I think that the head is older and the bottom is from the later metal front amps. The sides of the speaker cab slant, which was true of the metal fronts, but not of the older K100 and K200 series amps.
Pleat I'm sure will have all the real details. It is really clean looking. I'm surprised at the current bid of over 1K.
pleat Messages: 1452 Registered: June 2004 Location: Belding, Mi
Senior Member
The serial number from the listing places the amp head between Jan.- June 1968. Kustom started placing serial number tags on speaker cabinets starting in Nov. 1969 according to a chart LesS posted on this web site.
I'd say the head and cab were not sold as a set brand new but somehow came together to be a really nice looking rig. The KEI speaker jack would place the cab close to the middle of 1971. The KEI speakers were guitar speakers, and CTS would have been installed for bass guitar. Appears the speakers have been re-cone at the factory in April 1977.
It would have been nice to see photos of the top of the amp and also the top and bottom of the speaker cab.
pleat
pleat Messages: 1452 Registered: June 2004 Location: Belding, Mi
Senior Member
Going back and looking over the photo's again. I noticed the amp chassis doesn't have the Music Store Logo Paint stamp that appears on the speaker cabinet just above the serial number plate, which makes me think they weren't sold as a set brand new.
It appears the AC power cord has a funky area, either electrical tape or something. Top row center of the power cord. Looks like it's blue pilot light has been changed out to a red lens. The photo showing both sides of the amp, the photo on the right side, appears some dark marks or dirt on the bottom of the amp head. Not sure what that might be.
The slanted cabs is correct for the K100-K200 series amp heads.
When the slant metal face amps came out, Kustom changed the speaker cabinets to straight no taper and changed the grill cloth to black with silver threads. The logo plate also changed with the slant metal face amps as well. Kustom logo is shifted to the left of the plate and dull cast aluminum.
For a amp that appears to be right out of a time machine, I would think that the amp and cab would still have it's covers. Maybe the seller has or will list the covers after this auction.
I remember a red K100 head and cab sell for over 1200.00 and 3 days later another red K100 and cab sell for 550.00 Just depends on timing and if someone really needs a certain color to complete a collection in that series.
pleat
JimW Messages: 20 Registered: August 2013 Location: The UP of Michigan
Junior Member
When I saw this I said to myself that it was to much money, and then I started to look at it and I'm thinking its a older unit with newer speakers. Didn't Kustom use the slanted cabs mid to late 60's? Thanks,Jim
C4ster Messages: 686 Registered: June 2001 Location: Mukwonago, WI (Milwaukee...
Senior Member
Pleat,
Don't remind me of that sale. That was my $1200 and yes the very next and ONLY red went for much less. However, that amp is used constantly, every Sunday. With the JBL E140 in it, it is almost perfect in every way.
Conrad
pleat Messages: 1452 Registered: June 2004 Location: Belding, Mi
Senior Member
I think we've all spent more than we should at some time or another. I look at a kustom and know that I can't just order a new 40+ year old amp from a music store, so when one does surface that I want, I go after it.
I don't think LesS ever did a serial number chart on the speaker cabinets.
I remember he was asking for date codes of pot's and transformers and any markings that may have been scratched in the chassis to form his amp serial number chart.
oren hudson Messages: 274 Registered: March 2008 Location: Gastonia, NC
Senior Member
FYI - I have a 5/20/09 printout that I did off of the forum that LesS posted under Kustom Amplifier serial number chart etc. that included Tuck-and-Roll, Tolex and Kustom Speaker Cabinet serial numbers. The approximate post date is April 21 2004.
oren hudson Messages: 274 Registered: March 2008 Location: Gastonia, NC
Senior Member
That's the neighborhood KB - the specific post was #3822. I see that one's now incomplete. If there's interest, I'll gladly fax you, or anybody else, a copy of the couple of pages with the info on it. Just give me a fax number.
oren hudson Messages: 274 Registered: March 2008 Location: Gastonia, NC
Senior Member
Hope you'll find that info useful. I learned a long time ago that when I run across something that I'm interested in or might need to reference, print it out and make a properly labeled file. I just finished printing some newly found info on a '67/'68 Hagstrom Concord Deluxe bass that I've had for a number of years. While putting that info in the Hagstrom file, I discovered something that I didn't know about this bass. Reportedly, there were made only for 1967 and 1968 and just 150 were made! The standard version non-DeLuxe was made '65-'71 in the number of 2,749. I didn't know that I had such a rare Hag. Also have the original case. The thinnest bass neck you'll ever play.