Show Us Your Old Tube Amp

Dennis Smith · Post by **Dennis Smith** » 10 Aug 2013 2:09 pm

Love the old 50's 60's small tube amps. I don't have a vintage amp but a Vintage 47 that is new. But I love the look and sound of the old amps.

This guy makes great video's on old amps.

1956 National Aztec
http://youtu.be/NTkIjhzUrl4

1960 Fender Princeton reverb blackface
http://youtu.be/fEfyMjyW1wM
A couple of others.
Supro tube amp
http://youtu.be/dt7FXzSrAvM

1956 Vega Director Amp
http://youtu.be/1-GhNjB_eFU

Ken Metcalf · Post by **Ken Metcalf** » 10 Aug 2013 2:27 pm

1966 Fender Showman with 2 D-130s

Thanks Steve!

Doug Beaumier · Post by **Doug Beaumier** » 10 Aug 2013 3:05 pm

1959 Fender tweed Deluxe

1967 Fender Vibrolux Reverb

Steve Collins · Post by **Steve Collins** » 10 Aug 2013 4:10 pm

'69 Princeton and my newly finished cigar box guitar.

Dave Hopping · Post by **Dave Hopping** » 10 Aug 2013 4:53 pm

Sixties Fenders...

L-R: 12/62 Tremolux,3/64 Bassman,11/61 Princeton,5/62 Concert

Bill Moran · Post by **Bill Moran** » 10 Aug 2013 5:02 pm

I have tried everything from Mesa Boogie pre amp to Evans, Twin Reverb, Session 400 & 500, Steel King and lots of just off the wall guitar amps. This old Music Man Sixty Five with 15"JBL sounds as good or better than anything I have ever owned. Thank Ken Fox for a lot of that !!

Dave Hopping · Post by **Dave Hopping** » 10 Aug 2013 5:55 pm

I've said it before and I'll say it again-whoever owns the rights to Music Man amps is missing out big-time in not bringing them back.My 210-65,a '79 bought new in 1980,is the best six-string amp I've ever had,and my '81 212-150 is a respectable steel amp.I love my old Fenders,but Leo(BTW,happy birthday!) got clean stage amps exactly right with Music Man

admin · Post by **b0b** » 10 Aug 2013 9:25 pm

This is my small stack.

Ray DeVoe · Post by **Ray DeVoe** » 11 Aug 2013 6:12 am

This is a "mint" mid 70's Fender Vibrosonic. It has recently been serviced with new power tubes and the works. This amp will probably be coming up for sale as it really does not get used enough.

admin · Post by **b0b** » 11 Aug 2013 8:14 am

Now that's a pedal steel amp!

Scott Duckworth · Post by **Scott Duckworth** » 11 Aug 2013 10:17 am

Ken, I love your 1966 Fender Showman with 2 D-130s. I remember when I was just getting started in guitar going to someones house that had that exact same setup, and I asked mom if she would buy one for me... I was 8 years old at the time!

Johnny Thomasson · Post by **Johnny Thomasson** » 11 Aug 2013 12:12 pm

1965 Twin Reverb, 15" JBL D-130 speaker. Grille cloth is period correct, but not original. I still have the 2x12 baffle board with the original grille cloth. This one isn't a museum piece, but it's a heck of a player.

Steve Collins · Post by **Steve Collins** » 11 Aug 2013 2:43 pm

Then there's this Airline I just scored at the Salvation Army for...ready? $7.00! It is made by Valco I am sure, and sounds terrific. I only have a schematic so far, no date or other info yet, still researching. Interesting that the power tubes are 6973's. (original RCA's I think).

Jack Hanson · Post by **Jack Hanson** » 11 Aug 2013 5:37 pm

Steve,
That little Airline looks like the little brother to my first amp. It was purchased from the Montgomery Ward catalog about 1965 with my paper route money. Same two-tone tolex, same knobs, and the same sharp top corners. Mine also had two channels, one with tremolo but also reverb, and a 12" Jensen. Pretty sure the power tubes were 6L6s. Mine sounded terrific, but alas, it's long gone.
Jack

Clete Ritta · Post by **Clete Ritta** » 11 Aug 2013 6:32 pm

Heres my '66 Fender Bandmaster above, and below with one of my favorite Telecasters.

Its the oldest tube amp I have. I've also got an early '70's silverface Bandmaster that I retolexed due to water damage, but this one sounds just a little more, well...vintage!

Here's my '86 Marshall modded by Suhr in '91.

Stephen Cowell · Post by **Stephen Cowell** » 12 Aug 2013 7:04 am

Here's most of the smaller ones... note the 1947 Deluxe Model 26 'woodie'... first Fender-badged amp, still has the K&F treble-clef w/lightning logo, bought it in the late '70's in Lubbock, maybe Buddy Holly played through it!

You'll also note a '61 Tweed Falcon, a '61 Brown Deluxe, a '60's brown Reverb (blackface), a '65 BF Champ, and my '68 Deluxe 8 and JB Frypan w/Aiello p/u.

I've included a Roberts 'Stereo'... which might just as well be included as a nice little guitar amp, this was an addition to the Japanese Roberts (Akai, really) recorder (which I also have) that gave stereo playback.

Bill A. Moore · Post by **Bill A. Moore** » 12 Aug 2013 7:10 am

Steve, that's a great price on the old Airline. I bought mine used in 1968, and carried it with me while I was in the Navy. A while back I replaced some caps, and tubes, and it sounded so good, I recovered it, and fixed the salt water damage. Ted recommended his 12A125A speaker, and it's just a great low volume guitar amp!

Jay Ganz · Post by **Jay Ganz** » 12 Aug 2013 10:27 am

Here's some of 'em . . . .

chas smith · Post by **chas smith** » 12 Aug 2013 12:15 pm

56 Pro

Ampeg Super Echo Twin

mid-40s Oahu

Gibson 185 - pre-war

...had to sell it... Gibson GA50

Standel piggy backs 1962-ish

Standel 1959

Silverface Super Twin with the Standel cab although I think it sounds better with the Fender cab and 2 EVM-12 speakers

55 Vibrolux (on the right)and 59 Princeton ... had to sell the Princeton

Stephen Cowell · Post by **Stephen Cowell** » 12 Aug 2013 2:09 pm

Ken Metcalf wrote:1966 Fender Showman with 2 D-130s

Thanks Steve!

What, are you thanking me for actually letting you have it back? I should be so lucky to be paid to have this amp in my possession *again*. You let me know if you get tired of it... re-tensed final sockets, new grid/screen resistors... repair 3-wire mod (the hot should go through *both* the switch and fuse... neutral goes straight to PT)... and 50Kohm added to the bottom of the Intensity pot (brought the Vib channel gain right up)... clean pots, Pro-Gold the tube pins... test all tubes (reissue Tung-Sols look great)... for the good-ol'-boy price.

Len Amaral · Post by **Len Amaral** » 12 Aug 2013 2:38 pm

Here is my 1965 Twin completely restored. New era correct tolex, grill and hardware. The chassis has been serviced and you would never know the true age of this amp by looking at it.

It also has Two new Webber neo cloth edge speakers. Needless to say it sounds and looks very nice.

Also, I know this thread is about tube amps but here is an odd ball Fender SFX where the speakers face the sides and has a power amp with effects. You need another amp with a line out or a preamp to operate this. This unit creates a hugh stereo sound.

Jussi Huhtakangas · Post by **Jussi Huhtakangas** » 13 Aug 2013 11:43 pm

I have this -58 Ampeg Comboamp, a model that really shouldn't even exist, it could be the only one ever made? They used to make a Super Comboamp with two 15" speakers which is rarer than hen's teeth too, but this is a single. There's no mention of this particular model in the Ampeg book. It's basically a same model than their 835 Bassamp but with a different preamp. Needless to say, sounds great.

And this Premier 76 is a really nice too, perfect for lap steel and jazz and blues tones for guitar. Surprisingly loud too!

Len Amaral · Post by **Len Amaral** » 14 Aug 2013 4:23 am

Jussi:

That Epiphone is beautiful, the amp also but that guitar has a lot of character.

Regards,

Lenny

Jussi Huhtakangas · Post by **Jussi Huhtakangas** » 14 Aug 2013 4:30 am

Thanks Lenny! It's a -49 Emperor that was restored at the Gibson factory sometime in the 60's, receiving a new Gibson made neck, sunburst finish, pickguard, bridge and the Johnny Smith PU. Apparently it was fairly common that people sent older Epis to Gibson for whatever repair work. I've seen several other examples with Gibson made necks and such. I no longer have the JS PU on it, I favor the DeArmond Rhythm Chief instead.
Sorry OT

Chris Boyd · Post by **Chris Boyd** » 14 Aug 2013 11:13 am

2 -mid 70's Musicman amps..212/65 and 115/65,'64 Ampeg Jet, and a '68 Ampeg B12XT...Guitar is a '66 Ric FG360/12...

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Show Us Your Old Tube Amp

Show Us Your Old Tube Amp

I have two.