what amp is this?

[antichef]

Can anyone identify this amp? I got it on ebay, and it sounds fantastic. It's driving me nuts not knowing what it is:

It's small, with an 8" speaker that barely fits in the cabinet (I've since replaced it with the one that came in my Vox AD15VT - sounds better, but fits worse). That's a tone knob on the left, and a volume/on/off one on the right. The amp has one 12AX7 for the preamp (in a sheath), and one 6V6GTA for the power amp, and I guess it must have a solid state rectifier. The filter cap is a big Mallory (original?) that hangs down from the chassis like a tube. The power tranny looks kind of new, but I'm not sure. It looks like there was once a brand name plate in the lower right corner of the grill, but it's gone. I took it apart, and there were no additional clues as to the manufacturer. In the middle of the faceplate at the bottom (you can't see it in the photo because of the glare), it says "model 62 9060". Anybody have a clue?

 

[Strange Brew]

Just Googled that number and "amplifier".

There was a Silvertone 62-9060 tube amp, with an 8" Jensen.... can't find an image of one though.

Looks like it's had a logo on the grille cloth - top lleft. Can I see the outline of an "S" there?

 

[guitarweasel]

I was just gonna say it was a Silvertone........a lot of Silvertones (Sears) and Airline ( Montgomery Ward) amps were made by Danelectro or Valco.

 

[antichef]

Maybe that is an S in the upper left - I hadn't noticed that. Nice work with google -- I tried a bunch of things, including the bare number, but no luck. Can you post the exact query in brackets []? -- I'll hopefully learn something.

I've got to find a good page on those Silvertone amps -- because of the long time period and multiple manufacturers, it's a very heterogeneous group. I've got another one that about the same size (different schematic, similar speaker), and appears to be of a similar age, but it's very different in appearance and doesn't sound as good. If I find such a page, I'll post it. At the rate I'm going, I may be able to put one together myself someday

 

[CharlieB]

The logo said... Sears, in a sort of Fender blackface way (with tail)?

I take it back, maybe it was a Fender logo put on there in a hap hazard way

 

[Stareater]

Didn't Sears distribute Silvertones? I thought they did.

 

[CharlieB]

Sears put the Silvertone name on all their musical instruments. You could buy guitars, basses, amps, trumpets, drums... trombones, violins.... not that the 1st chair at the Boston Symphony would be playing a Silvertone.....

All the Sporting equipment (at the time) was "Ted Williams", and of course the tools are still "Craftsman"

 

[Voxman]

Nice little output tranny there! :)

 

[Fendermon]

Antichef-

That's a Fender "Tail" logo that was on there for sure.


I had two 60s Silvertone heads that I stripped of parts 15 years ago, before I was into amp work. What a dork I was- I saw one at a Guitar Center for sale at over$500 a few years ago. Ah, the foolishness of youth.....

Ron

 

[Stareater]

I had two 60s Silvertone heads that I stripped of parts 15 years ago, before I was into amp work. What a dork I was- I saw one at a Guitar Center for sale at over$500 a few years ago. Ah, the foolishness of youth.....

We all do silly things in our younger days. In my teens, I had a '68 Les Paul Goldtop that I foolishly traded away, a '77 Fender Strat that I sanded down and never refinished then traded away, a full-size 50-watt Marshall Silver Jubilee Head and Silver Jubilee 1x12 combo that I traded away. . . to only have that gear back today. :oops: :cry:

 

[antichef]

[quote author=Fendermon link=topic=7261.msg92320#msg92320 date=1142190764]That's a Fender "Tail" logo that was on there for sure.[/quote]

Thanks -- definitely not a fender amp, though -- I guess maybe someone took a Silvertone (or something) and played make-believe? Still sounds good, anyway :)

 

[Constellation80]

This is what bugs me, about "vintage" stuff

Silvertones, harmony etc they where all cheap amps. (I know they had good high end models) But they where basically cheap good enough to shut Lil billy up amps.. Basic to the max ..
But hey there Vintage ! so they must sound 1000 times better then anything you can buy now.. Cause it's magically old
But it's true you will find amazing sounding stuff in vintage gear. But the min you mod it or fix it, it's now ruined forever and is now worthless. So whats the true value ? The sound ? or simple the rareness ? / collectiblity? They fact that no one Else has one of these in your town ? Whats the point of it if your not gonna use it and enjoy it ?
I have some old 50S/60S guitars that i play the heck outta.. And i think there better off for it.
I have a 56 Silvertone Danelectro, that someone sometime repainted it black. The guitar sounds awesome somedays, and picks up every light bulb in a 1000 miles on others. I just accept it as it is. And i love it. To most players/collectors it's now worthless cause of the paint job. Even though it has a straight neck and plays/sounds great (for something with no truss rod). And when i tell people of the mods i wanna do to it, there absolutely horrified like if I'm some kinda sick weirdo. ( even though it's worthless now, and it will still be worthless later) But I like it, and theres no way I'm gonna blame the guy who painted it !! Cause it was a CHEAP guitar in the 50's And he wanted a black guitar. Like how many of use have refinished or modded a cheap standard strat? or japanese guitar, heck some even repaint Gibson's. But there new, so thats OK. But who knows 30 years from now vintage urbanizes are all the rage. and someones so upset cause yours was once black now it's white

 

[guitarweasel]

So true.

 

[barbas23]

indeed O0

 

[Six String]

Several hit the nail on the head about the inexpensive amp thing. The pros used the big name stuff that most couldn't afford (kids in particular) so the Silvertone was a good fill in. My first "big amp" about 64 was the Silvertone twin 12 amp and I think it was a two piece. That amp was great for what I was doing at the time! Does anyone have any vintage pix or links of those old amps?

Those amps sounded great, but I'm sure I would say they are any better then todays equipment. To me it's just the availability (or lack of it) that makes the vintage stuff collectable. Where availability isn't a problem, then it's the quality of the piece................ IMHO. 8)

 

[guitarweasel]

[quote author=Six String link=topic=7261.msg92852#msg92852 date=1142341275]
Several hit the nail on the head about the inexpensive amp thing. The pros used the big name stuff that most couldn't afford (kids in particular) so the Silvertone was a good fill in. My first "big amp" about 64 was the Silvertone twin 12 amp and I think it was a two piece. That amp was great for what I was doing at the time! Does anyone have any vintage pix or links of those old amps?

Those amps sounded great, but I'm sure I would say they are any better then todays equipment. To me it's just the availability (or lack of it) that makes the vintage stuff collectable. Where availability isn't a problem, then it's the quality of the piece................ IMHO.  8)
[/quote]

 

[Six String]

How about some info and history on that big brown one..... lower right side Weas. I don't think I've seen one before............?? :coolsmiley: :coolsmiley:

 

[guitarweasel]

[quote author=Six String link=topic=7261.msg92982#msg92982 date=1142381373]
How about some info and history on that big brown one..... lower right side Weas. I don't think I've seen one before............??  :coolsmiley: :coolsmiley:
[/quote]

That's an old Montgomery Ward made by Danelectro Massive power ! :funny: but it does look cool, doesn't it?

 

[antichef]

[quote author=Constellation80 link=topic=7261.msg92819#msg92819 date=1142310667]
This is what bugs me, about "vintage" stuff
...
So whats the true value ?[/quote]

About 40 bucks Still a heck of deal in my book...

 

[Six String]

..... Thanks Weas, it's cool.... in an old kind of way! 8) 8) 8)


Maybe someone will want to do a period movie and come and rent those old amps from you...... Just make sure you find out if it's going to be a movie about Pete T.................. :roll: ;D