ha, ha. I guess it depends on what your definition of "old guys" only is. In 1985 I turned 13, the rig was a squier P and a sidekick 50. The band was me, my parents and sometimes little brother playing old-time German polkas and waltzes and old George Jones/Johnny Cash type country. Was raking in about $50 a night and usually got comped a burger and fries. 25 years later, the last little blues group I was playing with here was getting the same $50 and had to pay for your own food/drinks. Somethings not right with that.
Used it as both bass and guitar amp somewhere between '69 and '73 for gigs to pay for university...
No offence meant.
Know what you mean about band pay. 15 years ago the band I was in would not go out for less than £100 each (5 piece) and we usually got fed and quite often drinks as well. We had more gigs than we could handle. Fast forward to now and if we get £50 each (3 piece now) we think ourselves lucky and we travel a lot further to find the few we get and we never get food or drinks. If I didn't enjoy playing so much I would have given up after the last few years.
None taken......and yeah, the pay thing. The next group we're putting together here is going to be all party covers and dancehall stuff geared more towards private events, weddings, nightclubs that pay etc. And yes, I'll still be doing it whether it's making me rich or making me broke.
From about 1985 through to 2005 we did virtually all private parties and functions. BBQs and Hog Roasts mainly on farms in the summer, Dinner Dances in the winter and loads of Christmas parties. Now to host a dance you need something like £10 million public liability insurance. All the pubs have got wise to the Christmas thing and put on a DJ and you just pay per head so no-one organises their own Christmas party any more. Most of the punters complain about having a DJ but they still go every year. Dinner Dances seem to have fallen out of fashion so all that is left is bars that pay next to nothing. Oh when I was young (violin music plays).
Strange coincidence or should I consider it Karma and run back out and get this. After posting here last night, went to one of my local Guitar store and saw a Kustom 100 sitting there. One of my first amps. Beautiful tuck'n'roll, but needs some pot work. About $200. Just what I need, another homeless amp. But strange that I just posted about one last night...
That looks identical to my first Peavey Head the Bass 400, right down to the parametric EQ.
I think it was about a '64 Silvertone, but can't remember for sure. It had one 15 and an open back. It was pretty awful. Then I got a blackface Fender Bassman (2-12s). Had to give up my allowance forever for that ($400). My folks financed it. Then I started building speaker boxes and using the occasional Dynaco Mk III
A mid-1960's Ampeg B-12N purchased in 1983 for around $100. I still have the cabinet, but the head is long gone 
Replaced with a 1967 B-15N which I still have. Sometime in the mid 80's I had a Peavey Century head and a Peavey 2x15 cab... that was a pretty forgettable rig.
Replaced with a 1967 B-15N which I still have. Sometime in the mid 80's I had a Peavey Century head and a Peavey 2x15 cab... that was a pretty forgettable rig.
Marlboro 1 10" I think 15 ...20 watts. My guitar player shared the same little amp. Man did that sound awful.
Christmas '74 - small 1x8 Silvertone combo from Sears Calalog.
Summer '76 - Vox AC30 with rare reverb (my first "real" bass amp -- I could almost be heard over the drummer). It was in mint condition when I bought it used for about $75. I blew it up a dozen times but I still have it and it still works!
Summer '76 - Vox AC30 with rare reverb (my first "real" bass amp -- I could almost be heard over the drummer). It was in mint condition when I bought it used for about $75. I blew it up a dozen times but I still have it and it still works!
- Mar 8, 2011
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- Authorized greenboy designs builder/Owner of BNA Audio
Got my first bass amp in '78 or '79...it was a Sunn head with a 215 cab...on the back of the head and cab it had "Blues Magoos" stenciled on it...wasn't a Model T...those were my faves...couldn't afford them ...after the Sunn died a fiery death, I got an AWESOME 200watt Marshall, that also burned up beyond repair...went to a V4B, which liked a lot...after it burned up, an older friend explained ohmage to me
After that, I got a GK400rb because I heard they were really reliable...got about 8 years out of it...foolishly 'bumped up' to an 800rb, hated it, and haven't used a GK head since the early '90's...well, last summer I rented a 1001rb for a Eurp tour...it was pretty darn good.
After that, I got a GK400rb because I heard they were really reliable...got about 8 years out of it...foolishly 'bumped up' to an 800rb, hated it, and haven't used a GK head since the early '90's...well, last summer I rented a 1001rb for a Eurp tour...it was pretty darn good.
In 1977 my dad bought me a used Kustom Charger...single 15...I think it was 75 or 80 watts. Good little amp in the day...had the cool Kustom casters on it and it sat at a height I could use it as a stool if need be! Those were the days!
I don't have a picture of it but my Mom and Dad probably have one in the archives somewhere?
I don't have a picture of it but my Mom and Dad probably have one in the archives somewhere?
My first amp was when I was playing only guitar, around 1979 or 80. It was a Peavey Backstage 30. My first bass amp was in 2004, a Fender Bassman 25 combo.
my first amp was the Dart "something" 410 combo. I don't even remember the wattage rate of the amplifier. I still remember that I liked V shaped eq-ing. It was not too good but it did a job.
A Phillips radio...
I only remember that it was made of kinda blond wood and it had tubes inside. Took a while to fire up.
I'm talkin about 1968 -ish, here.
I only remember that it was made of kinda blond wood and it had tubes inside. Took a while to fire up.
I'm talkin about 1968 -ish, here.
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