VintageKustom.com
VintageKustom.com is your source for literature and information on the tuck-and-roll vintage Kustom amps from the 60's and 70's, as well as their related products such as guitars and organs . We provide a webboard for help with kustom gear history, technical information and repairs as well as discussions with other collectors.
Home » VintageKustom.com » Comment Board » VIntage Kustom vs. Newer Kustom
Show: Today's Messages :: Polls :: Message Navigator
Return to the default flat view Create a new topic Submit Reply
Re: VIntage Kustom vs. Newer Kustom [message #4875 is a reply to message #4722] Mon, 20 September 2004 20:28 Go to previous messageGo to previous message
voided3 is currently offline  voided3
Messages: 200
Registered: July 2004
Senior Member
Hello. I don't think we need to add to the world war over tube vs. solid state, but the original Kustoms sound awesolutely amazing with the right effect and speaker set ups. I ran both my Kustom K200-A5 and a '68 Fender Showman through my Orange cab and they sounded almost exactly alike, I kid you not. I get awesome drenched crunch with mine if I use a tubescreamer. I know a lot of people say solid state doesn't give you the touch sensitivity of a tube, but i've found my Kustoms to be extremely responsive, even with effects. In many ways they react like a tube amp since when you crank them they break up, but i've never turned mine past noon or my ears would have bled. These amps were also built a lot like tube amps of the day as well, judging by their inner layout and since these amps were really one of the first big waves of high power solid state. Keep in mind I'm not bad mouthing tube amps by any means, i'm using them as a comparison; I love how many tube amps sound too (like Oranges, Fenders, Marshalls), i just can't afford them.... Tubes have an advantage in the sense that they are easier to work on for the most part and that you can change the sound of the amp simply by swapping out the tubes (and of course they sound awesome). However, they can also be more fragile because of the mostly exposed glass and they produce a lot of heat. Solid states have their quirks too though, for instance they can be hard to work on because of all of the silicon (more so in new amps than the old Kustoms though; new amps' guts look like computers with 1/4" inputs) and there are a lot of components needed to make them work too. The upside is, though, that they don't get as hot and you don't have to worry about a tube loosing its juice.

Anyway, the only reason I think tubes in a Kustom is a little iffy (not a bad idea, just iffy) is that even if they sound good, they are a kind of irony since the original Kustom company prided themselves in their breakthroughs in solid state. But yeah, my theory is if it sounds good, it doesn't cost too much, and doesn't hurt anything (except maybe my ears...I should use ear plugs more often), i'll use it, and the vintage Kustoms have filled that void tremedously for me. Thanks!


P.S.- i'd like to try out one too!

Report message to a moderator

[Message index]
 
Read Message
Read Message
Read Message
Read Message
Read Message
Read Message
Read Message
Read Message
Read Message
Read Message
Read Message
Read Message
Read Message
Read Message
Read Message
Read Message
Read Message
Read Message
Read Message
Read Message
Read Message
Read Message
Read Message
Read Message
Read Message
Read Message
Read Message
Read Message
Read Message
Read Message
Read Message
Read Message
Read Message
Read Message
Read Message
Read Message icon5.gif
Read Message
Read Message
Read Message
Read Message
Read Message
Read Message
Read Message
Read Message
Read Message
Read Message
Read Message
Read Message
Previous Topic: Manual Needed & Knob Noise
Next Topic: kustom k200b4 need info
Goto Forum:
  

-=] Back to Top [=-
[ Syndicate this forum (XML) ] [ RSS ]

Current Time: Tue Nov 19 02:59:31 EST 2024
.:: Contact :: Home ::.

Powered by: FUDforum 3.1.3.
Copyright ©2001-2023 FUDforum Bulletin Board Software