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Tell me about my Kustom [message #8060] Thu, 18 January 2007 14:36   scott Messages: 7 Registered: January 2007 Location: Madison, WI Junior Member Hello all, you might remember shortly I was asking questions about the kustom heads, I went with one, and have now received it. I just would like to know if I was in price range, or I overpaid. I purchased it for $360 keeping shipping in mind, $330. Serial Plate K200A5 21238 the back has two inputs no numbers, or labels by them, I'm assuming it's the ohms. I have it plugged into the top input on the back. the reverb, and tremolo seem a bit weak, I'm not even sure if they are working correctly, there's no spring sound to it. I get very little response in the second channel. I was told it was working which it is, but alas there always seems to be a catch. the bottom has the origal metal discs. here's a picture. it's greener than this. considering my testimony, did I over pay? I'll get a chance this weekend to at least test the treble channel at live levels. we'll see how it goes. any advice is always welcome. Report message to a moderator

Re: Tell me about my Kustom [message #8061 is a reply to message #8060] Thu, 18 January 2007 17:40   JohnnyR Messages: 12 Registered: December 2006 Location: Shelby, NC Junior Member Hi, How did you get the pics up? I could not post mine for my "Snake Eyes" Kasino head. Is it because I'm a junior member? thanks, John Report message to a moderator

Re: Tell me about my Kustom [message #8062 is a reply to message #8061] Thu, 18 January 2007 22:16 rodak Messages: 511 Registered: October 2001 Location: Georgia Senior Member To post pics, you have to first put it up on some website, like photobucket, then you need to add an HTML link to it within the body of your message. Right-click the pictures above, and you'll see the URL where the image is being hosted. www.combo-organ.com Report message to a moderator

Re: Tell me about my Kustom [message #8063 is a reply to message #8060] Fri, 19 January 2007 07:03   stevem Messages: 4737 Registered: June 2004 Location: NY Senior Member Hi, the inputs on the front are for high and low tone, not gain like most other amps of that era.The 2 jacks on the back are for speaker output with 4 ohms being the norm to get the amps 100 watt RMS output, A 8 ohm load is fine but you will only have about 68 watts RMS to play with. If the reverb and tremolo are weak you will have to take it to a tech if you are not able yourself to trouble shoot it. The weak reverb could be that the reverb pan is missing on of the 2 springs, or the driver and recovery transformer in the pan are sliding around in their core and need to be super glued or epoxied down which can make a big difference in the amount of reverb. If I where a betting man I would say your weak tremolo is a capacitor in the tremolo circiut that has changed value and hence the circuit does not oscilate as it should. It, form what I can see from the photo looks quite dusty under their so the amp should be atleast slid out from the cab and blown out with a shop vac on reverse or a can of keyboard blast. Let us know if you need more help. Report message to a moderator

Re: Tell me about my Kustom [message #8065 is a reply to message #8060] Fri, 19 January 2007 11:30 BC Messages: 583 Registered: March 2000 Location: Kentucky Senior Member It is curious that the model on this amp is A5 when it has the A2 features. Cascade is a great color! BC Report message to a moderator

Re: Tell me about my Kustom [message #8067 is a reply to message #8060] Fri, 19 January 2007 12:39   stevem Messages: 4737 Registered: June 2004 Location: NY Senior Member Has that metal kustom production tag on the back been cut in half? From the picture it looks like the upper section is original and the bottom section has been stuck on. Report message to a moderator

Re: Tell me about my Kustom [message #8068 is a reply to message #8060] Fri, 19 January 2007 12:41   stevem Messages: 4737 Registered: June 2004 Location: NY Senior Member And should n`t the A serise amps have the circuit breakers on the left and right side of the on /off switch? Report message to a moderator

Re: Tell me about my Kustom [message #8069 is a reply to message #8068] Fri, 19 January 2007 13:46 BC Messages: 583 Registered: March 2000 Location: Kentucky Senior Member Good eyes Steven.....I did not notice the tag! The Breakers on the sides of the switch were a short lived thing. Amps that we call "A" series went through some changes as well....I think some of them had retail price as model number like the Frankenstein did..(595-795 etc)..then there was a period where the speaker configuration was the model number...like 315-J (head with 3x15 Jensen cabinet, C for CTS, A for Altec and L for JBL) and then the K200A-* series at the end. I prefer the tone of the all of these "A" series amps over most of the B series amps. My problem is that I have had six "A" series 200s and all of them have had some sort of electronics gremlin in them. I remember Bud telling us that the B series came out to address some of the reliability problems of the A series.....it was a compromise as a little tone was lost. Don't get me wrong....I have some sweet sounding K200B amps....but there is just something a little sweeter about the A series Ross amps. BC Report message to a moderator

Re: Tell me about my Kustom [message #8071 is a reply to message #8060] Sat, 20 January 2007 18:10   stevem Messages: 4737 Registered: June 2004 Location: NY Senior Member I do not know if the a serise amps like the frank heads, had no output section protection circuit, that would account for the little bit sweeter tone. Report message to a moderator

Re: Tell me about my Kustom [message #8073 is a reply to message #8071] Sun, 21 January 2007 08:06 rodak Messages: 511 Registered: October 2001 Location: Georgia Senior Member Was there a 200A-4, with Trem/Vib, Harmonic Clipper and Selective Boost? I'd like to someday own a -4 head, and it sounds like the A's are somewhat more desirable. I like to have all the bells & whistles, even if I don't need them (I love to eat at a buffet, not necessary for the volume, but for the variety) www.combo-organ.com Report message to a moderator

Re: Tell me about my Kustom [message #8074 is a reply to message #8073] Sun, 21 January 2007 09:59 BC Messages: 583 Registered: March 2000 Location: Kentucky Senior Member Rodak.....Yes, there was a K200A-4.....I think the effects were available for either channel on this amp unlike the 200B-4 where the effects are only for the channel they are on....(easily fixed by an A/B switch)and the B series does not have Tremolo but vibratto instead. The A-4 is what John Fogerty used with Creedence Clearwater Revival and still uses on occasion. He also used two 2x15 JBL D130 cabinets with it. BC Report message to a moderator

Re: Tell me about my Kustom [message #8075 is a reply to message #8074] Sun, 21 January 2007 15:44 rodak Messages: 511 Registered: October 2001 Location: Georgia Senior Member Thanks, BC. Do any of the head have the Trem/Vib (continuously variable from Tremelo to Vibrato) as found on the K150SC combo? www.combo-organ.com Report message to a moderator

Re: Tell me about my Kustom [message #8078 is a reply to message #8065] Sun, 21 January 2007 19:57   scott Messages: 7 Registered: January 2007 Location: Madison, WI Junior Member so do I possibly have an A-2, like somone said? I'm going to open it up and give it a look. I'll take pictures of the guts for you all, thanks, please keep responding in this thread. I'm trying to get in contact with seller, about exchange, or fixing it. Report message to a moderator

Re: Tell me about my Kustom [message #8080 is a reply to message #8075] Sun, 21 January 2007 20:13 BC Messages: 583 Registered: March 2000 Location: Kentucky Senior Member I can not give a definite answer on that. I do not have a K200A-4 now. I think it does...but I am not certain. Somebody?.......anybody have one?.....I bet Dan does! BC Report message to a moderator

Re: Tell me about my Kustom [message #8081 is a reply to message #8078] Sun, 21 January 2007 20:14 BC Messages: 583 Registered: March 2000 Location: Kentucky Senior Member Looks Like an A2 to me.....nothing wrong with that! BC Report message to a moderator

Re: Tell me about my Kustom [message #8099 is a reply to message #8060] Thu, 25 January 2007 16:10   scott Messages: 7 Registered: January 2007 Location: Madison, WI Junior Member the seller has it insured and is covering the costs of the repairs, seeing as he believes it was damaged during shipping because it worked fine before it went out. I need to find a tech that'll fix it, I'm sure I have a local store around here. so that's is very good to know! about the amp again, so I clearly don't have an a-5, because those are PA heads from what I just read. so I probably have an A-2 then? can someone fillme in a bit then, how these compare to a-4, and a-1's? I can't seem to find this amp in the literature area of the site. will a distortion pedal, such as a boss ds-1 drive this amp pretty well? as for the wattage, I asked before, but I have a 2x12 cab with 8ohm speakers, splitting 4ohms into each speaker. now does that lower the wattage output, or am I getting the full wattage level. how many watts are these amps? sorry for the bombardment of questions, I'm just trying to understand what I got here. Report message to a moderator

Re: Tell me about my Kustom [message #8103 is a reply to message #8099] Fri, 26 January 2007 00:58 BC Messages: 583 Registered: March 2000 Location: Kentucky Senior Member Hey Scott.....look in the literature section at the Ross inc brochure in the 100-200-400 section.....the model numbers will look strange but at the top you will see it says "K200A energizer" find any of them with reverb and tremolo and you will have found an older brother to your amp! These amps are supposed to be 100 watts RMS at a 4 ohm load. It will sound fine with a 2x12.....as far as a pedal.....I am a bass player so I will not be a lot of help. I do know that from watching my guitar playing son you will have to keep the volume control low so the pedal does not overdrive the preamp of the Kustom too much........don't worry it will still be plenty loud! Some of you six-stringers help me here! I don't speak guitar too pretty good! BC Report message to a moderator

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