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Topic: Need help identifying Oahu (Supro) amp |
Lefty
From:
Grayson, Ga.
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Posted 9 Jun 2008 2:12 pm |
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Can anyone help me identify the model of this amp? This one has Supro on it (I believe), but mine is identical and has Oahu on the badge. This was my first amp, and I am considering trying to get Ken Fox to let me ship it down to him for fixing. Mine is missing the transformer and speaker, though.
Thank you,
Lefty
(Richard Born)
Grayson Ga.
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Lefty
From:
Grayson, Ga.
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Posted 10 Jun 2008 8:32 am
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Nobody old enough on the forum to remember these, eh?
Made in the late 40's I think.
Lefty |
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Brad Bechtel
From:
San Francisco, CA
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Posted 10 Jun 2008 9:26 am
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You might try checking the Valco Amp web site. They have a photo gallery with a similar amp.
I don't know enough about these amps to offer an opinion, unfortunately, but I know that most Valco-made amplifiers used the same serial number scheme as their guitars (and lap steels).
_________________
Brad’s Page of Steel
A web site devoted to acoustic & electric lap steel guitars |
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John Billings
From:
Ohio, USA
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Posted 10 Jun 2008 9:45 am
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Mine is either slightly newer (1954), or maybe the next model up. Badged as an Oahu, it says Valco, Chicago 51. I've been told the 51 is an area code?
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Jim Sliff
From:
Lawndale California, USA
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Posted 10 Jun 2008 3:47 pm
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Here's one of the few decent resources for Valco/Oahu/Supro/National amps:
http://www.valcoamp.com/index.html
There's a 1950 Oahu schematic on there you might check out.
None of them are complicated to work on - the usual difficulties are dealing with field-coil speakers that are gone or blown, or amps that have been modified. But the circuits are basically similar to the early Fenders, following the usual Western Electric examples . The octal preamp tube models are my favorites.
If Ken or whoever works on it has trouble locating preamp tubes, let me know...I have quite few of the common ones...but don't take on any amp work nowadays.
_________________
No chops, but great tone
1930's/40's Rickenbacher/Rickenbacker 6&8 string lap steels
1921 Weissenborn Style 2; Hilo&Schireson hollownecks
Appalachian, Regal & Dobro squarenecks
1959 Fender 400 9+2 B6;1960's Fender 800 3+3+2; 1948 Fender Dual-8 Professional |
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Donny Hinson
From:
Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.
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Posted 10 Jun 2008 3:56 pm
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"Chicago 51" is a merely a postal zone in central Chicago ("zones" were the forerunners of our Zip codes). Nonetheless, people do call this a "Model 51" sometimes. The amp that Lefty has looks like a mid-to-late '40s version 12-watt amp (sometimes called a Model 11). The later one (John's) looks to be an early '50s model that I believe was called the "Aztek, which was a later version of the old Model 11 amp, but with about 17 watts output and two controls!
These amps, and many others, were made by the Valco company, in Chicago. Valco made amps branded with many names, among them: Airline, Gretsch, Oahu, National, Silvertone, Supro, and Truetone. |
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John Billings
From:
Ohio, USA
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Posted 10 Jun 2008 3:58 pm
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| Donny, serial # makes mine a '54. It does have two controls. Great, great bottleneck amp! A gift from a friend. |
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Lefty
From:
Grayson, Ga.
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Posted 10 Jun 2008 4:44 pm
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Thanks for all the information.
And thanks for the kind offer, Jim. I really never thought I would restore this amp, but I could not throw it away.
I plan to search for NOS tubes if I can find some.
I also have a Gibson GA-6 that a friend gave me (in better shape) that I want to send to Ken.
These are projects that have been sitting due to my concentration on restoring some fender amps.
Now having a son in college will limit my purchases (a good thing according to my wife). I try to tell her it is like money in the bank that is playable, and fun.
Thanks again for the help.
Lefty
Richard Born |
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