What's your oldest guitar amp?

  • Thread starter Thread starter rottingcorpse
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rottingcorpse

rottingcorpse

Well-known member
Let's make this a two part question, if you want. What's the oldest amp you are currently keeping alive, and what was the oldest amp you ever had. I plan to cheat a little in this post, so feel free to do so yourself(at the peril of possible claims of "shenanigans" be called).

Currently my oldest amp amp in the stable is the 1986 JCM800 Hanneman/Langner. My math makes that a 38 year old hottie that's had both cosmetic surgery and serious heart surgery.

My first amp was a 1960's Heathkit home stereo amp my dad rigged up for me to play my first bass through in 1979. Dad was an engineer and LOVED building Heathkit stuff. We found a Heathkit oscilloscope from a 1949 kit when we cleaned out the garage after he passed. Mom remembered him building it. Yes, I had to play my first "guitar" thru a kit amp and home speakers. This was way before the SLO clones ever existed, so I was ahead of the curve IMO.
 
The oldest amp I currently have is one of those cigarette pack amps from back in the late 80 early 90s. lol! The oldest one that I've ever owned was a 1966 Fender Bassman 50 head and matching 212. Really wish I still had that one.
 
I only own one amp right now, 90s era Laney GH50L. Not sure on the exact year.

Oldest I've owned was an '83 Marshall 2210. Had lots of other 80s shit, but nothing earlier than that I don't believe.
 
I have a Vega probably from the 50s does that count ? It’s a sibling of the Supro amp Page used in Zeppelin.
 
My tried and true 73 Marshall 50. It’s been modded - un-modded - and now back to glorious stock spec. Best clean to edge of breakup tones I’ve ever heard. And just a killer platform for AIB pedals.
 
Oldest amp I've owned is also the best amp I've ever owned, my 1983 Mark IIB Coliseum. I still gig it. :rock:

My mom owns a 1977 Bassman which still works great, I've jammed it with pedals and it's a killer not-metal rig.
 
I have this awesome 1940 Coronado Model 961 radio that my tech converted into a Champ type amp.

Makes for a fantastic conversation piece.

Coronado Radio.jpg
 
My oldest I own, and probably oldest I've had is my Red Bear MKE120 I took partially apart and never got back together. Anyone here have the schematic and wanna fix it? 😁
 
1974 1959 plexi that someone else stole the original NOS board and front faceplate out of it and swapped in a 2203 board. I found it in functional but non working order and used it as a platform for my enmity mod.

Oldest amp I’ve owned was an all original absolutely beautiful 1971 1992 superbass. Sold it only because I needed the money for vet bills and didn’t want to sell it. Bummed because I found out it was sent to Shea to be modded with a prototype mod. Quite sad but it’s not mine so whatever.
 
For me the oldest are a Mark III no-stripe (which I currently have) and a Marshall 1987 from the JCM800 era, both from 1985. Never had any really old stuff, but on the other hand 1985 is 39 years ago now :eek:
 
For most of the 80s I had an early 70s Fender Super Reverb that I goosed with a Rat pedal.
 
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