| Kustoms at Big Brother [message #1801] |
Mon, 26 August 2002 09:32  |
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Hey guys, I have been crusing your sight and
reading all the talk about Kustom amps and thought I didn't have much to contribute, except that I used to own a Blue Kustom K200 Bass Amp w/2x15 and later added another 2x15
cabinet. Sure sounded sweet.
Last week was watching Big Brother on TV and saw Cheryl Cro playing to the house guest.
Setting there bigger than life was 8 Kustom
Speaker cabs with either 4x10 or 4x12's, stacked 4 on each side of stage. Man, did they look great.
Hey, keep up the good work on the sight. Glad to see others like myself that still love Kustoms.
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| Re: Kustoms at Big Brother [message #1803 is a reply to message #1801] |
Mon, 26 August 2002 13:51  |
BC
Messages: 583
Registered: March 2000
Location: Kentucky
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Senior Member |
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Cruise on in at anytime....we love to hear from new folks! Tell us what happened to you BLUE 200?
The Kustoms used by CC are the "new" tuck and roll released a couple of years ago. Hey! If she had found us we could have set her up with the real thing! Either way, I am glad to see major acts still using the tuck and roll!BC
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| Re: Kustoms at Big Brother [message #1806 is a reply to message #1803] |
Mon, 26 August 2002 22:43 |
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Thanks BC. I hail from down Texas way and in
1969 I bought a new Kustom 200 Bass Amp
w/2x15 Jensens. Boy, I loved that amp.
Guys in the band said I wasnt loud enough. I added a 2x15 Jensen cab on other side of stage. No more complaints. I played on that amp for over 10 years using a Gibson EBO bass. Lots of thump, eh? I'm still kicking myself for selling it.
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| Re: Kustoms at Big Brother [message #1810 is a reply to message #1806] |
Tue, 27 August 2002 10:45 |
ET
Messages: 146
Registered: October 2000
Location: Charlotte NC
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Senior Member |
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there are more sore backsides in this group! lots of butt kicking for ever selling the first loves...the good part is that you're back and the kustoms are still here cause Bud made em to last and they have so check around, chances are one of us has your old blue rig and we look forward to having you back in the sparkle! Play Loud! ET
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| Re: Kustoms at Big Brother [message #1811 is a reply to message #1810] |
Tue, 27 August 2002 14:52 |
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ET, I left music for nearly 15 years, plus selling my Kustom. But the love never died, I started back about 2 yrs years ago. Bought me a Strat and started back playing lead guitar, couldn't stand it so I bought me a bass. Now I need a amp, after nearly blowing my little Crate speaker. I wasnt sure if I could find a good old Kustom on ebay. So, Doowop was selling the new Kustoms on ebay.
I bought a 400w Kustom head w/2x15 cab and a 4x10 cab. I know its not the same, but damn it looks good and it is blue.
Morale to this story: I found some old buddies, put a group together, we are playing gigs, having a ball, and by golly that new Kustom sounds even better on stage.
They even asked me to turn down, just was TOO LOUD!
Thanks for listening. JW
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| Re: Kustoms at Big Brother [message #1812 is a reply to message #1811] |
Tue, 27 August 2002 17:25 |
BC
Messages: 583
Registered: March 2000
Location: Kentucky
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Senior Member |
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My first was a cascade 200 with 2x15 Jensen and you are correct....not loud enough. CTS is the way for bass, unless you had the coins for the Altec or JBL options. Sold mine...sore rump...looked for the correct amp for years....(played Sunn, Acoustic 370, Traynor, Peavey, Fender and G-K...even tried out Marshall, Trace Elliot, Ampeg, SWR and others but I was not really happy) did not play for a while...started buying the vintage Kustoms in 99.....never been happier. It is a story guys all over the country could tell and it keeps happening! Glad to have you....now to get you into some vintage Kustoms! BC
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| Re: Kustoms at Big Brother [message #1813 is a reply to message #1812] |
Wed, 28 August 2002 09:36 |
ET
Messages: 146
Registered: October 2000
Location: Charlotte NC
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Senior Member |
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just glad yer playing tuck n roll.. new or old... I can't speak to the new stuff as I"ve never gotten my hands on a single rig..none of the stores in my region would stock anything beyond those little practice transistor radio things so I"ve never heard one in person. I had a falling out of love with the new kustom company early on...I guess I came on with too much enthusiasm at the thought of them maybe making some tuck n roll again...anyway..they broke my wittle heart and so I never got close enough to test drive a rig. I will be interested to hear from you once you get hold of a vintage kustom in clean shape and add that to your mix...in the meantime, welcome back to music and to the web site of the greatest bunch of guys (and Deb) on the planet! Play Loud..ET
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| Re: Kustoms at Big Brother [message #1814 is a reply to message #1813] |
Wed, 28 August 2002 16:31 |
C4ster
Messages: 686
Registered: June 2001
Location: Mukwonago, WI (Milwaukee...
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Senior Member |
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My son bought a TRT100 and a 2x15 cabinet. Overall, the rig is respectable. The head is all tube and has a good overdrive section and channel switching. The reverb is decent. The only problem was the T&R was shabby on the cabinet. He returned it and the second cab was speared with a fork lift in transit and the third is pretty good. I noticed the other day that the T&R is crooked on the sides, but unless you really look, you won't notice. But, that rig is sitting as he is using my cascade K100-2. He likes the tone of the K100 better. Maybe it is the Jensens in the 2x12.
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| Re: Kustoms at Big Brother [message #1816 is a reply to message #1814] |
Wed, 28 August 2002 23:15 |
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From what I understand, Kustom re-introduced
the tuck n roll amps with the intent to use old and new technology. One problem, they had them built in China instead of Chanute, at nearly double the cost and a year later than scheduled. So they cancelled the project.
I bought a TRB400H 400w rms Bass Head and a
2x15 8 ohm cabinet with Jensens. Now, I admit that the quality isnt there like the old amps, but mine at least looked good. T&R
was straight, not very fat, but nice. No insulation in the cabinet at all. Same bracing, just cheaper quality. The head was
however more impressive. 2 switchable channels, manual or with attached foot switch. Channels are solid state preamp or tube preamp adjustable. Compression, Chorus, and Equalizer. High and low inputs. of course the famous blue jewel light. Footswitch, 3 balanced outputs for direct mic-ing thru pa. Sound, ok. I was actually disappointed. I hooked up 4x10 cab with the 2x15 giving me 4 ohm operations, and much better. I finally deceided to take it gigging. Surprise, surprise. It actually sounded great with only the 2x15's. By golly, it was trying to sound like a Kustom and the 400w was ample. I was actually asked twice to turn down. Not the real thing, I know, but the closest I got right now. Sorry guys, and Deb, for rambling on, I got carried away. Thanks
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| Re: Kustoms at Big Brother [message #1823 is a reply to message #1821] |
Fri, 30 August 2002 08:29 |
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No Deb, just a honest mistake. I thought the Kustom lights were blue and everyone elses were red. Heck, most of what I know now, (technical, that is) I learned off of this site. Thanks.
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| Re: Kustoms at Big Brother [message #1824 is a reply to message #1823] |
Fri, 30 August 2002 08:48 |
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Your are both right. Kustoms came with red non jeweled lens in the begining years, then went to a pale blue non jeweled and then to the famous Purple jeweled light. Bud was telling us a story in Nashville, how the purple light came about. He was in Vegas, waiting for a show to begin, and he noticed a lot of amps on stage behind a thin curtain, all he could see were red jeweled lights, so he went back to Chanute and started using the blue and then purple lens. He said the next time he was anywhere there were amplifers on a darkend stage he know which ones were Kustoms. Pretty cool story, and just one of many he told us that weekend in Nashville. Don
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| Re: Kustoms at Big Brother [message #1827 is a reply to message #1824] |
Fri, 30 August 2002 13:52 |
ET
Messages: 146
Registered: October 2000
Location: Charlotte NC
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Senior Member |
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I actually have a blue sparkle 4x10SC that came to me with a blue jewel which is just plain beautiful on that rig...wouldn't want it any other way...but on my black rigs...the purple is just as cool as things get. oh...and a cascade jewel on my cascade hi freq cab rig...oh yeah...!!!
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| Re: Kustoms at Big Brother [message #1828 is a reply to message #1823] |
Fri, 30 August 2002 22:52 |
KustomBlues
Messages: 494
Registered: June 2001
Location: Michigan
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Senior Member |
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Well, the lights (or square push buttons that light up) on the 150/250/300 series WERE BLUE, but the plexi's are koolest with the purple. Some guys say that when Bud ran out of purple he'd use red, or green, etc. I haven't asked Bud Ross myself, so what do I know???
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| Re: Kustoms at Big Brother [message #1830 is a reply to message #1829] |
Tue, 03 September 2002 10:22 |
C4ster
Messages: 686
Registered: June 2001
Location: Mukwonago, WI (Milwaukee...
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Senior Member |
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If you hold the jewel up to a brighter light or fluorescent light, the color is blue. However, the combination of the reddish colored filament in the lamp behind the jewel created the purple color. If you substituted a brighter light in the lamp holder, the purple was diminished. Car enthusiasts would place a blue jewel in the middle of their tail lights, directly in front of the lamp, and the result is that your eye sees the color as being purple. All optical illusions.
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| Re: Kustoms at Big Brother [message #1831 is a reply to message #1830] |
Tue, 03 September 2002 15:09 |
ET
Messages: 146
Registered: October 2000
Location: Charlotte NC
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Senior Member |
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yeah...and in my younger days..my first car was a 1964 Ford Galaxy 500 which spent many of its weekends at the local drive in..aside from the thick shag carpet that I put everywhere in there.. I also removed the white opaque plastic on the courtesy lights and replaced it with clear blue plexi glass so when you opened the door...you got this intense blue interior..if I coulda found purple, or paid more attention in my physics class to the optical illusion chapter, then I'dve done that too! btw.. I've been collecting the exterior string lights to enhance our stage lighting...if anyone sees any in purple, pls let me know...oh..and was thinking about loading some pin spots on the inside of the big PA cabs so that I could flash light out through the ports for some really special fx....and you thought you guys were sick...ET
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| Re: Kustoms at Big Brother [message #1832 is a reply to message #1831] |
Tue, 03 September 2002 15:31 |
C4ster
Messages: 686
Registered: June 2001
Location: Mukwonago, WI (Milwaukee...
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Senior Member |
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If I read you correctly, you want purple Halloween (Christmas) lights. They were available last year and I would assume I would see them again this year. I know Wal Mart had them. Also, the larger C7 lamps are also available in purple but individually in 4 packs. I will keep you in mind.
Conrad
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| Re: Kustoms at Big Brother [message #1833 is a reply to message #1832] |
Tue, 03 September 2002 16:26 |
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Reminds me of my earlier days when I drove a
1963 Chevy Impala with Red and White tuck-n-roll interior and red & white interior lights. Had a song book cover made for my band out of gold & white tuck-n-roll. Glad I didnt get a gold suit like Elvis. Second thought, maybe I should, then I might have been rich and famous. Good thing I bought my Kustom in '69 or everything might have been blue sparkle. Just had a crazy thought, talk about a wild show, if all of you were on Big Brother together.
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| Re: Kustoms at Big Brother [message #1834 is a reply to message #1833] |
Tue, 03 September 2002 21:31 |
BC
Messages: 583
Registered: March 2000
Location: Kentucky
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Senior Member |
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Being an old Hot Rodder myself I think the purple lens in the tail lights were called "Blue Dots" Maybe I should borrow a couple of Jewels and put them in the lights of the 74 Caddy Hearse I drive as my Kustom hauler!.......but I just can't go the shag carpet.......BC
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| Re: Kustoms at Big Brother [message #1836 is a reply to message #1834] |
Wed, 04 September 2002 11:10 |
ET
Messages: 146
Registered: October 2000
Location: Charlotte NC
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Senior Member |
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see, I knew with just a bit of prodding that I would get you guys to admit that you are ALL crazier than me!!!...and if I were a bettin man I'd say the only reason there ain't more shagg carpet in that hearse is that they just don't sell it anymore! haha!
Pleat tells me that he has done the backlit ports...I knew somebody had to have gone there..its just too obvious...and thanks so much for the clue on the halloween colors..hadn't thought about that since I'm not much on halloween now that the kids are all grown. although I did do a party last year dressed as the right rev Bill Gibbons of ZZ Top fame...complete , in this case, with grey beard to match my hair color, labeled ball cap and leather jacket...it was scarey just how real it looked..if it didn't take so long to get the beard on , I"d be tempted to include it in one of our band sets at night...wonder how Deb (my wife and lead vocals in the group) would look in a matching getup....maaaaayyyybeeee not...
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| Re: Kustoms at Big Brother [message #1838 is a reply to message #1834] |
Wed, 04 September 2002 21:52 |
KustomBlues
Messages: 494
Registered: June 2001
Location: Michigan
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Senior Member |
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Yup, "blue dots." I see a lot of my harley buddies have them tailights too. No blue dot tailights for me though.... I have the normal red "please stop" kind on my harley. :-)
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| Re: Kustoms at Big Brother [message #1839 is a reply to message #1836] |
Wed, 04 September 2002 21:56 |
KustomBlues
Messages: 494
Registered: June 2001
Location: Michigan
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Senior Member |
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Did I hear a call for some shag carpet???????? I have awful ugly avacado green stuff here I'll sell ya!! It'll really fit into that 60's hippy thing! :-)
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| Re: Kustoms at Big Brother [message #1844 is a reply to message #1840] |
Thu, 05 September 2002 17:04 |
ET
Messages: 146
Registered: October 2000
Location: Charlotte NC
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Senior Member |
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ZZ-Top...there's a costume shop in town and I tried the prepackaged beards, but not good nuff..they sell these little braids of hair, you have to pull them apart and then iron the curl out of them and before you know it...you;ve GOT HAIR. They sell you the glue for your face..my wife worked on me for a bout 30 minutes.. I've got a pic somewhere I'll email to you...all for fun and fun for all....ET
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| Re: Kustoms at Big Brother [message #3091 is a reply to message #1801] |
Mon, 22 September 2003 15:08 |
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Hi all, thought I would add in my 2 cents to the page. First off, I'm Conrad's middle son, the one who wont give back his little K100. Its so butiful, wounderful, and sounds soooo kick a$$. Along with his Gibson ES 335, which I wont give back either, they are the perfect combo. ....where was I?....oh yes. I have one of those new Kustom T&R amps. I have the new 100w head with the 2x15 cabs. For the most part they sound great, but the only problem is , in order to get the sound you realy want, there is a lot of adjusting you have to do with the volume, gain, bass, treb, and middle. With each guitar change, you have to make the adjustments. over all, the tone sounded great, but it was simmlar to playing on a marshell. It has a marshell sounding lead gain which is no where near the Kustom sound, but the clean is just fine.
The 2x15 cab is fantastic. It has a great bottom end, and top end to. It has the look of a Kustom. But...I found a different use for the cab. My dad and I gutted the cab. took off everything, mounted rails on the inside and turned it into an amp rack for sound equpt. The dimnensons are perfect for the amps and equpt. The cab is not tapered like its elder brothers and sisters. So everything fits and nothing shows out the back side. I'll have to send you guys pics of it. I think you'll like it.
Rock on.............until mother yells
TURN THAT DAMN THING DOWN
Craig
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| Re: Kustoms at Big Brother [message #3092 is a reply to message #3091] |
Mon, 22 September 2003 16:08 |
C4ster
Messages: 686
Registered: June 2001
Location: Mukwonago, WI (Milwaukee...
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Senior Member |
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Well, the cat's out if the bag. So to speak. I have been trying to keep it under wraps for many years. Yes, I have sons. Unfortunately, he does have the capacity to speak and write. I have been trying to exercise this boil and it finally festered to the surface. Sorry that he had to show up on this fine web site. I appologize for the mess he will ultimately leave behind. He will try to get you all to like him and accept him into the Kustom Koffee Klatch but I know the rest of you will see through the pitiful transparency that is a 22 year old's life. Please don't laugh at him. He has a very thin skin and he does cry easily. Besides, if he does get out of hand, I have incriminating pictures I could use against him. If you all ignore him, he will go away. Although, I have been ignoring him for 22 years and he is still around. Hell, he lives at home yet. How pitiful is that???? I'm mot sure if you should feel sorry for him or ME.
Conrad
P.S. At least he should be able to spell!!!!
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| Re: Kustoms at Big Brother [message #3095 is a reply to message #3091] |
Tue, 23 September 2003 22:00 |
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So I misspell a few words and my father "The Spelling Gestapo" jumps all over my case. What's a few misspelled words. Hey I thought we were all pals who share the love of Kustoms. I know I am.
With great love to all fellow Kustomies
Craig
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| Re: Kustoms at Big Brother [message #3117 is a reply to message #3116] |
Fri, 26 September 2003 02:03 |
QModer
Messages: 413
Registered: June 2003
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Senior Member |
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What happened with those new Kustoms that were produced a few years ago? Why did they stop? I wanted one of those 400 watters. There seemed to be a lot of groups using them even more than in the late sixties I'm sure.
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| Re: Kustoms at Big Brother [message #3121 is a reply to message #3117] |
Fri, 26 September 2003 13:27 |
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Thank you Deb, That is sooo true.
Now the reason why they stopped production on the reissue Kustoms is because they didn't sell as well as they thought. Now it is still up for debate weather it was poor quality, too expensive, or bad promoting that did in the sales. But if you are still interested, they are always showing up on Ebay. You just have to keep on looking.
Rock On
Craig
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| Re: Kustoms at Big Brother [message #3122 is a reply to message #3117] |
Fri, 26 September 2003 13:28 |
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Thank you Deb, That is sooo true.
Now the reason why they stopped production on the reissue Kustoms is because they didn't sell as well as they thought. Now it is still up for debate weather it was poor quality, too expensive, or bad promoting that did in the sales. But if you are still interested, they are always showing up on Ebay. You just have to keep on looking.
Rock On
Craig
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