Anyone know about Selmers?

Kam

Kam

Shaftologist
I'm hoping ye older Brits can come through for me on this one.

I noticed an old Treble'n'Bass 50 for sale locally and I was wondering if anyone has any information or opinions on how they sound.

It looks pretty much like this one:

sel32h.jpeg

Except it doesn't have the knob or input on the left and there are two extra inputs between the channels. It doesn't have the metal corner protectors either, and it's in pretty shabby condition aesthetically.

Any ideas on what a fair price would be?

Cheers, lads. :beerchug:
 
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Re: Anyone know about Selmers?

I had a Selmer Thunderbird Twin 50, the biggest and most expensive of their guitar amps, with the crocodile-skin tolex. 2 X EL34s, fantastic amp.

I think the earliest T'n'B 50s also had the croc-skin, so the one pictured would be a later one.

Here's some good info ...

http://www.vintagehofner.co.uk/selmer/black/sel4c.html

http://www.vintagehofner.co.uk/selmer/amps/sel32.html

http://www.vintagehofner.co.uk/selmer/facts/valves.html


Just looking at some schematics ... it could be the T'n'B Mk. 3, which appears to have no reverb but instead it has 'in' and 'out' jacks for 'echo' ... an effects loop. The T'n'B 50 R(everb) SV (as in the pic) appears to have reverb instead of the 'echo' loop in the Mk. 3. It also appears to have a presence control, which none of the earlier ones had. Both of those models had s/s rectification.

Whichever it is, it will be running a pair of EL34s, and, assuming it was working well, it would sound big and clean. If the transformers are still good, most other issues are easily enough fixed. I think it was the last series of the T'n'Bs, and is probably not particularly collectible yet. I'd be looking to see if it worked, and how well, but at the right price, a great platform to build a really good 2 x EL34 amp.
 
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Re: Anyone know about Selmers?

A friend of mine had an early TnB 50 about 10 years ago; tone-wise it was in the Marshallesque ballpark, but definitely cleaner. It was quite touchy in terms of reliability and he didn't like taking a step-up transformer to gigs, so he sold it in favor of a 50W non-master Marshall.
 
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Re: Anyone know about Selmers?

Beautiful sounding head, pretty much the same as a Kelly 50, thick brit tones, very lush in the mids, while this is a later version, it is well worth owning. Very rare these days.
 
Re: Anyone know about Selmers?

Oh Man...
Can you work on amps.?
Crusty linked you to THE definitive Selmer sight.
They are a well made unit, but from another time.
It kind of depends on:
1. Playing condition of amp.
2. You intentions, and plans for the amp.

If you are looking for a used, "vintage" amp that you can plug into and gig with, this may not be for you.
If you have some electonics knowledge, and can solder.....:cool:
best
 
Re: Anyone know about Selmers?

That's the first amp I gigged with. 1975 I was 17 and I shared it with the bass player. I had various other models of the T & B 50. In those days you could buy them anywhere for next to nothing. If your amp broke down you just searched a few junk shops and bought another one. They didn't overdrive much so I used a ColorSound Tonebender for distortion. Really brings back some memories.
 
Re: Anyone know about Selmers?

buddy of mine gigged with a zodiac 50 and it was sweet!
 
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