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What was your first amp (old guys only)

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#141
Any fellow old-timers recall an amp company called O.H.M.?

Circa 1968 (or was it '69?). We got a decent deal and I was provided with a new O.H.M. rig... VERY impressive and way ahead of it's time. The head and cab were black with black grillcloth (& white piping, large machined silver knobs, pumped out well over 120 SS watts into two 15's. Perhaps a forerunner or merged/evolved into Acoustic? The timing would be about right, and the look was similar. Any ideas? Anyone?
 
#142
In 1969 I decided to get into the electric bass, and my parents relented and bought me a used Ampeg B-15N (later determined to be circa '65 model) and a green violin shaped Kingston bass (what a winner that was) for $150 total. Still have the amp, original speaker and tubes, a few external mods by myself for portability concerns.

A year later I got a brand new Sunn Sonaro rig (60 watt head and single 15" bottom) and a Vox Cougar hollowbody bass, which I eventually modded with Gibson EB3 pickups in my quest to sound like Jack Bruce (failure, and bass was a disaster). Let the amp go in the early 90s, unfortunately.

Great thread.
 
#143
...the "my first piece of crap was crappier than your first piece of crap" thread!:D

I ran my 1975 Sears "Jazz-Like" bass guitar into a 19xx "Pawn Shop Special" amp, with about 5 solid state watts into what looked like a 6-inch speaker!

Who knows what that bass really sounded like? Not I! I know it can't have been meant to sound like a night around the cub scouts campfire after Baked Bean night!:p

All I know is about a year later, something went wrong with the bass, I sent it in to be repaired (Sears warranty!), and they lost it in transit! I used the money Sears paid me for losing it as a down payment on my first real bass, a '77 Rickenbacker 4001!

As for the amp, that got lost during my college days... it's probably still floating around in some pawn shop somewhere... :eek:
 
#144
My first amp was a 'Univox' if I remember correctly. Or was that my first computer? No, that would be a 'Univac'! :D Got it 27 years ago along with a Gibson 'Grabber' bass, the one with the sliding pickup. Geez, now I do feel old :hmm:
 
#145
Originally posted by Thunderfunk
I have one more story to relate:

I had a VW Beetle, with the back seat removed and replaced with plywood. Two of us would load my 2x15 Kustom Tuck & Roll, 1/2 a small PA, and a few guitar / bass cases in the back and go to gigs.

VW stories, I love it. Fact is the Volkswagon was, and still is for me, a great vehicle for bass. I still own two 1966's. With the rear seat folded down there's enough room for a 2-10. two electrics, and an upright, and still carry a passenger with a tenorphone.
Click to expand...
 
#148
The heater was an issue. One time it got stuck
on. In the frigid '76 and '77 and '78 winters in
Boston it was never good enough. VW stories would
make a great new thread as well!

Great thread this one. Lot of memories here.
I am struck by how many of you 'well matured' players LURK.

I put my birthday on my profile because:

a) I'll be 13 this February;
b) I'm old and I'm proud;
c) I know what the REAL 'Lottery' is;
d) I still have my draft card;
and remember my number, I think.
e) I KNOW what a roll and tuck Sunn is.
:D



Nice to know I am not alone here. !!

More stories please!

Thor
 
#150
Some kind of Vox amp. Guardsman? Royal something or other, I don't know.
It was on a metal stand, and I would pull the head off accidentaly until I used a old belt to hold it on!

Then it caught fire. Real flames! Not just a burned resistor! I had a Fender Bassman after that. As much as I can remember, both these amps sounded pretty good! Eventually got one of the first SVT's. That killed!
 
#153
Watspan's pic is the same rig as mine.

It lives in my best friends basement.

Those are 15's and not 18's right? I never measured'em but they are darn big! I think I have lost the castors somewhere along the way. And the vinyl cover lasted about a year.

Watspan, I have the original book with schematic if you ever need a copy.



Invalid Link Removed
 
#154
Originally posted by Thunderfunk
... but does the Heater Work ?:D
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Absolutly, In fact I just installed a pair of oversized (Gene Berg) heater boxes bolted up to a 4-1 colector. Rejeted the Kadrons and the little 1776cc is realy breathing now.

The most difficult component to keep working is the comprest air windshield washer system.
 
#157
I had a Gemini V Ampeg with the chicken head knobs. 2 channel, and it had an Altec-Lansing 15" co-ax. It had a small multi-cell horn in the middle of the speaker, and it had a seperate, HUGE, box where you could adjust both the vol. and the x-over of the horn. All tube,cost mom $60 to rewire and retube(showing my age). Traded it for a better stereo. Man was I young and stupid!
 
#158
Originally posted by VicDamone
Hey, you know your older VW's. How many have you owned?
Click to expand...

Sequentially I had 3 beetles and 2 squarebacks. In 1977 I got a company car, and my brother wrecked my last squareback (upfitted with front leather seats from a Volvo!) and my VW days were behind me.

The real beauty of the Beetle was they would never leave you stranded. One could always hobble home with bubble gum and a string or some other improvised fix. Squarebacks weren't so reliable, I never found a carb'd engine for mine.
 
#159
Originally posted by Tsal
My first combo was TNT-130 that I bought few years ago.. It's 1984 model, still going strong after almost 20 years :)

I think I might donate it to museum or something in 2009 :D
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I have the same one bought new in 1984! That amp is still working and I've never had a problem with it! Not my first though. My first amp was an all tube 50w Traynor Head and a 2x15 Traynor Cabinet. My mom bought it for me in the mid 70's!
 
#160
My first amp was a Traynor TS50B head from around 1983 with a Traynor 115 cab of the same era. Sounded like crap, but at the time I thought it was as cool as it gets. But back then I also thought that Nikki Sixx was as cool as it gets too, so.......well, you know....
 
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