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Question about the Kustom 200 amp heads [message #7959]

Wed, 03 January 2007 03:29

scott
Messages: 7
Registered: January 2007
Location: Madison, WI

Junior Member

I've recently found interest in the kustom's t&r amp heads. I'm a guitarist that enjoys the sound of my amp verses the sound of my pedals. I currently play through a sovtek mig 60, a very nice guitar amp with extreme simplicity, and character. I'm wondering if anyone plays guitar through the kustom bass amps. I've read various things on the internet, reviews and such that people do both. from what I read on this site in the online old brochures, that the bass heads are recommended for bass only. now I'm going to be acquiring either a 200, or 150. I'm leaning towards the 200, can I get a way with the 200 to play a guitar through, or are they strictly bass amps. do they break up at all? I like a good amount of low end, and a warm sound, I like character within the tone to. please lead me in the right direction, thanks for all the help, I appreciate it.

[Updated on: Wed, 03 January 2007 03:32]

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Re: Question about the Kustom 200 amp heads [message #7960 is a reply to message #7959]

Wed, 03 January 2007 06:53

stevem
Messages: 4733
Registered: June 2004
Location: NY

Senior Member

Hi, and welcome.All vintage tuck-n-roll heads from the plexi face heads like the 100 and 200s to the metal face 150 and 250s will work for guitar or bass. The only difference in the guitar heads are the amount of effects they have, the preamps and tone circuits are all the same. If you want some what of a distored sound, then the 200 head would be the way to go they get a pretty good crunch sound up loud, but they do not sing like a tube head can when pushed past the crunch point.A 100 watt RMS head like the 200 is also a loud head when its to the point of crunching into its normal 4 ohm load, so I would try to pump it into a 8 ohm load so that it only out puts about 65 watts RMS. Do noy use any kind of power soak with a kustom head unless its a purly resistive type of soak.Kustoms take work nice with pedals that have a real tube to produce the clipped signal not an IC chip, these type of pedals are very warm.Hope this all helps!

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Re: Question about the Kustom 200 amp heads [message #7961 is a reply to message #7959]

Wed, 03 January 2007 06:58

stevem
Messages: 4733
Registered: June 2004
Location: NY

Senior Member

P.S, you may want to concider a k100 head if you can find one in place of the k200,or get the k200 if its a good price, try it out and trade it for a 100 if the 200 is too loud.
The k100s power supply lends it to faster clipping than the 200 onto the same 8 ohm speaker load.

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Re: Question about the Kustom 200 amp heads [message #7963 is a reply to message #7959]

Wed, 03 January 2007 16:54

scott
Messages: 7
Registered: January 2007
Location: Madison, WI

Junior Member

I think I'll go with the 200 instead of the 150, mainly because I already have the sovtek which is a very gainy guitar amp. it's sensitive, I can get great cleans, and crunch all in one channel.

I don't know much about techincal aspecects. with 200, you mentioned the ohm load. can I play it through a 2x12 wired with 8 ohm speakers splitting 4 ohms into each? or would I need to rewire it?

this might be a dumb question but does the color relate to the model at all? I have choice of white, or silver, both are 200's I was just wondering if model numbers differ.

thanks for the info. it's helped alot.

[Updated on: Wed, 03 January 2007 16:57]

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Re: Question about the Kustom 200 amp heads [message #7965 is a reply to message #7959]

Thu, 04 January 2007 04:16

scott
Messages: 7
Registered: January 2007
Location: Madison, WI

Junior Member

asking price is 250 plus s&h, I live close to the seller though. 4-5 hours away. I would pick it up, but my scheduele is busy. he's cleared alot up for me, and has offered, a k-200 A5, it has all the perks, reverb and such., for a 100 more , but I think I'm going to go with the 200.

as described:

a. custom color charcoal K200 B-1 two channel head with two 16 ohm JBL D130. alnico 15 inch speakers & bright per channel.

(what's with the speaker on this amp head? or am I missing something.)

b. custom color white sparkle K200 B-1 two channel head with volume, treble,
bass & bright per channel

c. custom color green sparkle K200 A-5 two channel head - 1st channel has volume, treble, bass, reverb, tremolo/vibrato with speed & intensity, 2nd channel has volume, treble, bass & reverb.

any advice on where to lean?

[Updated on: Thu, 04 January 2007 04:21]

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Re: Question about the Kustom 200 amp heads [message #7966 is a reply to message #7959]

Thu, 04 January 2007 06:51

stevem
Messages: 4733
Registered: June 2004
Location: NY

Senior Member

The k200 heads will power anything from a 4 to 16 ohm cabinet, but will only output its full 100 watts RMS into a 4 ohm load.
Any color head other than back is worth more, with green(whats called cascade green) being made in the smallest production numbers and worth more.Any model kustom was avalible in a custom color, model and color are not tied together.

I do not understand, are you buying a head and a cabinet, those jbl d130 speakers are prized even today and sound killer, but are a bit of a waste for a dirty sound since there clean tone is to die for.They are also very loud!
If you had the extra money I would pick that cabinet up anyway, you will never have a problem reselling it.
Also the A5 head is one of the earlyer models and worth more.

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Re: Question about the Kustom 200 amp heads [message #7971 is a reply to message #7966]

Thu, 04 January 2007 16:29

scott
Messages: 7
Registered: January 2007
Location: Madison, WI

Junior Member

I'm not in need in a cab, but interested in the actual amp heads. I'm not a collector. I'm just a musician, and what I read about kustoms, I thought'd I'd give one of their solid states a shot. I wish I had the money to pick up two of these, but I don't so I'll have to make my descision.

thanks again, I was lost without this place.
I appreciate it.

Smile

[Updated on: Thu, 04 January 2007 16:31]

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Re: Question about the Kustom 200 amp heads [message #8002 is a reply to message #7971]

Wed, 10 January 2007 10:26

daveobergoenner@gmail.com is currently offline

daveobergoenner@gmail.com
Messages: 104
Registered: January 2007
Location: Missouri

Senior Member

Scott:

If you wanna hear what they sound like, just listen to any old Creedence Clearwater Revival tunes. That was pretty much all old Kustom. I think John Fogerty mostly used a K200-A5...like the one offered by your friend. I'd lean in that direction as well. The reverb is a nice plus, as is the added value of that earlier head.

I have one of those heads myself...along with a 2-15 cabinet, loaded with JBL E140's.

I think you would find the sound quite different from the Sovtek. Most folks prefer a mellower sounding cabinet/speakers for use with the K200 heads. The distortion harmonics created by the K200 are fairly intense at high frequencies...so the 15 inch speakers that head were usually paired with made a good match. It's all a matter of taste (of course).

The K200 also (unless it's been updated) will make a fair amount of hiss. The 15's actually reduce this hiss level somewhat. If you have a very bright cabinet, the hiss may bother you a little...but not if you play pretty loud.

Dave O.

Dave 0 Wall-O-Bass
Webpage - <a href="http://webpages.charter.net/daveobieone/" target="_blank">http://webpages.charter.net/daveobieone/</a >

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Re: Question about the Kustom 200 amp heads [message #8008 is a reply to message #8002]

Wed, 10 January 2007 13:47

C4ster
Messages: 686
Registered: June 2001
Location: Mukwonago, WI (Milwaukee...

Senior Member

Actually, Fogerty used a K200A4. The -5 models were 4 channel PA heads with reverb. The A4's and B4's were Reverb, Tremolo and Vibrato, Selective Boost and HArmonic Clipper. The A4 could use all effects on both channels but the B4 had the effects split into Reverb, Tremolo for the left channel and Harmonic Clipper and Selective Boost on the right channel. The A4 had one 4 switch foot switch. It was very interesting because it was the same round blob with 4 switches sticking out. Very tough to use. Too easy to get the wrong effect. The B4 used 2 2 Switch foot switches. The B4 had front panel jacks, one on each side. The A4 had a 4 pole A4F Switchcraft jack in the back. It used the shell as the ground connection without a separate pin for the ground. Take a look at the literature section and you can see the differences in the models. I do know that John used the JBL D130F version. That speaker is interesting also. The D130F was created for Fender, hence the F in the model.
Conrad

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