New Guy. What's wrong with K150's [message #3840] |
Tue, 09 March 2004 19:14 |
KustomAddict
Messages: 14 Registered: March 2004
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Junior Member |
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Hi everyone,
I'm new to the board. I have a Kustom 150 and I noticed several messages about the first Kustom amps - the 100 and 200's. They seem to be the more sought after amps. I also read that Bud Ross didn't have much to do with the company after around 1971, which is about the time my K150 was made. Do the K100 and 200's have a better quality or different sound than the 150 and 250's besides having less power. So my question is what's the beef with the K150's vs. the first models.
By the way, I never knew there was such a passionate interest in vintage Kustoms. All of you guys are great and so is the website.
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Re: New Guy. What's wrong with K150's [message #3848 is a reply to message #3840] |
Tue, 09 March 2004 23:44 |
pleat
Messages: 1454 Registered: June 2004 Location: Belding, Mi
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Senior Member |
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I prefer the older plexi faced amps of the 60's. I think the sound is better for the reason that Kustom were using individual transitors in the pre amps. The newer metal face, square blue polarity and on/off switches that were made in 71 and newer used IC's in place of the individual transistors. The other major difference's and problems, were all the circuit boards were connected with a white molex type plug that would be intermittet from time to time. It was easier to pre wire everything and just connect the plugs, rather than hand soldering the wires. Kustom got tired of the problem and sent notice to the dealers to hard solder the wires and bypass the plug. That did cure the problem or the amp cutting in and out. The reverb tanks had lots of problems, mainly because they were mounted on the back of the amp on it's side. The reverb lock was junk. The spring would get lodged behind the locking disk and when released, would pull the spring to the tank, so the reverb sounded really bad until the amp was opened up and the spring removed. The power switch was a nightmare in itself. The bulbs were hard to replace and the switch didn't last very long. It appears that I really don't like the metal slant face kustoms, I do but, I don't own any right now. My older kustom plexi face amps never give me any problems and they work every time I play out. Long story short, a kustom is still better than any other amp I have played through.
These are just my observations of the kustoms through the years. I sold kustom back in the 60 and 70's.
Don
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Re: New Guy. What's wrong with K150's [message #3864 is a reply to message #3863] |
Sat, 13 March 2004 09:21 |
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Hey KustomAddict...welcome to the gang..great to have you...I am probably one of the biggest offenders on this topic and I want to apologize for that...there was some really cool stuff made in the metal/slant face era and to look at a catalog with all that gear is still exciting..there were design differences..but my partiallity for the plexis is really because its what I grew up with...not the older Frank or wide panel models...which btw do sound the best,, but the plexi era just after that...I was a new teen and guitar was everything and Fender had just come out with the silver face and kustom had just popp'ed the new plexis, chrome ports and tuck n roll.. it was more exciting than wathcing the girl next door who's bedroom window was opposite mine.. (ya'll don't even respond to this. I'm not going there...) but I fell in love with those amps...they were imprinted on me and so they are just my cosmetic favorites, even though the black face fenders are better, just as the older frank kustoms offer better tone. I am not a believer in circuit cards, but I understand the manufacturing intent and respect them trying to get production runs and subsequent costs reduced. Be proud of your slant face kustom,,,,n play it loud! Glad to have you with us...ET
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