Hat's off to Kevlar3000 - Our resident amp-archeologist.

[Gr8Scott]

I don't know about the rest of you guys, but I get to live vicariously through Kevlar3000 in his amp hunting expeditions. He knows a guy somewhere who has this incredibly obscure piece of amp history from the corner of leo-fender's armpit and then next thing you know the darned thing is sitting in his stash next to yet another rare/hard to find amp that noone previously gave a crap about. I thought I'd post a central place where we could click through and relive some of his greatest and strangest acquisitions along the way...

https://forum.seymourduncan.com/showthread.php?t=197033

https://forum.seymourduncan.com/showthread.php?t=189036

https://forum.seymourduncan.com/showthread.php?t=182412

https://forum.seymourduncan.com/showthread.php?t=180965

https://forum.seymourduncan.com/showthread.php?t=167257

https://forum.seymourduncan.com/showthread.php?t=132487

https://forum.seymourduncan.com/showthread.php?t=131332

https://forum.seymourduncan.com/showthread.php?t=114673

https://forum.seymourduncan.com/showthread.php?t=101762

https://forum.seymourduncan.com/showthread.php?t=98325

https://forum.seymourduncan.com/showthread.php?t=68098

https://forum.seymourduncan.com/showthread.php?t=70839

https://forum.seymourduncan.com/showthread.php?t=58160

 

[kevlar3000]

Re: Hat's off to Kevlar3000 - Our resident amp-archeologist.

Lol, I cannot even keep track of what was and what is.... This covers some serious history! Lets add UNICORD to the mix a new lil monster lurking in retro misfitness.... Shhhhhhh...

 

[Gr8Scott]

Re: Hat's off to Kevlar3000 - Our resident amp-archeologist.

I guess I'm the only one living vicariously through your adventures Kev. I'm honestly surprised that nobody else has chimed into this thread. You've bought some very cool and very under-rated amps. Some of which I haven't found yet. I'm still looking for the post about the PA you bought that effing screams.

 

[kevlar3000]

Re: Hat's off to Kevlar3000 - Our resident amp-archeologist.

It is actually very appropriate, as my toys are found in the dark allies hidden from the light of day. Secret meetings, a hint there, a clue every now and then... It is very similar to All the Presidents Men actually...

 

[firebirdV]

Re: Hat's off to Kevlar3000 - Our resident amp-archeologist.

No, I do to. I don't log into the forum as often, but I do follow the strange and obscure amp additions, especially when you post clips.

 

[pzaxtl]

Re: Hat's off to Kevlar3000 - Our resident amp-archeologist.

Count me in. Always a good read!

 

[Dr.Mavashi]

Re: Hat's off to Kevlar3000 - Our resident amp-archeologist.

Kev is da man!!! He is the one who convinced me pull the trigger on my Laney AOR, I always look for his openion on anything tube!

 

[DankStar]

Re: Hat's off to Kevlar3000 - Our resident amp-archeologist.

yeah, he typically buys the amps I look at on the bay and wish I had the stones to get.

 

[Vasshu the humanoid typhoon]

Re: Hat's off to Kevlar3000 - Our resident amp-archeologist.

Always good times with Kev and his funky amps with the tone of doom!

 

[Gr8Scott]

Re: Hat's off to Kevlar3000 - Our resident amp-archeologist.

Hmm.... I've got a question for the archeologist. Given this compendium of knowledge linked in the threads already here, would you care to walk us through the more unusual amps you have or have had over the years? It would be interesting to hear not only a list of the amps, but also a general description of their tone and feel.

 

[kevlar3000]

Re: Hat's off to Kevlar3000 - Our resident amp-archeologist.

yeah, he typically buys the amps I look at on the bay and wish I had the stones to get.

It all started from not having the $$$ to buy the expensive stuff, it launched a desire for the subculture of tone..

 

[kevlar3000]

Re: Hat's off to Kevlar3000 - Our resident amp-archeologist.

Hmm.... I've got a question for the archeologist. Given this compendium of knowledge linked in the threads already here, would you care to walk us through the more unusual amps you have or have had over the years? It would be interesting to hear not only a list of the amps, but also a general description of their tone and feel.

Hmmm, amps that I can never part with are my West Fillmore, crazy rare and 200 watts of fun. In owning that amp, I have become friends with the son of the amps creator. That amp was described by a friend as being like a Hiwatt but much more organic tonally. More nuance... I was given a WEST 2/12 cab by a friend and will never let that go either.

Risson ETA, another crazy obscure amp from 1970s hard rockin LA. A juiced Marshall with some fender hints as well. GREAT hard rock amp, cool looks and one I rarely see anymore. Was very happy to find it.

A Carlsbro TR60 I got from Terry Kilgore of DLR fame. Super lush British sound, mids like no other amp I have owned. Needed a bit of tinkering to dial in, just a couple upped cap values, but it purrs beautifully.

I love PA heads, so much you can do with them. My current fave is my KLIPP era, ( No KLIPP circuit) Laney L-60, I traded an Ampeg B25 for it, I prefer the grunt of that Laney with Partridge iron, to the much more popular Plexi sound. Darker mids, more open, and a slightly slower attack.

All old Ampegs ROCK! I have 2 V4s and an early Oliver head, ( Jess Oliver, an Ampeg genius). The Oliver really has a cool, moderate gain sound. Very round, very rich, and super cool looking.

Love old PV Butchers and VTMS, with a couple tweaks they rock. Really love my 80.00 1970s Standard head I just got. SS old stuff rocks.

Love Traynors and Garnet's. Traded a Garnet for the Oliver, hard to do, but I wanted the Oliver so bad....

My old Supro is quite magical, It does that super clucky Jimmy Page thing which is really sweet....

Stramp, a lovely German Superbass clone, that is built like a Yugo. Very prone to problems, traces lifting, ect... Out of commission right now, but will get it running again someday.

There are more stories, but these came to mind right now...

 

[DankStar]

Re: Hat's off to Kevlar3000 - Our resident amp-archeologist.

you still have that sears SS head?

 

[kevlar3000]

Re: Hat's off to Kevlar3000 - Our resident amp-archeologist.

Right now the ss line up is SUNN, PEAVEY and UNICORD. I would not mind having another SHURE Vocalmaster, but it is so freakin big... I never had a Sears, was it the Shure you are thinking of?

 

[DankStar]

Re: Hat's off to Kevlar3000 - Our resident amp-archeologist.

Right now the ss line up is SUNN, PEAVEY and UNICORD. I would not mind having another SHURE Vocalmaster, but it is so freakin big... I never had a Sears, was it the Shure you are thinking of?

oh, probably the unicord, but I thought you had some type of chain-store old ss from montgomery ward's or sears and roebuck.

 

[kevlar3000]

Re: Hat's off to Kevlar3000 - Our resident amp-archeologist.

I have owned the tube department store line and love all of em except for the Radio Shack amp I owned. Great tubes in it, but could not dial anything I liked out of it...

 

[Gearjoneser]

Re: Hat's off to Kevlar3000 - Our resident amp-archeologist.

I love collections like this, since it's a direction that most have little knowledge of. There's so many amps I've wondered about, and some I've owned, so it's interesting to hear which brands had a few gems.

My first good tube amp was a Risson ETA 80 with two 6550's. I really wish I'd kept that thing. I bought it at a pawn shop near where it was made for $260. It sounds better than many Marshalls, and built better too.

 

[kevlar3000]

Re: Hat's off to Kevlar3000 - Our resident amp-archeologist.

I would imagine you had the Risson before it was an obscure amp legend... It was just an amp that didn't say Marshall! It would be very cool to still have that head.