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Rockin_John's Guitars & Amps

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1953 Fender Deluxe: Possibly the most famous guitar amp circuit (5C3) of all time. This was my first amp (1973) loud enough to annoy the neighbors with. It had been in an apartment fire and most of the tweed was toasted off of it. Worked fine with only occasional use till I had it restored a couple of years ago. I've owned dozens of amps through the years and this is still (THE ONE!).
The electronics were conservatively restored to preserve as much original flavor as possible. Originally I traded a Harmony or Danelectro beginner guitar and amp that was bought used for $20 for the Deluxe!
(Cabinet and electronic restoration by local tube amp guru Rick Potter.)
 
 

1952 Gibson Gibsonette: The one the new "Gold Tone" GA-15 is styled after. This was inherited from late Mom-in-law's estate along with a beautiful Gibson lap steel with matching leatherette case. Both spent most of their life in the closet after none of the kids took to it.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

1961 Epiphone Pathfinder: Based on the Gibson circuits since that's who built them! Wow what a reverb sound. A real little screamer. It has a factory monitor out that's good for sending to the low level input of  non-reverb amps. Purchased on eBay for a fair price.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Teisco model 71R: Ok this is the one I lost my head over and paid too much for (eBay bid war) but it was the smallest vintage amp I had ever seen with reverb and it is the coolest purple color with just a sprinkling of glitter. Well I thought I paid too much until I saw one go recently for over $275 USD.
 
 
 
 
 
 

Mid 60's Vox Pacemaker: This is one of the solid state models made in the USA by Thomas Organ. Its living proof that not all old solid state amps sound bad. It has a respectable amount of clean power and the gold "Bulldog" speaker has got some bite behind its bark! I bought it from an old man that only played it on sunday at church. No joke, it lived in the choir's robe closet Monday-Saturday! (He's a personal friend and sold me the Hoyer archtop seen on my guitar page too.)
 
 
 
 

1969 Sunn Sonoro: My first Sunn amp, but not my last I hope! These have got to be one of the best kept secrets of the amp world. The circuit uses 3-12ax7's and 2-6550 power tubes to achieve a very 60's - 70's Marshall tone with a HUGE amount of thump and grind when cranked! May have been targeted at bass players, but it has a lot to offer for guitar, and in this case, simplicity is beauty. You don't need all those extra knobs if the amp has TONE to start with!
 
 
 
 

1964 Kay/Harmony: It may be small in stature but at full tilt it crunches like a big dog! This has got to be more fun per pound than any old cheapo practice amp I've played. It was another Item left to me by my generous in-laws.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

1965 Gibson GA-45RVT Saturn: This one started as a bit of a problem child. I bought it on ebay knowing that it needed work but what I didn't count on was FedEx dropping it so hard they knocked the magnets off the speakers! Fortunately that was the only damage done in shipment and after a re-cone and a few capacitors it has a fine, fat blues tone and deep reverb that Dick Dale could surf on.
 
 
 
 
 

Very early Peavey Classic: I don't know when Hartley Peavey went into production after starting as a Fender modifier but this is one of the oldest Peavey amps I've seen around. You can see by the tattered condition that this old war-horse has seen many gigs. It is a hybrid design with the tubes in the power section (where I think they belong in such beasts).
I know I'm in the minority, but I think Hartley Peavey deserves to be held in high regard. He beat the Japanese and other competition when other American industries gave up. And in the process, provided many musicians (including yours truly) with affordable, reliable gear all while keeping jobs, that otherwise would have been exported, in the USA.
 

Here are some of my other amps but the Trace Elliot and Peavey Classic 100 head are gone. Not pictured are a couple of vintage Gibsons and a Sunn Sorado head that I've taken a real liking to.
 
 





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kingsx@swbell.net