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Kustom Get-together 2010 [message #13796]

Fri, 28 May 2010 19:58

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

Senior Member

We wanted to post this as soon as everything was in place. The core group of Kustom collectors I hang with, are doing our annual convention again this year in Chanute, KS. on the weekend of Sept. 17th and 18th. The location chosen this year will be at the Chanute Pavilion downtown. The Pavilion is larger than the building we used last year. There were about 275 pieces of kustom amps on display that 30+ collectors brought to Chanute last year. We came from all over America from 12 different states. Bud was on hand for the weekend, along with a lot of his family. We were really honored, not only with Bud and family, but with the great turn out of past employees who shared their stories of what it was like working at Kustom back in the 60's. There were a lot of personal photo's on display of the early years, and documents that were seen for the first time by many of the collectors. Hats off to Carolyn for bringing such great photo's, documents, magazines and other items. One former employee brought in a black T&R footstool made from the speaker cutout section of the baffle boards.

Some of the high-lights, were Friday and Saturday night jam sessions, using all the vintage amps and PA's. Real old school and it sounded amazing.
We decided on Chanute again this year, because it's where it all started, and to gain more insight from Bud and the employees. We felt that since none of us are getting any younger. If we were to have access to the wealth of information in the Chanute area we knew it was a no brainer to go back before it's too late.

It was an eye opener to see the look on the faces of old employees who just couldn't believe that after 40+ years, anyone would go to such great lengths to preserve, and actually still use the Kustom amps they built. Many of the collectors swapped and purchased a lot of vintage kustom amps and even a prototype K200A guitar in sparkle green to yellow sunburst surfaced that I took home with me. Many of the old employee's still have kustom amps and items sitting at home, one of kind speaker cabinets, or a PA cabinets that didn't quite make it into production. Below is a link that captured last year events, including Bud on stage singing with some of the collectors and was reunited with his original band mates from 1958. It was at this time, when it was getting started in the back of his mind, to cover the amps they used in T&R and eventually turned into what we now cherish. This year promises to be bigger and better than ever, press and radio coverage to really let the folks of southeast Kansas that we are returning again. Here is the link to see not only last year's event, but also past events we've held in Nashville, Indy, Arlington, TX. http://www.kustomcollector.com/id28.html Bud just informed me this week that one of his original sax players that was at the convention last year, passed away three months after our event. We would really encourage everyone to attend, we know it's not easy, but it will be time well spent with the most dedicated kustom amp collectors in the world. This is my 12th year being part of the best group of musicians, and marks my 10th year traveling to our gatherings.
I doubt you will ever see a group of fender or peavey amp collectors ever, doing what we do on a scale this large, and to put the icing on the cake, we have Bud at our side. Don't forget to wish Bud a Happy Birthday on May 31st.

Don Thompson aka pleat