Californiaman Posted March 20, 2015 Share Posted March 20, 2015 Someone offered me a Silverstone 1485 with 60 inches of speaker cabinet. When I say 60 inches I'm talking six 10-inch Jensen speakers in one cabinet. The 1485 is a four tube 6L6 amplifier with tremolo and reverb. It's 120 volts. There are a few other models in the 1480 series. The guy also offered to throw in a 1484 that needs a new output transformer. I understand Jack White and Dave Grohl have both used them from time to time. I just have to get to California to pick it all up gratis. Here. Read this short article. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kelvinator Posted March 20, 2015 Share Posted March 20, 2015 Wow! - Get in the car now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
L5Larry Posted March 20, 2015 Share Posted March 20, 2015 About ten years ago I was really hot-to-trot for a 1482, but bought an old Gibson Discoverer instead (there's that "Gibson" thing again). I was never really happy with the Discoverer (since sold). I should have bought a 1482. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EVOL! Posted March 20, 2015 Share Posted March 20, 2015 I highly recommend grabbing these amps. For the past decade my main amp has been a Silvertone 1484 w/ matching 2x12 cab. I also recorded an album in 1998 using that head through some throwaway 1x12. These amps are clean headroom tone machines and they take pedals like a champ. My 1484 is roughly 40 watts so I can push some sound. I am pretty sure the 1485 is an 80 or 100 watt version of the 1484 run through a stereo 6x10. They are supposed to be freak out the squares loud. Those old Jensen speakers are great. The simplicity of the controls (vol, bass, treble) is great. The tremolo is full and rich. The one downfall is the reverb. If you look at the tank it is a tiny cigar sized rectangle so I use an outboard spring reverb unit with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Californiaman Posted March 20, 2015 Author Share Posted March 20, 2015 Thanks for the tip, Evol. I do look forward to picking up the amps and cabinet. My buddy needs to clear out some gear and he graciously offered me both the 1484 and the 1485 heads with the 6x10 cabinet. It's all in good shape. I remember playing one of the heads through the cabinet back in 1998 and I thought it was pretty clean. Let you guys know when I get them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pippy Posted March 20, 2015 Share Posted March 20, 2015 I can't say I've even seen one this side of the Atlantic never mind heard one. I loved reading the article describing the sets. They are all nice but IMO the 1484 2x12 would be an especially lovely catch - although the 1482's 'TV-style' setup looks very cool!... Thanks for posting and keep us informed! P. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EVOL! Posted March 20, 2015 Share Posted March 20, 2015 And just as a heads up, the speaker jack on the 1484 is 4 ohms instead of the standard 8. Not sure about the 1485. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brc Posted March 20, 2015 Share Posted March 20, 2015 Back around 1965-1966 our group was really starting to get noticed and we started playing some great gigs in Hollywood and the LA area. One of our members had a Silvertone like the one your speaking of, and because we were making great money then, he gave away his Silvertone amp and went with a Fender Dual Showman. The Silvertone amp for what it was, actually worked great. He was told at the time he should hang on to it, but you know the saying, "should have" I see him from time to time now, and we have talked about the equipment we started out with, and I know he regrets letting it go. Hope you pick it up before some one else does. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stein Posted March 20, 2015 Share Posted March 20, 2015 I'm compelled to pull an RTC and be a naysayer. They were cheap amps then, and are STILL cheap amps. Sorry. I think they have become WAY over-valued and over-emphasized since it was discovered to be the amp of Jack White. (And, I think he is a good musician). I gave one away for parts. But also, they aren't really good for parts, because there just aren't that many good parts in them. I actually had to put a little effort into it. So...basically, cheap amps can be cool, but will never sound as good as the better amps. Always will be the amp to upgrade from. And another thing, unless you want to flip it, I wouldn't spend too much on them thinking they are a better amp. There are literally TONS of old, cheap amps out there no one knows about or cares about that can be had for real cheap. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brc Posted March 20, 2015 Share Posted March 20, 2015 Not saying they were great amps to begin with, but just as an example, little over a year ago, I sold 1448 Silvertone guitar(the one with the amp in the case), a 1965 model and I sold that thing for $1,350.00 I sold it on E-Bay and got two inquiries after the guitar sold asking if I had anymore Silvertone guitars or amps for sale. Granted the one I had was in absolutley mint condition but I only paid $125.00 for it at an estate sale. .There is a site just for these Silvertone guitars and amps, and if you get a chance you should check it out. They were beginning guitars and amps, but my thought was if got it for free, he could make a couple of bucks off it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrNylon Posted March 20, 2015 Share Posted March 20, 2015 I had a Silvertone with the 2 12's back in 1968. I forget the wattage of the head, but some local bands used them for PA's before the Kustom, and Shure PA's were out. Silvertones were hard to kill amps too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Californiaman Posted March 21, 2015 Author Share Posted March 21, 2015 And another thing, unless you want to flip it, I wouldn't spend too much on them thinking they are a better amp. There are literally TONS of old, cheap amps out there no one knows about or cares about that can be had for real cheap. It's for free. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
surfpup Posted March 21, 2015 Share Posted March 21, 2015 Years ago I had a guitar student of mine bring me a big ol Silvertone head he found in a barn in Georgia as payment for a lesson. This was way before Jack White or Dan Auerbach had used them. They were likely still in diapers. It had no tubes in it and (literally) a bunch of leaves and acorns inside. Rather than bother with it, I traded it at a friend's shop for some strings and stuff. They are cool amps with a nice gritty sound, but not the easiest to repair due to their unique circuitry. Of course you have nothing to lose, Caliman, as long as you don't need to sink a bunch of money into them to get them working you could end up with a couple of cool sounding amps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pippy Posted March 21, 2015 Share Posted March 21, 2015 It's for free. I'll pay twice that...... I do sort-of get Stein's drift, though. In the same way that in the early '80s here in the UK a Jedson (Woolworths) guitar cost literally 1/30th the price of a LP Custom you do get what you pay for. OTOH, however, I also understand that in the hands of someone such as JLH (for instance) that same Jedson could have been played on tracks which would become legendary. Who would have noticed the difference? Who would have complained? No disrespect to JLH - quite the polar opposite, I assure everyone - but JLH was JLH and he could have strummed some elastic bands and have made unforgettable music. Having seen these amps here, today, for the first time in my life this thread makes me want to track one down just so as I know what they are like! Really looking forward to any update. Philip. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kaiser Bill Posted March 21, 2015 Share Posted March 21, 2015 I'm pretty sure a buddy of mine has a 1484 (2X12 piggy back) somewhere in his pile of amps and guitars that he never uses. I'll have to ask to see if he still has it. He just gave his 1960 Epiphone Casino to his grandson. Its amazing what we accumulate over time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brc Posted March 21, 2015 Share Posted March 21, 2015 If you go to the Reverb site, there is an article on the 1400 series Silvertone amps and how to get the most out of them. I am using my IPad right now so I can't copy/paste the link to the site Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaxson50 Posted March 21, 2015 Share Posted March 21, 2015 I used to play with a guy who had one. This would have been around 1970, at the time anything that wasn't a Fender or a Vox or a Marshall was considered junk.But now they are really cool...I would jump on it Todd! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EVOL! Posted March 23, 2015 Share Posted March 23, 2015 I'm compelled to pull an RTC and be a naysayer. They were cheap amps then, and are STILL cheap amps. Sorry. I think they have become WAY over-valued and over-emphasized since it was discovered to be the amp of Jack White. (And, I think he is a good musician). I gave one away for parts. But also, they aren't really good for parts, because there just aren't that many good parts in them. I actually had to put a little effort into it. So...basically, cheap amps can be cool, but will never sound as good as the better amps. Always will be the amp to upgrade from. And another thing, unless you want to flip it, I wouldn't spend too much on them thinking they are a better amp. There are literally TONS of old, cheap amps out there no one knows about or cares about that can be had for real cheap. Wet blanket Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rct Posted March 23, 2015 Share Posted March 23, 2015 I'm compelled to pull an RTC and be a naysayer. They were cheap amps then, and are STILL cheap amps. Sorry. I think they have become WAY over-valued and over-emphasized since it was discovered to be the amp of Jack White. (And, I think he is a good musician). I gave one away for parts. But also, they aren't really good for parts, because there just aren't that many good parts in them. I actually had to put a little effort into it. So...basically, cheap amps can be cool, but will never sound as good as the better amps. Always will be the amp to upgrade from. And another thing, unless you want to flip it, I wouldn't spend too much on them thinking they are a better amp. There are literally TONS of old, cheap amps out there no one knows about or cares about that can be had for real cheap. Well, I get all kindsa flack about it, so it is good to see someone else offering some reality here. I'll just go a tad further and say what I always say: they sucked then, they haven't changed. I don't understand how it was that WE, the kids using them, could hear how bad they were, and couldn't wait to get rid of them and get a REAL amp, but today, somehow, they sound great, or cool, or hot, or whatever. You can make any decent amp sound likes hit, but you can't make as hit amp sound like any decent amp. Some dig that stuff and that is fine, but don't make it into something it never was, that's what chaps my sit upon. rct Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brundaddy Posted March 23, 2015 Share Posted March 23, 2015 I'm compelled to pull an RTC and be a naysayer. They were cheap amps then, and are STILL cheap amps. Sorry. I think they have become WAY over-valued and over-emphasized since it was discovered to be the amp of Jack White. (And, I think he is a good musician). I played in a band for 2 years that used 2 Silvertone amps, one a combo and another a stack. Wicked amps that pushed way more air than the watt rating indicated they should. American-made, well-built, rugged yet lightweight, and never broke down. Sounded beautiful too. That was our experience. Never failed us on the road. The Fenders, on the other hand, were plagued with problems and heavy as hell. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blueblooded Posted March 24, 2015 Share Posted March 24, 2015 I learned to play House of the Rising Sun and Smoke on the Water on one of the 2x12 cab/separate head versions of these. It was at my buddys house and was his brothers, somehwere around 1972 or so. He had a mid sixties strat that we played through it. Nice stuff for a couple kids to be playing with back then. Wish I had that and that mid sixties strat now... The amp was killer. I've seen them go for around a grand in good shape recently at local Guitar Centers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stein Posted March 24, 2015 Share Posted March 24, 2015 Wet blanket Well, yea, sorta. the "wet blanket" part, really, is that they are going for so much money. Cheap amps can be cool, but cheap amps for good amp money, NOT cool. Where is the charm? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stein Posted March 24, 2015 Share Posted March 24, 2015 Wicked amps that pushed way more air than the watt rating indicated they should. American-made, well-built, rugged yet lightweight, and never broke down. Well, no, not really. American made, yes. Well built? Rugged? NEVER BROKE DOWN?? Ummm...no. I mean a big, fat, HUGE no. Not just talking about the cardbaord(like) cabs. The truth is, they broke down often. The reason they broke down often is they used really cheap parts. Not attacking your taste or how well they might have worked for you for a time. Rather, in contrast to your experience, the world used to be full of burnt up, broken down Silvertone chassis that did NOT work because they were cheap, not good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EVOL! Posted March 24, 2015 Share Posted March 24, 2015 Well, yea, sorta. the "wet blanket" part, really, is that they are going for so much money. Cheap amps can be cool, but cheap amps for good amp money, NOT cool. Where is the charm? The prices that they go for now are ridiculous. I picked up my head in the nineties for $125 and later got the matching cab for $200. That seems about right. I have put some cash into the head to have her re-capped and a grounded plug installed. I played all over the Midwest with this beast and she never let me down. The cab and head are pressboard, but so what. Those Jensen speakers are killer. The charm? They fill that clean headroom, garage rock sound which is right up my alley. If you want a more modern and cleaner sound these are not the amps for you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rct Posted March 24, 2015 Share Posted March 24, 2015 The prices that they go for now are ridiculous. I picked up my head in the nineties for $125 and later got the matching cab for $200. That seems about right. I have put some cash into the head to have her re-capped and a grounded plug installed. I played all over the Midwest with this beast and she never let me down. The cab and head are pressboard, but so what. Those Jensen speakers are killer. The charm? They fill that clean headroom, garage rock sound which is right up my alley. If you want a more modern and cleaner sound these are not the amps for you. Our first two demos were shot down because we sounded "too garage-y". edit: When I think about that sentence, I understand why perhaps some of the older among us show such disdain for something like an old Silvertone. Carry on. rct Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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