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Kustom eras / time periods - with Baldwin info [message #14698]

Tue, 09 November 2010 09:49

LesS
Messages: 477
Registered: December 2002

Senior Member

I added the dating of when Bud Ross sold Kustom to the Baldwin Piano Company to the "Kustom eras / time periods" list.
I believe the Baldwin purchase was early 1971 - if anyone has more info, please let me know.

Kustom eras / time periods

1)..Frankenstein era - 1965 to June 1967 (starting with SN 2001)
2)..K200A series era - July 1967 to April 1968 (starting with SN 15xxx) (K100 started SN 19000 Nov 1967)
3)..K200 A to B series transition period- April 1968 to June 1968 (starting with SN 238xx)
4)..K200B/K100 series era (before combos)- June 1968 to Sept 1969 (starting with SN 258xx)
5)..K200B/K100 series / K100/K25 Combo era - Sept 1969 to June 1970 (starting with SN 444xx) (also, ~Nov 69 Kustom starting putting SN's on spkr cabs)

6)..K200B/K100 series / K150/K50 Combo era - July 1970 to July 1971 (amps SN 57000 to 73500) (spkr cabs SN 12000 to 28500). These were the last amps made when Bud Ross still owned the Kustom company.
cabinet construction: 100% plywood

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Early 1971? - Bud Ross sold Kustom to the Baldwin Piano Company.
After Baldwin bought the company, the changes in the newer amps included the use of IC's and molex connectors, and the use of particle board in the cabinets.

7)..Slant Face amp era (before SS combos) - Aug 1971 to June 1972 (amps SN 73500 to 87000) (spkr cabs SN 28500 to 42000). These were the first amps made after Baldwin had bought the Kustom company.
cabinet construction: _________??

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An additional change after Baldwin bought Kustom - the SS combos had smaller pleats. The pleats were the same width but were thinner (less puffy).

8 )..Slant Face Amp and SS combo era - July 1972 to Jan 1974 (amps SN 87000 to 111700) (spkr cabs SN 42000 to 66700)
cabinet construction: uses some particle board
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9)..Tolex with silver face era - Feb 1974 to June 1976 (starting with SN 112xxx) (The blue faced Kasino amps are the same series as the Tolex-silver faced Kustom amps - the Kasino models that I have seen are identical internally to their Kustom counterparts.)
10)..Tolex silver face to black face transition period- June 1976 to ~Nov 1976 (starting with SN 140xx)
11)..Tolex with black face era - Nov 1976 to 1980 (starting with SN 169xxx)
-Les S.

[Updated on: Tue, 09 November 2010 10:10]

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