1967 Ampeg B15N 2x15".... rare bird!

 Just had a day servicing two huge amplifiers made in the day of, well, huge amplifiers. 

This may easily be the coolest amp I've ever seen from Ampeg:

I believe this may have been a custom order. It's a later model, with 7027 tubes rather than 6L6, and a 7199 driver tube. Grid bias, 5AR4 rectifier and those lovely 6SL7 preamp tubes. The tweeters are a cosmetic addition having never been hooked up. 

Not going to get into anything technical, I just wanted to share this behemoth with y'all.

The cabinet has that ultra cool Austin Powers era cosmetics. I have a friend who has a single 15" version as well. Big amps really are no longer in vogue in NYC. This one was on the Reverb cheap as chips and still sitting there. Today the world is about small amps and efficient PA systems. I mean, who wants to move a refrigerator every time you have a gig?

That being said, if I owned a little coffee / wine shack where I featured jazz and folk music, it would be kinda against the law not to own this and stick it in the corner next to the house Slingerland drum kit.

One interior shot:

I did grow up in the last age of the big amp. I used to play a Marshall half myself. Can't say I miss moving these things but, damn. Nothing sounds or looks as cool as that oversized backline!

J

 

70's Traynor Bass Master. Prog rock EVIL!!!!

This was a fun one. At Sonic Circus they have 3 amazing Ampeg B-15 amps of varying vintage. They have an early cathode bias model, which is out favorite, a later fixed bias from around 1966 and a more powerful 70's one. They all record so nicely.

We were cutting tracks and believe it or not I was getting a bit bored of the B15 Fender Precision bass combo. Some of Dave's material is venturing into Prog territory. He's a great guitar player, his son is a great everything player, so I felt like just kicking back and playing bass, acoustic guitar and some saxophone.

So anyway, I pulled this neglected old Traynor off the shelf. Another fine amp from Indigo Ranch Studios...



It's no B15, that's certain. It's aggressive, nasty, impolite.... sounds like Geddy Lee or John Wetton rather than James Jamerson! All are outstanding bassist. Both inspire me!

Amp is about 50 watts with 2x EL34 tubes and 3 12AX7 tubes. Single 15" speaker. EVIL SOUND!



















Another simple Re-cap, changed the output tubes. Sadly the Mullard RCA stamped tubes were shot.

These are a bargain. Great for guitar as well. Hand wired, Hammond transformers, Mullard Mustard caps in the signal path, and built like a tank. Go get it! You won't regret it!