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What was your first amp (old guys only)
- Thread starter TheCreature
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First one I ever bought was a Fender Bassman 10, early 70s, and loved it and blew it up of course. Ended up trading for a new Peavey TNT 100, which I still had until recently. Sure wish I had that old Fender back.
Some little Peavy 40W practice amp; probably a 10" speaker. Don't miss it a bit.
After that came another Peavy; TKO 80 w/ a 15" Blaaaaaak Widoooooow. It was actually a pretty good rig, but kinda sucked (by my wimpy standards) to haul around. 70 pounds or so.
After that came another Peavy; TKO 80 w/ a 15" Blaaaaaak Widoooooow. It was actually a pretty good rig, but kinda sucked (by my wimpy standards) to haul around. 70 pounds or so.
This one:
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It was actually my first guitar amp, but obviously carried over when I started playing bass a few years later. Quite a while ago a kid stole it from our practice space, painted it all different neon colors, and tried to use it as a car speaker. I eventually got it back from the police, and it has been sitting in my basement until I get up the gumption to get it cleaned/fixed/restored.
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It was actually my first guitar amp, but obviously carried over when I started playing bass a few years later. Quite a while ago a kid stole it from our practice space, painted it all different neon colors, and tried to use it as a car speaker. I eventually got it back from the police, and it has been sitting in my basement until I get up the gumption to get it cleaned/fixed/restored.
Mine was a Guild Thunder Bass head with a Trainer 2-15 bottom.
Have a photo somewhere of it, will post photo later.
After that I had a 67 Fender Bassman head with two Bassman cabinets, each with 2-12's in each. (this was around 1969-70). I still have the head and one cabinet with me to this day......Played my 67 Fender Jazz with them. Wish I still had the 67...
Delton
Have a photo somewhere of it, will post photo later.
After that I had a 67 Fender Bassman head with two Bassman cabinets, each with 2-12's in each. (this was around 1969-70). I still have the head and one cabinet with me to this day......Played my 67 Fender Jazz with them. Wish I still had the 67...
Delton
My first amp was a Gibson Thor combo with tubes and 2x10" speakers. It sounded O.K but was really heavy and awkward. I didn't know a thing about amps back in the early seventies and sold it off to get a solid state head. So began my endless quest for tone...
LOL! My first real bass amp was also a Gibson Thor 2x10. Prior to that, I had been using a Jordan keyboard amp that my younger brother had.
Might have had one before this, but I think it was a Silvertone 2 x 12. Played my Kent hollowbody bass thru it. The amp actually shorted out and started on fire. Can't remember the replacement, but then got a Berkeley I that I wish I still had. Then a Bassman with the 2 x 12 bottom.
Sears Silvertone 1483 (1x15) was my first amp, around 1966. Followed by a Haynes Bass King (which blew up a lot) then a Fender Bassman with two 2x12 cabs. Later added a 2nd Bassman with a large, vertical format 2x12 cab. The two Bassman heads with six 12's sounded pretty amazing for the time.
My first bass amp was a 1963 St. George combo. It had 6v6's and 12ax7's about 15 watts, 2 channels with volume and tone each and a 12" speaker. St. George amps then were built by former Fender employee I'm told..In 1965 I bought my Fender Jazz Bass which I still own and built the same amp for the guitar player in my band..I'd love to find the schematic 'cause the amp is great for guitars..I have built my design amps (Latvala Vintage) for about 40 years and haven't been able to duplicate the sound of that St. George..Still looking for the schematic...Ray
My first "real" bass rig was a used Fender solid state jobber, with the 100 watt head that bolted onto a 3x12 box (not a typo). It was big, heavy, and loud-kinda crappy tone though. I also purchased a used Gibson Ripper to play thru it.
First real bass amp was an Ampeg B15N and the ext. 15" speaker cab, early 70's I believe I owned it. Wish I still had that today!
The Fender Bassman 10 chassis and transformers are the same ones used in the Fender Super reverb..The schematic is so so and it blows power tubes(6L6's)'cause they run the plates at 480 volts(too high) but perfect for a super reverb with a 5U4 rectifier which lowers the voltage to about 450..I've bought 2 Bassman 10's(thrashed) and used the chassis and transformers but built a cabinet and bought a super reverb face plate..If anyone finds a thrashed Bassman 10, let me know..I'll buy it..Ray Latvala(Latvala Vintage amps)[email protected]
My first amp was a 4X10 Fender Bassman from the early '60s, in that awful "straw" colored cover. I, of course to be more modern, had it recovered in the black vinyl that was on the more current Fender amps at that time. If I had the original today, it would be worth a fortune. I traded it for a Yamaha accoustic 6 string in the early '70s. My second original amp, bought in about 1966, was a Fender Dual Showman (2 15" JBLs) which was my pride and joy for a couple of years. I sold it to David Dennard (I think) of the Novas in Oak Cliff in about 1967 or 1968.
Bruce Bland
Bruce Bland
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