I'm a newbie to this community as well as the Kustom family. While hitting up some garage sales this past weekend I stumbled onto a Kustom amp. The people wanted to get rid of it (hardly used by the "black sheep" of the family) and told me to make an offer. I offered $20 dollars and they said. "sold!" Couldn't believe it!
According to the model number on the back,it's a Kustom K100C-8 with gold the gold tuck and roll. It sounds great (already played my Nord through it), but needs to be cleaned up a bit.
When I turn the bass knobs, there is a "bassy" noise. It seems to me that it needs to be cleaned from the inside out. I believe I can do the cleaning inside, but I'd like to have a schematic if one's available.
Also, I've noticed some are not in favor of re-covering the originals, but I'd really like to have this amp match (or as close as possible) my Nord Electro-3.
Jc Messages: 217 Registered: March 2000 Location: N.W. Chicago Suburb
Senior Member
Welcome ~ I'm sure someone will step up soon with a schematic. As far as recovering - It's your amp and you can do what you'd like. But if the Tuck and Roll is in good shape - You might want to offer the case for a switch out to someone who's tuck and roll is already a bit trashed. It would be a nice gesture and would go far with these guys when or if you ever need additional help. jc
pleat Messages: 1452 Registered: June 2004 Location: Belding, Mi
Senior Member
Welcome to the site. I'd suggest just spray cleaning all the controls with a control cleaner. Brings most amps right back to life. On the subject of recovering, I think you'll find it really a hard thing to duplicate. Part of the secret is the foam kustom used to get the look just right. JC has a good point, keep it original, clean it up the best you can and then see if someone has one in a different color that would be willing to swap the cabinet. I think I can get you a black case in nice shape. There is a difference in the cabinets between the K100-8 and a K150-8.
Basic the same cabinet, but the cut out for the speaker jack are in different locations.
pleat
I tried to get behind the knobs last night to clean them up and tighten the rattling sound I heard in the amp. I couldn't get to the back of the knobs. I took the back off, but that is as far as I've gotten. Do I need to take off something else to access the transistors?
stevem Messages: 4733 Registered: June 2004 Location: NY
Senior Member
The controls/poteniohmeters have to have cleaner sprayed in them from the rear of them, which means sliding the chassi eout.
To do this you have to remove the 4- 10/32" machine screws that go into the chassie from the speaker side of the cabinet that the chassie sits on.
Some times these controls are mounted in a position that calls for the need of a flexible tube to get the cleaner sprayed into the comtrol opening at the 3 treminal connection point, so at times the straight tube some cleaners come with is usless and then you have to un mount the controls from the chassie to get the job done.
I can't tell you guys how much this helps and how appreciative I am. I'll post some pics (or a link) soon to show what progress I'm making! Thanks again!
pleat Messages: 1452 Registered: June 2004 Location: Belding, Mi
Senior Member
The rattling sound are the springs in the reverb tank. There may one of them that is not connected. It will be easier to remove the tank, to get it out of the way to spray the controls. If you unplug the cables, make sure you mark them to make sure you hook it back up the right way.
pleat
I took it apart last night and started cleaning up the inside. The rattling did come from the reverb tank. Both of the springs are connected; one is bit looser than the other allowing it to hit the bottom of the tray. Other than that, everything was fine. Cleaned the pots, boards, etc. I'll probably replace the fiberglass insulation next...that stuff was a bit of a pain.
Also, I didn't know it was going to be that difficult to find a replacement light for the front! Some of the local lighting companies looked at me like I was crazy.
Jc Messages: 217 Registered: March 2000 Location: N.W. Chicago Suburb
Senior Member
Gotta love it!
The amp was DESIGNED to run at a 4 ohm load. That appeared to be the question. And I agree you can run any load you want in the cab - But why not use the amp as it was designed. 4 ohm speakers are available so why not put the RIGHT speaker in the cab!
pleat Messages: 1452 Registered: June 2004 Location: Belding, Mi
Senior Member
The SC series (self contained amp and speakers housed in one cabinet) K100SC and K150SC along with the K100-1 and K100-2 amps run at 8 ohms. The later slant face piggy back K150 amps ran at a 4 ohm load. It gets a bit confusing when tossing out the K150 since Kustom had two different K150 models.
The K150 slant face was offered with a 2x12 or the larger single 15 and horn speaker cabinet.
pleat.
I mentioned that I'd take pics of the amp. Copy this link into your browser to check out my gold tuck and roll. If that frog is in one of the pics, it means nothing...I had a hard time deleting him out of my album!
stevem Messages: 4733 Registered: June 2004 Location: NY
Senior Member
The latter K150 non combo slant face amps are marked with a stamped plastic ring round its output jack that states "6 to 8 ohm output"!
My testing of the two such models of mine confirm that the amp will output 79 watts rms into a 8 ohm load, and only 61 watts rms into a 4 ohm load. Note that this is only 20 some watts rmd less than a k200 A or B model.
AS far as the needed wattage rating for replacement speakers go, 50 watts each is fine. this will let the speakers survive if the amps output stage shorts out and dumps the full 40 VDC from the power supply into the speakers.
Just my two cents..........
The stock speakers (67-6945 8 ohm) are light duty speakers in my opinion - maybe can handle 25 watts RMS each tops.
Kustom wired the speakers in series so the K100C-8 amp was only putting out about 30-35 watts anyway.
Shaun_Musings Messages: 323 Registered: April 2009 Location: Reading, MA
Senior Member
Your amp is incredibly cool! I really think the gold tuck and roll is in good shape. I noticed you said a 'bassy' sound when you start it up. I just did this with my Kustom 200A4 head (Same make and model as Creedence Clearwater Revival)... change your two pronged electrical cord to a grounded three prong. Trust me: it eliminated a LOT of humming...