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Newby with a K150-1 and 2-15B [message #20267]

Fri, 07 March 2014 12:15

eldoryder
Messages: 5
Registered: March 2014
Location: Nacogdoches, TX

Junior Member

Hello all!

I am happy to be here and to be reading all I can find out about vintage Kustom gear, as I am the proud new owner of an early 70s K150-1 (S/N 80536) and a 2-15B (S/N 41393) cabinet, both in glorious "Silver" tuck 'n' roll!

http://i617.photobucket.com/albums/tt256/nortonryder/KUSTOM%20K150-1%20and%20215-B%20VINTAGE%20AMP%20and%20CAB/DSCN1765-Copy.jpg

From what I have read so far, I must have the CTS speakers in this cab, because the ones I have both say "KEI, Kustom Electronics, Chanute, Kansas" on the magnets, and are 8-16 ohms. I have no reason to believe they are anything but original, as they both seem to be in the same condition. I presume that these will be OK for bass guitar use. The cabinet is working, but the amp is not.

http://i617.photobucket.com/albums/tt256/nortonryder/KUSTOM%20K150-1%20and%20215-B%20VINTAGE%20AMP%20and%20CAB/DSCN1783.jpg

The amp does not turn on at ALL. No output, no illuminated lights on the front panel, NOTHING. After opening up the top, I see that the main "Power" switch is broken. The number on it reads "LICON 01-740122".

http://i617.photobucket.com/albums/tt256/nortonryder/KUSTOM%20K150-1%20and%20215-B%20VINTAGE%20AMP%20and%20CAB/DSCN1775.jpg

Is ANYONE here sitting on a good, used LICON switch for a future project? I would LOVE to buy it from you for market price, because rather than just use one of my other amps to power this 2-15B cabinet, I would LOVE to use the matching, silver tuck 'n' roll K150-1 to power it!

Also, is there any way to Date my equipment using the Serial Numbers I've posted above?

Thanks for any help!

Mike in Texas

BTW, these pics are all in "As Found" condition. I took them to have a record of the "Before" condition, and am already working on restoring the original beauty to the Naugahyde with a brisk cleaning. Any pointers you veterans may have would be gratefully accepted!

.

FROM DEEP BEHIND THE PINE CURTAIN OF EAST TEXAS!!!!

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Re: Newby with a K150-1 and 2-15B [message #20272 is a reply to message #20267]

Fri, 07 March 2014 20:56

chicagobill
Messages: 2005
Registered: April 2003

Senior Member

Welcome to the place. Nice looking rig.

Is the back section of the power switch broken off from the threaded mounting sleeve? If it is, you can use two small cable ties to keep the switch section in position so that the plunger can still turn on and off the amp.

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Re: Newby with a K150-1 and 2-15B [message #20273 is a reply to message #20272]

Fri, 07 March 2014 23:57

oren hudson
Messages: 274
Registered: March 2008
Location: Gastonia, NC

Senior Member

I responded to your TB post before I saw this one. Here's more info. Serial on the head dates it to between January 1972 and June 1972. The cab serial dates it to between August 1971 and February 1972. The head is 75 watts RMS. Speakers are probably 75-100 watts each RMS or thereabouts. I've owned and rehabbed many Kustoms. Based on your pics, everything looks correct and original. The head was offered with a 2x12 cab that the head would fit exactly on top of. It would appear that these are not a match that would normally be found. However, with them looking like they have been together for a long time and are in the rarer silver sparkle, they could have been paired together originally. Kustom was particularly known for putting together whatever the customer wanted. I have a '70 silver sparkle K200B head with matching 2x15 cab that I bought last year. It was labeled as having CTS speakers, so I was pleasantly surprised when I discovered that it had JBL D140F orange & silver 16 ohm Fender labeled speakers installed. Original mating since the buyer wanted that set-up. I bought it from the step-son of the original buyer that confirmed this. So, who knows. Enjoy it. Smile

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Re: Newby with a K150-1 and 2-15B [message #20275 is a reply to message #20267]

Sat, 08 March 2014 07:02

stevem
Messages: 4733
Registered: June 2004
Location: NY

Senior Member

If your other front panel switch is good, add the cable tie thing as a protection from that one snapping off too.

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Re: Newby with a K150-1 and 2-15B [message #20277 is a reply to message #20267]

Sat, 08 March 2014 07:26

eldoryder
Messages: 5
Registered: March 2014
Location: Nacogdoches, TX

Junior Member

Thanks oren and stevern for your replies. I'm glad to know the exact year of manufacture for my "new" gear!

I have read about the cable-tie "fix" on this board already, but it would appear that no current is flowing through either switch at the moment, and I am pretty much ham-fisted when it comes to tech stuff beyond simple soldering. I've got a great Harbor Freight multitester and no skills in how to use it!

I don't trust myself doing repairs when it comes to CURRENT, so I'll probably have to have a local tech install a new 3-prong power cord. What do you guys think about me having him test the LICON "Polarity" switch, and if it's working, have him switch it over to the "Power" side, and just bypass the "Polarity" altogether, filling in that hole with the non-working switch as a "dummy"?

My other option, I guess, is to have him bypass both switches and put a main power toggle switch on the back plate, and just leave the original LICONS as hole-fillers up front.

I would truly love to be able to use this K150-1 amp one day so that I could hear the original tone that this combo was designed to create. In the meantime, I'm LOVING the sound I get out of the 2-15B cab running it through my 100-watt HammerTone all-tube amp!

http://i617.photobucket.com/albums/tt256/nortonryder/HAMMERTONE%20B100%20BASS%20AMP/212-frtrt.jpg

FROM DEEP BEHIND THE PINE CURTAIN OF EAST TEXAS!!!!

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Re: Newby with a K150-1 and 2-15B [message #20280 is a reply to message #20267]

Sat, 08 March 2014 08:38

stevem
Messages: 4733
Registered: June 2004
Location: NY

Senior Member

These amps have a fuse block with a solder on type fuse, you can set your multimeter to resistance or contiuity and check the fuse, or just see if the fuse has popped, if so take the amp to a tech for repair.
If the fuse checks good you will find two white black striped wires going over to center rear of the amp, a two terminal round black plastic item mounted on top of the output transistor mounting bar.
This is a thermal circuit breaker and sometimes they go bad.
pull one wire off and do the same check out as the fuse, it should not be open and should read a short.

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Re: Newby with a K150-1 and 2-15B [message #20283 is a reply to message #20280]

Sat, 08 March 2014 09:32

eldoryder
Messages: 5
Registered: March 2014
Location: Nacogdoches, TX

Junior Member

stevem wrote on Sat, 08 March 2014 07:38

If the fuse checks good you will find two white black striped wires going over to center rear of the amp, a two terminal round black plastic item mounted on top of the output transistor mounting bar.
This is a thermal circuit breaker and sometimes they go bad.
pull one wire off and do the same check out as the fuse, it should not be open and should read a short.

Hi stevem-

Thanks for the good advice! As I stated, I'm really no tech at all. You lost me at "Output transistor mounting bar". I could post a picture of the interior of my K150-1, and maybe you could point out exactly where it is? Sorry to sound so stupid, but this really isn't my forte!

I will try and check the fuse block for continuity. I wish my old "pointer" style multimeter hadn't broken. I'm not always sure what the digital reading on my new one MEANS.

Jeez, I sure sound ignorant. "Lacks knowledge of the subject" is an apt description for me, sorry to say!

.

FROM DEEP BEHIND THE PINE CURTAIN OF EAST TEXAS!!!!

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Re: Newby with a K150-1 and 2-15B [message #20287 is a reply to message #20267]

Sat, 08 March 2014 12:24

chicagobill
Messages: 2005
Registered: April 2003

Senior Member

Removing the wires from the back of these switches to swap them is a fairly difficult job. The plastic has gotten brittle with age so they will break with very little pressure. That being said, it is possible to do.

If you don't have the skill set to work on the amp then find someone that does. It's not a big deal and it's always safer to be cautious when working on something that has the ability to kill you if you do something wrong.

Best of luck.

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Re: Newby with a K150-1 and 2-15B [message #20293 is a reply to message #20267]

Sun, 09 March 2014 07:32

stevem
Messages: 4733
Registered: June 2004
Location: NY

Senior Member

Your digital meter should have a contiuity test poistion and you do not have to look at anything, just listen for a beep tone if the circuit under test is no open.

On the floor of the amp chassis you will find a riveted on C channel bar, the thermal circuit breaker is the round black two terminal item.

[Updated on: Sun, 09 March 2014 07:34]

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