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Kevin Taylor
Guitar Tricks Instructor
Joined: 03/05/00
Posts: 4,722
Kevin Taylor
Guitar Tricks Instructor
Joined: 03/05/00
Posts: 4,722
07/17/2005 2:52 am
Ah, here's an amp I owned for about 15 years.
Overall, if you're looking for a clean sound it's great.
I wouldn't use it for rock though cause there's no way to get a natural distortion from it without super loud volumes or pedals. I'd also check it for buzzes in and around the actual wood frame itself. Mine had an annoying rattle that I could never get rid of. When the tubes get old, they tend to make a bit of a buzzing sound.
The original speakers are lightweight and bound to blow eventually. Watch for re-coned speakers (usually some weird colour other than black)...cause they suck big time.
Most guys like me changed em for JBL's, which sounded great.
Unfortunately, they weigh a ton. The wheels will literally break off and the handle will bust if you try to lift it too many times. Two people should lift it unless you want back problems the rest of your life and you'll dread every gig you have to load it back into your car.
Check the reverb knob and make sure it actually controls a reverb. Some guys have it converted to a master volume... which doesn't work at all to give you a distorted sound.. it just adds another volume control.
If the reverb works, it's actually springs in the base of the amp in back, which sound ok at best. However they make an awesome crashing sound if you kick the amp....which you'll want to do if you ever reach around to the power switch in back and hold the guitar strings at the same time.
You'll get an electric shock that'll make your hair stand on end.

Overall... it was a great amp as long as you didn't mind the weight and made sure you let go of the guitar before turning it off. The buzz in the cabinet was something I got used to and forgot about but 15 years later I tried to sell the amp and the first thing the guy mentioned was the buzzing noise.
If you're into jazz, blues, country etc... it'll be a great amp.
If you're into hard rock, you'll wish for a Marshall every day unless you find a really decent distortion pedal.