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Re: VIntage Kustom vs. Newer Kustom [message #4889 is a reply to message #4722] Thu, 23 September 2004 11:35 Go to previous messageGo to previous message
edforgothispassword is currently offline  edforgothispassword
Messages: 202
Registered: July 2004
Senior Member
sorry for any confusion..Bud had gone to the Namm as an observer...he had stopped at the kustom booth to check em out...when the sales guys found out who he was they started bragging to the other pedestrians that here was Bud Ross..."the guy that made the first old kustom tube amps"/...Bud was frustrated...he told me on the phone about it and said.."Ed.. I never made a tube amp..these guys didn't know a thing about the original product or me..and the new stuff was crap..." that's close to the conversation..he was disapointed in them..I was equally put out.. I had been emailing the new Cleveland Kustom folks as soon as they hit the market...asking them to consider producing a tuck n roll line..and to consider stepping up to making pro level stage sized equipment again..at the time..they didn't have more than a student grade 2x12 combo intheir offering...I told them about our gang, which back then was hanging threads on the vintage guitar forum...before we had our own website.. I was so enthused to see the kustom name coming back around and wanted to motivate the new company to consider its legacy...after about 6 emails with no reply whatsoever I pulled the old movie line from CLose Encounters.. "Stop and be friendly"...in a joking attempt to beg them to at least reply to my emails.. I had been used to being a regular part of the PEavey forum and the Gibson sites where employees actively and regularly respond to questions/comments from their loyal followings...well, I finally got an email from an exec named Wayne something...and he did a total blow off..told me they didn't have time to reply to emails...they were very busy trying to run a company...etc... I was crushed...but the next year..the little radio shack amps started showing up in tuck n roll..cute..but like some bad dream where you go into a store to buy a big ol pro grade sparkle kustom and all they have are these little desk top transistor radios...I fell into a state of total depression..lost about 200 pounds and threw up daily...oh, and never could bring myself to buy one of the little guys...anyway..sure nuff...along came the big rigs...but over a year late due to production problems in China..and when they did come in, they were way over budget specs on the $. It was a bad experience for kustom and I feel bad for them...oh..and never mind that when I tried to buy a replacement handle...the old style..they didn't have any ..but when they would get some in..it was going to something like $15 or $20 each.. I can't remember....so between Bud's comments, my experience with Wayne, and the quality that I had seen.. I simply turned my back on the new product and the new company and I'm still on the pout. The rigs that I have seen..the tuck n roll was crooked...the material thin and easily torn..the cabinetry flimsy and the amps would need to be retubed and have some serious part upgrades befor I would consider them ready for lounge lizard work...don't get me wrong.. I truly wish someone were making the gear..I had even offered to commission a triplet of white 3x12s from them early on.. I was touring nationally back then and the new kustoms would have been on 10,000 seater stages for the next 3 years at least.. can ya tell I'm heartbroken.. I told them about our website when we got it up...invited them to join us...I belive the feeback from this group would be so incredibly valuable to the company...now that James Brown is heading up the amps..we'll see if things improve.. I sure hope so...if you think I'm way off...go check out PEavey's forum...there are several employees per each product group..you can ask questions..everything from.."here's myserial number on a used piece I just pulled off of ebay..when was it made.."...and they'll come back to you right away..they are great..Chip Todd...famous guitar designer and manufacturing lead responsible for PEavey and the new Fender factory hangs out there all the time and will reply to you as well...and yeah...my classic Pvs are solid wood, solid solder and I'm way impressed with that line of amps.
On a brighter tone...I love the idea of replacing the fuzz/boost section in the 200 heads with an AX7 at full plate voltage..same design down to the smaller combos runing at 30 and 50watts rms..and yes, the bass rigs need to be running at a solid 300 watts rms minimum.. there are guys on this forum that can explain the diff in the design of thekustoms..how they basically run wide open with an attenuator to pull the volume down...I dunno..but something in the design of the kustoms gives a tighter low end and more volume/punch than many of the new more high watt rated amps on the market..for example..aK200 stands right in there with say a PVCS400 series...and my big K400 heads with 100rms per side will punch as hard as my mackie 1400 amp through the same speakers (pr of 2x15s)..so to be able to take the kustom design up by a 3xpower...oh yeah... ya know its worked for SWR..the 900 is still one of the most requested backline rigs and it along with the old Hartke were the first contemporary solid state answer for the old Ampeg SVT fans.
Couple guys have Bud's Krossroads 500 series..that'll give you an idea of watt 500watts non clippable can do...impressive...thanks for letting me vent...just love talking kustoms...now back to our program...ET

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