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Kustom Kombo Organ [message #13880]

Sun, 06 June 2010 09:54

Van
Messages: 134
Registered: April 2004

Senior Member

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=13039 8017115&ssPageName=ADME:B:WNARL:US:1123

I've been watching this on Ebay now for quite a while.
His price keeps coming down. No bites.
Man, if I was anywhere near R.I., I'd have snatched this up by now.

I guess times are tough all over. Sad

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Re: Kustom Kombo Organ [message #13881 is a reply to message #13880]

Sun, 06 June 2010 11:38

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

Senior Member

Really nice looking organ, and well cared for. It is a cool piece of Kustom history but the fact is, it's a 225 pound monster that is more destined for someone who wants old school sounds and won't be moving it. The biggest problem with this model that most people don't think of, is the fact that the speakers face the front so the player has no idea of volume or tone. That model retailed for 1295.00 when new. I know my band used one when I was in high school, same model and our's was black. The keyboard player never could hear what he was playing. Lot of sour notes as I remember. The pre amp panel on the back wasn't much good, really low gain if you tried to plug something else into it. We ended up adding a speaker cabinet in back of the keyboardist so he could judge how loud he was. Most of the power amps inside the keyboard were the left over Frankie and K200A power amps. If it has the grey power cord, it's a good chance it has the Frankie power amp.
pleat

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Re: Kustom Kombo Organ [message #13882 is a reply to message #13881]

Sun, 06 June 2010 11:58

Van
Messages: 134
Registered: April 2004

Senior Member

I had a black one and played it in a band for many years.
I had a second cabinet I plugged into the extra speaker jack.
I positioned it so I could hear it.
I mic'd the preamp and played the trombone occasionally.

I'll have to find one of my old recordings with that organ sometime.

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Re: Kustom Kombo Organ [message #13883 is a reply to message #13882]

Sun, 06 June 2010 13:31

Van
Messages: 134
Registered: April 2004

Senior Member

Here;s a sound sample of my Kustom Kombo from 1972!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0DW5l9Au7nM

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Re: Kustom Kombo Organ [message #13884 is a reply to message #13880]

Sun, 06 June 2010 16:20

sunnhead
Messages: 221
Registered: June 2010
Location: Minnesota

Senior Member

I really want one of these organs! That sound clip on you tube was pretty cool. I agree with the one on Ebay, RI I'd snag that pup up if I didn't live so far a way!

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Re: Kustom Kombo Organ [message #13888 is a reply to message #13880]

Sun, 06 June 2010 20:14

Van
Messages: 134
Registered: April 2004

Senior Member

You're in Minnesota? I'm in Arizona!
It's killing me!

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Re: Kustom Kombo Organ [message #13891 is a reply to message #13883]

Sun, 06 June 2010 20:56

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

Senior Member

van, cool clip of the audio, and I love the photo's. You must have more photo's somewhere that you will have to bring to Chanute.
pleat

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Re: Kustom Kombo Organ [message #13892 is a reply to message #13888]

Sun, 06 June 2010 20:58

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

Senior Member

I'm in Michigan and it's still a million miles even if I had the money. Maybe we need to ask the seller to come to Chanute this Sept. Meet Bud and everyone and bring it with him. It would get it a lot closer that where it's at right now.
pleat

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Re: Kustom Kombo Organ [message #13893 is a reply to message #13891]

Sun, 06 June 2010 20:59

Van
Messages: 134
Registered: April 2004

Senior Member

I think most of the photos went up in flames when the bong fell over on the bean bag chairs and the incense singed the tapestries. Laughing

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Re: Kustom Kombo Organ [message #13894 is a reply to message #13892]

Sun, 06 June 2010 21:00

Van
Messages: 134
Registered: April 2004

Senior Member

I contacted him and offered to trade my K 250-4 for it.
He never responded.

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Re: Kustom Kombo Organ [message #13896 is a reply to message #13894]

Sun, 06 June 2010 21:18

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

Senior Member

Well, he probably wants cash. The sad part is, a 100.00 Casio will have a hundred or more sounds ava. and may weight 10 pounds, plug it into a amp and you can cover a lot sounds. It is a great piece of kustom history, not only that it was the first to have a built in amp and speakers, but the cool factor was off the charts in it's day. It's just to big to haul around. Two man job for sure. We had a tandem axle trailer in the 60's that held 7 3x15 cabs, the organ, all the heads and a double bass set of drums. Casters made it really simple, roll the cabinets in the trailer, wedge the organ between the rolls of cabinets and off we drove. A wall of black 3x15 cabinets was pretty intimidating along with the keyboard. Those were the days when weight and size was not a problem.
pleat

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Re: Kustom Kombo Organ [message #13897 is a reply to message #13891]

Sun, 06 June 2010 21:19

Van
Messages: 134
Registered: April 2004

Senior Member

Here's one with my Vox Super Continental on top.
Played that through the pre-amp on the back panel.

This was around 1973.

http://i986.photobucket.com/albums/ae341/vandenmike/krystal-2-2.jpg

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Re: Kustom Kombo Organ [message #13898 is a reply to message #13896]

Sun, 06 June 2010 21:23

Van
Messages: 134
Registered: April 2004

Senior Member

Two of us used to lift up with the handles and tip it into the trunk of my '63 Plymouth!

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Re: Kustom Kombo Organ [message #13899 is a reply to message #13880]

Mon, 07 June 2010 00:16

sunnhead
Messages: 221
Registered: June 2010
Location: Minnesota

Senior Member

Well Ill tell you what I haul a Hammond C-3 around to gigs and that is a bastard to haul, Id love to get a Kustom Organ any day. The looks are amazing! lets face it, if im gonna haul a Hammond around, why not a kool Kustom!! Smile

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Re: Kustom Kombo Organ [message #13912 is a reply to message #13897]

Mon, 07 June 2010 17:22

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

Senior Member

Van, those are the photos you need to bring to Chanute. I'd like to do a slide show at the convention with old band photos from the 60's. I noticed in the photo what looks like a K200 head on the speaker cabinet behind the guitar player. Is it a PA head and did the handle come standard on the head? The other thing I noticed is the organ, did it have the Kustom logo removed? the photo on link doesn't show the logo, but on the photo on this site it looks like it might be between the lower two speakers.
The handle on the PA is most interesting. Kustom didn't ship any heads that I know of with handles. Maybe it was something that certain dealers requested or installed at the music store. I have a near mint charcoal K200B-1 with matching 2x15 cabinet that has the handle on the head.
pleat

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Re: Kustom Kombo Organ [message #13913 is a reply to message #13912]

Mon, 07 June 2010 19:38

Van
Messages: 134
Registered: April 2004

Senior Member

For the life of me I don't remember that head (37 years ago???).
It may have been borrowed for that gig.
It certainly does appear to be a PA head.
The guitarist's Kustom is on the other side of the drummer.

I did a close-up scan of the back of that amp head.

http://i986.photobucket.com/albums/ae341/vandenmike/ampback2.jpg

It has the drummer's name on it. R. Ledbetter.
It's all coming back to me now.
I was using the Kustom organ as a key bass and the Vox as the organ.
No bass player
I was running the Vox through it, and pumping it through the column on the left and the cabinet underneath!

The guitarist had a K 250-2 as I recall.
Looks like a 3-12" or 3-15" cabinet.

It doesn't look like Chanute will be possible for me this year.
But hope springs eternal.

http://i986.photobucket.com/albums/ae341/vandenmike/krystal1973-2.jpg

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Re: Kustom Kombo Organ [message #13914 is a reply to message #13912]

Mon, 07 June 2010 19:45

Van
Messages: 134
Registered: April 2004

Senior Member

I forgot about the Kustom logo.
I moved it down between the 2 lower speakers.
If you look closely you can see it above the crap on the stage.

I moved it down because the trunk latch of my '63 Plymouth was rubbing the grill cloth there!

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Re: Kustom Kombo Organ [message #13916 is a reply to message #13914]

Mon, 07 June 2010 22:01

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

Senior Member

I thought I saw the logo lowered. The Guitar player rig is a K250-2 Head on top of a 215+H horn cabinet.
pleat

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Re: Kustom Kombo Organ [message #13917 is a reply to message #13913]

Mon, 07 June 2010 22:08

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

Senior Member

van, it's amazing what old photos can do to the memory bank. I guess I read over the part that you don't think you can make the Chanute event. If things change for you that would be great. Keep us posted.
pleat

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Re: Kustom Kombo Organ [message #13918 is a reply to message #13916]

Mon, 07 June 2010 22:09

Van
Messages: 134
Registered: April 2004

Senior Member

NO HORN!
3 speakers.

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Re: Kustom Kombo Organ [message #13920 is a reply to message #13918]

Mon, 07 June 2010 23:27

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

Senior Member

I'm sure the cabinet in the photo has a horn. The 3x15 cabinet would be taller and the port holes would be lower. The Ports on the 2x15+H cabinet are just below the horn. The 3x15 cabinet would be 57" tall and the head on top would add another 8". From the height of the drummer sitting down, his head is close to the same height of the cabinet with amp sitting on top. If it were a 3x15 and amp on top it would be about the same height as the guy leaning on the kustom head.
pleat

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Re: Kustom Kombo Organ [message #13921 is a reply to message #13920]

Tue, 08 June 2010 00:32

Van
Messages: 134
Registered: April 2004

Senior Member

Yep, I believe you are right sir!

Damn memory....where's my cane?

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Re: Kustom Kombo Organ [message #13922 is a reply to message #13880]

Tue, 08 June 2010 00:37

sunnhead
Messages: 221
Registered: June 2010
Location: Minnesota

Senior Member

I was going to say, hey I have that cab right behind me.. yes sir that cab is a horny one Smile

Sweet pic.

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Re: Kustom Kombo Organ [message #13923 is a reply to message #13920]

Tue, 08 June 2010 00:38

Van
Messages: 134
Registered: April 2004

Senior Member

But, I do remember this!
It was the South Florida Fair, and we played 3 songs.

Snowblind-Black Sabbath
Jumpin' Jack Flash-(Johnny Winter style)
Hocus Pocus-Focus

We nailed all three and got a rousing applause.

We were later disqualified because someone complained we were "professionals".

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Re: Kustom Kombo Organ [message #13924 is a reply to message #13880]

Tue, 08 June 2010 04:45

sunnhead
Messages: 221
Registered: June 2010
Location: Minnesota

Senior Member

Wow hocus pocus! Who did the vocals on that one Wink

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Re: Kustom Kombo Organ [message #13926 is a reply to message #13897]

Tue, 08 June 2010 09:44

Optyk
Messages: 125
Registered: August 2006
Location: Texas

Senior Member

(Oops: I missed the message that explains all of this. Please ignore.)

OK, what's the deal with having the Vox Super Continental organ on top of the Kustom organ? That would be a rather expensive way to make a stand for the Vox, I'd think.

My experience would have been the opposite. i owned a Vox Continental and I would have loved to drop a Kustom organ on top of that POS. That thing (the Vox) stayed in the shop more than it stayed at home.

Rod

There's only two kinds of music. . . . blues and zippity doo dah.

[Updated on: Tue, 08 June 2010 09:48]

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Re: Kustom Kombo Organ [message #13927 is a reply to message #13924]

Tue, 08 June 2010 10:03

Van
Messages: 134
Registered: April 2004

Senior Member

I had the distinct honor of playing organ, key bass and singing.

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Re: Kustom Kombo Organ [message #13928 is a reply to message #13880]

Tue, 08 June 2010 10:13

rodak
Messages: 511
Registered: October 2001
Location: Georgia

Senior Member

A bit late to the discussion - thanks for the eBay link. don't know why my regular searches missed that guy.

Just in case you haven't already, check out my website, www.combo-organ.com. I've got a fair amount of info on the Kustom organs.

The Kombo is indeed a beast, but the coolness does more than make up for it. Mine is gold, with a grey power cord and Frank power amp. It's got the most amazing bass section of pretty much any combo I've ever played (and I own over 20 off them!). The Kombo is also closely related to the Fender Contempo,which I recently acquired a specimen of, so I'll eventually be able to do some side-by-side comparisons (once I finish repairing the Contempo).

I found the preamp panel to be usable - plugged my bass into it, and got good sound out - the Kombo makes a great bass amp! The speaker jack by the volume pedal can also be used to drive an amp - either way, you definitely need a monitor of some kind.

I don't know if I'll make the get-together in Chanute. It's a 2-day drive for me (coming from GA), and I don't know if I have enough vacation time to swing it. If I do come, though, I will definitely bring the Kombo. That organ, more than any other, is what got me interested in combo organs, which has blown up into an entire website and a discussion group with more than 1,000 members.

www.combo-organ.com

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Re: Kustom Kombo Organ [message #13929 is a reply to message #13928]

Tue, 08 June 2010 10:18

Van
Messages: 134
Registered: April 2004

Senior Member

I go to your website regularly to drool, then cry. Smile

The 4 gig organs I have owned:
Magnus 3D Combo
Kustom Kombo
Vox Super Continental
Yamaha YC-30

In that order.

Gone, but not forgotten.

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Re: Kustom Kombo Organ [message #13936 is a reply to message #13929]

Wed, 09 June 2010 11:34

rodak
Messages: 511
Registered: October 2001
Location: Georgia

Senior Member

Glad you liked the website!

A Magnus 3D! I have one myself. Terrible sounding little beast and difficult to play because of the undersize keys, but a pretty sharp looker, especially that chrome volume pedal!

www.combo-organ.com

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