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Kustom Sidewinder [message #12089]

Sun, 04 October 2009 04:23

rhynobyte
Messages: 3
Registered: October 2009
Location: USA

Junior Member

Hello,

I've had a Kustom sidewinder for about twenty five years, It's been sitting in my dining room closet since the very early 90's.
I used to play this heavy amp out and after that period I changed the bulb for the power indicator light and something happened and it doesn't work properly. It looks like only the speaker has been changed and everything else is original. I was thinking of selling this amp but there are no resources on line for pricing this particular model. I really liked this amp years ago. It was loud as hell and clear as a bell. I never had any noise with this amp. I remember it took pedals excellent. It has a reverb tank and it also had a geat tremolo and vibrato effect. I used to be able to get this amp to sound like a wurly. The fremolo/vibrato came up through your feet and out your scalp. It could not be drowned out by heavy drummers either. It really cut a live mix. I'm hoping there is someone out there who could give me an idea about price as well as offer thier opinion on the amp with respect to tone, features for the time, the reverb tremolo etc.. Was it considered a good amp 39 odd years ago (now)?

Regards,

Mark

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Re: Kustom Sidewinder [message #12091 is a reply to message #12089]

Sun, 04 October 2009 04:51

BC
Messages: 583
Registered: March 2000
Location: Kentucky

Senior Member

I have a friend who played a Sidewinder JBL in our band a few years back. I agree with all you said about tone and volume. A great sounding amp and it takes pedals very well. As a bass player I have found many six stringers shy away from amps that are not tube and do not have 12" speakers. The Sidewinder misses on both and it is heavy. As for value....I have seen no great demand for these amps in spite of the fact that they are very nice. The Kustom market is a fickle beast. I have been collecting them for ten years now and you just never know. One week an amp might bring 800 on Ebay....run one just like it in better condition the next day and you could be luck to get half of that. You will have to find someone looking for this type of amp. BC Cool

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Re: Kustom Sidewinder [message #12093 is a reply to message #12091]

Sun, 04 October 2009 13:55

pleat
Messages: 1452
Registered: June 2004
Location: Belding, Mi

Senior Member

I have to agree with BC. Color also plays a part in it's value and if it came with a JBL D130F speaker or the standard KEI speakeer. If it did originally have a JBL the Sidewinder logo will have a JBL under the Sidewinder. So for pricing knowing what it has for a speaker and color, still have the cover and footswitch? There is a Kustom commander on Craigs list the 2x12 version that has the footswitch and cover in black and the seller is asking 500.00 for it. The Sidewinder was advertised as the SS or Super Series of the self contained kustom amps. The SS series usually don't bring a lot of money when compared with the older SC series.
pleat

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Re: Kustom Sidewinder [message #12094 is a reply to message #12093]

Sun, 04 October 2009 14:18

LesS
Messages: 477
Registered: December 2002

Senior Member

For pricing we need to know the color and the speaker as mentioned, but also what is wrong with it?
Does the amplifier not work at all, or is the sound distorted?

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Re: Kustom Sidewinder [message #12096 is a reply to message #12089]

Sun, 04 October 2009 17:39

rhynobyte
Messages: 3
Registered: October 2009
Location: USA

Junior Member

Thanks for the replies guys. It is not The JBL model. The amp is black. I'll have to get back on the speaker. It's not the original. No cover or footswitch. I haven't really looked into the problem but I remember it was working fine then I changed the power indicator bulb which was always out previously and it worked for 30 seconds and then shorted out with no sound. I believe I did replace the bulb again then the same scenario happened. I'm gonna dig it out tonight and take a closer look. I just started thinking about new gear last night and was browsing online to get an idea of what the value of some of this stuff I've had for years may be worth. Things ranging from amps to old accordians. I even found an old tan ross distortion pedal I played with back in the 80's that I had forgotten about. If I can fix this cheap then I probably will before I sell it unless it sells at a lower price to someone who can fix it. Is it foolish to think that this particular model should sell to someone who will really appreciate it as opposed to someone who just wants any old amp that looks like a bargain? Maybe this isn't a great example of a kustom amp but I browse fleas and used music stores a lot and I never see these tuck and rolls anymore. At least up here in the Northeast. Although in the seventies I do remember seeing these tucks especially the PA's at outdoor shows. It seems they dissappeared overnight. They just look so damn cool. I hate for someone to hack something that could be restored and valued for history and performance.

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Re: Kustom Sidewinder [message #12097 is a reply to message #12096]

Sun, 04 October 2009 19:37

LesS
Messages: 477
Registered: December 2002

Senior Member

If it is not working, it could be worth somewhere between $125 and 150.
Could you post some pictures?
I would put it on ebay with really good pictures; I would have a low starting price and just see where the market takes it.
With the economy the way it is you can't always get as much for Kustoms as you would in better times.

[Updated on: Sun, 04 October 2009 19:42]

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Re: Kustom Sidewinder [message #12325 is a reply to message #12093]

Sun, 08 November 2009 07:55

cxchavez
Messages: 2
Registered: November 2009

Junior Member

As for the Kustom Sidewinder has to have the JBL logo on the Sidewinder plate to have a JBL is not completly correct.
I have a 1969 Sidewinder with the Sidewinder logo but no JBL logo.
It came with the JBL D130F orange label 15' speaker.
Just for your inofrmation.

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Re: Kustom Sidewinder [message #12326 is a reply to message #12325]

Sun, 08 November 2009 13:41

pleat
Messages: 1452
Registered: June 2004
Location: Belding, Mi

Senior Member

Good to hear, but to my knowledge Kustom never used the orange frame JBL D130F speakers, and the Sidewinder amp was not made until 1972. Does your orange frame JBL have a Kustom logo ink stamp on the frame? I know all the sidewinders that we stocked and sold, the ones with factory installed grey frame JBL's had the Sidewinder/JBL logo on the front. The sidewinders we stocked with stock KEI speakers didn't have the JBL. I think it could have been something a dealer or customer installed before you got the amp. Kustom used a Kustom Logo ink stamp on the frames of all their speakers to make sure dealers didn't try and send back non kustom speakers to the factory for the lifetime warranty. Bud told us he caught one dealer in Kansas doing this. Bud pulled his franshise and gave it to a dealer down the street. Thus the reason for the kustom ink stamp.

pleat

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Re: Kustom Sidewinder [message #12338 is a reply to message #12326]

Wed, 11 November 2009 12:23

LesS
Messages: 477
Registered: December 2002

Senior Member

This is a different cabinet - but a 4x10 Kustom I once had had D110F's with the orange frame.
I believe they were original (the aluminum dust caps were very dusty as though they had been in there a while) but I do not know for sure.

(The emblem on the cabinet said “Kustom by Ross” and the jackplate said “D110F”. It had aluminum ports.)

[Updated on: Wed, 11 November 2009 22:50]

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Re: Kustom Sidewinder [message #12339 is a reply to message #12326]

Wed, 11 November 2009 12:36

cxchavez
Messages: 2
Registered: November 2009

Junior Member

No, not an orange frame- it's a black frame. he orange is the sticker on the JBL speaker. They used the orange sticker JBL's for the first Sidewinders and for the later ones, the JBL sticker, I believe was yellow.
Can anyone out there authenticate this?

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Re: Kustom Sidewinder [message #12344 is a reply to message #12339]

Wed, 11 November 2009 20:39

pleat
Messages: 1452
Registered: June 2004
Location: Belding, Mi

Senior Member

Sorry, but Black frame JBL's would have been the K and E series. Not even made in the 60's. Orange frame black magnet JBL's were not made in the 60's. The JBL's original to kustom amps are grey frame D110F, D120F, D130F, and D140F with the Kustom logo ink stamp somewhere on the frame so Kustom knew any JBL speakers returned to the factory for replacement were from their amps. If they are any color other than grey, or grey without the kustom ink stamp logo, they are not original to the cabinet from the factory. I sold Kustoms in the 60's and 70's. Our store had one 60 foot wall with all the kustoms. I never stocked or sold any kustom amps with any JBL's that were any color other than grey with the kustom logo ink stamp.
pleat

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