The Glowing Gösta Bäckström AB Amp Group

[Sune Andersson]

This group will be dedicated to Swedish vintage tube amps branded Gösta Bäckström AB.
They were actually PA tops, but they are well suited for guitarplayers too. In fact they were very popularitet among Swedish Bass players in the sixties and the seventies.

I will try to collect everything I can find about these amp I can, and would be so glad if other owners (there are not many left) would join and contribute with their stories and pictures here...

 

[Sune Andersson]

This is my own Gösta Bäckström AB GM128C, made in the sixties!
It’s almost as new, been living a quiet life in a Swedish Christian Parish house from then until now somewhere around Örebro, Sweden.
I won an internet auction and gave 1530 SEK (approx US$ 175) for it. A bargain! Take a look at some of my images:



It’s a 35W amp, three channels (Microphone 1 & 2 and Gramophone).

 

[NorthenLights]

The "toaster" Let's hear some sound clips!

 

[Sune Andersson]

The "toaster" Let's hear some sound clips!

I will put up some sound clips as soon as it comes back from the repairman... I will have it properly grounded before I start to use it.
It sounds like a clean Fender amp to my ears. I want to keep it as original as possible, so I will “guitarify” it with a DSM Omnicabsim (amp/cab sim) and a Harry’s Pedal Preamper (a Hudson Broadcast Dual clone). They sure do put oumphf into the amp!

 

[johnnylaw]

I think that’s really cool.
Next time I tip at a church, I’ll think of you.

 

[Sune Andersson]

I think that’s really cool.
Next time I tip at a church, I’ll think of you.

Think of me as Resurrection Joe... I am giving new life inte this old amp, that has been hiding in a storage room for over fifty years...

 

[Sune Andersson]

For those who are interested... here is the manual the GM128C. It is written in Swedish!
But the schematic (last page) is there, and that is pretty international...

 

[johnnylaw]

Coincides with a major religious holiday to boot!

 

[Sune Andersson]

Here is a link to some brochures (in Swedish, but loads of cool pictures) from 1943-1948 of the predecessor company ”Champion Radio” where Gösta Bäckström used to work.

http://www.filmsoundsweden.se/backspegel/champion.html

 

[Sune Andersson]

Here’s a link to a great story (in different languages, if you prefer that. There’s a drop meny on the page) about the man behind all this, Gösta Bäckström!

https://wordpress.radiomuseet.se/champion-radio-och-gosta-backstrom/

 

[Sune Andersson]

Here’s an ad from the Swedish magazine ”Radio&Television 5/1964” showing the GM128.



In this ad at the ens you can also get a GM128/C5 with 4 microphone and 1 gramophone channels all with separate treble controls and echo send and return.
Has someone seen one like that?

 

[Sune Andersson]

More ads... Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald and Dizzy Gillespie used them on their tours in Sweden. I wonder if they got paid for these ads?

 

[Sune Andersson]

Found a Perfect match for my Bäckström PA top... a dynamic mic from 1955-60, made in Vällingby, Sweden - an A.B. Pearl Mikrofonlaboratorium D-68!
Bought it on the web for less than US$ 70... a bargain! Here’s some pictures:

 

[Jupiter]

Those amps look awesome!

 

[DK Noob-quite so]

Has someone seen one like that?

GB128/C5 ?

........Yes..........