I would have someone look it over. Old amps are often far from stock, funky mods, and in general in need of a lot of repair to get them sounding right and being reliable. Caps, tubes, wires, etc all get brittle and wear out by now if it original. You could easily spend way more than the head costs to get it right. I stay away from old amps unless I can have them evaluated first. I played all the old amps that today command huge prices. Back then they were just good sounding reliable amps that could take a beating and a beating most of them took. Mark Korpi, gary primach and evan john and the h bombs is a good friend. He plays one of those style silvertone amps. Walter ---------- walter tore's spontobeat - a real one man band and over 1 million spontaneously created songs and growing. I record about 300 full length cds a year. " life is a daring adventure or nothing at all" - helen keller
I would try it too. The price sounds fair if its playable as is. Silvertone / Danelectro / Wards/ Airline - Valco built amps all make good harp amps. This one is a bass amp with two 6L6's and a 5Y3gt rectifier tube. Should be sweet with harp - though it's higher powered than the older 6v6 amps I'm more familiar with and you may have to be careful re. feedback. I have two little airline amps - but not this model silvertone.
here's the schematic http://www.prowessamplifiers.com/schematics/silvertone/Silvertone_1483.html
These are hand wired amps - that will give you sustain and bite. - They where the low end econo brands compared to fender - with speaker cabs of pressboard etc. but I think they are bargains as harp amps - if you want something with vintage vibe and character. As Walter warned however - you aint buying a new piece of kit with a warranty.
I found a review on this page - guitar players that have had em seem to love them. http://www.seymourduncan.com/forum/showthread.php?t=21935
"Silvertone 1483 Bassman clone or a 1484 Twin Twelve are spectacular. I like the 1483 just a touch more, a little more raunchy. They are Sears brand but I believe Valco built them. I just sold a 1484, but hope to get another when i get the bucks. My 1483 will never be sold, that amp is a beast. I also just a bought a 1471 combo that is extremely toneful, you totally get the Page vibe with it. Hit my link, I have sound clips of the 1484 and the 1483. Fat Jojo is entirely 1483. Those Silvertone amps amps are the White Stripes tone. IMO they need no tweaking at all, most my other old amps have needed a bit of messing, but these ones are perfect stock. ----------
Last Edited by on Mar 17, 2011 8:20 PM
If you can see and play through it, and it sounds good, grab it--that's more than a fair price. But after my one and only experience buying an amp unseen on fleabay, I'd advise against getting it if you can't check it out first.
KingO - I have been tracking the 1483's for a couple of years on eBay and Craigslist. They're going for $450-600 with the cab. Sounds like a deal for the head if the output transformer is good since it'll cost you to replace it. Swap out the 12ax7's for 5751's, 12aY7, 12at7 combination for. I would find one I like (5751) for the socket in the back, then swap around the second one that is closer and easier to get to for adjusting to the venue. Ricky Bush has modified the heck out of one(http://bushdogblues.blogspot.com/2008/04/happy-silvertone-anniversary.html) so he should know more. I elected not to and just mess with settings, tubes, and a 4x10 or 2x10 cab. Original cabs on these are often beat to hell and not built for hauling around much unless you have a road case for it.
Todd - you amp hog you. - (It takes one to know one) How many times a day do you go on craigslist and punch in "vintage tube amp" in the music section ? I've sworn off for now -no new amps!- so I only search once or twice a day. I mean, what if a true bargain shows up? - who am I to deny fate?
I may be selling a nice little octal single ended airline amp (model 8512) myself . I've got a another mongomory ward 4439, a Lone Wolf 6l6se I built, and my current fave - a cute little gibson BR9. I put a weber speaker in it (some mods where necessary) - and man that tiny amp with a little 8" speaker can sing - more bass balls than I'd a thought too. ----------
Last Edited by on Mar 18, 2011 12:47 AM
here is a recent video of mark korpi. he is still playing that amp. He had that same back in austin in the mid 80's. Walter
---------- walter tore's spontobeat - a real one man band and over 1 million spontaneously created songs and growing. I record about 300 full length cds a year. " life is a daring adventure or nothing at all" - helen keller
I've been gigging with a 1483 for about 6 years now, with a 2x12 cabinet from the 1484. I love it. Fat, saggy tone, no need for delays, etc. Very reliable, plenty loud for medium size rooms without having to mic. Buy it.
Yeah, as MrAck says, I modded out a 1483 into a pretty darned decent mid-size harp amp. HTownFess coaxed me through the mods to simply fattened up the tone and get it sounding a bit more gnarly. I blow it through a DIY cab with 2 Weber Vintage alnico 10s and 2 Weber Sig Ceramic 10s. It all whomps well. $245 sounds like a great price. ---------- Ricky B www.bushdogblues.blogspot.com RIVER BOTTOM BLUES-A crime novel for blues fans due out late 2011
When I worked in a guitar shop about 12 years ago, we'd get in amps like that all the time. I think we'd pay somewhere around $30-$40 for them! I remember buying a few for myself, just for looks! I never tried any with harp though. I wish I had, I might of held on to them! ----------
