Experience with old Kustom amps?

atinder · May 10th, 2008, 10:25 AM

Been looking for a bigger bass amp for a while, on a really limited budget. (Posted an earlier thread and got some helpful suggestions - thanks again.) Anyway, I didn't buy anything yet, but now I've been talking to a guy who has an "old" Kustom head and cabinet that he's willing to let go for 100 bucks. Disclaimer: I haven't looked at it or tested it yet, but should be able to in a day or two. So does anyone know anything about common issues to look for, or have you played one? All I know so far is it's a dual-channel solid state head, and a cab with 2 15's.

Tim Armstrong · May 10th, 2008, 11:59 AM

They were the best, most toneful solid-state amps available in 1969 or so, and they're pretty darn good still. Obviously not full of modern features, like a line-our or effects loop, but with that 2x15 bottom you oughta be able to make some good rumbling noise!

And, of course, they look soooo cool!

If it works, I'd gladly pay a hundred bucks for such a rig!

Cheers, Tim

tuuur · May 10th, 2008, 12:47 PM

Don't know about the 2 15s... I got a Kustom 150 watt solid state Tuck 'n' Roll guitar amp with a 4 12 cab from the 1970s which I got for 350 euros.

Issues are of course that it's old, old, old technology. Chances are things might break down.
The one I bought had issues. It hadn't been played for 10 years when I got it, and it was missing it's footswitch. One of the channels was dodgy and the reverb didn't work. Had that fixed for 60 euros. A default Marshall footswitch operates the reverb and tremolo on-off.

I only gigged with it 5 times or so, but I think it sounds awesome (just my opinion of course, YMMV).

If the sound of that bass amp is anything near that of my guitar amp, it's gonna be LOUD!

marshman · May 10th, 2008, 04:28 PM

As a young man, I scored one of the Kustom 3x15 cabs, gold Tuck&Roll, very cool. Used it for a while, but one day was thinkin' it sounded a bit buzzy. I didn't know bupkus about amps back then, but thought maybe there was something loose inside, I'd take a look. Cryin' shame--all the original drivers were gone and they'd been replaced with Radio Shack brand speakers and rewired with lamp cord. Obviously not Kustoms' fault, but another in a long line of pitfalls buying vintage gear. Moral of the story: Caveat Emptor.

That said, at $100, I'd be likely to grab it if it worked. Shoot, I'd probably be inclined to pay that for a decent condition cab, much less one with a head thrown in.

4mal · May 10th, 2008, 05:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tim Armstrong

They were the best, most toneful solid-state amps available in 1969 or so,

If it works, I'd gladly pay a hundred bucks for such a rig!

Cheers, Tim

umm +1 one on both counts - although that first statement - well, there wasn't a heck of a lot of competion then either - Solid State amps there were, toneful solid state amps were in somewhat short supply.

I remember the old Kustom 200 as being really muddy - my drummer friend used to razz me about it during the brief period where I had one of the heads - something about I play bass, not treble ...

Still for an old working edition I'd certainly take the plunge for a c-note if nothing else it would make a great conversation piece ...

Dave W · May 10th, 2008, 09:06 PM

I remember the old Kustom bass amps not being loud for the advertised wattage, compared to others. But they were considered pretty reliable in their day and they looked cool.

TELETAMER · May 11th, 2008, 12:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by atinder

Been looking for a bigger bass amp for a while, on a really limited budget. (Posted an earlier thread and got some helpful suggestions - thanks again.) Anyway, I didn't buy anything yet, but now I've been talking to a guy who has an "old" Kustom head and cabinet that he's willing to let go for 100 bucks. Disclaimer: I haven't looked at it or tested it yet, but should be able to in a day or two. So does anyone know anything about common issues to look for, or have you played one? All I know so far is it's a dual-channel solid state head, and a cab with 2 15's.

the main thing to look for is hum, hiss or crackle. they used tantalum caps in kustoms and they tend to get noisy over time and are a huge pain to track down.
hum is usually filter caps and hiss is usually a bad transistor.both of these things can be dealt fixed rather cheaply.

vanvhreen · May 11th, 2008, 07:47 AM

I have to agree that these amps are pretty good. I am the original owner and bought it new in high school in the late sixties. I gigged with it last night.

Of all the amps I've had, this has been the most iron-clad and it has worked EVERY time I've turned it on.

Pix:

The amp is always a conversation starter. Great fun!

Cheers.

4mal · May 11th, 2008, 12:05 PM

just the thing for that upcoming ShaNaNa tribute band ...

atinder · May 11th, 2008, 12:40 PM

Thanks for all the input so far. An update: he sent me some pix and more info. Turns out the tuck n' roll was torn up, so it's been replaced with grey carpet. Obviously that decreases the cool factor quite a bit. Otherwise it's exactly like the one pictured in the above post. I still think I'll pick it up for 100 if it sounds good when I try it out.

Justinvs · May 11th, 2008, 06:58 PM

I gigged for years with a Crate head through a Kustom cabinet and loved the sound. I finally had to retiree the cabinet though as I switched to a Peavey Max and it couldn't handle the load. But for a hundred dollars, even with the tuck & roll gone, I wouldn't have any worries about buying it.

FWIW, I have a Kustom PA system that I bought at a pawn shop twenty years ago and I'm still using it.

lostpick · May 11th, 2008, 07:26 PM

one CTS 15

75 watts

has incredible glassy, hyper treble
like an AC 30 top boost

sounds fantastic if LIGHTLY clipping

i played a casino thru a JC120, Polytone and Kustom Charger
one day at GC

a month later I scarfed one up on Ebay for $120

the cabs are tuned port and AFAIK engineered to Thiele parameters

Sheryl Crow was on TV, touring in with a
huge wall of Kustom Cabs gunmetal sparkle

made me proud

atinder · May 13th, 2008, 03:54 PM

Dammit! The seller just emailed me saying that after playing through it to test it out, he's going to keep it. The search goes on, I guess.....

May 10th, 2008, 10:25 AM	#1 (permalink)
atinder Tele-Meister Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Iowa Age: 36 Posts: 102	Experience with old Kustom amps? Been looking for a bigger bass amp for a while, on a really limited budget. (Posted an earlier thread and got some helpful suggestions - thanks again.) Anyway, I didn't buy anything yet, but now I've been talking to a guy who has an "old" Kustom head and cabinet that he's willing to let go for 100 bucks. Disclaimer: I haven't looked at it or tested it yet, but should be able to in a day or two. So does anyone know anything about common issues to look for, or have you played one? All I know so far is it's a dual-channel solid state head, and a cab with 2 15's.

May 10th, 2008, 11:59 AM	#2 (permalink)
Tim Armstrong Moderator Poster Extraordinaire Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Berlin, Maryland, USA Age: 49 Posts: 8,939	They were the best, most toneful solid-state amps available in 1969 or so, and they're pretty darn good still. Obviously not full of modern features, like a line-our or effects loop, but with that 2x15 bottom you oughta be able to make some good rumbling noise! And, of course, they look soooo cool! If it works, I'd gladly pay a hundred bucks for such a rig! Cheers, Tim __________________ http://www.moodswingers.org

May 10th, 2008, 12:47 PM	#3 (permalink)
tuuur Tele-Holic Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: the Netherlands Age: 40 Posts: 931 7 Photos	Don't know about the 2 15s... I got a Kustom 150 watt solid state Tuck 'n' Roll guitar amp with a 4 12 cab from the 1970s which I got for 350 euros. Issues are of course that it's old, old, old technology. Chances are things might break down. The one I bought had issues. It hadn't been played for 10 years when I got it, and it was missing it's footswitch. One of the channels was dodgy and the reverb didn't work. Had that fixed for 60 euros. A default Marshall footswitch operates the reverb and tremolo on-off. I only gigged with it 5 times or so, but I think it sounds awesome (just my opinion of course, YMMV). If the sound of that bass amp is anything near that of my guitar amp, it's gonna be LOUD! __________________ If we all take the backseat, who's gonna drive? - Fred Cole http://www.myspace.com/tuuur http://www.myspace.com/daggermoon http://www.myspace.com/captainscallywag

May 10th, 2008, 04:28 PM	#4 (permalink)
marshman Tele-Holic Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: SE PA Posts: 729	As a young man, I scored one of the Kustom 3x15 cabs, gold Tuck&Roll, very cool. Used it for a while, but one day was thinkin' it sounded a bit buzzy. I didn't know bupkus about amps back then, but thought maybe there was something loose inside, I'd take a look. Cryin' shame--all the original drivers were gone and they'd been replaced with Radio Shack brand speakers and rewired with lamp cord. Obviously not Kustoms' fault, but another in a long line of pitfalls buying vintage gear. Moral of the story: Caveat Emptor. That said, at $100, I'd be likely to grab it if it worked. Shoot, I'd probably be inclined to pay that for a decent condition cab, much less one with a head thrown in. __________________ 42

May 11th, 2008, 07:47 AM	#8 (permalink)
vanvhreen TDPRI Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Roanoke, Virginia Posts: 13 4 Photos	Kustoms R Kool I have to agree that these amps are pretty good. I am the original owner and bought it new in high school in the late sixties. I gigged with it last night. Of all the amps I've had, this has been the most iron-clad and it has worked EVERY time I've turned it on. Pix: The amp is always a conversation starter. Great fun! Cheers.

May 10th, 2008, 09:06 PM	#6 (permalink)
Dave W Tele-Afflicted Join Date: May 2003 Location: Guadalupe County, TX Age: 61 Posts: 1,754	I remember the old Kustom bass amps not being loud for the advertised wattage, compared to others. But they were considered pretty reliable in their day and they looked cool.

May 11th, 2008, 12:05 PM	#9 (permalink)
4mal Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: The Gorge Posts: 2,058	just the thing for that upcoming ShaNaNa tribute band ...

May 11th, 2008, 12:40 PM	#10 (permalink)
atinder Tele-Meister Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Iowa Age: 36 Posts: 102	Thanks for all the input so far. An update: he sent me some pix and more info. Turns out the tuck n' roll was torn up, so it's been replaced with grey carpet. Obviously that decreases the cool factor quite a bit. Otherwise it's exactly like the one pictured in the above post. I still think I'll pick it up for 100 if it sounds good when I try it out.

May 11th, 2008, 06:58 PM	#11 (permalink)
Justinvs TDPRI Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Wise River, Montana Age: 46 Posts: 64	I gigged for years with a Crate head through a Kustom cabinet and loved the sound. I finally had to retiree the cabinet though as I switched to a Peavey Max and it couldn't handle the load. But for a hundred dollars, even with the tuck & roll gone, I wouldn't have any worries about buying it. FWIW, I have a Kustom PA system that I bought at a pawn shop twenty years ago and I'm still using it.

May 11th, 2008, 07:26 PM	#12 (permalink)
lostpick Tele-Holic Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Staten Island, NYC Posts: 994	I have an old 70s Kustom Charger one CTS 15 75 watts has incredible glassy, hyper treble like an AC 30 top boost sounds fantastic if LIGHTLY clipping i played a casino thru a JC120, Polytone and Kustom Charger one day at GC a month later I scarfed one up on Ebay for $120 the cabs are tuned port and AFAIK engineered to Thiele parameters Sheryl Crow was on TV, touring in with a huge wall of Kustom Cabs gunmetal sparkle made me proud

May 13th, 2008, 03:54 PM	#13 (permalink)
atinder Tele-Meister Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Iowa Age: 36 Posts: 102	Dammit! The seller just emailed me saying that after playing through it to test it out, he's going to keep it. The search goes on, I guess.....