Monster Garage Sale Score!

brentrocks

New member
I was on my home from taking the dog to the groomer this morning, 2 blocks from home and i see a GARAGE SALE sign at this place. I caught a glimpse of some stereo equipment so i decided to stop. I look around for a bit see nothing worth buying, and i proceed to ask the question i ask at every garage sale i stop at..."do you have any guitars?"

The lady says, my husband does, but i dont know if they are for sale...let me go get him, he is shaving :icon_biggrin:

He comes out to the garage asks me if i'm the one who asked about guitars? Yes sir i am.... He says, well i dont have any guitars to sell, but i have a couple amplifiers, want to come down in the basement and look? SURE!!!!

We get downstairs and i see an old Gibson combo amp. He goes on to explain that its a 1963? Gibson Saturn 2x10 50W tube amp that he has has for many years. I asked if i could try it, he said sure, but you will have to go get a guitar and a cable....NO PROBLEM!!!!

I was a stone throw from home, grab a H 150 and a cable...get back, plug the guitar in, turn on the power......BLOW A FUSE!!!! Took out the fuses, it was a 2A and a 3A, old style glass fuses.......SO......he didnt have any, nor did i, so i went to the auto parts store and bought a box of 3A and a box of 2A fuses.

Get back to his house, put in the new fuses, fires up no problem! We let the tubes warm up for a bit.....then i give it the juice!!!

It sounded really good, i tried all the knobs, switches, jacks, footswitch buttons, etc. All seemed to be good. So i ask, how much do you want for it? He says, well, i know these are goin for $600-$700 on ebay, but you're here, and i know you will enjoy it....how about $100? I couldnt get my wallet out fast enough.

So i get it home....OMG!!! DIRTY!...DIRTY!!! Decades of dirt!!! So i bust out some rags and cleaner, take off all the knobs, clean and clean and clean and clean....i got it looking tons better! Plugged it in and recorded this clip with the H 530...

http://www.reverbnation.com/play_now/song_8790716


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Re: Monster Garage Sale Score!

Awesome.
Get it on ebay! :lol:

Seriously, that's a nice story, good to know some people are happy to share when they know it will be enjoyed.
 
Re: Monster Garage Sale Score!

Brent, you have been an a tear lately and hitting the gold mines! $100 paid for the Gibson name on the front...haha Congrats!!
 
Re: Monster Garage Sale Score!

Your stories are really getting hard to believe..you know that don't you? But I'll give you the benefit of the doubt.
I had one of those. Easy Pt. to Pt filtercap recap.
That one looks like its in abnormally perfect condition. Usually the cheap particleboard cabinet is all flaking out.
They don't sound that great stock, but there are mods available for them that make it a righteous sounding little amp., check around. Congrats.
 
Re: Monster Garage Sale Score!

Your stories are really getting hard to believe..you know that don't you? But I'll give you the benefit of the doubt.
I had one of those. Easy Pt. to Pt filtercap recap.
That one looks like its in abnormally perfect condition. Usually the cheap particleboard cabinet is all flaking out.
They don't sound that great stock, but there are mods available for them that make it a righteous sounding little amp., check around. Congrats.

Only you could put a downer on something like this.
 
Re: Monster Garage Sale Score!

It's late '65-'67 model, FWIW. The code on the rim of the speaker will shed more light.

Those are cool amps, a couple oddball tubes in there that can be tough to find but yeah.

I think $500 max is what they go for right now - they are the least desireable of the '60s Gibson line aside from the '66/'67 Medalists as they were Gibson's last gasp at making tube amps to compete w/Fender.
 
Re: Monster Garage Sale Score!

Yea, nice buy…

But what I really want to know if what is that guitar in the background of the first picture?
 
Re: Monster Garage Sale Score!

Man, you're on fire. Some folk have all the luck.

What's the deal with the two 'on' settings?
 
Re: Monster Garage Sale Score!

What's the deal with the two 'on' settings?

I think it's the equivalent of the Ground Polarity switch on the back of most Fenders, Gibson just made it a rotary control with the Standby included. Kinda neat actually - I wish more amps used that.
 
Re: Monster Garage Sale Score!

I think it's the equivalent of the Ground Polarity switch on the back of most Fenders, Gibson just made it a rotary control with the Standby included. Kinda neat actually - I wish more amps used that.

theres whats called the "death cap" in that littel on-off-on circuit. Its easy to disable, just clip the capacitor- wont affect a thing. Probably never any problem..Ive never really heard of one of those caps going open, but the potential is there, so best just to eliminate any risk.
 
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