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I did it for you Big Al....

L.A.Man

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 13, 2003
Messages
1,143
Well I tried anyway. After a rousing debate over solid state amps and Norlin LP's, I decided I would jump over to the dark side and try out one of these babies.

My goal was to play my 76 custom with the ss amp, and see if there were any good tones to be had, expanding my tonal pallete, and removing the myth of ss ugliness.

So, I find a Kustom KB100 head figuring if it works for Fogerty (I know he played a kb200), it would work for me.

Upon delivery, I notice there is a strange type of debris poking out the back of the head. Further inspection after removing the chassis, revealed an enormous amount of critter debris. Apparently mice lived in the back of the Kustom for quite sometime, the debris ball was taking up almost the entire back of the chassis compartment. Wires where chewed, rust on the trannies and general gunk on the inside. The tuck and roll was in great shape, the outside pics were very good. Looked like a cool amp that reminded me of my buddies growing up.
I repacked this baby up and returned it to the seller in record time, it spent about 40 minutes at my house which is the quickest sale I have ever been part of, even amps that suck stick around for at least 8 hours.

The tube gods reached down and urfed up this big hairball to advise me once again, that I should stick with what I know best, the world of solid state amps was sending me a message. Go away, dont come back here again.

So sadly, I never really experienced the world of Kustom amps,in fact I got so turned off, I am selling the Norlin LP to boot.

I guess its me, but I cant seem to get past the words solid state without something bad happening. But I did give it a try.
 

mistersnappy

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 20, 2006
Messages
7,321
The tube gods reached down and urfed up this big hairball to advise me once again, that I should stick with what I know best, the world of solid state amps was sending me a message. Go away, dont come back here again.

.

I'm sorry it didn't work out, but that is one of the funniest paragraphs I've read here on the Forum! :3zone :dude:
 

goldtop0

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 19, 2003
Messages
8,919
L.A.Man that's just priceless.........sorry to read such a sad tale but boy it made me laugh......'I hate those meeses to pieces':rofl
 

Diablo1

New member
Joined
Jan 20, 2008
Messages
597
When I was a kid around 13, I remember trying out those brand new Kustom amps in a downtown Chicago exclusive Kustom shop. I don't remember the name of the place, but the store was brand new and filled with carpeting everywhere. They were nice enough to let me blast away on Saturdays when I got finished with my classical guitar lessons. Anyway, the salesmen were making a strong pitch how great these new solid state amps were, and how all those tube amps were going to be obsolete. Even my 13 year old ears knew they were full of shit, as their amps just sounded so flat, dull and lifeless compared to the Fender, Gibson and Ampeg tube amps of the time. The only thing they had going for them was the tuck'n roll genuine polyvinyl naugahide, which made 'em look like a seat cushion from a 1960s speedboat.
 

Steve Craw

Formerly Lefty Elmo
Joined
Sep 9, 2004
Messages
5,292
I had that same model Kustom amp, which I bought used in 1977. It was gold sparkle, tuck and roll, and hands-down, the worst sounding amp that I've ever plugged into. When I got it, I was so green, that I didn't there was such a thing as tubes/solid state, and figured all amps were the same. Boy, was I wrong!
 

L.A.Man

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 13, 2003
Messages
1,143
My buddy's band had a guitar player that was to this day the single best player I have ever heard live. Little guy, Mike Idonnnisi. He played one of these through a Kustom. I thought if I bought the same rig I would sound just like him.

Then of course the verminator shows up in the back of the Kustom, and boom, my dreams are shattered once again. The guitar is still cool though, its a bit unusual, but I really like it.
He Steve, see the table, thats on you my man. Cool eh?
P1013552-1.jpg
 

cryptozoo

New member
Joined
Jun 25, 2008
Messages
2,738
Kustoms looks so cool and sound so blah. It's a shame. Ever see the original MSRP price sheets? They weren't cheap.
 

Wally

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 27, 2003
Messages
3,535
LAMan, if you get a chance to play through a Lab SEries L-5 or L7 or L9, take some time and get to know another Norlin era product. The Moog folks knew what they were doing, imho, when they designed and built these amps for MOrlin back in the '70's. There are nodest to goodness decent sonics in there. These are the only SS amps that I can listen to or play through for more than just a few miniutes. These are decnet amps...the Multifilter SEction annd the compression circuitry yield great versatility. Take note that the #2 input is for 'Low ouput' pickups according to the manual....so there is gain sitting there waiting to be tapped if you want it. These amsp will yield little tweed tones, medium tweed tones, big tweed tones or BF/SF tones better/more closely than any other SS amp I have seen or heard. Knob twiddling is rewarding on these amps.
There is a reason why B.B. King plays through an L-5. They can sting, they can sing, and they have rich harmoinc structure...warmth...that no other SS amp has, ime. They are not as quickly versatile as a modeling amp, but they get closer to doing tube tones than modeling amps do, ime.
 

Big Al

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 24, 2002
Messages
14,531
Sorry it didn't work out, I like the Kustoms alot, as do quite a few of my runnin' buddies. Not the best overdrive but huge big dynamic fat full cleans. I have alot more to add and will when I can. Doc's found my cancer is back in my bones. Might lose the use of my left arm if I choose treatment. Looks like my playin' days are numbered, Hell I guess all my days are. It has been a cool ass trip, kinda hate to go so soon. I really thought I had beat it.
 

J T

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 20, 2005
Messages
10,496
Oh man. Sorry to hear about that.

You know you are a legend around here
 

L.A.Man

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 13, 2003
Messages
1,143
Trip aint over my friend, just a little more fightin to do. We will say some kind words to the solid state gods for you.
 

Wally

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 27, 2003
Messages
3,535
Big Al, I don't know you as others here do, but my thoughts are with you. I wish you peace. Hit a lick while you can, Brother!
 

Gold Tone

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 2, 2002
Messages
6,825
Best of luck and medicine to you Big Al. Went through this with my wife and now a close friend who will proabaly not see the spring.

Hopefully they've got you under close care.

Keep playing as long as you can!!
 

Pat Boyack

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 19, 2011
Messages
4,510
Sorry it didn't work out, I like the Kustoms alot, as do quite a few of my runnin' buddies. Not the best overdrive but huge big dynamic fat full cleans. I have alot more to add and will when I can. Doc's found my cancer is back in my bones. Might lose the use of my left arm if I choose treatment. Looks like my playin' days are numbered, Hell I guess all my days are. It has been a cool ass trip, kinda hate to go so soon. I really thought I had beat it.

Sorry to hear that Al. Have a party, make the best of it.
 
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