Tonar8352
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Since I hijacked 1jimbo’s thread so bad I would like to apologize to him and start a new one about vintage amps.
But I got all of the amps since 2000 through this past year with the exception of the Champ. I got that in about 1992 along with a little Fender Duosonic together for $50.00.
I tell you deals are still out there. I just talked to a guy yesterday that sells vintage stuff and in the past two months he purchased a Tweed Deluxe and Tweed Princeton for under $250 each. Last year he picked up a 66 Pro Reverb for under $200.00 and he scored a near perfect transition year 68 Super Reverb with black silkscreen on the silver faceplate instead of blue (rare bird) for under a grand. I also talked to a guy about a month ago that scored a closet 1964 Vibrolux for $1200.00! You know what that amp is worth!
1. Know what you’re looking for.
2. Have the money in hand and ready to spend.
3. Be willing to walk away if you can’t get the price your want to pay. If you just got to have it you will pay their price; if it doesn’t matter the seller becomes the desperate one. This will also lead to regret sometimes. I passed on a Silverface Vibrolux for $500.00 a few years back and a 54 Tweed Pro for $1200.00 because they needed a little too much work to get them up to speed. I have always regretted that. In fact that Tweed Pro was in a little music store about 2 miles from the Warmoth Factory in Puyallup. I always stop at every music store I can find in my travels, sometimes it can work out.
4. Network with other like-minded lovers of vintage gear, sometimes they will clue you into a deal that they will pass on and they know you would be right for.
5. Have a good amp tech to tune them up. Or everyone sends their stuff to C.B. and have him tune it up for you. :laughing8:
6. Don’t be a purist, if it not bone stock original so what. Weber Speakers and Mercury Magnetic transformers can work miracles in a player amp. Or transform a Silverface to Blackface specification and tone. My main stage amp is the 73 Super Reverb that has been Blackfaced and had a Mercury Magnetic Tone Clone transformer put in it. I actually prefer it over the “66”Super Reverb.
7. The more beat up and ugly they are the cooler they are. It don’t have to look pretty to sound great.
8. Every one is a potential source. Especially when they say, “my grandpa, grandma, dad, mom, uncle, cousin etc use to play the guitar. Start asking questions. Ebay has made this kind of find harder but it still happens. The guy I bought my 1959 ES350T from was in a parking lot making a deal on a guitar and some lady walked by and asked if he bought guitars. She had one from her dad under the bed. He followed her home and she pulled out a 58 Esquire. I can’t say what he paid but I’ll tell you this, the Guitar Center gave him 10 times that amount the next day then added about $4500.00 onto that price and sold it.
9. Run adds in the paper. “Top dollar paid for old guitars and amplifiers.” You might have to look at a hundred pieces of junk but you will score some gems.
10. Make sure everyone knows your always looking for vintage gear. All of my friends and fellow workers know to call me if they run into something at a garage sale.
I have had more fun meeting like-minded buyers and seller since I have started the search. That to me is the big thing; the friends I have made. It is much like what we have here at the discussion board, a bunch of like-minded people all pursuing our passion. You get educated, make friends and have a good time. How can you go wrong?
Your right Jack. :evil4:
But I got all of the amps since 2000 through this past year with the exception of the Champ. I got that in about 1992 along with a little Fender Duosonic together for $50.00.
I tell you deals are still out there. I just talked to a guy yesterday that sells vintage stuff and in the past two months he purchased a Tweed Deluxe and Tweed Princeton for under $250 each. Last year he picked up a 66 Pro Reverb for under $200.00 and he scored a near perfect transition year 68 Super Reverb with black silkscreen on the silver faceplate instead of blue (rare bird) for under a grand. I also talked to a guy about a month ago that scored a closet 1964 Vibrolux for $1200.00! You know what that amp is worth!
So how does this happen.
1. Know what you’re looking for.
2. Have the money in hand and ready to spend.
3. Be willing to walk away if you can’t get the price your want to pay. If you just got to have it you will pay their price; if it doesn’t matter the seller becomes the desperate one. This will also lead to regret sometimes. I passed on a Silverface Vibrolux for $500.00 a few years back and a 54 Tweed Pro for $1200.00 because they needed a little too much work to get them up to speed. I have always regretted that. In fact that Tweed Pro was in a little music store about 2 miles from the Warmoth Factory in Puyallup. I always stop at every music store I can find in my travels, sometimes it can work out.
4. Network with other like-minded lovers of vintage gear, sometimes they will clue you into a deal that they will pass on and they know you would be right for.
5. Have a good amp tech to tune them up. Or everyone sends their stuff to C.B. and have him tune it up for you. :laughing8:
6. Don’t be a purist, if it not bone stock original so what. Weber Speakers and Mercury Magnetic transformers can work miracles in a player amp. Or transform a Silverface to Blackface specification and tone. My main stage amp is the 73 Super Reverb that has been Blackfaced and had a Mercury Magnetic Tone Clone transformer put in it. I actually prefer it over the “66”Super Reverb.
7. The more beat up and ugly they are the cooler they are. It don’t have to look pretty to sound great.
8. Every one is a potential source. Especially when they say, “my grandpa, grandma, dad, mom, uncle, cousin etc use to play the guitar. Start asking questions. Ebay has made this kind of find harder but it still happens. The guy I bought my 1959 ES350T from was in a parking lot making a deal on a guitar and some lady walked by and asked if he bought guitars. She had one from her dad under the bed. He followed her home and she pulled out a 58 Esquire. I can’t say what he paid but I’ll tell you this, the Guitar Center gave him 10 times that amount the next day then added about $4500.00 onto that price and sold it.
9. Run adds in the paper. “Top dollar paid for old guitars and amplifiers.” You might have to look at a hundred pieces of junk but you will score some gems.
10. Make sure everyone knows your always looking for vintage gear. All of my friends and fellow workers know to call me if they run into something at a garage sale.
I have had more fun meeting like-minded buyers and seller since I have started the search. That to me is the big thing; the friends I have made. It is much like what we have here at the discussion board, a bunch of like-minded people all pursuing our passion. You get educated, make friends and have a good time. How can you go wrong?
