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Old 05-21-2016, 10:48 AM
John Cubbage John Cubbage is offline
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Join Date: 04-22-2016
Location: North Carolina
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Default More on Ampeg Bass Amps

We're collecting some good information on the history of bass amps. Maybe it will help somebody if they try to restore an amp.

I remember the Ambeg Bass Amp in the early to mid 1960s. I saw two models, a B-18 and I think there was a B-15 (I'll stand corrected on that). They were made of thick plywood with a dark blue vinyl covering that had a parquet pattern embossed in about 3/8" squares. Corners were capped in nickle plated metal. The top lifted off which contained the tube amp. You flipped it over and sat it back on the top of the speaker box. There was a translucent piece of plastic (Lucite?) that lit up and said "Ampeg" when the amp was turned on. It had 4 wheels on the bottom and boy it needed them. These units were heavy!

Ampeg was a good brand. My brother had an Ampeg guitar. It was solid body, good pick-ups, and had a red finish. Real quality. They made bass guitars, too.

Ampeg also made a pick-up system for acoustic double basses. It had a mike on the top of a long end pin. A wire connected to the end pin above the rubber tip. The other end of the wire plugged into the bass amp. In addition, the microphone system also had a heavy chrome plated contact mike that had a volume knob and sat under the arch of the bridge. A screw held this mike in place with pressure against the top of the bridge's arch. It was a sound killer in that it acted like a mute when playing without the amp. A wire connected this contact mike to the mike inside the bass. I cut the contact mike off and just used the inside mike on the end pin.

Ampeg also made the "Baby Bass." It was an electric upright with a small fiberglass body and a long end pin. It was probably the original electric UB. I still have the original demo record distributed to dealers that Sy Lowy at Red Bank Music (NJ) gave me. Guess who demonstrated the instrument? That's right, Gary Karr! He played some impressive stuff and spoke the sales pitch for the instrument.

I digress, but you were speaking of Manny's Music Store. I bought my first double bass there in 1963. Manny's was recommended to me by a big band arranger and teacher of mine at Red Bank School of Music, by the name of Parker Lee. The bass was a used John Juzek (sp) 3/4, viol shaped, carved, factory bass. $250 and it's yours, kid. This bass had a neck almost as thick as a baseball bat. Later, I got the courage to trim the neck down.

Good information, people. Maybe a book can come out of this.

- Dr. C.

Last edited by John Cubbage; 05-21-2016 at 12:04 PM. Reason: Added Information and corrections
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