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secret code for Actual Production Dates-need info [message #3527] Sat, 17 January 2004 11:32   LesS Messages: 477 Registered: December 2002 Senior Member OK – I think I have finally cracked the secret code for Actual Production Dates. But, so far, only for serial numbers 45000 to 55000. What I need is data from outside that range. Please send me a) Model number b) Serial Number c) The numbers on the upper left front of amplifier frame (you have to remove the amp from the cabinet) – it is 10 to 12 characters I especially need info for serial numbers below 30000 and from 70000 to 80000. When I have gotten enough info to complete the chart, I will let you know the secret code. Also I will list the actual production dates of the amplifiers that I receive information on. -Les Strickland LStrick115@aol.com Report message to a moderator

Re: secret code for Actual Production Dates-need info [message #3529 is a reply to message #3527] Sat, 17 January 2004 23:30 ET Messages: 146 Registered: October 2000 Location: Charlotte NC Senior Member hey guys..should we tell him what Bud told us over the 2nd beer that night in Nashville about swapping the serial plates on warranty repairs? Seriously Les...keep up the good work...just don't be surprised when (not if) you find a serial number that seems out of range for the pot dates or other means of verification...times were tight, prodution was pressed, and Bud was a creative soul through and through. Report message to a moderator

Re: secret code for Actual Production Dates-need info [message #3532 is a reply to message #3529] Sun, 18 January 2004 10:05   LesS Messages: 477 Registered: December 2002 Senior Member ET, and everybody, There are now three ways to determine the production date: 1) The easiest way is the serial number chart I am working on. I posted one January 1, but I need to update it. This will only give an estimate of the production date – plus it can be incorrect in such cases as the swapped SN plates in the early warranty repairs. 2) The most accurate way is the secret code – it will give the actual production date. However I have tested this only for serial numbers between 45000 and 55000 – I really could use info from everyone (see my original post). 3) The third method is pot and semiconductor dating. You must record production dates of ALL pots and ALL the little black transistors as the dates can sometimes vary widely. Then take the latest of these dates, add about 60 days, and you have the estimated production date. If I use these three methods on my K100 2x10: Method 1 says middle of May 1970 Method 2 says Monday May 18, 1970 (this is the actual production date.) Method 3 says May 30, 1970 Now we can play loud plus know when it was made. -Les Strickland LStrick115@aol.com Report message to a moderator

Re: secret code for Actual Production Dates-need info [message #3582 is a reply to message #3527] Wed, 28 January 2004 22:40 Anonymous I recently acquired a Kustom 200 and I'd like to know the age of the unit, however the serial number tag was removed from the back of the amp. I removed the amp from the cabinet and could read several of the serial numbers from the pots as follows: 137-6832, 304-814, 304-818, 304-813, and 304-814. Also the transformer was numbered: 019-7001-01 and 1005907. The 2 cylindrical components in the center of the unit were made by Mallory and had numbers of 20-91950 & 235-6914A. The speakers have been replaced by new Eminence 15's so these numbers won't be of use. There was also a small paper label on the left side of the back panel which was partially torn but one of the numbers was 40207. Also, I read your earlier posting about the numbers engraved on the frame. Some were hard to read, but I believe they were: 77957973 (on 1 side), then a number 8 on the other side. The speaker cabinet has 2-15's and the tag on the top right side of the back indicates Model 2-15 B and Serial #46828. Could somebody help me date this beauty? Report message to a moderator

Re: secret code for Actual Production Dates-need info [message #3598 is a reply to message #3582] Thu, 29 January 2004 21:29   LesS Messages: 477 Registered: December 2002 Senior Member schs69, The production date of your K200 is Thursday, September 5, 1968 The serial number would be approx. 29000 It is probably a K200B (“B” will say 200 below the “Kustom” on the front, “A” does not) I believe that your speaker cabinet is a year or two newer than your amp. -LesS Report message to a moderator

Re: secret code for Actual Production Dates-need info [message #3600 is a reply to message #3598] Thu, 29 January 2004 22:30 schs69 Messages: 1 Registered: January 2004 Location: Wisconsin Junior Member OK, I give up. How do you determin the exact date from the info. I provided? I'm very familiar with dating Fender amps, but not Kustom. Also, it does say "200" under the Kustom name on the front panel. Report message to a moderator

Re: secret code for Actual Production Dates-need info [message #3608 is a reply to message #3598] Fri, 30 January 2004 22:43 moogyboy Messages: 9 Registered: January 2004 Junior Member My just-purchased blue K200B-3 is SN# 29823. Judging from what you just said I'm gonna guess early to mid '69. Which is what my original, uninformed wild guess was anyway. :-) Billy S. Report message to a moderator

Re: secret code for Actual Production Dates-need info [message #3612 is a reply to message #3608] Sat, 31 January 2004 14:10   LesS Messages: 477 Registered: December 2002 Senior Member Billy S., Your amp was made approx. October 1968. If you want the actual production date, send me the all the numbers/letters on the upper front of amplifier frame (you have to remove the amp from the cabinet) along with some of the pot codes (example 6834) and small black transistor codes (example 825). To be accurate, you really should check ALL pots and transistors, as dates can vary. (Responding to your other posts:) For the 200B series the four configurations were: -1 no effects -2 reverb & vibrato -3 harmonic clipper & selective boost -4 reverb, vibrato, harmonic clipper, & selective boost These four configurations were in the Kustom catalog as Lead amps. I saw your amp on ebay - most of the cuts are easy to fix – use superglue to close the cut and touch up with Scribbles blue sparkle paint (buy at arts & crafts store). If you remove the blue tape, use skin-so-soft to remove the adhesive that stays on the amp, and repair with a small piece of blue you can cut from inside the amp case where it is hidden by the amplifier. The proper way to repair this, though, is with a complete piece. -Les Strickland Report message to a moderator

Re: secret code for Actual Production Dates-need info [message #3736 is a reply to message #3527] Wed, 18 February 2004 11:54 Anonymous Les- I opened up my Frankenstein head M/N J595RV S/n 10948. I looked all over inside the cabinet and found no number anywhere. I especially looked behind the front panel on the inside top left corner. Is there another way to find the info you need for your chart? I'm trying to fix my tremolo and I think it's going to take me awhile so my amp will be open for the next week or so. I'd like to help you compile your chart but I don't know if I can find any useful info-John Report message to a moderator

Re: secret code for Actual Production Dates-need info [message #3739 is a reply to message #3736] Wed, 18 February 2004 20:32   LesS Messages: 477 Registered: December 2002 Senior Member John, Thanks – your input will help a lot. The numbers are hand written on the top front of the frame. It is hard to read – you might need a flashlight. It might look something like: 3/33 33 25 K639 Also check some of the pot codes, example 137-6638. Also some of the small black transistors, example 637 Thanks again, Les LStrick115@aol.com Report message to a moderator

Re: secret code for Actual Production Dates-need info [message #3751 is a reply to message #3527] Sun, 22 February 2004 13:59 jakedaniel Messages: 2 Registered: February 2004 Junior Member Kustom 4X10 combo, model #K100C8, serial # 51027, writing on inside front 7-5 7,5 42B0/17 G 4 with an X over the last digit. Well? Report message to a moderator

Re: secret code for Actual Production Dates-need info [message #3755 is a reply to message #3751] Sun, 22 February 2004 22:00   LesS Messages: 477 Registered: December 2002 Senior Member February 17, 1970 It was a Tuesday. The reason the tech guy or girl struck out the four is that they realized that they had already written it (the 4.2). Sometimes that value was written last. (Well?) Report message to a moderator

Re: secret code for Actual Production Dates-need info [message #3756 is a reply to message #3755] Sun, 22 February 2004 22:06 Anonymous Well that was fast, Thanks Report message to a moderator

Re: secret code for Actual Production Dates-need info [message #3762 is a reply to message #3756] Mon, 23 February 2004 11:52 Anonymous Les-Again this is in reference to my J595 RV Frankenstein head S/n 10948. I looked inside it and written in pencil on the flange above the control panel, right above the left hand volume knob is W 2/152. Above the volume knob on the right side is W 2/22 89. On the reverb pot is 54002 1376702 PF4594. On the right side volume knob-boy, these are hard to read, is 54003 PF4595 1376638. On one of the black transistors-I think this is a transistor-is SE 4002619. I hope this helps you with your chart and I sure hope I got the numbers straight.-Thanks Report message to a moderator

Re: secret code for Actual Production Dates-need info [message #3764 is a reply to message #3762] Mon, 23 February 2004 21:59   LesS Messages: 477 Registered: December 2002 Senior Member John Thanks, These codes are very different from later Kustoms. Would you mind re-checking the one above the left hand volume knob - you said it was W 2/152. This is a longshot, but it would be nice if it actually was W 2/722. Thanks again, Les Report message to a moderator

Re: secret code for Actual Production Dates-need info [message #3775 is a reply to message #3764] Wed, 25 February 2004 11:04 Anonymous Les- I double checked and I am sure-W/152. It's faint and hard to read but the last two digits are 52. Something I once read on this site convinced me my amp is from 1966 or 1967. Thanks Report message to a moderator

Re: secret code for Actual Production Dates-need info [message #3809 is a reply to message #3529] Thu, 04 March 2004 02:06 Anonymous ET is right. Again. It's not a matter of if, it's a matter of when you discover the randomness of seriel numbers VS pot date codes. Trust me, I've tried - I've had literally hundreds of amps pass through my hands for this very reason. The only date you will be able to pinpoint accurately is the date the pots were made. You cannot determine how long the pots sat in the factory at the manufacturer, or in the bins at the Kustom plant, let alone the variences involved in a company with a life time warranty... every repair person on the planet was instructed NOT to repair, but to swap chassis and numbers. It's a fun exercise, but don't make yourelf nuts trying to crack the code because you never will. You'd have better luck guessing a womans age by the color of her shoes. Report message to a moderator

Re: secret code for Actual Production Dates-need info [message #3812 is a reply to message #3809] Thu, 04 March 2004 14:51   LesS Messages: 477 Registered: December 2002 Senior Member I have cracked the code, but the secret code I was referring to does not use pot codesq. Pot codes is only one of the three ways to date Kustom amps. So far my record is 100% for dating Kustom amps within approx. SN 19000 to 102000. I have not figured out the secret code for amps below SN 19000. For the Kustom amps I have checked, the average time from pot manufacture date to amp manufacture date is 56.3 days. This applies to the latest pot date in each amp - pots in a Kustom amp can vary in age by 12 to 14 weeks or even more. So (based on the amps I have checked) it would be 56 days if you checked each pot and had the latest pot date; if you just picked one at random, then it could be from 56 days to say 100 days or more for the time from pot manufacture date to amp manufacture date. Pot codes are not the best way (of the 3 ways) to date a Kustom amp; the only way to determine the exact production date is the secret code. (Speaking of codes, I just figured out who wrote that anon post (the post contains four clues).) LStrick115@aol.com Report message to a moderator

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