Legend Guitar Amplifiers

I'll probably be the only person in this club, but here goes.

I've got a Legend Super Lead 50. It's been my main amp since about 1989. It sounds, well, different. Not really sure what the guy who designed it was going for. It's my secret weapon in my quest to not sound like anyone else. Legends were made in Syracuse, NY and were very expensive for their time. When I bought mine they could be had for a song because nobody wanted to sound like that in 1989. I was sick of not being able to hear myself because I had this crappy 20 watt practice amp. So I walked into Lark Street music and asked the owner what the loudest amp he had was. He pointed this baby out to me. It's really really loud for a 50 watter. It's got a tube preamp powered by three 12AX7s and a solid state power amp. It's got a groovy Celestion speaker, finger joined oak cabinet, cane grill, effects loop, channel switching and reverb and about a billion knobs, some of which don't appear to do anything. It's built like a tank. It looks like it belongs in a fern bar. You can see a picture of it along with a page from the manual in my photos. Endorsed by Billy Jones from the Outlaws!

Anybody else own one of these monsters?
-Mr. N.

My neighbor has a 50 watt Legend and their 4x12 cab.
My tech was involved with the company years ago.
NOT my sound but yes they are LOUD !

JJ

I used to own one. I had a 30 watt with a matching speaker so it looked like a stack. It was pretty awesome... and loud. I started getting into vintage Fender stuff and sold it. Wish I had it back now!

I have a 50 watt, 1x12 combo, original owner. Serial number 00121, which I found out means it's the 21st one built. It's true that it doesn't sound like anything else, which is not to say that it sounds bad. It's also true that its as loud as they come. I've loved it and have never had any trouble outside of regular maintenance...dirty pots, etc..

i used a 50 watt combo on the road for about 5 years and really liked it.

in fact..... i don't remember what happened to it.

That's one of the funny things about my 50 watt combo. If I play it alone it sounds kind of obnoxious. Like somebody bashing you in the ear with a ball-peen hammer. But loud, in a band setting, it sits really well in a mix and can punch through when needed. And actually sounds really good on recordings I have of old bands. Weird.
-Mr. N.

Not looking to revive an old thread but . . . . . . .
I just picked up one of these (50w 1x12 combo) last month. I traded some horrible sounding Marshall SS head and a Peavey windsor cabinet for it and feel like I definitely got the better end of the deal.

Yeah - it sounds different from other amps but it works perfectly for me for a blues sound. It doesn't seem to have a lot of bass response but I can correct that with the Boss eq pedal.

It's so loud I only keep in on 1 in the condo. I find I need to push it to 2 to get a fuller sound. Most of the time I use my Fender Ultra-Chorus around the house but the Legend will give me all the power I need if I play in public.

There's a local guy here who has one, I've seen him play a hundred times, excellent amp. Really great tone, and the only effect he uses is an old OD-1 to push his solos a little farther.

I was the original founder and President of Legend Musical Instruments.
At the NAMM show in I believe 1980 Leo Fender told me that he thought we had the best guitar amplifier on the market.
Not being aware at the time of the nature of his arrangement with Music Man, I told him that I thought the Music Man amp was very good.
He told me, "They did it backwards", (with the tube power and solid state output).
He also said "He just rented them space" and had nothing to do with design or production of the Music Man amplifiers.
He proceeded to tell me about why he sold Fender, and that nobody had ever equaled or surpassed to that date the number of guitars and amps he was cranking out in 1965.

Well - thank you for your amp, sir! Since my last post I've learned how to work with this amp a little more and am very pleased with the sound. I haven't gigged with it but it strikes me as an amp that would cut through the mix nicely.

Did you have anything to do with the endorsement from the Outlaws?

Hey Legend, I've got a question for you. I've heard that the gain controls and eq section were designed to kind of work together and that changing one affects how the other responds. Is this true? If so, do you have any tips on how this system works? Also, what exactly does the "bass boost" knob do? I'd also like to say that I used my Super Lead 50 with electric violin through a ton of effects for 5 years in this "alternative" band and it sounded fantastic. Putting an effects loop on the amp was brilliant. I use it all the time for certain effects. Also, you sure built these things bullet proof. A buddy of mine had his tumble end over end down a flight of stairs and out onto the sidewalk at this bar and there was absolutely no damage beyond a few scratches to the cabinet and one preamp tube came partially out of the socket! He used it at the gig that night. Thanks.
-Mr. Natural

My only tube amp (right now) is a Legend Super Lead 50 S/N # 04850. It's completely stock and original until January 2010 when I changed the original tubes! What a powerful amp and great workhorse - this has served me for MANY years. I once sold it when I needed money, but was able to buy it back. Pots are a bit scratchy and dirty, but this amp was the ultimate for lap steel live. LOVE it.

Well - thank you for your amp, sir! Since my last post I've learned how to work with this amp a little more and am very pleased with the sound. I haven't gigged with it but it strikes me as an amp that would cut through the mix nicely.

Did you have anything to do with the endorsement from the Outlaws?
The Outlaw's endorsement was handled by our west coast rep. who had a good working relationship with many bands.
In addition their bass player Rick Cua was an advocate of ours as a friend and Syracuse native.
Don Martell a long time friend of mine and Legend employee was also Rick's musical associate and eventually left our company to work as Billy Jones right hand man.
So I guess thinking about it I don't really know who was directly responsible for the endorsement.

Hey Legend, I've got a question for you. I've heard that the gain controls and eq section were designed to kind of work together and that changing one affects how the other responds. Is this true? If so, do you have any tips on how this system works? Also, what exactly does the "bass boost" knob do? I'd also like to say that I used my Super Lead 50 with electric violin through a ton of effects for 5 years in this "alternative" band and it sounded fantastic. Putting an effects loop on the amp was brilliant. I use it all the time for certain effects. Also, you sure built these things bullet proof. A buddy of mine had his tumble end over end down a flight of stairs and out onto the sidewalk at this bar and there was absolutely no damage beyond a few scratches to the cabinet and one preamp tube came partially out of the socket! He used it at the gig that night. Thanks.
-Mr. Natural
The bass, mid and treble controls were passive. Turning up the treble cut the bass. This is very effective at a high volume making it less muddy with the speaker providing the bass response.
The original design of the Rock N Roll series was designed by a guy who was one of our partners by the name of Bob Brinkman from Chanute, Kansas.
He was and I'm sure still is a real hands on Leo Fender type who had been involved in electronics since the birth of Rock and Roll.
The amps record well and sound great live because they were designed that way with hundreds of hours of listening at all volumes with Fender, Gibson and Rickenbacker guitars. I remember checking out myriad changes in the values of caps etc.
The bass boost on the Super Lead is an attempt to give increased bass for both low volumes, (kind of like a loudness control on a stereo), as well as provide the kind of bottom end I wanted with the reverb.
It is an active circuit that boosts the bass starting at 50 hz. to if I remember correctly about 250 hz. The Super Leads are my favorite Legend amps.

My only tube amp (right now) is a Legend Super Lead 50 S/N # 04850. It's completely stock and original until January 2010 when I changed the original tubes! What a powerful amp and great workhorse - this has served me for MANY years. I once sold it when I needed money, but was able to buy it back. Pots are a bit scratchy and dirty, but this amp was the ultimate for lap steel live. LOVE it.
Thanks for your kind remarks. I'm glad to hear how many amps are still doing well after 30+ years of service.
They were built better than other amps of the period.
The design is not the boutique design of today, but I think we did several things better than most of today's expensive boutique products.

We used aircraft grade Aluminum chassis for maximum strength and heat dissipation. Computer grade electrolytic caps. G10 glass epoxy circuit boards. Solid oak cabinetry. This stuff was very expensive to use back in 1980.

Thanks for the info, Legend. What are you doing these days? Any plans to design or build any new gadgets?
-Mr. N.

Hey Legend.
My neighbor,Big Dave (Big Dave & Tasty Cafe),has your 50w & a 4x12 cab.
Do you know him ?
Do you know Mike Finck ?

JJ

Thanks for the info, Legend. What are you doing these days? Any plans to design or build any new gadgets?
-Mr. N.
These days I'm part of a company that is an Apple Specialist dealer. We sell and service Macs in Upstate NY.
From time to time we've kicked around the idea of doing a new amp, but it would have to have unique
features and not just be another me too product. With the advent of tube amps from China it seems that every one is building a tube amp these days. I also think that there is no justification for the cost of many of today's boutique amps.

Hey Legend.
My neighbor,Big Dave (Big Dave & Tasty Cafe),has your 50w & a 4x12 cab.
Do you know him ?
Do you know Mike Finck ?

JJ
I haven't seen most of my old friends and customers from the Legend days in 25 to 30 years. What is Dave's last name. Mike Finck sounds very familiar.

Hello everybody. I'm new to this site. Let start by saying this, I LOVE Legend Guitar amps!
It's great to find this chat forum to talk to other Legend Amp owners. I currently own a Model A 60 watt. And Years ago I owned a Rock-n-Roll 50 head. Both sound amazing and as we all agree, are incredibly loud. And on that topic, My next search is for a Model A 30 watt. My dream amp? A Legend 8 x 12 with as low a wattage Legend head as I can get. These amps are A Weapon of Mass Destruction. Hard to find for sure. But when you find one, they are worth Any Price.

Welcome, coldshotaxeman. A guy I used to play with had a Rock-n-roll 50. It was a great amp. He bought it after his Fender amp caught fire at a gig from being maxed out all nite. Haha. Never had that happen with his Legend. I don't think he ever turned it up past 3 in the bars we used to play. A few years ago, our downstairs neighbors were evicted, so I had our whole apartment bldg to myself when the wife was out. One night I lugged the Legend down to the basement and cranked it all the way up to 7. Holy Moly was it loud! My neighbor across the street said he could hear it. Great tone starts to happen there, though. You're right, they are few and far between. I've only known 2 other people besides me who owned them.

Hey Legend, how many amps did you guys build anyway, or is that a trade secret?
-Mr. Natural

Dave Schneider,Abraxas,Kentuky Moon.
Bonne Music,Speakerworks,for mike.

JJ

Welcome, coldshotaxeman. A guy I used to play with had a Rock-n-roll 50. It was a great amp. He bought it after his Fender amp caught fire at a gig from being maxed out all nite. Haha. Never had that happen with his Legend. I don't think he ever turned it up past 3 in the bars we used to play. A few years ago, our downstairs neighbors were evicted, so I had our whole apartment bldg to myself when the wife was out. One night I lugged the Legend down to the basement and cranked it all the way up to 7. Holy Moly was it loud! My neighbor across the street said he could hear it. Great tone starts to happen there, though. You're right, they are few and far between. I've only known 2 other people besides me who owned them.

Hey Legend, how many amps did you guys build anyway, or is that a trade secret?
-Mr. Natural
We built a total of about 7000 total pieces including all models. I'll post some pictures of the amps being built in '81 as soon as I scan them.

Well, They named it well. These amps have become a "Legend" to us guitar players. Maybe Mr. Legend could clue us in on how many of each were made. It seems the r/r 50 models would be the most prolific. I personally have never seen a 4x12 cabinet in person. And they only come by on that E-B#y site once in a blue moon. I have put a sampson C-vale tube pre-amp on the input of my model A 60w. And it puts that thing into an unbelievable level of gain. Very Brian May sounding.

I recall one Legend model had an SM-57 mic element built-in with an XLR jack in the back...?

Agree with everyone above - great looking amps, superior design and durable construction. I just saw a RnR 50 combo for sale at my local Sam Ash.

Hi Legend--nice to virtually meet you.

I've got a question for you---I recently acquired an A60 which I was buying to flip but it sounds so damn good, I think I'm going to sell my SF Deluxe Reverb instead. Anyway, all the info online that I've found about this model says it has 2 12AX7 preamp tubes but the one that I have only has one. There is a spot beside the tube that looks like a tube would have gone but instead of a tube socket, there is a round metal cover plugging the hole. It looks stock to me but who knows?

Any idea about why it would be that way? Did some only use one tube? Has somebody been messing with my amp before it was my amp?

I've searched on line for a schematic for my A30 combo with no luck. If anyone knows where one could be found, I'd be much appreciative. It's a great sounding amp, but it's time to replace those scratchy pots.

Hello everybody. I'm new to this site. Let start by saying this, I LOVE Legend Guitar amps!
It's great to find this chat forum to talk to other Legend Amp owners. I currently own a Model A 60 watt. And Years ago I owned a Rock-n-Roll 50 head. Both sound amazing and as we all agree, are incredibly loud. And on that topic, My next search is for a Model A 30 watt. My dream amp? A Legend 8 x 12 with as low a wattage Legend head as I can get. These amps are A Weapon of Mass Destruction. Hard to find for sure. But when you find one, they are worth Any Price.

just found this on ebay:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=320498591497&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

The initial design of the 30 and 60 had one tube, with some tubes and using some guitars I wasn't satisfied with the "thickness" of the tone. I had the chassis drilled for another socket and the design changed to incorporate a second tube. I wasn't aware of any 60s shipping with one tube as they shipped later than the first 30s due to parts availability. I don't think we would have shipped any with an open hole for a tube socket. Maybe it was changed or was a prototype of some sort. The electronic design of the 30 and 60 was done by the guy I initially had talked with about starting Legend, a brilliant engineer by the name of Steve Phillips. It was conceived as an amp that would reach a wider audience than the 50 and 100 due to a much lower price. The board was designed to be the same for both the models and could be populated for either wattage.

I've searched on line for a schematic for my A30 combo with no luck. If anyone knows where one could be found, I'd be much appreciative. It's a great sounding amp, but it's time to replace those scratchy pots.
I probably have a 30 schematic somewhere. I'll post it if I find one.

I recall one Legend model had an SM-57 mic element built-in with an XLR jack in the back...?

Agree with everyone above - great looking amps, superior design and durable construction. I just saw a RnR 50 combo for sale at my local Sam Ash.
The SM-570 miking system was an option I received a patent for. It didn't sell well in the US, but we sold quite a few in Canada. This was probably due to having a great distributor in Canada NuCo. They were the former Gibson of Canada. They were much hipper than Gibson in the US.

Hi Legend--nice to virtually meet you.

I've got a question for you---I recently acquired an A60 which I was buying to flip but it sounds so damn good, I think I'm going to sell my SF Deluxe Reverb instead. Anyway, all the info online that I've found about this model says it has 2 12AX7 preamp tubes but the one that I have only has one. There is a spot beside the tube that looks like a tube would have gone but instead of a tube socket, there is a round metal cover plugging the hole. It looks stock to me but who knows?

Any idea about why it would be that way? Did some only use one tube? Has somebody been messing with my amp before it was my amp?
I posted an answer to your question but forgot to incluse your message in the reply.

I probably have a 30 schematic somewhere. I'll post it if I find one.
Heap thanks legend.

I recall one Legend model had an SM-57 mic element built-in with an XLR jack in the back...?

Agree with everyone above - great looking amps, superior design and durable construction. I just saw a RnR 50 combo for sale at my local Sam Ash.
I just saw your post about a tilt back cabinet back. Legend did that in '83. We had the bottom back and cleats swing out and when unused it was held in place with a magnet latch. We did this on limited edition 30 and 60 watt amps. The cabinets were a choice of Cherry, Walnut, Zebra Wood, Maple, Bubinga and Koa. Each amp had an engraved gold identification plate on the back.

My 30 has the pre-woven cane basket weave grill and tilt back legs. It is the walnut option I believe. It is the nicest looking amp I own. The looks are what drew my eye to it in the first place.

The initial design of the 30 and 60 had one tube, with some tubes and using some guitars I wasn't satisfied with the "thickness" of the tone. I had the chassis drilled for another socket and the design changed to incorporate a second tube. I wasn't aware of any 60s shipping with one tube as they shipped later than the first 30s due to parts availability. I don't think we would have shipped any with an open hole for a tube socket. Maybe it was changed or was a prototype of some sort. The electronic design of the 30 and 60 was done by the guy I initially had talked with about starting Legend, a brilliant engineer by the name of Steve Phillips. It was conceived as an amp that would reach a wider audience than the 50 and 100 due to a much lower price. The board was designed to be the same for both the models and could be populated for either wattage.

Thanks for the info---I'll try posting a pic tomorrow so you can have a look and see what you think

My Model 60A has that tilt back option as well. I thought someone just got creative and modified it that way themselves. But it looked to be so well done and professional that I wasn't sure want to think. I also notice the cabinet finish was unaffected by this "Modification" and that had me really puzzled. So thanks for clearing that mystery up. Once again though, It shows the creative thinking and practicality these amps are famous for. I use that feature all the time it is really nice. I wasn't born with ear drums in my ankles!

Another very nice feature of the Legend chassis is the access hatch on the bottom. I wish more amp designers would do this.

The E-b#y link above didn't work when I tried it. But I was I just on there and as I almost always do... I searched "Legend Guitar Amp" ..... There is a seller on there that has a model A 60 single twelve combo, And TWO mdl A 60 heads ( 1 Cane, 1 Brown), And A straight 4x12 cab in cane, AND A slant 4x12 in brown. And FANTASTIC Buy it now prices!
I don't have $1500, or the extra room, or a death wish when my wife would see all these amps show up. But If I only could.......

Dang! That straight 4X12 looks sweet. Unfortunately, I don't have the money, the space, or a use for it. Pretty cool, though.
-Mr. N.

I'm curious what brand speakers were installed at the factory. Mine has a Carvin in it and I'm pretty sure that isn't stock.

I'm pretty sure they used Celestions.
-Mr. N.

Hi,
I just sniped that straight 4x12. Never heard of 'em til yesterday, saw that listing looking for a tax return toy, did some research, and as soon as I read "finger joint" and saw all y'all drooling over it, I knew it was time to pull the trigger before someone else did!

Edit - WOW. DID NOT realize those original Celestions sold for near $200 each. Thank you previous posters for lighting the fire under me to move on this.

So it had the original Celestions in it??? Nice score. Let us know how it sounds. I bet it weighs a ton.
-Mr. Natural

Yep, original cones. Finger jointed 3/4" solid oak...yowzza...what a box!

That's a nice score mutantcolors. I think that cab would be on of those "keep `til I die" things if I owned it. I'm looking forward to a report on how it sounds too.

I probably have a 30 schematic somewhere. I'll post it if I find one.

Hi!

Have one A30 in for repair....with burned PowerAmp circuit.

Would be very happy for a schematic

Thanks
Hasse
www.tappamps.com
Sweden

My 30 has the pre-woven cane basket weave grill and tilt back legs. It is the walnut option I believe. It is the nicest looking amp I own. The looks are what drew my eye to it in the first place.
Those tilt back leg models are the rarest ones we made as they were only sold off the floor of a NAMM show.
The solid walnut version was beautiful. There probably were a total of between 2 and 6 of these units made.

I'm curious what brand speakers were installed at the factory. Mine has a Carvin in it and I'm pretty sure that isn't stock.
All except 30s and 60s came with Celestion G1280 and in the case of some multiple speaker units G1265.
After a while all were G1280 as there was very little cost differential.
30s had mostly Eminence with some early models having Pyle speakers. 60s had a real nice 100+ oz. magnet OEM speaker. I thought with reverb it was one of the nicest sounding speakers available. We used small amounts of EV and Altec speakers. The Altecs sounded great. Most customers bought even the 30s and 60s with Celestion speakers.

I forgot to type in that the OEM 108 oz. magnet speaker was made by Eminence. The speaker had a 3.5" voice coil, we asked for a cast frame quality speaker with a stamped frame price.

My Legend has always had some pots that were noisy. They would crackle and pop when adjusted. I'd tried using spray cleaner/lube on them which helped with the scratchiness, but they still crackled and popped.
Yesterday evening I pulled the chassis and found some of the solder joints had cracked when someone was trying to re-stab the shafts though the holes in the faceplate. This is a bit of a finesse move and they just cave manned them in.
I removed the access cover on the bottom of the chassis and hit all the pot lugs I could reach with the soldering iron to re-fuse the connections. I put it all back together and the noise when adjusting the pots is gone.
This was not done at the factory, as the aluminum faceplate was also mangled a bit at the ends when the chassis was shoved back into place.

Good job! Now crank that sucker up real loud and rock out just to make sure she's working right.
-Mr. Natural

Yeah I pretty much only buy gear that 1 - I don't plan on selling and 2 - could make me money in the unfortunate event I need to sell it.

Would love to give a sound report, but old buddy didn't ship until this morning.

Funny story...yesterday I was in Western Mass and happened upon a music store so ambled in. Pretty quiet for a Saturday afternoon, but figured hey, its Western Mass. Looking through the guitars, I found a couple of teenagers doing the "GC mini-shredder" bit on two Les Paul clones through a Line 6 and a Fender SS amp. They were polite though, and playing very quietly to my surprise.

My eyes were drawn however to the beautiful wood cabinet and cane grill of a PR-sized Legend sitting on the floor beside them. I had two thoughts...hmmm, she-who-must-be-obeyed might let me keep that in the living room (:lol:) and two, that those kids don't really know what they are sitting beside, do they?

This has been a very interesting discussion. Here is the deal I have a 4 x 12 Legend cab that I am not using. I just like the sound of a Marshall !960 better. It is a little worn from years of bar travel but still sounds great. So...am I better off selling the celestions or selling the cab? I will probably list on Craigs list in KC.

Pomytailsgone, I guess it depends. Those Celestions could bring big bux sold individually and you'd have an empty cab to fill with the speakers of your choice. On the other hand, someone looking specifically for Legend stuff would also pay big bux for the whole shebang, but you'd probably have to reach a wider audience like ebay to find somebody looking for something that specific. Your call.
-Mr. Natural

Mr. Legend - Thanks again for your time and information here. I, like many Legend owners, have enjoyed your amps for years and it's nice to have a chance to get the real story on Legend.

We actually traded voice mails a few years ago while I was trying to track down schematics on the Model A 30 combo amps. I also spoke at that time with Mike Finck, who is an amp tech at Clark Music in Syracuse. He had a few friends at Legend, and is one of the few amp techs in the US that actually understands these amps. Coincidentally I also have a neighbor here NJ that grew up in Syracuse, played the area, and knew Rick Cua as well.

My first real amp that I bought in 1983 was a Legend Model A 30 series I (Cane,Celestion) from a local music shop. I could swear that the other speaker option at the time was a Jensen. I remember jamming with friends and blowing away a guy that had just bought a Roland Bolt 60 (SS pre, Tube pwr). I later joined a HM band where the lead guitarist was a fan of SS and Electronic edgy sounds. It just didn't mesh and I traded the Legend for a Rockman and an Arp Axxe Synth. (and shortly thereafter I knew someday I would buy another).

Fortunately my friend had also bought a Model A (Brown, Celestion) at the same time as me. When he hung up his guitar paying in the late 90s I took ownership of his amp. While trying to power soak the amp with a Holdsworth Juice Extractor, something went wrong and I either fried the mosfets or the transformer, both of which are hard to find. (and again knew I would someday buy another Legend amp)

I currently own 2 Model A 30s - (1) Series I (brown,celestion), and (1) series II (Cane, Legend) with the MK570 option. The Legend speaker was damaged when I got it and I have been trying different speakers in it- but I honestly like the Celestion CH1280 speaker the best.

I also own 2 Model A heads - (1) Series I (my friends) and (1) series II that was already scavenged for parts before I got it and serves as a spare. While the circuit board layout is different between the Series I & II, I cannot tell the difference in actual function short of the fact that the Series II added a vol control for the send and receive jacks.

I would greatly appreciate the opportunity to get the schematics and owners manual for both the series I & II if possible.

Lastly, could you confirm the correct function/circuit position of the controls - e.g. 1st stage tube drive, volume and 2 stage tube drive? From what I saw on the older R&R designs, it looks like channel A/B each have a 1 stage drive preamp, the 2nd stage drive handles the tone stack, and then the volume sits after the tone but before the presence circuit. This would mean that similar to the older R&R amps, the amp needs to be cranked to get full tone. In the later R&R amps a true Master volume was added (after all the pre/tone circuits and just before the SS pwr amp input). Is this why these combos sound so great at ear bleeding volumes?

(I did try to pseudo-soak the pwr amp by using a 16 Ohm speaker, but it just sounded muddy instead).

Again Much Appreciated!

I came across this sight as I am on the hunt for a Legend amp. The music store I took lessons at had them in Syracuse IN. I never will forget hearing one for the first time. I never had the money then. I later bought a mesa mark 1. I then saw a store in Lexington KY that had 2 or 3 used about 5 years ago. Didn't buy one like a dummy. Cool to see the following here on this sight. I am selling some other gear to make way for the amp I always wanted as a kid. I will keep you posted when I get one.

Cheers!

Welcome, coolluke. Keep an eye on ebay. They show up there once in a while. Syracuse, IN? what a coincidence, Legends wre made in Syracuse, NY.
-Mr. N.

Mr. Legend, thank you so much for finding the forum and posting. A few months ago, after my Girlfriend bought herself a Strat (after playing my guitars for a few months prior) we decided it was time to go shopping for a nice tube combo....long story short, we came across an A30 legend hybrid w/celestion G12-35 in it...the moment I plugged a guitar into that amp, I fell in love...what tone...and range...it also came with the original foot switch. All my guitars, regardless of pick up combination and type, sound simply AMAZING through this amp...and the oak cabinet...made like the best piece furniture money can buy...We got it for less than 300.00 in MINT condition. (I may go back and get the other one the guy still has.)

Are there any schematics or manuals in existence for this Amp. I would love to have a set.

I'm thinking about playing around with the 12AX7 pre-amp tubes to see what kind of other tones I can find. I have some Mullards and Svetlanas I'd like to swap.

Thank you.

Welcome, SulliD. Pictures? Let us know how those tube swaps sound. I've been kinda curious to try that myself.
-Mr. N.

I'm thinking about playing around with the 12AX7 pre-amp tubes to see what kind of other tones I can find. I have some Mullards and Svetlanas I'd like to swap.


SulliD, if those are British Mullard 12AX7's, I'd like to do some swapping myself. :mrgreen:

Welcome, SulliD. Pictures? Let us know how those tube swaps sound. I've been kinda curious to try that myself.
-Mr. N.

Thank you Mr. Natural. Here's a pic of my A 30 (hopefully it loads properly). As you can see, it has the original footswitch with it also.

Once I get my other head back, I can get this one on the bench for the tube swap and test. The guy I got it from had two of them (he used them in stereo with his stereo Gibson ES series) I may go back and get the other. I know I can get if for a song...!!

http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t14/2Doos/Guitar%20Gear/Legend.jpg

SulliD, if those are British Mullard 12AX7's, I'd like to do some swapping myself. :mrgreen:

They are the British ECC83's (12ax7). However, they are not the British ECC83/M8137 Mullard BOX ANODE which is the military spec. one. Kinda hard to find those.

Sulli

Wow, SulliD, that is one slick looking amp.
-Mr. N.

Wow, SulliD, that is one slick looking amp.
-Mr. N.

Thank you Mr. N...It's due for an oiling.

They are absolutely stunning with the natural cane grille and the oak...and they sound as beautiful as they look..amazing amps they produced back in the 80's..probably the most under-rated and over looked amp in the industry in my opinion.

SulliD, as part of my normal maintenance routine, I pull the pot knobs and tighten the mounting nuts. I was doing this on my Legend and ruined a pot by pulling too hard on the knob. The Legend has mini-pots and these pots will not survive having the shaft pulled on too hard. This was the effects send pot which is a long "D" shaft mini. I had no luck trying to find the correct replacement, so I had to go with a standard size. I just thought I would share this in case any other Legend owner decided to pull the knobs. They've been on there a long time and some are stuck pretty good.

SulliD, as part of my normal maintenance routine, I pull the pot knobs and tighten the mounting nuts. I was doing this on my Legend and ruined a pot by pulling too hard on the knob. The Legend has mini-pots and these pots will not survive having the shaft pulled on too hard. This was the effects send pot which is a long "D" shaft mini. I had no luck trying to find the correct replacement, so I had to go with a standard size. I just thought I would share this in case any other Legend owner decided to pull the knobs. They've been on there a long time and some are stuck pretty good.

Thank you for sharing that Tim. I'll make sure to keep that in mind. Any information is good information.

greetings from bc canada...what a great forum...i recently purchased a rocknroll 100 in a guitar store in vancouver bc...although information for the rnr50 is available..little seems to be available for the rnr100...there was a manual for the 50 in the back of the amp and i wonder if one can be had anywhere for the 100?...there was no foot pedal with the amp but a buddy of mine gerry rigged one utilizing an altoids peppermint tin..lol..i'm a half assed blues player and i use my 50's supro dualtone and my 85 gibson spirit xpl with tim ross pickups through it and both sound amazing...any info on this little beauty would be much appreciated...cheers jim

Welcome, Pepperoni. I've seen a few RnR 50's but wasn't aware that they made a 100 watt version. Cool! As far as the manual, I think the RnR 50 was sort of the manual you got, as my Super Lead 50 came with the same manual with an update sheet about changes from the RnR 50 to the Super Lead Series (see my photo gallery: Billy Jones of the Outlaws can't be wrong). Anyway, enjoy your Legend and crank that sucker up and rawk out, my friend.
-Mr. N.

I have a 1980 Legend Rock & Roll 50. I've had it since the mid '80's. I love this amp! This replaced a Fender Super 6 and absolutely blows it away!The color gain pot is now broken. I can't seem to find this pot in any online catalog or even get one locally at the electronic supply stores. "Legend" can you tell me if the pot is a linear or audio taper 1Meg ? Its marked "B-1M" I figure if it is audio taper I can use a guitar 1Meg pot mounted to the face plate and wired into the board.

56771

Hi all,
Just purchased a Rock & Roll 50 on EBay and can't wait to receive it. Quick question: The amp doesn't have a footswitch with it. Can I use an A/B switch ? Suggestions ?

Will, I just checked on my 30 and the footswitch uses a mono 1/4" phone plug. It is a simple on/off switch that switches channels.

Will, I just checked on my 30 and the footswitch uses a mono 1/4" phone plug. It is a simple on/off switch that switches channels.

This. I use an old Vox Valve Tone overdrive footswitch.

I have enjoyed reading your history of Legend. I just bought an A60 series II which I haven't seen yet but my girlfriend's son who is an EE is working on it to find a loud hum. Could you direct me to someone who might have a schematic of this amp? By the way, I think you were on to something. I had a MusicMan that went super Nova as they were want to do and I didn't like the tone. But I have used cheap Kustoms that had a tube in the front end and they are pretty good for the price so I am anxious to get your product up and running and try out this cutting tone that everyone brags about.

Welcome, cisco. As far as a schematic, there aren't many out there. I loaned mine to a guy who had the same amp and never got it back. :( I saw a website a few years ago that purported to have Legend schematics....for a steep price! I dunno, search around on the interwebs, maybe something will come up. Enjoy your new amp and do check back and post your impressions of it. I'd be interested to hear what someone who's never played through one before thinks. They're not the easiest thing to get a good sound out of at low volumes. They're made to be cranked really loud.
-Mr. N.

Saw one of these in a music store not far from me, it has been on the floor in there since new, never owned.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Vintage-Legend-A60-Amp-Head-Beautiful-Oak-Cabinet-/300490105549?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item45f69b22cd

He at one time had the bottom cab and a combo.

Hello all, this is my first time posting. I hope I am doing this correctly.
I am asking for help with a Legend amp I recently bought. It is a Legend Model A30 Series II with cane grill and a Celestion V12 Vintage 30 Ipswich Suffolk, Eng. speaker in it for $125.00. The speaker looks fairly new and this is a really loud amp! I read that the celestion needs to be broken-in before it will sound good though.
The serial number on the amp is #06596. The amp was very dirty, so I completely dissassembled it and totally refinished the cabinet and cleaned all the inside components. It looks new inside and out and has an oak finish on it the exact same color as the cane grill. The reverb knob has a little scratch in the pot, but that's it. I would like to include pics, but not sure how to do that. Can anyone tell me if this is a "keeper"? What it may be worth as far as resale value?
I am on the fence as whether to keep it or sell it. I think I got a pretty good deal on the purchase, but cannot find any info on the value of the amp. Any info would be greatly appreciated!
Cbrown034
St. Louis, MO.

cbrown034, thats a good deal you got on the Legend. While you had the chassis out, it would have been a good time to give all the pots a squirt of lubricating tuner cleaner. That probably would have gotten rid of the scratchy pot. I have an amp just like yours. Yes, it's a keeper. Play it for a bit and I'm sure you will agree. On Ebay I've seen them selling for $400-$500.
Edited to ask: What kind of tubes are in it?

It has a 5751 and one 12ax7 for tubes, and the year on the chassis says 1983.
Any idea if that tube combo matches with the year?
Do you think this is an original tube combination? I don't know much about tube mods yet.
Also were you looking for a schematic? I might have one, I think. Not totally for sure on that.
Thanks for your advise!!

cbrown, I just went in and looked, thinking my amp was marked for what tubes it takes. It wasn't. If it ever had a chart, it's gone now. I've always run 12AX7's in both sockets.
I may give a 5751 a try to see how it sounds. It's less powerful than a 12AX7.
What brand are your two tubes?
I'd very much like a schematic. Is there any way you could post it here if you have one? Or a link? There are several posters here that would like to have one.

I will see if I have a schematic, and if so I will be glad to post it here.
I will check on the tube brand as well and let you know.

I found the schematics. They are scanned and I am afraid not very good quality.
I took four pictures of them which I am happy to pass along, but I'm not sure if they will be very much help because of the original scan quality. If anyone wants them, let me know the best way to send them. One pic is pretty easy to make out though. Hopefully, they may help someone. Wish I could be more help.

I did find two sites that it seems you can get them from.
Ampcrazy.com and hifiengine.com both sell the schematic for about $20.00, I think.
Hey, if 5 guys need one, that's $4.00 each...just thought I'd pass it on.

cbrown, would you be able to post them here from your documents? Does it say on the schematics which are the correct tubes?

I have 2 schematics, One is a power amp, and the other is a pre amp.
I don't read schematics so I don't have a clue. They are really blurred scans, almost letter paper size though, and I can just about make things out using a magnifying glass! lol! I took hi-res pics, but I don't know how to post them here. If you can explain how, I will post them tomorrow. Maybe you can get some information from them. Off to work now..

Wow, I can't beleive I found a site that even knows what a Legend it. And to have the founder frequent it is icing.

I've had a Model A60 since the mid 80's. I've been a semi pro musician ever since and have only had the amp worked on once in that entire time. BUT, the guy who worked on it really screwed it up and now I only use the Effects Loop and run a POD XT Live through it. It's still the best sounding most reliable amp even in that configuration.

So a few years ago I went on a quest and bought a Rock -n- Roll 50 and then another one. The first was nearly perfect and came with the original footswitch. All have the cane front. The second RR50 was in less than perfect shape and I ended up refinishing it with a darker stain. I'll likely refinish it again back to the original honey color.

I'm always on the lookout for another A60 or an A30 so if we're bidding on the same one beware ;>)

Glad I landed here!

With the advent of tube amps from China it seems that every one is building a tube amp these days. I also think that there is no justification for the cost of many of today's boutique amps.

I just saw this. Sorry to be late to the party. First let me say kudos for a great amp. Second, I couldn't agree more about the cost of some of these amplifiers. It's not like tubes are a new technology. Most of these builders are taking existing designs (some 60-70 years old) and adding a channel, or reverb, giving it a nice looking cabinet, and selling it for a price that is obviously designed to help them retire early. Maybe that's the way for you to go. Design an amp that is as high quality as can be, but affordable. It will become the new standard.

I've read that Billy Gibbons had a thing for Legend amps back in the day.

Perhaps even did some recording with one. Any truth to that?

Legend: I was living in upstate NY back between 94-98 and I traded off an A30 (?) to a music store in Fayetteville, NY, along with a chopped down original Vibroverb (hot rodded by Speedy Eddy Fortrell, Detroit) upp'd to 125 w. w/ master pull volume, and a couple of custom cabs (Fender-esque). That store owner was delighted to see the Legend (and the Vibroverb) because he had worked on them when they were made. I wish I'd never gotten rid of either of the amps. I am pining for the fjords of real tube amps now. I did see a similar Legend here in Smashville a couple of months ago; may have to go back and re-check it out.

Did you ever make a low watt amp - pure tubes?

What do you think of the old Traynor amps?

Thanks for your contribution to the world of rock and roll. You made very quality gear; pretty to look at and a real treasure to own.

I've read that Billy Gibbons had a thing for Legend amps back in the day.

Perhaps even did some recording with one. Any truth to that?

At one time I had an advertising sheet that indeed said Billy used Legend amps and If I remember correctly it was during the Eliminator era recordings.
Unfortunately, I left it on the seat in my car with the sunroof open during a heavy rain and it was destroyed.

I got it from a local music store (his only copy). And man he was PO'd. I had borrowed it to make a few copies with the intentions of returning it the next day.

Well, I have been putting off replacing pots in my Legend A30 Combo, but most of the volume and gain pots at 1,2, and 3 and trashed, nothing but snap, crackle, pop and I can't leave it on 10 all the time . . . or can I?

I dimed the volumes and ran a jumper cable across the effects loop. I have a Series II so I have a send and receive volume on the loop. It works.

I did see the post though that resoldering the pot lugs may help. I'll try that before pulling the whole thing apart. For now the effects loop is the ticket. They really did put a lot of nice features on that amp.

Thanks.
TeleGS

Cisco49. I had a loud hum when I used any reverb, also moved the reverb wires away from the speaker. I cleaned up the contacts on the reverb tank and wrapped the whole tank in foil and now it is quiet. Be careful not to short out the tank contacts.

I have enjoyed reading your history of Legend. I just bought an A60 series II which I haven't seen yet but my girlfriend's son who is an EE is working on it to find a loud hum. Could you direct me to someone who might have a schematic of this amp? By the way, I think you were on to something. I had a MusicMan that went super Nova as they were want to do and I didn't like the tone. But I have used cheap Kustoms that had a tube in the front end and they are pretty good for the price so I am anxious to get your product up and running and try out this cutting tone that everyone brags about.

I realize I'm a little late for the Legend party but just came across this discussion and had to chime in. I grew up in Syracuse, NY and purchased a Legend Super Lead 50 head in 1981 (I think). It sounded great and got a lot of studio and stage use in the 80's. Over the years I've played thru Marshalls, Fenders, a Mesa and Engl amps but recently decided to blow the dust off the Legend. WOW! I'm just amazed how good this amp sounds. I cleaned the pots and changed the tubes and it only got better. It does clean, dirty or powerful growl without effort and I can get my tone at any volume, any time. Unfortunately, it started to hum even without an input cable and the hum gets louder as I turn up the preamp, color gain or master volume. I traced the problem to leaky electrolytic caps. No surprise given that they are over 30 years old. The OEM caps are Rubycon and I'm talking with them now to get replacements. The bottom line is this Legend amp is one of the best amps I've played through. It's going back into my main rig once I get the hum sorted out.
To the founder of Legend Musical Instruments, Thank You!

Hello. I have been looking around and found your site along with a couple others. I bought a Amp today at a thrift store and it is a Legend Model A30 and it is a beautiful amp,it came with a single button foot pedal,a Shure Prologue 12 H mic and a Atlas mic stand.I dont play guitar but have a hard time walking away from things that are rare.And it is in very clean looking condition and my other half rolled her eyes as I came out to the car carrying it.

It has a Legend G1260 speaker and a red pouch across the botton that contains something but I have no idea what with a wire running out of it that attaches to the squarish box marked EP-2488.

The amp has a cain front and really nice Oak wood and is Made in the USA and I would appreciate any info about it that might be offered,because I dont know much other than what I have read tonight.I will take and post pics in daylight of the amp and the mystery red pouch ?

Thanks

Let's see a picture of the mysterious red pouch. All I know is that the bottom of my Super Lead contains the reverb tank. Could it be the reverb?
-Mr. N.

I dont know what it is ?

It's about the same size and location as the reverb in my Legend. Does your amp have reverb? Maybe something happened to the metal casing and some rocket surgeon replaced it with the red bag?
-Mr. N.

I have the exact same amp, and it also has the reverb unit enclosed in a black bag just like that red one. paid 125.00 for mine.

I really hate to drag up a really old thread, but I recently acquired a Legend Super Lead 50 and 4x12 cab, and I have some questions.

First, anyone know where I can get a schematic and/or users manual?

Second, whats the best place online to get tubes for this behemoth?

Third, there's a 1/4" jack on the back of the amp labeled "power input." What in the world does this do?

And last but not least, how would I go about finding the manufacture date?

This might be a good start:
Legend Amps (http://legendamps.tripod.com/)

Dr. Zaius, would an ape make a human doll THAT CAN TALK???!!!

Just kidding. Welcome. The "Power input" jack on the rear is basically an effects loop return. There should be a preamp out jack with a level control that acts as the effects send for the loop. You can patch effects between the preamp and power amp and get some cool sounds with this setup or, supposedly, just stick a patch cord between the send and return to create an extra gain stage controlled by the send level to get more Legendary goodness from your amp. Enjoy!
-Mr. Natural

Thanks for the response, fellas. :mrgreen:

Hi Everyone, I have a nice Legend Model A60 Amp from 1983 that is in nice Oak Cabinet that has just been sitting for a long time. Does anyone know what this is worth now. I was thinking of selling this Thanks for your Response?

I'd check ebay and see if any Legends come up. I'd imagine you could get around $250-$300 or so because there isn't really much demand for them. Nobody knows what they are, for the most part, except for people who own them. Good luck.
-Mr. N.

Joined just to say I own a R&R 50. I got it about 1990 for $125. Mine is the amp in the photo on the Jedistar page.

In the mid 90's a friends band blew up a Marshall, so I drove 40 and grabbed my amp. They were a 2 guitar band, both LP in to Marshall stacks. The Legend sure made the M sound weak, both on stage and threw the board. Turned down a great offer on the amp and was asked later for them to use to record their 2nd album. Last time I saw him about 5 years ago, he still wanted to buy it.

Does anybody know what these sold for new?

David

I have been reading the board for a while, off and on- it always turns up in my searches! But did not join because I have this lust for a tele that I am trying to ignore.

I have a Legend 30 watt guitar amplifier and need a schematic for it. Do you have a schematic for this amp or know anybody that does. I love the amp but loaned it out one day and a friend blew up the speaker and the amp. Truly Ben
I was the original founder and President of Legend Musical Instruments.
At the NAMM show in I believe 1980 Leo Fender told me that he thought we had the best guitar amplifier on the market.
Not being aware at the time of the nature of his arrangement with Music Man, I told him that I thought the Music Man amp was very good.
He told me, "They did it backwards", (with the tube power and solid state output).
He also said "He just rented them space" and had nothing to do with design or production of the Music Man amplifiers.
He proceeded to tell me about why he sold Fender, and that nobody had ever equaled or surpassed to that date the number of guitars and amps he was cranking out in 1965.

I used to have a Rock'n Roll 50, but I felt it sounded kind of flat and not ballsy enough. I sold it and haven't regretted it too much. They do look cool though... kind of miss that.

Does any one have a Legend 30 Watt. I am looking for either a schematic or a picture or the componenet side of the circuit board. I've already seen the one youtube but it does show enough detail. If anyone can help me out I that would be great. My email is brc54@sbcglobal.net

Does any one have a Legend 30 Watt. I am looking for either a schematic or a picture or the componenet side of the circuit board. I've already seen the one youtube but it does show enough detail. If anyone can help me out I that would be great. My email is brc54@sbcglobal.net
You could try being in touch with user name "Legend". Check out the post from March 1, 2010 on page 1 of this thread. He might be able to give you some info.

I have nothing substantial to contribute. But, this thread brings back fond memories of being 13 and staring at Guitar Player magazine like it was girly mag. The Legends and the Dean Markley's were my favorite blonds. I had no idea what they sounded like. But, like most things in magazines at that age, I really wanted them to be in my bedroom.

I have nothing substantial to contribute. But, this thread brings back fond memories of being 13 and staring at Guitar Player magazine like it was girly mag. The Legends and the Dean Markley's were my favorite blonds. I had no idea what they sounded like. But, like most things in magazines at that age, I really wanted them to be in my bedroom.

Not sure how to post, so I did it with the QUOTE Tab

Just picked up a Super Lead 50. Nice condition, but turns on then blows the fuse, immediately. Where would the simply place I could start to find out the problem? Im a studio owner, not much about amps. HELP. Thanks Raj @RocDaHouse Studios

Not sure how to post, so I did it with the QUOTE Tab

Just picked up a Super Lead 50. Nice condition, but turns on then blows the fuse, immediately. Where would the simply place I could start to find out the problem? Im a studio owner, not much about amps. HELP. Thanks Raj @RocDaHouse Studios

Sounds like some kind of short. If you don't know what you're doing, poking around inside an amp can have very serious consequences. I'd say take it to a professional amp tech. Ask around and find a good one. The only problem might be that Legends are so rare that not many know how to work on them and schematics are hard to come by. Good luck, man.
-Mr. N.

It's good to be a part of such a great forum. I'm amazed at the wealth of knowlege here, and the willingness to share it.

So here's my situation.

I own an R&R 50 that I bought new in '79. It's never rested any more than a couple of months at a time in its whole life.
A little TLC over the years and she's been great. Occasional tube change, keep the sockets clean, etc.
I've also replaced input jacks, and cleaned the pots a few times, and replaced the celestion about 10 yrs ago with an eminence.
Anyway,long story short, it has developed a hum when running clean. It goes away when the foot switch is engaged, so it leads me to believe that I need to look at a cap job at least on the clean circuit.
Am I barking up the right tree?

Will I run in to any surprises when trying to source replacements, ie, hard to find custom components?

Also, being tube pre-amp, solid state amp, is there still the shock hazard here?

Thanks guys!

Chilldude, Maybe it's the footswitch. Mine went bad about 7 or 8 years ago and it was really cheap to fix. Does the amp buzz when the footswitch is unplugged? If you've got channel switching, you can test the clean channel by unplugging the footswitch and test the distorted channel by plugging in a 1/4">1/8" headphone adaptor into the switch jack. Other than that, I'd assume that the parts are all replaceable with parts of similar spec, although I heard that the transformers were from old Soviet nuclear missiles (just kidding). Finding a schematic can be a nightmare, though. I had one, but I loaned it to another Legend owner 20 years ago. I've still got his number, I'll give him a call and see if he can send it. I'll try to scan it and put it online once-and-for-all. Good luck.
-Mr. N.

I'll have to see if still buzzes with the footswitch unplugged.
Playing an open mic tonight, so i'll give that a try.
Schematic would be great.
Thanks for the suggestion, Mr. Natural!

Hi Chilldude, I also own a R&R 50 that also does hum a little bit on the clean channel (whereas the crunch channel is dead silent). I blamed it on either an old cap or perhaps possible mods it went through before I got it years ago. I think I have schematics for this amp as well as a copy of the owner manual. I'll check this out by the next couple of days. Are you sure you can use your clean channel without the footswitch? Mine automatically switches to the crunch channel when no switch is connected...

I picked up a the 100W version of this amps a few days ago from a fellow here in Cagary. It wasn't working when I bought it for $275 CDN, but it was in mint condition and had the original cover with the Legend logo on it and an original knob tag under the reverb tank.

I replaced a couple of burnt 820 ohm resistors on the preamp board and it came back to life - mostly. I's not putting out 100% of its rated power, but already I am falling in love with this thing. I'm keaning towards country and western swing music in my old age, and the clean tones I get with this thing plugged into my 67 Tele or my 90 Strat (both equipped with Sheptone pups - if you haven't tried these in your axe of choise, get your order in NOW, cause they are the most amazing string vibration detectors I have ever tried; and I've tried plenty!), the shimmering sweetness this beauty emits have left me stuck in the studio for days with barely time for pee breaks or food. Heaven. I have found my amp....

Anyhoo, I have searched the net and for perhaps one of the first times have come up almost empty handed. I sure would like to get my hands on a decent set of schematics or any other build documentation. I see there are a couple of places selling them, but I hate to spring for them and not know what 'm gonna get. If anyone has advice here on where to score some, or who might wanna sell me theirs, I would be, as always, grateful to the TDPRI members.

I have mine on the bench right now, so if I can help anyone wth pictures, part numbers, or anything else they might be interested in, I am more than happy to oblige.

Hi Cheeseman, it looks like the owner manual and the schematics I have come from this site: http://legendamps.tripod.com
It's about the 50W but i assume you should be able to start with it as the 100W should be close. The owner manual will help understand how the pots work together and how you setup the amp (though I assime you already figured out by reading your comments on your beast).
Cheers,
Fred

PS: By the way, my 50W is #02311, if anyone can help find out its birthday...

Bonjour Fred.

Thanks for the reply. I found those schematics, but the tone stack circuit was essentially illegible, so i bucked up and bought seper lead 100 schematics and they are better. As far as i can tell so far the problem with my amp is in the bass boost circuit board that lives tight up against the thr front psnel. When i remove the tube related to that board there is no change. I'll get in there with my scope and see what i can find, but as it syands now, apart from revrb, the amp already sounds heavenly! I just crank everyting to eleven and control from my guitar and smile a lot...

I am more than happy to share my schematics if anyone is interested...

PS. Where in France do you live? I have spent a great deal of time in Toulouse and Bordeaux...?

Hi Joe,

My 50W version doesn't have a reverb onboard but I can't say I miss one when I play it as I'm very happy with the sound too. The schematics from the link I provided are indeed a bit "fuzzy". I'd be interested by yours if you can share them.
I live near Paris. I have spent a couple of years in the US where I travelled a lot (including Canada) for my work but unfortunately never went to Calgary (I only visited Quebec and Ontario).

Fred

i played in the band 1910 fruitgum company, and all three of us used the super fifty , but we replaced the speakers with a guitar jbl and it gave a little more mid to it and yes we cranked in our live shows and these fit the bill . i still play and use a super 100 now with the sm57 attatched in the back, i also had the 30 sold it down the road and whis i had one now. i'm 63 and lugging the super to gigs isnot an easy task anymore. gret amp ahead of it's time. i'm still looking for another one anybody know of any for sale

http://sandiego.craigslist.org/esd/msg/2756816817.html

way too loud for my place :(

Great conversation going here ! Glad I found this site !
Newbie here from Central NY that caught the "Legend" bug shortly after seeing them pop up in local music shops back in the late 70's/early 80's.
I wish I still had all of the Legend Amps I've had in my possesion over the years but we all do things that we regret once in a while. I still have a good sized chunk of the collection though and I'm still searching for those odd and rare pieces and/or parts and non working chassis, cabinets, brochures etc.
To date, I own 39 working Legend Amps and about a dozen that are in various states of repair/restoration.
Just reading through this thread and seeing that there are some true Legend loyalists out there made my day !
Thanks for the memories !:wink:
I'll post some pictures soon. Lost a ton of great shots when my computer went belly up a while back but I have a few to post.

Great site guys !:wink:
http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o161/TONY-ON-ICE/PICS-HOME609.jpg
http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o161/TONY-ON-ICE/PICS-HOME690.jpg

Awesome, CNY. Which one's your favorite?
-Mr. N.

i played in the band 1910 fruitgum company, and all three of us used the super fifty , but we replaced the speakers with a guitar jbl and it gave a little more mid to it and yes we cranked in our live shows and these fit the bill . i still play and use a super 100 now with the sm57 attatched in the back, i also had the 30 sold it down the road and whis i had one now. i'm 63 and lugging the super to gigs isnot an easy task anymore. gret amp ahead of it's time. i'm still looking for another one anybody know of any for sale


Welcome! Got any band pics showing the amps?

Awesome, CNY. Which one's your favorite?
-Mr. N.I love them all but I'd have to say the A-60 1x12 cane grilled combo's are my favorites ! They can take you anywhere you want to go !:grin::cool:

Welcome! Got any band pics showing the amps?
Unfortunately, no :sad: The few that I had were lost when my house burned up in 96. I could however, drag a few to a gig and load up the stage for some great "in action" pictures ! My buddies never complain when I bring the Legends out for them to use !:grin:
I might be interested in letting loose one of my A-30 combo's in the near future ! I like the trade/barter system :wink:

Hi all, first posting here. Glad to find some Legend folks. I LOVE these amps. Sustain to die for.
I had a R&R 50 a few years back and liked it but did not have reverb and only had the one channel. Needed cash so I sold it. A bit later found a A30 on Craigslist and $250 later had a brown front with footswitch and original cover. What a great amp. Can't say enough about it. ATTN CY FretJunkyI am looking for a second A30. Anybody who ever trys my amp out loves it...or somebody comes on stage after and asks about it. Cool feeling. I also need schematic for the A30. When I am on stage I will get a random "static / buzz" sound through the system...?

Thread resurrection ahoy! Just wondering if anybody's made any progress in finding an Model A 30 schematic? Also, what is the difference between A30 series 1, 2, and 3? Thanks a bunch ahead of time

In the interest of keeping this thread alive, I thought I'd let you all know what I'm planning to do with my Legend Rock 'n' Roll 50.
As I mentioned before somewhere in this thread, I'm getting a fair amount of 60hz buzz when running clean.

So, I decided I'm gonna bite the bullet and do a full cap job. I'll most likely check out all the diodes too, to make sure they're all functioning properly.

I've come to this decision because I've not been able to find a new amp that I can afford that will give me the same sound/vibe/feel. It'll be a good learning experience, and ought to save me a ton of $$.

It's gonna take me a bit of time, but I figure what have I got to lose. I've been using this amp regularly since I bought it new in '79. I've definitely gotten my money's worth, and it deserves to live well for another few decades.

I'll post pics etc., in the amp central area of the forum once I get going.
Lucky for me, the other guitarist in my band has a nice Musicman I can use in the interim if needed.

Wish me luck, boys, I'll need it!

Bonjour Fred.

Thanks for the reply. I found those schematics, but the tone stack circuit was essentially illegible, so i bucked up and bought seper lead 100 schematics and they are better. As far as i can tell so far the problem with my amp is in the bass boost circuit board that lives tight up against the thr front psnel. When i remove the tube related to that board there is no change. I'll get in there with my scope and see what i can find, but as it syands now, apart from revrb, the amp already sounds heavenly! I just crank everyting to eleven and control from my guitar and smile a lot...

I am more than happy to share my schematics if anyone is interested...

PS. Where in France do you live? I have spent a great deal of time in Toulouse and Bordeaux...?

Hi Cheeseman,

I would really appreciate getting those schematics somehow. Thinking about building a preamp only version. Please mail me at dhowse@sympatico.ca

Thanks,

Darrin
Pickering, Ontario

Hi, friends! I want to appeal to anyone who has a 412 cabinet from legends.I live in Russia, recently purchased 100 AMp. now it want to make the Cabinet itself. I need the dimensions and pictures. Many thanks in advance!

Hey! I'm so glad I found this thread! My granddad just picked up one of these babies (A30) for $45.

It was covered in dust/dirt and the pots were so scratchy. We cleaned all of that stuff and man it sounds amazing. It's a bit muddy but my granddad dug up this Jordan Distortion that he's had for no telling how long and it sweetens up that amp SO much. I'll post some sound demos sometime!

http://distilleryimage11.s3.amazonaws.com/979859f8373011e2b9ed22000a1f8cd8_7.jpg

Hello Mr. Natural,
I have a beautiful Super Lead 100 that is an amazing piece of sound technology. I could only be happier if all the knobs matched. 5 of the gold centers are missing, and I just can't live with that. Can you help me with this problem in any way? I would be so grateful.

I didn't mean to cut anybody else out of that appeal for help with my amp knobs. I'll welcome suggestions or help from anybody. I had another question for a knowledgeable one; I saw mention of a leather bag that the reverb went in. My reverb is mounted to the bottom of the cabinet. Is that bag for some strange application? Would a Super Lead 100 even have one? Now I'm curious.
Thank you for any help you can offer.
JB

Greetings, Trigger. I lost the gold insert on the master volume knob of my Legend. So I went to a craft/hobby shop and bought a couple of sheets of this gold reflective material. I cut a small circle out and glued it in there. Not an exact match but no one ever seems to notice. As far as the reverb goes, the springs on mine are in a metal box in the bottom of the cab. The bag some have mentioned might be a later addition?
-Mr. Natural

Hi Legend owners!
What would be a fair price for a 1978 R&R 50 with the original Celestion Rola 1265 speakers? I am looking at acquiring one.
Thanks in advance.

Rebel, I bought my Super Lead 50 for around $350 I think. That was back in 1989 or so. My buddy picked up a RnR 50 around the same time for around the same price. Legends aren't highly collectable or even well known so I'd be surprised if the price has gone up all that much since then. I'd say don't pay more than $400 for one and that would be for one in great condition. I've seen 'em go for a lot less, though.
-Mr. N.

Very cool to have you participating here "mr legend!" I'm not familiar with your amps, but this is a way cool discussion!

Rebel, I bought my Super Lead 50 for around $350 I think. That was back in 1989 or so. My buddy picked up a RnR 50 around the same time for around the same price. Legends aren't highly collectable or even well known so I'd be surprised if the price has gone up all that much since then. I'd say don't pay more than $400 for one and that would be for one in great condition. I've seen 'em go for a lot less, though.
-Mr. N.

Thanks Mr. N.
I'll let you know if I make a deal! I do remember these back in the day and forgot all about them until I came across one listed for sale and then did a search here to see if there was any love for the Legend amp.
How are the cleans? I would imagine the Celestions should sound very nice and warm at break up, but will it give you Fender-type cleans?
Thanks
Reb

Rebel, I can't get cleans like a Fender amp out of the Legend. Even keeping the gain low, it still has a little breakup. I can plug into the low input and crank the master vol and get a sort of warm jazz tone that is cleanish. Sounds great with my ES-345 when I play chord-melody type stuff. But for the most part, it's a rock amp and excels in a loud band situation.
-Mr. Natural

Hi guys, im form portugal and new in this forum.. So...
Is anyone familiar with legend lg-60rc? http://olx-t.imgrap.com/ui/21/92/69/434248369_1x.jpg?x=1355181316

thank you in advance...

I recently picked up an A30 with cane grill.... Great amp.... Tube preamp/solid state pwr amp.... Worked with a music co when these came out way way way back and I drooled over them but never bought one (duh)... Had a Marshall at the time... Great designs... and can get LOUD....
With the gains you can set overall 'fat' AND grease up the individual channels. If you go full blown chainsaw with overall and lead chan, the clean won't be very clean. But it can still get LOUD
This is not a head banger amp. Set the clean chan with just a touch of fat, and the lead chan is perfect in my opinion. Still relatively clear but just the right amount of grease.
If you like chainsaw to the point you can't tell what the guitar actually sounds like (as in a Lester, Strat, Tele, Teisco, ZimGar, and Formica all sound the same) this ain't for you... Has the bagged reverb and original footswitch...Emi speaker though...

Have run my tele, strat, and lester through it so far, just a bit of eq tweak for each, but all sound great... Very happy with it... Wish I had snagged one when they came out...

Congrats, Edro, enjoy the amp. I've found that I can use the gains to compensate for stronger or weaker pickups and get roughly the same gritty sound no matter which guitar I'm using. Leaving all the other knobs the same, I can set the gains on 7 for my old Melody Maker and around 3 for my ES-345. Tele gets 5's. The sound levels and overall tone are similar allowing for the different tones of the guitars.
-Mr. N.

Congrats, Edro, enjoy the amp. I've found that I can use the gains to compensate for stronger or weaker pickups and get roughly the same gritty sound no matter which guitar I'm using. Leaving all the other knobs the same, I can set the gains on 7 for my old Melody Maker and around 3 for my ES-345. Tele gets 5's. The sound levels and overall tone are similar allowing for the different tones of the guitars.
-Mr. N.

Thanks... Anything will sound good through an A30 I believe....
I have found that especially: tele @neck OR strat @2or4 OR minibuc lester @both, will give you chill bumps and make your hair stand up it is so colorful. Love this amp... A30 blows my Blackstar combo away...

Just found a Rock N Roll 50 for $175 on my local Craigslist. Unreal. Needed some cleaning and some deoxy on the pots. It has a Marshall Gold Back in it v. the Celestion that was original.
Sounds fantastic. Totally under the radar, in my opinion.
http://i786.photobucket.com/albums/yy145/gearshift_photos/Music%20Gear/LegendRockNRoll503_zps24b93f52.jpg (http://s786.photobucket.com/user/gearshift_photos/media/Music%20Gear/LegendRockNRoll503_zps24b93f52.jpg.html)
http://i786.photobucket.com/albums/yy145/gearshift_photos/Music%20Gear/LegendRockNRoll501_zps6a791837.jpg (http://s786.photobucket.com/user/gearshift_photos/media/Music%20Gear/LegendRockNRoll501_zps6a791837.jpg.html)
http://i786.photobucket.com/albums/yy145/gearshift_photos/Music%20Gear/LegendRockNRoll502_zps932ef185.jpg (http://s786.photobucket.com/user/gearshift_photos/media/Music%20Gear/LegendRockNRoll502_zps932ef185.jpg.html)
http://i786.photobucket.com/albums/yy145/gearshift_photos/Music%20Gear/LegendRockNRoll504_zps2b71ecb5.jpg (http://s786.photobucket.com/user/gearshift_photos/media/Music%20Gear/LegendRockNRoll504_zps2b71ecb5.jpg.html)

Sweet deal, Memphisbound. If you've never played a Legend before, you're in for a treat. Gotta crank it up to get the full effect, though. Congrats. I cranked up the mighty Superlead 50 on Sunday while the wife was at the gym. No effects, just ES-345 straight into amp. I forgot I had all the windows open. The neighbors must have loved that. Hahaha.
-Mr. Natural

Thanks Mr Natural. You're right about how great it sounds when its cranked up but I'm actually pretty impressed with it at lower volumes as well. I haven't had any difficulty finding sweet spots in the settings that aren't too harsh in the high end (maybe the Marshall speaker v. the Celestion?).
Built like a tank
Beautiful cabinet and grill
Sounds great
Billy Gibbons used it on Eliminator
I can't believe these amps can be had for so cheap.

Hello!

I need a bit of help. I have a RnR 50 single 12 that's having some trouble. My friend mapped the issue down to a transistor but neither he nor I can find any info on the proper part.

As of right now the amp starts great and fades and crackles after some time. It happens faster the louder i run it.

Does anyone have any drawings/schematics from the earlier generations? If I remember correctly the serial is 00289.

Thanks in advance!

I was the original founder and President of Legend Musical Instruments.
At the NAMM show in I believe 1980 Leo Fender told me that he thought we had the best guitar amplifier on the market.
Not being aware at the time of the nature of his arrangement with Music Man, I told him that I thought the Music Man amp was very good.
He told me, "They did it backwards", (with the tube power and solid state output).
He also said "He just rented them space" and had nothing to do with design or production of the Music Man amplifiers.
He proceeded to tell me about why he sold Fender, and that nobody had ever equaled or surpassed to that date the number of guitars and amps he was cranking out in 1965. Hi Legend I bought a R n R 50 watt at a garage sale years ago I don't think they even knew what it was. Some goof changed the control plate to wood and stenciled bass treble etc on it. Also the Legend logo is missing from cane front. Any idea where I might obtain replacements?

there is a website entitled legend amp doc page all you need will be there

there is a website entitled legend amp doc page all you need will be there

This is true but PC5003 is too low res to get the part numbers. I've seen posts in other forums and there's a general consensus that the doc page is just not great. Is there any other source?