| new kustoms!!!! [message #5370] |
Mon, 17 January 2005 16:24  |
edforgothispassword
Messages: 202
Registered: July 2004
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Senior Member |
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ok.. Ijust got a very nice email from my buddy James Brown...former Peavey amp king...now heading up things at Kustom..we've been talking since before christmas and I still can't share the copy of the brochure that will be issued at NAMM...but they do have the announcement on their web site...
http://kustom.com/press/20_jan_2005_coupe_series_amps.asp
so you can see what's coming...
I have to say I'm very pleased with James being there..with their decision to make the product here in the US, with the Eminence decision which included the reissue of a chrome dome and with the design which tastefully remembers the tuck n roll while approaching the Matchless DC30/boutique amp look...I've urged him to consider a 4x10 and a 1x15 bass with ports model...
you're opinions are valued and James will/is listening...so step up kustom fans and weigh in on this latest pass at the legend...
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| Re: new kustoms!!!! [message #5372 is a reply to message #5370] |
Tue, 18 January 2005 06:59  |
Smoke1
Messages: 107
Registered: September 2003
Location: Southern Maryland Solomon...
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Senior Member |
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Anybody Know When do they hit the streets and how much will they cost? 
Smoke1 Plays Kustom Amps & Old Tube Amps Loud in S. Maryland
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| Re: new kustoms!!!! [message #5373 is a reply to message #5370] |
Tue, 18 January 2005 08:13 |
stevem
Messages: 4774
Registered: June 2004
Location: NY
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Senior Member |
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My hope would be that they try to go back to the quality of design and componet level that Kustoms of the 60s to early 70s where known for.they should take a big step away from what I have found design wise in my new Kustoms I have ( last reissue of the tuck and rolls)The screw together thin steel frames,, the switches activated by 14" long plastic poles, in the tube head, output tubes mounted horizontaly, hanging with no retaining springs,head cabinets that might come apart if it eas not for the tuck an roll covering keeping them together,speaker cabs hot glued together, and more.The semi torodal transformers are nice plus to find thuogh!I think their is a big enough middle market for a well made amp, it doesnt have to be a 1200 watt thing like ampegs bass monster, or a 350 watt metal driver for guitar like marshalls new rig. These days a 100 guitar, and a 250 watt bass amp with good drivers in a well designed cab is plenty. I can not belive that someone today would pay 900 dollars for a marshall 4-12 mode 4 guitar cab, the speakers in that thing retail cost no more 120 bucks each.
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| Re: new kustoms!!!! [message #5374 is a reply to message #5370] |
Tue, 18 January 2005 11:37 |
edforgothispassword
Messages: 202
Registered: July 2004
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Senior Member |
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well I'm hoping for the best.. Kustom seems to have learned from their severe kick in the ....pants..with their Asian effort on the tuck n roll...total overrun on cost, 1 yr delay in market, lousy components, and pretty shabby handwork...
They've made an investment in James Brown and seem to be allowing him to infuse his designs for production tube amps.
Hard to imagine any current company incorporating the quality that Bud put into his old rigs..hell the screws onthe cab backs alone would run you out of business!not to mention the corpal tunnel law suites from today's employee mindsets....but aside from lamenting the good ol days..I think they have a seriously good oppty here to produce a nice product that isn't so heavey on the tuck nroll that it alienates, yet has a touch of coolness factor...can they compete for a players marshall fundage..on new stuff..yeah...cause I'm not finding that many boys in love with whats on the floor..the money that's being spent is on the older JCM800s/900s and even then..its major tube time and someone who knows how to properly bias those amps..otherwise they sound like crap...Vox....Vox who?...Vox Brittain...nope...gone...fender?...Mexi solder that requires a total hand redo by the 3rd stage show.. I'm talking from experience with several amps/models of new fender that are in my inventory...65 twins, 59 bassmans...everyone of em have to be gone through to be stage ready...I think we should watch for some changes in the market...just because they stick a logo plate on something doesn't change the fact that its a korg product...call it a marshall.,. but if you are sticking cheap tubes in undersoldered sockets with really bad biasing done slammed together by some poor guy that's making $60 a month and one full plate of food at thecompany mess hall a day..well..we are seeing the results...I'd love to see Kustom and several others come back to roost...plan well, design great, build with heart, listen to their market, sell from player's understanding, and give us something to be proud of again... now this is taking a lot for me cause for those of you who've been around long enough, you know I had a pretty shitty run-in with old employees of this Ohio kustom gang just prior to their first tuck n roll efforts..they broke my heart and I've wore it on a sleeve ever since..a tear stained, snot covered sleeve or lamenting hatred for the corporate suites that let me know in very plain terms that they were busy building a company and just didn't have time to respond to emails from guys like me..swear to god it happened..and I swore then that I would never bring one of those new tuck n roll kustoms home and never have...I don't know if Wayne is still working at kustom..hope he's moved on to selling cell phone credit cards or something more meaningful to his life...but I am excited about having James on board and it looks to me like kustom has learned from many of their mistakes..the amps will debut at NAMM..I've not seen prices yet..but knowing James' amp design.. I'm fairly excited to see what they can do.
Ya'll please forgive the ramblings of a 48 year old midlife crisis, 30 kustom amp ownin, still play em on stage, loved em since I was 13, old fart... I so appreciate you guys
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| Re: new kustoms!!!! [message #5389 is a reply to message #5387] |
Sat, 22 January 2005 03:44 |
QModer
Messages: 413
Registered: June 2003
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Senior Member |
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Thats a pretty cool guitar rig. I would like to see and old style bass plexi amp with about 200 to 400 hundred watts of honest power.
With say a two ten in the top with two twelves in the bottom cab like the old two hundreds with of course with Sheryl Crow on top as in the usual newer Kustom tuck and rolls. Or two seperate cabs like that made on the 150 style of cab.
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| Re: new kustoms!!!! [message #5405 is a reply to message #5389] |
Thu, 27 January 2005 07:58 |
Smoke1
Messages: 107
Registered: September 2003
Location: Southern Maryland Solomon...
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Senior Member |
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Well, Figure that! NOBODY wanted an Ohio/China Kustom Quad 100 so I'll just keep it for awhile longer. Maybe I'll grow into it. The wife is acting up with some attitude since I finally got a new Marshall (MG15MSII Micro Stack) Amp toy so getting any new toys for awhile is on hold. Bad weather this past weekend Knocked out our power on Sunday and our heater froze up on Mon. Not a happy weekend. I'm sure you guys farther up North had it worst though.
Smoke1 Plays Kustom Amps & Old Tube Amps Loud in S. Maryland
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| Re: new kustoms!!!! [message #5407 is a reply to message #5370] |
Thu, 27 January 2005 19:19 |
QModer
Messages: 413
Registered: June 2003
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Senior Member |
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I'll bet that battery operated mini stack got plenty of workout while you were without power. I have a mini Deluxe myself and I'll get a mini Tone Master if I ever see one as I have the real thing so the mini would be nice.
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| Re: new kustoms!!!! [message #5410 is a reply to message #5370] |
Fri, 28 January 2005 09:16 |
edforgothispassword
Messages: 202
Registered: July 2004
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Senior Member |
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I think/hope, Kustom Ohio took enough of a beating on their China efforts to learn that USA grown gear can actually be cost effective.. I'm praying that more USA businesses come to realize the advantages of manufacturing stateside...but that's another sermon...
There isn't an overseas product on the shelves today that I can buy for my pro backline company and not have to redo before its ready for a national stage...tube sockets, resolder most of the boards, better tubes, etc..I've tried not messing with some gear and by the 3rd or 4th job at the most, I'm having problems...so every new piece..Fender Mexi, Korg, etc...hits the bench before it hits our stages....and Peavey, where James Brown comes from has yet to admit the Asian problems..they sent much of their guitar production overseas and their small USA shop spends all of its manhours doing fixes of the cheap gear before it can be distributed...this is fact..not urban legend... I've talked with employees directly. Kustom took a huge hit on their tuck n roll effort...product was late to market and overbudget...and never mind the quality issues..so I'm truly hoping that this time around they will offer us a quality pro-level product...I'm often synical (sini..?..an ass) with my attitude that we used to be production leaders in the 60s...when fenders and kustoms were first truly born.. I honestly don't know if there is a manufacturing company that cares to make a product like that today..and if they did.. I'm not sure our economy would support it...if you look at the current value dollar cost of a 1968 kustom amp in 2005 dollars... I'm not sure many of us could afford one..we'd be the same kids wishing for just one little combo..and dreaming of a big ol towering stack...so here's to the folks that are in meetings right now trying to figure out what their new amps should sell for, and how many to make, and what other models (2x10, 4x10, 1x15bass) should be added to the line..and whether or not they should send a free demo unit to ol ET for good measure (that's just in case they are reading these posts)...ya'll know this just makes fun conversation...truth is...we're in love with the bride of our youth...the incredible, original tuck n roll that stirred our teenage souls..and the doggone things are so good that we really don't need to look anywhere else...but I'll tell ya.. I haven't been impressed with much in a lot of years...however when James created the Peavey Classic tweed series, the pro market took notice and so did I...those amps now appear as acceptable and even preferred on many riders..right along side Fender twins, and Vox AC30s...fact is..they are my favorite recent production rigs...if I didn't have my kustoms... I'd play them..so look for some good product from James Ithink...as long as kustom will step up...
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| Re: new kustoms!!!! [message #5411 is a reply to message #5370] |
Fri, 28 January 2005 13:37 |
stevem
Messages: 4774
Registered: June 2004
Location: NY
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Senior Member |
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Yea, I know, but if today I could get a amp like my original K250 that I got in 71, and to this day only had to replace the indicator lamps than I do not think I would mind coming close to paying thru the nose for it! So we have only one choise, keep buying the great vintage stuff, or lucky people like me can make what I want should I care to, whwich is the road I might take.
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It's just plain awkward having to always look in over the back of the amp to adjust the controls. Who's stupid idea was that? 
Putting amp controls on the back side is pretty stupid and besides that you can't put another amp or speaker cab or anything else on top of it either. The outside covering is also very weak and thin as I scratched some of the bottom back edge off of it and I only ever took it out of the house a whopping 2 times. If I do ever buy another Ohio/China amp it would probably be just an amp head instead of a combo or one of the new T&R coming out. I do hope the new guy JB makes a difference. 
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