stevem Messages: 4733 Registered: June 2004 Location: NY
Senior Member
Did you get the head also, or just the speaker cabinet?
That is a PA head(Frankenstein model as they have been come to be called) and the only difference from the standard head would be the one channel having reverb.
The serial number places the amps birth date in 1967.
The speaker cabinet is of the same era and looks to be fitted with CTS brand drivers which where the base model speaker that Kustom used for there bass guitar amps.
These drivers sound good for guitar also with the latter model kustoms that had a brite switch, but with that amp you might find them to sound a bit dark with out something like a MXR 11 band EQ pedal in front of the amp.
Welcome aboard!
Optyk Messages: 125 Registered: August 2006 Location: Texas
Senior Member
Steve, why would they refer to that as a "PA" head? With Vibrato/Tremelo (whichever it is on that head), wouldn't that head be set up mainly as a guitar head back in those days? On one channel, you'd have no effects. On the other you'd have reverb and tremelo, matching the offerings from Fender and others. I'd think a "PA" head would have reverb available for each input. Now, if the reverb works on both channels and you could simply turn the vib/trem off, then I can understand how that could be considered a PA head. I've never had my hands on a frankie, so I'm short on knowledge and tall on questions.
Thanks in advance for your reply.
Rod
There's only two kinds of music. . . . blues and zippity doo dah.
It belonged to the lady that gave it to me's husband who passed away. It has Jensen speakers in it. As far as I know, its all original and the head and cab came together. When she showed it to me and asked if i wanted it, i didnt think it was as old as it is, cuz the thing is clean. And those 15 inch jensens are monsters. I was just hoping to find out more about them. IT all works great, except i think the reverb is cutting out. WHere I'm from, theres not really very many places that Id want to take an old vintage amp to try n get it fixed. The guitar shop here isnt very great. Other then the reverb, the thing sounds amazing.
stevem Messages: 4733 Registered: June 2004 Location: NY
Senior Member
If it has Jensen speakers I agree they sound great as I have a K200B-5 model with a 3-15 cabinet loaded with them.
These are the C15L model which is the very top of the line driver in the Jensen Concert Serise of drivers.
The reverb cutting out could be a wire connection within the reverb pan mounted on the top of the cabinet or it could be a problem with one of the many electrolytic caps that make up part of the reverb circit and go bad due to age.
IS there any way to go about getting that fixed? I dont know anything about fixing amps. But id like to get it cleaned up and back in original working order. Its not every day a vintage amp is just givin to you. Lol. And thanks for all the help so far.
pleat Messages: 1452 Registered: June 2004 Location: Belding, Mi
Senior Member
On the Frankie head with just reverb no trem, was sold as a PA head. Reverb only worked on the left channel both inputs were the same, the right channel was a standard no reverb channel.
pleat