[Kerry Brown]

On the off chance that anyone here has tried one, is this a decent amp?

1950's Military Blues amps, 15 watt, Point to Point wiring

I like oddball, weird gear and am thinking of getting one. The little I can find on YouTube sounds as good as anything else on YouTube.

 

[cboutilier]

I want to know more about its history, and then I want to buy one.

 

[Kerry Brown]

I emailed him and he seemed quite forthcoming. He said he has five tested and ready to ship. Powell River is only about 120 km away as the crow flies but there are two ferry rides between here and there. I'd love to go see him and hear one in person but it's about five or six hours depending on how the ferry schedules sync up. I'm trying to decide if I can afford to throw away $365 which is what he wants with his five way switch and shipping. If I don't like it I imagine it would be pretty hard to sell. I'm also wondering about his claim to 15 watts. I know only what I can find on google but it seems like with those tubes it would be more like eight or so. I need something loud enough to keep up with a drummer in bar settings. I've used an AC15 with no problems so if it is 15 it would probably work. The AC15 was never above noon.

 

[LanceT]

Maybe he can put you in touch with someone who bought one on the Mainland to checkout? If he sold so many all over the planet the odd one must have ended up locally.

 

[Distortion]

well if you got to have it go and buy it but. Myself at $365 there is lots of great 15 watt amps that sound ten times better than that in my opinion. Also you are getting a 5 inch speaker with the amp. It sounds dead to me. Pro jr or Blues jr will put it to shame for tone.

 

[Kerry Brown]

well if you got to have it go and buy it but. Myself at $365 there is lots of great 15 watt amps that sound ten times better than that in my opinion. Also you are getting a 5 inch speaker with the amp. It sounds dead to me. Pro jr or Blues jr will put it to shame for tone.

I'm not a fan of the Blues Jr but I do agree there are lot of decent amps in the ten to fifteen watt range. I'm looking for something unique in looks and tone. I would be using it with a 1x12 cab. In any case I've decided to hold off for now, at least until I can convince my wife we need a weekend in Powell River. I used to work in Powell River. It is a very pretty part of BC.

 

[dcole]

I re-purposed a PA amp from the 50's into a Marshall 18 watt like circuit using 6AQ5's in the output. Sounds wicked and takes pedals well. Dimmed out in a 4x12, you might be loud enough with a drummer, but if you wanted to run it with headroom with pedals, you'll be miking the cab I bet. I believe the circuit is 8 watts right before output clipping to the speaker.

 

[Kerry Brown]

I re-purposed a PA amp from the 50's into a Marshall 18 watt like circuit using 6AQ5's in the output. Sounds wicked and takes pedals well. Dimmed out in a 4x12, you might be loud enough with a drummer, but if you wanted to run it with headroom with pedals, you'll be miking the cab I bet. I believe the circuit is 8 watts right before output clipping to the speaker.

I figured about eight watts and yes it would probably have to be miked.

 

[Kerry Brown]

I had to hear this amp so I took a chance and ordered one. It would have cost me at least $250 to go to Powell River and the amp as I ordered it is $365 including shipping. I would have been out the $250 if I decided not to buy it. Now I'll be out $365 if I don't like it but I should be able to recover part that if need be. The things we do when GAS strikes us hard. I'll post a review when I get the amp.

 

[Kerry Brown]

Well the amp showed up at the post office this afternoon. Going to try it at a blues jam this evening. It is way louder than I thought it would be. His 15 watts is not far off. It is almost as loud as an AC15 I had. It sounds spectacular though an open back 1x12 cab with an Emminence P50E speaker at low volumes. I tried one lick at half volume and got told it was too loud, turn it down. We'll see what happens with a drummer and bass. It is pretty rough looking but it's one year younger than me and it feels like home to me. It was built in 1955 and has five hours on the hobbs meter. Looks like it may have been dragged behind a jeep at some point.

 

[Kerry Brown]

The verdict is in. If you like crunchy blues this amp is for you.If you like sparkly cleans it is not. Most of the night there were myself, two other guitars, a bass, and a very loud drummer in a bar setting. I had no problem being heard with the volume just past noon. I was playing my Vantage VP795 with dual humbuckers with coil split and an out of phase switch. I spent most of the night in humbucker mode on the neck or the bridge pickup and the guitar volume around eight. For cleans I would back off the volume to three and use the neck pickup with the coil split. It wasn't sparkly clean but it did sound nice for songs like Dead Flowers where you strum open chords. Every guitar player in the place complimented me on the sound. A couple wanted contact information to see about buying one. The seller has around fifty of these left. Full disclosure he has said he will send me a spare set of original military tubes if I can sell a couple of these for him but even without that I'd be singing the praises. It looks like a POS but it plays like the sweetest nectar. It's probably not for you if you don't play a lot of blues or southern rock but if you do, oh my, you need one of these. I only have a cell phone to take video but if I get a chance I'll try to post a video.

 

[Kerry Brown]

I found a better video.

 

[ForFoxSake]

I personally know Bob and his lefty upside down guitar brother Ric . I live here. Very interesting amps he has. Heres Ric and I jamming.

Bobs a big Country Fan.

 

[Kerry Brown]

I personally know Bob and his lefty upside down guitar brother Ric . I live here. Very interesting amps he has. Heres Ric and I jamming.

Bobs a big Country Fan.

Very nice. I'm actually working on a deal for a tele right now. I mostly play humbuckers but thought a tele would really suit this amp. Looks like a great music scene in Powell River. I worked on the log booms at Stillwater Bay for one season many years ago. I've often thought of moving there. Quite a few people from Squamish getting fed up with the influx of city folks and moving to Powell River recently. If I could talk my wife into it I'd be there in a flash.

 

[ForFoxSake]

Very nice. I'm actually working on a deal for a tele right now. I mostly play humbuckers but thought a tele would really suit this amp. Looks like a great music scene in Powell River. I worked on the log booms at Stillwater Bay for one season many years ago. I've often thought of moving there. Quite a few people from Squamish getting fed up with the influx of city folks and moving to Powell River recently. If I could talk my wife into it I'd be there in a flash.

Its literally a paradise. Even a band here named that. I kid you not as a bassist I'm in 5 working bands and 2 as a guitarist. 2 bands are in Courtenay Vancouver Island. . My Youtube is busy as I film much of it. Places to play and it pays 11 gigs in July 8 in August. Lots of music scene here. Bobs a great guy! The joke is theres only one band here with 34 people in it...... Theres quite a degree of seperation I invite you to listen here to Bluesman Sam Hurrie 70 years old and the finest leader I have been chosen to work with. McKinney's Pub by the Mill Gate in the Rodmay Hotel. This band booked here 2018/19 New Years....

 

[Dorian2]

Well the amp showed up at the post office this afternoon. Going to try it at a blues jam this evening. It is way louder than I thought it would be. His 15 watts is not far off. It is almost as loud as an AC15 I had. It sounds spectacular though an open back 1x12 cab with an Emminence P50E speaker at low volumes. I tried one lick at half volume and got told it was too loud, turn it down. We'll see what happens with a drummer and bass. It is pretty rough looking but it's one year younger than me and it feels like home to me. It was built in 1955 and has five hours on the hobbs meter. Looks like it may have been dragged behind a jeep at some point.

Love the look of that amp on the Blackstar. My Dad was Military and I have an old Army case that matches your amp brilliantly! Maybe I'll put my Blackstar HT20 head in it....haha

 

[Stuart Eiriksson]

Hello all , I bought one of Bob's amps last year, and want another, any way you can put me in touch with him?
One of his videos leave an email, but comes back not received. A phone number or address would probably work better, as I've lost his info from my phone contacts,
or kindly forward him my info below....any help would be appreciated.
Kind regards,
Stuart
[email protected]
6o47877645

 

[Kerry Brown]

Hello all , I bought one of Bob's amps last year, and want another, any way you can put me in touch with him?
One of his videos leave an email, but comes back not received. A phone number or address would probably work better, as I've lost his info from my phone contacts,
or kindly forward him my info below....any help would be appreciated.
Kind regards,
Stuart
[email protected]
6o47877645

I sent you an email with the information I have. It is pretty old so it may not be correct.