saddleboogie Messages: 9 Registered: January 2007 Location: Arizona
Junior Member
Hi; I just got a 50 and would like a little info. I don't see anything about it on any of the vintage Kustom sites. Is there still a way to check the serial number for approximate year of manufacture? It's in such great shape; no scuffs, no tears, no burns. I'll have to put a cigarette burn on it somewhere!
stevem Messages: 4728 Registered: June 2004 Location: NY
Senior Member
Hi, If you PM me your email I can sent you a copy of a serial number/dating sheet.
If not, I belive that all the K50s came with a Jensen speaker, in which case if you look on its mounting frame lip inside the amp you will seea string of 6 numbers starting with 220, the next three numbers like 944 would be 1969 on the 44th week. or 032 for the 32second week of 1970.
The K50s where basicly 25 watt RMS versions of the K100 combo amps but with one channel.
There are other ways to date the amp if the serial and original speaker are gone.
saddleboogie Messages: 9 Registered: January 2007 Location: Arizona
Junior Member
Hi Thanks for the info. yes, jc that's the one from the West Valley; I don't really "need" a guitar amp as I play bass but could not pass it up. May not be all it's cracked up to be; the black covering is not real "shiny" like a bar stool so it my have been recovered. Also the amp chassis is loose; looks like I need to get in and figure out how to tighten it up. She makes a little hum that goes right away when I turn it in (Vol is turned all the way off) no hums or anything when playing, pots make no noise; Reverb/Trem/Vibrato work well. I'm a little surprised at how loud it is. There is no tarnish anywhere looks pretty good. SN is 73500.
I already have a nice Marina Blue K150 amp with 2X12 bottom that I put bass speakers in - has a real nice "Kustom" sound.
pleat Messages: 1452 Registered: June 2004 Location: Belding, Mi
Senior Member
There are 4 bolts that hold the chassis in the cabinet. Remove the back if it's still there and they are located at each corner of the support board that holds up the chassis in the box.
Kustom offered two types of black covering. The original non shiny black and the the newer cool black that some call the wet or tuxedo black. I would not recover it unless the T&R is completely trashed. Original is most times better than a recover that isn't correct. Dale Shuster used to work at kustom and does repairs on the T&R. He has his contact info somewhere on this site. The hum you spoke of may be a cap that needs replacing. I've owned several of the K50's and they are my favorite amp for live work, easy to move and they really come alive with processor pedals.
Don
saddleboogie Messages: 9 Registered: January 2007 Location: Arizona
Junior Member
Thanks for all the info.
1. July "71 was when my youngest son was born. Looks like my other Kustom was built in July "70.
2. Glad to hear the cover is original; I don't need to recover as I see no mars; the covering is great, even on the bottom and edges - probably never left the house. (I'll need to put my own cigarette burn in it I guess),
3. I'm no electronics guy but I have had my K-150 apart and used some Southern engineering (epoxy) to get the push button switch to work so I'm not afraid to tackle this one.
saddleboogie Messages: 9 Registered: January 2007 Location: Arizona
Junior Member
Thanks for all advice on the forum. I'll be screwing down the amp, only 1 screw in there and it had dropped out so I'm off to Ace tomorrow to pick up new ones. Also a previous owner had used some flat heads in the back and one is missing over the "on/Off" switch and the wire dangles. I'm planning on replacing all with cross-tip screws. The speaker may not be original; it has no markings on it anywhere.
Anyway, believe it or not,I would like to put in a 12" bass speaker and use it for bass in small clubs. I replaced the 12" in my 2 X 12 T&R cabinet with Eminence Delta 290-415 16 ohm speakers and it works well. Could someone tell me the ohms for the replacement?
saddleboogie Messages: 9 Registered: January 2007 Location: Arizona
Junior Member
Hi again, thanks for all the info. I'm looking at using the K50 for practice/small gig bass amp. I looked at a GW-1248 12", 8 ohm bass speaker from "All Electronics" and it has some good specs, it's rated at 150 watts. Will that be o.k. for my K50? Thanks
I don't know anything about the GW-1248 speaker.
My favorite 12 inch bass speaker is the Eminence Basslite S2012.
To use the K50 for bass I would recommend covering up the ports in back to seal the cabinet. This should make the bass stronger and deeper. Or you could leave about 1/2 of one of them open to port the cabinet. If you are really into it, you could use Win ISD to properly port the cabinet.
saddleboogie Messages: 9 Registered: January 2007 Location: Arizona
Junior Member
Well, I did it . I got an Eminence Delta Beta 12-A. Best price was at ZZounds at $61.05 and $2.99 shipping. (I called, talked with a rep and got a discount on the price). It's in and sounds fine; I will cut out a solid back form a 3/4" plywood sheet I have. Not sure what WIN ISD is. The amp looks like it just came off the showroom floor; I just wish the covering had a "wet" look. Thanks for all the advice
stevem Messages: 4728 Registered: June 2004 Location: NY
Senior Member
Its a computor program that figures out what size the needed port area is based on the inturnal size of your cabinet and the T&S spec`s that should come with your new driver.
saddleboogie Messages: 9 Registered: January 2007 Location: Arizona
Junior Member
Hi Steve
That's a little beyond me. It's working pretty good; I'll put the solid back on tomorrow. Maybe a little insulation inside like a bass cabinet. I want to tighten the bolts from the back to the grill cloth panel but one will need an easy out or something as it just spins. Just want it nice and tight so no cabinet rattles.