Shredder
161 posts
Apr 17, 2010
11:27 AM
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Hey guy's, I got this amp from a friend. It kicks ass on harp tone I just don't know what I have and what it's worth.
My buddy wants to trade an old guitar I have for it.
It looks like it had the reminants of Montgomery Ward on a sticker in the cabnet. There are no logo tags on the front of the amp. The speaker has no name on it just the numbers 8j11- v13795 then 550-10 then 220648.
All the control knobs and the inputs are on the rear bottom of the unit
The tube chassi has the model #62-9031. There are 2 tubes and a paper capicitor. There are 2 inputs, one seems louder than the other. The on off knob is also the volume control. I don't have any pictures.
I was hoping one of the vintage amp. experts might know what I have and what it's worth.
Also the amp is covered in cream colored tolex looking material and the speaker cover is brown and Gold tweed cloth. The cabnet is 11 1/2" tall X 15" wide and 5 1/2" deep.
Any help is apprecated.
Mike
Last Edited by on Apr 18, 2010 7:16 PM
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Hobostubs Ashlock
634 posts
Apr 17, 2010
11:29 AM
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lol
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Joe_L
167 posts
Apr 17, 2010
11:54 AM
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Got tube types and photos?
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Shredder
162 posts
Apr 17, 2010
12:10 PM
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Joe, one tube has this on it-- Radiotron electron tube with a big RCA on it. The number is 50L6GT made in USA. The other tube is a 12 AX7A made in USA but the mfg. is unreadable. This tube has a metal shroud around it when installed on the chassis. The paper covered cap. is a Mallory ---type FP made in USA with MFD VCD on it. Can't make out the rest of the #'s with out removing the whole chassis frame. No pictures yet, hope to get some in the next day or so. I'm pressed for time today. Things to do around the house and a GiG tonight
Hope this helps, Mike
Last Edited by on Apr 17, 2010 12:12 PM
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LIP RIPPER
208 posts
Apr 17, 2010
12:18 PM
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I'm sure it's pretty much worthless as far as any value. I'll give $20 plus shipping and bail you out of that mess okay?
;<}
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Hobostubs Ashlock
636 posts
Apr 17, 2010
1:01 PM
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wow when i checked out the 1st time it was blank thats the reason i said lol i thought that was your way of saying it has no name,there playing tricks on me again,You know THEM
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Rick Davis
301 posts
Apr 17, 2010
3:53 PM
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It's a Jensen speaker made in the 48th week of 1956 or 1966. That sounds interesting...
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-Rick Davis
Blues Harp Amps Blog
Roadhouse Joe Blues Band
Last Edited by on Apr 17, 2010 3:54 PM
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Greg Heumann
402 posts
Apr 18, 2010
9:29 AM
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I don't know anything about it but a fellow at last year's SPAH brought an old Montgomery Ward amp for me to hear and compared to the Kalamazoo. It wasn't real loud but it had GREAT tone.
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/Greg
BlowsMeAway Productions
BlueState - my band
Bluestate on iTunes
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Shredder
163 posts
Apr 18, 2010
7:13 PM
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1st try to post pictures. Thanks Rick for the info. on the speaker. The speaker is 6" in dia. Again the cabnet dimentions are 11 1/2' tall X 15" wide X 5 1/2" deep. Tubes, one tube has this on it-- Radiotron electron tube with a big RCA on it. The number is 50L6GT made in USA. The other tube is a 12 AX7A made in USA but the mfg. is unreadable. This tube has a metal shroud around it when installed on the chassis. The paper covered cap. is a Mallory ---type FP made in USA with MFD VCD on it. Can't make out the rest of the #'s with out removing the whole chassis frame.
Thanks for any help, Mike
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Hobostubs Ashlock
647 posts
Apr 18, 2010
7:19 PM
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damn that looks like a sweet amp.
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Rick Davis
303 posts
Apr 18, 2010
7:40 PM
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Just a guess... Looks like a Danelectric.
It was branded as an Airline, which I think was Montgomery Wards.
http://www.harmonica-amplifier-microphone.com/modele.php?marque=Airline&modele=62-9031
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-Rick Davis
Blues Harp Amps Blog
Roadhouse Joe Blues Band
Last Edited by on Apr 18, 2010 7:43 PM
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htownfess
57 posts
Apr 19, 2010
2:21 AM
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Yeah, that thing's a combo version of the ubiquitous amp-in-case amps sold with inexpensive electric guitars like Danelectro-made Silvertones back when. The 50L6GT tube is the giveaway. Older ones have a 12v preamp tube (this one's 12AX7), a 50v main tube, and a 35v rectifier tube (usually a 35W4). The idea was that the heater voltages of the three tubes added up close enough to 110v wall voltage that the amp could function without a power transformer; the math comes out 10% low but they did it anyway. An example of that is a Silvertone 1448. Note that there is only an output transformer visible on the chassis of your 9031--that's another clue that it's an amp-in-case variant.
These no-power-trans amps were the absolute cheapest thing they could build. They're notorious now because the tube filaments run directly on wall AC and the chassis is not very safely isolated from that stuff--a power transformer usually performs the isolation function, and nowadays people tend to install isolating transformers in the amp-in-case amps so as not to have to worry about electrocution as much.
I don't know what the deal is with yours if it only has two tubes, preamp + power, but they have probably got some sort of SS rectification going on to power the tube plates--more likely in a mid-1960s amp and a way to save still more money. They clearly are taking care of both that and the heater/filament voltage in some way that accounts for the rest of the wall AC voltage and is probably fairly obvious visually if someone who knows what they're doing looks inside the chassis. There are not gonna be a whole lot of parts in there.
I suggest you take it to a reputable amp tech in your vicinity, who will understand what's going on in there. I think a SS-rectified one is as potentially lethal as a tube-rectified one. The cost of service may be more than the amp is nominally worth, but it is hard to beat something like that for playing around the house.
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MJ
157 posts
Apr 19, 2010
7:46 AM
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I will second that on the lack of a power transformer. If you are going to use the amp for playing harp, remember that you will be sticking a mic up to your mouth that may or may not be properly grounded. Install or have an isolation transformer on that amp. It looks cool and is most likely worth it.
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