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Help Needed To Identify Lynyrd Skynyrd Bass Rig! [message #16504] Fri, 16 December 2011 14:57 Go to next message
Cagey is currently offline  Cagey
Messages: 4
Registered: December 2011
Location: Florida
Junior Member
Hello! I recently came across a photo of Leon Wilkeson's very first bass rig.

Leon in the late 1960's was in a band called the King James Version and then he quit and joined a band called One Percent and he recorded with them at Muscle Shoals Alabama with legendary producer Jimmy Johnson in 1969.

The One Percent band would later change their name to Lynyrd Skynyrd.

I am trying to identify the model numbers for both of Leon's speaker and amplifier.

I recall the amplifier as having two fuses on the front faceplate which should nail it down- but this is only if memory serves me correctly, but when I look at the cabinet of that model amplifier the top side is thick and reaches down into the second tuck and roll, and clearly Leon's amplifier's top side only reaches down into the first tuck and roll.

I think Leon purchased these pieces in the late 1960's. And it appears he did not purchase them as a set as the Kustom catalogs show when new. The amplifier appears silver glitter and the speaker appears gold glitter.

Also it appears to me that the power lamp fixture is in the center of the faceplate and not down lower as in some other models, but I know this photo is just not clear enough to really see it clearly, but I am hoping some of you may recognize the units and be able to make positive identifications???

Thank you! Any help appreciated.


http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e214/Cagey1/SkynyrdFrynds/Kent001-1-1-1.jpg

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e214/Cagey1/SkynyrdFrynds/Kent001-2-1.jpg


Below is a photo of Leon Wilkeson performing with the Allen Collins band at the Lone Star Cafe in New York City in 1984. The reason he had an extension added to his bass guitar is because when the Lynyrd Skynyrd plane crashed October 20, 1977, Leon was severely injured and he shattered his left arm around the elbow. He traveled all across America seeking specialist surgeons to help fix his arm and once healed up he could only rotate the left arm only a little bit and so the extension was added to change the guitar's position pointing the neck more straight up into the air so Leon could play it with his limited rotation.
http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e214/Cagey1/SkynyrdFrynds/AllenCollinsBandLonestar2.jpg

[Updated on: Fri, 16 December 2011 18:58]

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Re: Help Needed To Identify Lynyrd Skynyrd Bass Rig! [message #16505 is a reply to message #16504] Fri, 16 December 2011 17:07 Go to previous messageGo to next message
chicagobill
Messages: 2005
Registered: April 2003
Senior Member
The early K200A series had two front panel circuit breakers mounted on either side of the pilot lamp which was located on the upper center section of the front panel.

Check out the literature section and click on the upper right catalog cover and see if these look correct.

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Re: Help Needed To Identify Lynyrd Skynyrd Bass Rig! [message #16506 is a reply to message #16505] Fri, 16 December 2011 18:38 Go to previous messageGo to next message
pleat is currently offline  pleat
Messages: 1452
Registered: June 2004
Location: Belding, Mi
Senior Member
If you count the T&R across the top it appears to have 10 pleats, so I'd say it's a K100-1 or a K100-2 head sitting on a yellowed out silver Frankie cab that has 11 T&R. As far as the cab having ports, it may have them cut into the baffle board but would not have had the port tubes.
pleat

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Re: Help Needed To Identify Lynyrd Skynyrd Bass Rig! [message #16507 is a reply to message #16504] Fri, 16 December 2011 20:13 Go to previous messageGo to next message
stevem is currently offline  stevem
Messages: 4733
Registered: June 2004
Location: NY
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Yup,its a k100 as you can make out the 3 knobs on the far side of the front at least.

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Re: Help Needed To Identify Lynyrd Skynyrd Bass Rig! [message #16508 is a reply to message #16504] Sat, 17 December 2011 09:49 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Cagey is currently offline  Cagey
Messages: 4
Registered: December 2011
Location: Florida
Junior Member
http://www.guitarkitbuilder.com/img/kasino/kustom_example.jpg

I would like to thank all of you for your help in identifying this rig! I still have some questions...

When I look at the "Frankenstein" model amplifier shown above, did they ever make this amplifier available without the reverb tank and "high forehead"?

The reason I ask is because this is the closest model that matches my memory of the unit from about 25 years ago. I recall messing with those fuses in the lower right hand corner, but the photo clearly shows the amplifier cabinet is NOT a high forehead model which is why I am wondering if they issued this exact amplifier model without the reverb tank and high forehead feature of the cabinet?

Would this amplifier fit into the 10 T&R cabinet as shown for Leon Wilkeson's bass rig?

And, some have said this speaker appears to be discolored from light or smoke and I was wondering if silver glitter was the only color shown or if maybe the speaker cabinet was a gold glitter color possibly?

And am I correct in saying that for Leon's rig that the amplifier shown and speaker cabinet shown are not a matched set as sold when new?

In the 1966 catalog it seems to show a silver and gold colored speaker cabinet, so I am wondering if there was any way to positively say whether or not Leon's speaker cabinet was silver with discoloration, or if just a gold glitter issue?

Guys I must confess I am confused about the amplifier. Some of you suggested a 100 and 200, but when I look at those amplifiers they do not match my memory. I distinctly remember having to check both of those fuses and even borrowed them and replaced them and so for me and my memory of that amplifier it just has to have those two fuse holders on the front as shown in the Frankenstein model above, but as we can all clearly see, the cabinet is a 10 T&R and does not have the frankenstein high forehead for reverb tank. So I just gotta consider that the amplifier shown above with those two fuse holders on the faceplate is the amp model I remember as no other seems to fit.

So what model is this amplifier?

Again thanks for all help in figuring this out!

http://www.vintagekustom.com/images/newlit/66catalog//01.jpg

[Updated on: Sun, 18 December 2011 18:46]

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Re: Help Needed To Identify Lynyrd Skynyrd Bass Rig! [message #16509 is a reply to message #16504] Sat, 17 December 2011 11:44 Go to previous messageGo to next message
stevem is currently offline  stevem
Messages: 4733
Registered: June 2004
Location: NY
Senior Member
I am changing my mind here as a K100 would have 10 pleats.

If you are sure it had the two fuses in the lower right then it could only be a Frank head. Its not a K200A model, as they had the pilot lamp centered inbetween the sets of input jacks and the pilot lamp would be much more up near the top pleats then seen in the shot.
I think what you have is the orignal Frank era speaker cabinet and Frank chassis, but in a K200A cabinet as the hold down screw holes I belive would then match, where as the B serise cab would not!
What do you folks think?

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Re: Help Needed To Identify Lynyrd Skynyrd Bass Rig! [message #16510 is a reply to message #16509] Sun, 18 December 2011 11:55 Go to previous messageGo to next message
pleat is currently offline  pleat
Messages: 1452
Registered: June 2004
Location: Belding, Mi
Senior Member
The original photo on the top of this thread, is a K100 head. 10 T&R. Can't tell if it is the reverb model or the two channel. The amp and cabinet are of different era of kustom.
As far as kustom ever making a Frankie head without the high forehead, yes they did. It would be a early 64 model. I've only seen one model in red,that the core group of collectors chipped in bought for Bud in Dec. 2000 at our Nashville convention. Almost forgot about that one. The earliest example is the Lotztone that Bud built and eventually came to be known as Kustom. Bud also owns it. Looks just like a Frankie model with a Lotztone logo on the front panel.
pleat

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Re: Help Needed To Identify Lynyrd Skynyrd Bass Rig! [message #16512 is a reply to message #16504] Mon, 19 December 2011 07:09 Go to previous messageGo to next message
stevem is currently offline  stevem
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Registered: June 2004
Location: NY
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Pleat, your right, it 10. That would explane the lack of no/off switch on the front.

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Re: Help Needed To Identify Lynyrd Skynyrd Bass Rig! [message #16551 is a reply to message #16504] Fri, 30 December 2011 11:47 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Cagey is currently offline  Cagey
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Registered: December 2011
Location: Florida
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http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e214/Cagey1/SkynyrdFrynds/LeonsBassRigs12.jpg


Over the holidays I was able to locate another photo which shows more clearly this bass rig.

Does anyone know what year and make this is?

I appreciate all the help in figuring out the details of this bass rig!

Thanks much!

[Updated on: Sat, 31 December 2011 14:02]

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Re: Help Needed To Identify Lynyrd Skynyrd Bass Rig! [message #16552 is a reply to message #16504] Fri, 30 December 2011 12:28 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Kustom_Bart is currently offline  Kustom_Bart
Messages: 601
Registered: October 2010
Location: Greenville, MichiGUN
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It is a K-100-1 head that is 50 watts RMS setting on top of a 2 x 15" frankie cabinet that appears to have JBLS in it.

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Re: Help Needed To Identify Lynyrd Skynyrd Bass Rig! [message #16553 is a reply to message #16504] Fri, 30 December 2011 13:04 Go to previous messageGo to next message
stevem is currently offline  stevem
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Registered: June 2004
Location: NY
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I have to do some checking with my gear over the week end, but the speakers may be Altec, not JBL as the dome looks smaller than 4 inch that would be on the JBLs.
Kind a looks more like the 3 inchers on a Altec?

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Re: Help Needed To Identify Lynyrd Skynyrd Bass Rig! [message #16554 is a reply to message #16504] Sat, 31 December 2011 10:32 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Kustom_Bart is currently offline  Kustom_Bart
Messages: 601
Registered: October 2010
Location: Greenville, MichiGUN
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The speakers in the above pic are JBL with 4" dust caps unless they are reconed altecs and have 4" caps on them like 2 of mine do. I have more altecs than JBLs that is why I can pick them out so easily in a pic...lol! look at the cap it is 2 tuck and rolls wide.

Bart

[Updated on: Sat, 31 December 2011 10:33]

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Re: Help Needed To Identify Lynyrd Skynyrd Bass Rig! [message #16555 is a reply to message #16504] Sat, 31 December 2011 13:20 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Cagey is currently offline  Cagey
Messages: 4
Registered: December 2011
Location: Florida
Junior Member
I tend to agree on the JBL conclusion, the dust cover does appear to be 2 rolls wide or about 4 inches. And I seriously doubt if Leon ever had any of the speakers reconed. So I tend to lean towards these being the original speakers and more than likely JBL's.

JBL was the number one choice of the other Skynyrd guitarists too!

Can any of you date this unit? Were the amplifier and speaker bought together and possibly not used in bars together?

I would assume that a 50 watt amplifier is quite simply not enough power for Leon. He would go on to use two 400 watt amplifiers bi-amped later on.

So I am thinking Leon left the amplifier at home unused and took the speaker into bars to use with another unknown amplifier with more power, which would be why a color difference between the two?

Also, was this amplifier sold like this? I have seen them with the frankenstein cabinet, but Leon more than likely would not use the reverb tank for bass guitar.

And, is this K-100 an "A" series or "B" series and why?

Thanks again!

[Updated on: Sat, 31 December 2011 14:00]

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Re: Help Needed To Identify Lynyrd Skynyrd Bass Rig! [message #16556 is a reply to message #16504] Sat, 31 December 2011 18:16 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Kustom_Bart is currently offline  Kustom_Bart
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Registered: October 2010
Location: Greenville, MichiGUN
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Being a K100-1 it is a bass head and did not come with a reverb tank. It would have to be the K100-2 to have reverb and vibrato. I am sure you could get the JBL's and that head together, but Pleat would know for sure.

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Re: Help Needed To Identify Lynyrd Skynyrd Bass Rig! [message #16557 is a reply to message #16504] Sun, 01 January 2012 07:42 Go to previous message
stevem is currently offline  stevem
Messages: 4733
Registered: June 2004
Location: NY
Senior Member
The K100 head is at least a year younger than that Frank era speaker cabinet with out the port tubes, it could even be near the realm of 2 years newer as the K100 serise came out near the production line end of the K200A models, so finding out the birth date of a Frank era speaker cab can only be determined by looking at the date code on the driver, but the only problem is JBL never dated there drivers unlike all the other manufactures.

Also with Kustoms there is no such thing as a Bass head per say, it was simply a non effect model that could be used for Guitar, Bass Guitar, or keys.

I looked at my drivers last night and the smaller 3" dome of the Altec can clearly be seen when cabs are side by side, so I would agree that they are JBL drivers in that shot!

[Updated on: Sun, 01 January 2012 07:43]

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