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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!

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