As a companion to my cascade 1968 K200 Model 795 PA, owned since 1969, I recently acquired a blue metallic K100 amp with two matching columns, each with four 8" speakers. Someone has removed the factory model/serial# tag so I am having trouble identifying this new addition to my collection. Each column has the Kustom Electronics logo plate and the amp has stand mounts on each side. Any suggestion would be welcome. Thanks!
pleat Messages: 1450 Registered: June 2004 Location: Belding, Mi
Senior Member
The early K200A and most of the K200B series amp didn't have the impedance tags around the speaker output jacks. Kustom started using the speaker tags around late 69 thru the end of the Kustom/Kasino production.
If the tag around the speaker jacks states one 8 ohm load or two 16 ohm loads, it is the K100-5 PA amp and the Kasino Club PA. Head produces around 60 watts RMS into a 8 ohm total load.
If the tag around the speaker jacks states one 4 ohm load or two 8 ohm loads, it is the K200-5 PA amp and the Kasino Concert PA. These amps produced 100 Watts RMS.
Thanks for responding. One of the speaker jacks has been replaced. The flange of the other jack is stamped only with "Pat. No. 210,129-Kustom-Chanute, KS." The information I have suggests that because it has neither the tall forehead of the "Frankenstein" era ('65 - '67); or, the slant face used after '71 and through '75, my K100 was made in the period from 1968-1971 and is probably, as you suggest, a K100-5 PA with reverb. Why someone removed the Kustom amp tag I have no idea. Obviously, they did not adequately appreciate Bud Ross's creations! Thanks, again.
stevem Messages: 4720 Registered: June 2004 Location: NY
Senior Member
When the serial number plates are removed it's a clear cut case of it being stolen and taken to a pawn shop for cash, or traded in on other gear from a music store.
I have 2 such heads and have worked on many like that over the decades.
There are many ways to pin down the year the amp was made if you remove the 4 bottom screws and slip out the rear of the cabinet.
Thanks so much for your help. You obviously know a great deal more than do I about the Kustom products I have been using for the past 50+ years! I plan to travel from OK to TX next week to have my Dallas guitar tech change the K100's power cord to a 3-prong plug and I while the amp is out of the case I will search for identifying information and take lots of photos.
I am embarrassed to say I just noticed one of the columns has three 8-inch speakers rather than four. The speakers are by Kustom Electronics Co. (rather than Jensen, JBL, or CTS) and the designation on each says "5808322; 137 7150; 16 ohms; 038-001200". Would I need to purchase a 16 ohm, 8-inch speaker to replace the missing one? There is no electronics provider in the small town where I live but via Amazon I can get a Celestion Eight 15 eight-inch, 16 ohm speaker for about $50. Would that be sufficient?
stevem Messages: 4720 Registered: June 2004 Location: NY
Senior Member
Out of that string of numbers that you posted the 137 is the CTS code.
The 7150 string is the manufacture date code.
The speaker was made in the 50th week of 1971 making those cabinets of very late production for a K100 series.
The numbers on the speaker jack plate references the patent code.