ksdaddy Posted March 10, 2015 Share Posted March 10, 2015 I stopped in a local junk shop today and found an old guitar amp. I've never seen one like it or heard of the brand. I didn't see any plate or tag on the back and the back was closed up tight. It looks like it might have 2-12s but I was on the clock and in a hurry so I didn't spend much time with it. I didn't even see a power switch, just the ground switch...maybe that IS the power switch. I'm on pretty good terms with the owner, a casual acquaintance I've bought maybe a dozen things from in 15 years. I asked "What's the deal with the amp" and he just shrugged and said, "I don't know, supposedly there's two of them and they're owned by ____", another guy I've casually done a like amount of business with. He's going to check with him and I'll ask again in a couple days. So I don't know. I'm pretty sure George Jetson used this amp. Anyone ever seen one? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DynoByte Posted March 10, 2015 Share Posted March 10, 2015 "Those had two JBL speakers (either 12” or 15”) and the lamp was a current limiter in series with speakers for protection. I think the amp was originally designed for bass. Supposedly Powersonic was an in-house brand of some music store in New Jersey –Rondo Music, I believe. They appeared either in the late 60´s or in the very early 70’s. As with most vintage SS amps, those don’t receive much attention and that could be the only info you get unless you’re extremely lucky and bump into someone that knows more about these. Couple of old timers in alt.guitar.amps newsgroup recognise them but I doubt that even they could provide more insight. You likely would do many people who dig old SS amps a big favour by posting a few detailed photos (inside and outside) – and if you’re handy, trace out the schema. I’m pretty sure that one can’t be found from anywhere." Power Sonic Amplifier Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ksdaddy Posted March 12, 2015 Author Share Posted March 12, 2015 I got it for $50 and didn't even bother asking if it worked. I threw the money at him and ran out the door. Supposedly there's an identical one buried in the cellar of the 'other' store and I told him it was a guaranteed sale if they were able to dig it out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DynoByte Posted March 12, 2015 Share Posted March 12, 2015 If the JBL's are still there, they're probably D series and hopefully still intact. That looks heavy enough to be a bass amp. I can't imagine the caps surviving all these years unless it's been restored. Still very nice either way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Searcy Posted March 12, 2015 Share Posted March 12, 2015 I would have paid $50 for it. Cool! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RevDavidLee Posted March 12, 2015 Share Posted March 12, 2015 This is why I love this place. Stumbling across old stuff that nobody heard of Let us know what else you discover when you open it up Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ksdaddy Posted March 12, 2015 Author Share Posted March 12, 2015 It works! Very honky, midrangey, and neither the tremolo nor the reverb work but maybe it needs a foot switch to make them work. The pots are horribly scratchy. On the reverb side (assuming it's like a Twin) the volume pot has a push-pull function and it might be a brightness switch. Removing the back OR front is a dilemma. It looks like I may have to pull the chassis to ascertain how to do either. It has casters from a 60s TV stand and must go away. I did find a small tag that said "Cle-Bilt" with a hand written model and serial number. I may have to use a loupe to figure that out. So far it's intriguing and fun! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pippy Posted March 12, 2015 Share Posted March 12, 2015 That is a very cool looking amp, ksd! $50? Hell, yeah! This probably sounds strange but even if it didn't have any innards I'd probably have given $50 just for the box and knobs... Just think of the fun you could have buying a no-name cheap-as-chips modern amp and transferring all the new stuff into that rare old casing. Can you imagine the puzzled expressions on the faces of folks when you turn up with that for a gig?... Keep us posted on it's twin! P. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ksdaddy Posted March 12, 2015 Author Share Posted March 12, 2015 It has 2 12s with a code of 465615. 465 is code for Oxford from what I can find out on the net. 615 I would guess means the 15th week of 1966. I say 1966 because neither 1956 nor 1976 are believable. I hooked up the foot switch from a Peavey Bandit and the tremolo does work! The reverb just makes some electrical interference type noise. I will open up the pan and see if a wire is burned off. Could even be crap connection on the RCA plugs. I'll get access to the pots soon and can verify the decade. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ksdaddy Posted March 12, 2015 Author Share Posted March 12, 2015 One transformer was stamped 8956624 and every pot that I can read is stamped 6619 so it's a safe bet to call it a 1966. When I was test driving it earlier, the volume pot on the left channel was a hot mess, intermittent at best. I see why now. It was replaced with a mini-pot and they did a slop job when they soldered. I suspect it was shorting out. I'll spray them all and if that pot is still non-compliant I will replace. Really curious about the reverb though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stein Posted March 13, 2015 Share Posted March 13, 2015 That is a very cool looking amp, ksd! $50? Hell, yeah! This probably sounds strange but even if it didn't have any innards I'd probably have given $50 just for the box and knobs... Just think of the fun you could have buying a no-name cheap-as-chips modern amp and transferring all the new stuff into that rare old casing. Can you imagine the puzzled expressions on the faces of folks when you turn up with that for a gig?... Keep us posted on it's twin! P. OK. I'll take the speakers. That's 25 bucks apiece then. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Searcy Posted March 13, 2015 Share Posted March 13, 2015 I wanna see more pictures as you go. Amp porn amp porn amp porn! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RevDavidLee Posted March 13, 2015 Share Posted March 13, 2015 I wanna see more pictures as you go. Amp porn amp porn amp porn! Yeah me too - amp porn amp porn amp porn! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ksdaddy Posted March 13, 2015 Author Share Posted March 13, 2015 I misspoke when I said a volume pot had been replaced. It was the reverb knob. No progress there. I looked at the transducers in the tank, often times there will be a wire burned off...nothing. I know tanks are 'sometimes' interchangeable so I tried the Powersonic tank in a Peavey Classic VTX. It did not work but if I rattled the springs, the signal came through, which would lead me to believe the transducer on the input side might be bad. I could test it with a digital multimeter but I have no idea what to expect from either side. Conversely I put the known good tank from the Peavey into the Powersonic and got nothing, which is inconclusive because the tank could be incompatible, the leads could have a problem, the replaced pot could be all wrong or no good, or there could be something wrong in the circuit, which efffectively black flags me out of the race. Here's some pics. The replaced reverb pot is arrowed. The codes are off the speakers. The transformer is actually located offsite of the chassis, mounted inside the cabinet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.