Shaun,
Your K200A-4 was made 1/29/68 plus or minus about two weeks.
If you search this site for "over struck" you will find some postings about this.
Kustom changed several 21xxx serial numbers to 23xxx. There were a few theories why but no one knows for sure - it's just one of those Kustom mysteries.
Optyk Messages: 125 Registered: August 2006 Location: Texas
Senior Member
I've got a K200B-5 which has the purple lens on it and a Kasino 200UP also with a purple lens (this is the Kasino version of the K200B-5. I also have the 50 watt version of the Kasino PA head, again, with the purple lens. The first Kustoms I ever saw was back in the late 60's and all of them had the purple lenses. I've heard that there are some Kustoms floating around with red lenses on them, but have never seen one in person myself.
To me, that was yet another thing that made the Kustoms look cool. Not only did they have the T&R and the large cabinets, but while the rest of the world thought power indicators on amplifiers should be red, Kustom decided Purple added to the Kustom mojo. I concur.
Those lenses are fairly easy to locate and come in several different colors, including green, yellow, blue, red, white and, of course, purple. Screw the old one out and screw the new one in and you've made your own statement.
I hope everyone has a happy and safe Thanksgiving holiday.
Rod
There's only two kinds of music. . . . blues and zippity doo dah.
Jc Messages: 217 Registered: March 2000 Location: N.W. Chicago Suburb
Senior Member
Just a note on the "jewel" ~ The early "Ross" heads had smooth marble like "Jewels" ~ I've had them in Red, blue and Gold over the years. I really like the smooth ones - Very Kool
pleat Messages: 1452 Registered: June 2004 Location: Belding, Mi
Senior Member
Bud told us the story on how the purple lens cme to being.
The original Frankie's and the early K200A series came with red len covers. Bud said he was in Vegas and was in the crowd waiting to see the show. Dark stage and the curtains were sheer and he could see the red lights from all the amps on stage, but couldn't see if they were Kustoms. From that point on, he changed to smooth blue lens on the K100 piggybacks, and the purple jeweled lens on the K200 series. That would tell him everytime if his amps were on a darkened stage before the show began. Keep in mind over 40 years, I'm sure a lot of sellers of Kustom kept the purple and installed a red lens. I've purchased a lot of amps over the years and most still have the blue or purple, and some have the red jewel lens.
pleat
C4ster Messages: 686 Registered: June 2001 Location: Mukwonago, WI (Milwaukee...
Senior Member
The jewel is actually blue. But the lamp behind is running with a lower voltage than it's rated for so the filament is more to the red side than bright white. Hence, red light+blue lens=purple. If you put the same jewel on a Fender, it will be blue. That is the same result of the guys who put a blue jewel in the center of a tail light on a hot rod. The eye sees it as purple.
Conrad