Show an amp..... Uglier than this

[Sirion]

Re: Show an amp..... Uglier than this

Although I mentioned the Rockman, my memory was all about the horrific looking head.
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I forgot about how awful the cabs looked. The 80s were a weird time.

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The logos are a bit much, but I actually kind of like the look. I guess, however, that by the same standard, the ADA gear qualifies as ugly:

 

[Dave Locher]

Re: Show an amp..... Uglier than this

Not to rag on people who leave things stock, but many of these ugly amps could be made to look perfectly fine by just replacing the face plate, removing a logo, and/or ten minutes with a can of spray cans. Tiger, what tiger??
I would take ANY of those amps if they sound good, and in an afternoon I would remove, modify, or disguise whatever part of them is ugly.

 

[justFred]

Re: Show an amp..... Uglier than this

the Demon dude already said it....and even more he don't even wanna bother changing the face plate...but that's not the point....this is an aesthetics gig....people can agree on ugly but not necessarily on what sounds good or not....

 

[NegativeEase]

Re: Show an amp..... Uglier than this

Not to rag on people who leave things stock, but many of these ugly amps could be made to look perfectly fine by just replacing the face plate, removing a logo, and/or ten minutes with a can of spray cans. Tiger, what tiger??
I would take ANY of those amps if they sound good, and in an afternoon I would remove, modify, or disguise whatever part of them is ugly.

I removed all the Marshall badges from my gear in the 90s because I wasn't a sponsored Marshall musician and didn't want them to have free ads. I pulled off the Trace Elliot logo off my bass cab because it was ugly. I still haven't put it back on the Marshall badges.

 

[Gtrjunior]

Re: Show an amp..... Uglier than this

I removed all the Marshall badges from my gear in the 90s because I wasn't a sponsored Marshall musician and didn't want them to have free ads. I pulled off the Trace Elliot logo off my bass cab because it was ugly. I still haven't put it back on the Marshall badges.

Blasphemy!!!

 

[Mincer]

Re: Show an amp..... Uglier than this

I removed all the Marshall badges from my gear in the 90s because I wasn't a sponsored Marshall musician and didn't want them to have free ads. I pulled off the Trace Elliot logo off my bass cab because it was ugly. I still haven't put it back on the Marshall badges.

I totally get that.

 

[GuitarStv]

Re: Show an amp..... Uglier than this

I totally get that.

Don't try it with Gibson stuff though . . . liable to get your ass sued.

 

[GuitarDoc]

Re: Show an amp..... Uglier than this

God why!? Why would anybody do this?

That's not so "ugly", it's just STUPID.

 

[GuitarStv]

Re: Show an amp..... Uglier than this

That's not so "ugly", it's just STUPID.

Stacking the 2x12 speakers one on top of each other is genius. All 2x12s should be set up to work this way. The control layout makes sense too, and would be easy to adjust in the middle of a gig. Actually, if it didn't say 'FENDER SOLID STATE' and therefore guarantee that it sucked that would probably be a cool amp to have.

 

[GuitarDoc]

Re: Show an amp..... Uglier than this

Stacking the 2x12 speakers one on top of each other is genius. All 2x12s should be set up to work this way. The control layout makes sense too, and would be easy to adjust in the middle of a gig. Actually, if it didn't say 'FENDER SOLID STATE' and therefore guarantee that it sucked that would probably be a cool amp to have.

Not that the speaker layout or the control configuration is stupid, but the idea of Fender going to a solid state amp and then calling it a "Twin Reverb".

Yes, the stacked 2x12 IS good.

I had a Fender SS PA from that era...had sooo many problems with it (especially with blown output transistors). Got rid of it and replaced it with a Standel SS PA. No problems with that one. Sounded better too.

 

[justFred]

Re: Show an amp..... Uglier than this

Looks like Lucas early R2D2 concept droid...

 

[beaubrummels]

Re: Show an amp..... Uglier than this

God why!? Why would anybody do this?

When I saw this, I just thought of this: (just needs a cosmetic upgrade - wheat grille, brown face)

 

[Silence Kid]

Re: Show an amp..... Uglier than this

Those amps are so evocative I can't help loving them; much better design affordance than most amps. It's futuristic in a way that's functional and appears solid, like a control panel from a Gemini space capsule (opposed to my generation's idiom of 'futuristic' consisting of swirly random clear plastic.) It's so proud/un-ironic it gives the impression the makers were sure in the year 2000 we'd have bases on Mars and videophones using all analog transistor gear with no IC chips even (transistor-punk?) Not a thing wrong with how it looks to me.

The collective consciousness explains them as 'ugly' now because they suck to actually play; subject to the taint of SS disappointment, Watergate, Ford Pintos, and Vietnam all at once. Back to boring black boxes; timid people must have rejoiced.