New Dumpster Diving Find

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Track Rat

Track Rat

Just Your Average Sized Member
My son called me the other day and said he saw an old "speaker box" or something in someone's garbage so he picked it up and wanted to know if I wanted it. I say sure, bring it over and we'll look at it. He lugs it over and lo and behold, it's a 1966 Ampeg GS-15R!!!!!!!!! The 15" was missing and the power tubes (7591A's) and one of the preamp tubes (6CG7) but after close inspection, it's obvious that the rest is completely original. The two 12AX7's and the 7199 are stamped "Ampeg", the Tolex has a few dings but the grill cloth is perfect (except for some bird shit which came off with some elbow greese and the wife's tooth brush :D ). I put a Eminance 15" in it I had laying around and I'm re-capping it now. This so cool it makes my head hurt! Pics to follow soon.
 
damm

what a nice son ...... why cant my son do something like that ??? hmmm :confused:
 
The annoying thing about this is I'm such a gear retard I could pass soemthing like that and think it's pure trash. Bah. Good find!
 
TelePaul said:
The annoying thing about this is I'm such a gear retard I could pass soemthing like that and think it's pure trash. Bah. Good find!
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The only reason he picked it up is because recently (thanks much to Dr Zee) I turned and old 50's Webcor record player into a tube guitar amp. Otherwise he wouldn't have looked twice at it. My first amp was an Ampeg B-42X so I soft spot for Ampegs. They're pretty clean sounding and don't break up like most rock heads like but the trem in it ROCKS and a nice spring reverb tank. I've already found an on line source for every major component like the power and output trannies so there's nothing in it that can't be fixed or replaced. I'm stoked!
 
On the same note, I went to the thrift shop the other day and they gave me a pair of high end infinity home speakers free because the lining on the speakers was bad. I traded them to a guy i know who repairs and sells hifi equipment for a rackmount eq (stk), crossover (dod), and 400w poweramp (?) he said he couldn't use. I was pretty happy about that, since I was in the market for 2/3 of those :). The poweramp especially, it has no adjustments at all, and uses only balanced ins/outs. It's the quietest poweramp I've ever used! I'll have to doublecheck the brand, it's over at the band's practice room atm...
 
It never ceases to amase me what people will throw away, not knowing what they have. I picked up a QUAD 200 watt power amp at a thrift store for $10 a few months ago too and an Akai GX230D reel to reel for $20!!! Both are in mint condition.
 
indeed. someone GAVE me a Steelphon Conductor head, which I use as my primary guitar amp now. It's all tube and sounds sweeeeet. It uses 4 84's as the power amp stage :). They thought it was junk because it wasn't pretty...
 
You better get over to the thrift store and get your wife another toothbrush! :D
 
Cool Find! I once found an old Magnatone 2x12 combo amp next to a dumpster. I took it home, plugged it in, and it worked! Record players are a great source for low power amps. I've got an old Voice of Music amp that I rebuilt, and modded for guitar. SE 6AQ5 3.5w, and killer tone. Congrats on the find. Everyone should have at least one ampeg. Mines a B15S.

edit; It pays to keep your eyes open. My last cool find was a beta 87 for ten bucks at the swap meet.
 
My replacement tubes just arrived!!!! It's down to the lab to see if I can make the beast come to life!!!!!!!!! HAPPY HAPPY JOY JOY!!!!!
 
Track Rat said:
The only reason he picked it up is because recently (thanks much to Dr Zee) I turned and old 50's Webcor record player into a tube guitar amp. Otherwise he wouldn't have looked twice at it. My first amp was an Ampeg B-42X so I soft spot for Ampegs. They're pretty clean sounding and don't break up like most rock heads like but the trem in it ROCKS and a nice spring reverb tank. I've already found an on line source for every major component like the power and output trannies so there's nothing in it that can't be fixed or replaced. I'm stoked!
Click to expand...

Alright! I had a Ampeg B-42X as well when I was playing in my first couple of bands-it was low power but it was a tank, since it was an Ampeg. I figured I had the only one in the Midwest~wish I still had it...... :(
 
IT'S ALIVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Absolutely the best free amp I ever had. Well, not exactly free, I did have to replace the power tubes and a preamp tube and drop a speaker in it but so far total investment is $52!!!
 
Well are we going to here it or are you going to make me continue to use my measly imagination?
 
Gimme a chance bro. It's only had a pulse for a few hours. :D
 
Looking forward to it. I know you can play too so even better.
 
A girl couldn't have lifted it into the car. :D
 
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