1979 Sunn Alpha 112p Combo Amp

Vintage amp from a classic name, still looks great and in perfect working order

 

The Summer of Amps has spilled over into Fall and the latest find is particularly sweet. The first bass amp that I ever owned was an old Sunn combo with a 15" speaker and I would bet that it was built around the same time as this beast.

I knew nothing of the Alpha series when I saw the ad for this one, but I know that Sunn is highly regarded and jumped on it just about as soon as it was posted. I got it home and plugged the Ibanez Iceman IC-50 into it and was immediately happy. The previous owner showcased the Mid Freq knob, which works like an EQ and the natural overdrive it produces is super dirty.

This amp is popular with the stoner rock and doom metal scenes and its easy to see why. You can get nice, clean overdrive sounds with this amp at most of the dial and when you crank the drive knob, it really starts to break up, especially at higher volumes. The Mid Freq and overdrive combinations makes for the ability of a wide range of sounds. With this and the Ibanez GX-60 that I scored earlier in the year, I have two great options for anything that requires a hard rock/heavy metal sound.

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1985 Ibanez Roadstar II RB850 Bass Guitar

Vintage Japanese double humbucker bass, in immaculate condition, inside and out

The last few months included a quest for a bass with a humbucking pickup and after considering more recent Korean models from Schecter, Kramer and a Peavey Grind Bass that was made in Vietnam, this vintage beauty just appeared out of nowhere. I've now had 3 Roadstar guitars and basses over the past few years, two of them came from the Goodwill and both have incredibly been in impeccable condition.

I had no idea that Ibanez made a humbucker bass as part of the Roadstar series, so the ability to fill a need with my favorite brand and era of electric guitars make this an even sweeter find. This neck is super thin, even for an Ibanez and of course, it plays incredibly fast. The body also sports a sleek and slim design.Other features that stand out are the headstock and truss rod cover, which are reminiscent of the older Roadster series.

Also of note on this beauty is that it included both the original boomerang strap holders and odd-shaped, brown leather hardshell case. On the technical side, the bottom two knobs seem to control the two pickups and both are push knobs that turn them off and on. I haven't spent too much time messing around with this one yet, as most of my recent free time has been spent building some pedalboards and playing the Peavey Deuce tube amp and another sweet vintage amp that will be featured tomorrow.

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1980s Carvin & Sunn Guitar Rig

Vintage tube head and 4x12 cab, loaded with Celestion speakers

Both of these pieces have previously been featured here. The Carvin X-60b head was reviewed when it was found in the summer of 2013 and the Sunn 412L cabinet also got some run in one of our early 2013 posts, coupled with the Acoustic 150 head. This is a bit of an update, as the footswitch has been added to the head and I also picked up a new set of JJ 6L6 tubes, two were missing when I bought it from Crossroads Pawn Shop in Westminster.

The speakers in the cab are vintage Celestion G12-80s. I'm also looking at restoring the cab, there have been some Sunn logo plates floating around and the grill could use some love. But, I'm also entertaining the idea of trading this out, so to speak and finding a period-correct Carvin cab to pair with the head. Same with the ACC 450 and 150 heads, I have seen 2x15 and 6x10 cabs at decent prices over the last year and am kicking myself for not getting them.

Either way, this is a great setup in the meantime. Acquiring the footswitch and getting the full complement of tubes for the head was really a priority, so those are both major reliefs. I don't really gig anymore, but now that they have been paired up, a couple of rehearsal studio jams should happen and hopefully I'll have some pedal boards to feature soon, those will also come along for the sessions.

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1970s Acoustic Control & Randall Bass Rig

Vintage So. Cal bass half stack, super warm tone, excellent gigging condition

Keeping with the longtime pieces of the collection, this has been my main gigging setup since late-1999. The Acoustic Model 450 head doubles as a bass or guitar amp. No onboard effects, other than the distortion (which is good for solid state amp), but the 5-band EQ helps you dial in a good sound. I've never used any pedals with this amp and have only gigged with it as a bass player. Now that the 150b has been added to the collection, this will strictly be used for guitars.

I didn't have a rig when this came my way, but I had started playing with a new band and needed something for shows. This was sitting in my friend's garage and he didn't even play, so I asked to borrow it for our first show. Every time my friend would come by my place, I would try to get him to take his rig back, but he never would. He's since long moved out of state and this has sort of become my adopted vintage bass half stack.

The footswitch is pretty hard to find and I don't believe I've ever seen one for sale. It controls the distortion and auxiliary volume. I missed out on the rare switch for the 230 head last weekend and was pretty upset about it. I would also love to find a Randall name plate for the R215BH cab, but finding one that is period-correct would probably be difficult. I'm not sure what speakers are loaded in there, I've just never pulled them out, but they look like old Eminence or Black Widows from the front.

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1977 Gibson Les Paul Custom Electric Guitar

Vintage American-made classic, upgraded pickups and aftermarket bridge 

The Takamine that was featured the other day is easily the guitar that I've put the most hours on, but this is the guitar that I've owned the longest and its the crown jewel of the collection. I picked it up at Westminster Jewelry and Loan in January 1991, for $550. I was 14 years old and had gone in the shop to buy an acoustic guitar, which I needed for a guitar class that I was taking as a freshman at Fountain Valley High School.

Once I saw a genuine Les Paul sitting on a hook for an attainable amount of money, there was no way it wasn't going to be mine. I had a decent first guitar at the time, a Kramer Striker 300ST, but it didn't really inspire me the way this did. I put down a certain amount of money and was on a layaway plan, I had 30 days to pay off the balance. Of course, I worked my ass off to earn the rest of the money and picked it up a few weeks later.

The same friend who customized the Ibanez Iceman IC-50 went through this guitar first and fixed the ground. He also told me that it had a Seymour Duncan Invader and DiMarzio Super Distortion pickup. That makes sense, because these pickups are absolutely screaming. Although I've owned this for nearly a quarter of a century, being a primarily a bass player, I've only used this myself in public a handful of times. However, nearly every guitar player in every band that I've played in has used it at some point, so it's seen its fair share of glory.

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1989 Roland Boss MG-10 Guitar Practice Amp

Vintage practice amp, from the famous effects and amp giants, made in Taiwan

Contemporary Americans may be among the most nostalgic humans to roam the Earth and this blogger is no exception. As mentioned in the post about the Squier 15 Practice Amp, this Boss amp was the first thing that I ever plugged a guitar into and made some horrible noise. So even though this little box isn't the world's greatest amp, I had to have one when I saw that they were still floating around 25 years later.

I plugged the Knight Warrior into this little guy when I got home on Friday night and messed around with it for about 20 minutes, before giving way to the Fender Eighty-Five and getting some real good Cobain-esque sounds. I'm not sure this will get very much use and I definitely bought it for the memories, but at least it is in impeccable shape.

The previous owner listed it as "never used" and I can believe it. You can see some white marks on the molding along the face of the amp, but those are the only and tiniest of imperfections. I definitely didn't remember this thing being so small, I think there are two 5-inch speakers inside. Other recent reviews claim that this takes Boss pedals very well, and that would make sense, but the only Boss pedals that I have are overdrive and distortion. This amp already comes with built-in distortion, possibly with the same components as the pedals, so I haven't made a point in plugging them in yet to find out.

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2009-10 Fender Stratocaster Electric Guitar

The first genuine Fender guitar featured here at SCGM, a flawless MIM Super Strat

I've never been much of a Fender guy, the Aria Pro II RS Special V, now one of my favorite guitars, is the first Strat that I've ever owned. This Mexican Fender fell into my lap over the weekend and when I saw the condition that it was in, I couldn't help but go for it.

The pickups and bridge all look like quality pieces and the guitar plays nice and easy. We'll get this one over to Clay sometime during the week, it definitely needs a setup and a fresh set of strings. The original owner said this thing was either in the case or hanging on the wall for most of the last few years and it certainly looks to be seldom-used.

The frets look basically untouched and there isn't a scratch on this guitar. When I was taking the photos, I saw what looked like some buckle rash, so I wiped the back of the guitar with a polishing cloth and re-shot a few photos, and it ended up just being fingerprints...

I'm not sure if this will end up staying in the collection, as I can't see it besting either of the Aria Pro IIs that I have. This did come with a nice tweed hardshell case that I can use for the Knight Warrior and the tremolo bar that it came with also fits that Kahler Flyer, so this deal ended up saving me some cash on a couple of things that I was needing.

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1994 Takamine G334 Acoustic Guitar

Vintage dreadnought, made in Taiwan, original owner and my main guitar since 1994

 

I wanted to feature the rest of my longtime pieces, before we move on to some new acquisitions and an update on some items that were featured in the past. This one has been my acoustic guitar of choice for over 20 years. Even when this thing was brand new, it sounded sweet enough that friends were asking to use it for demo recordings.

This has since seen countless recording sessions and shows all over the state. I recently took it to Clay at Beach City Pawn and Guitar for some fret work and a set up, and he was very impressed. He even swore up and down that it's a solid-top, even though it doesn't look like it to me and Takamine's website says otherwise.

I purchased this beauty at Guitar Center in Fountain Valley, I believe the day after Christmas, 1994. The sticker price was $699 and they were having a buy one, get one free sale. My good friend and eventual first roommate wanted to buy an acoustic guitar and I didn't have one myself, so we decided to take the plunge after sitting around and playing a bunch of them for a few hours. Over these last few years, I've only picked up a few acoustics that have rivaled this beauty and its still on the wall as one of my go to's...

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1980 Ibanez Iceman IC-50 Electric Guitar

Vintage Japanese axe, with original hardware and custom paint job

This is another guitar that I've owned for over 20 years and I also found this one at Westminster Jewelry and Loan. When I bought it, it was black and had many rough patches on the body, where it had been scratched and/or dinged. My buddy decided to strip it and sand it down a little to smooth out some of those blemishes and used crackle paint from the local hardware store for the paint job. A thin layer of lacquer was applied to seal it and it has slightly faded into a bit of a sweet cream color today.

The hardware was also in very bad shape, the tail piece and saddle were dipped in some sort of black coating that used to make a better grip on tools. Maybe it wasn't the best idea, sonically, but it looked cool and lasted a fairly long time.Another distinguishing feature on this guitar is the nut at the end of the fretboard, someone scalloped it at some point and that's not something you see on what is considered a mid-level guitar, at best.

I took this in to Clay at Beach City Pawn and Guitar to replace the toggle switch and clean up the electronics. He also set it up and raised the pickups. This one always played and sounded so good, that it was actually my main guitar when I first got it and I played it at my first gig over the vintage Les Paul that I've had for nearly 25 years. The pickups aren't quite as hot as the Gibson and it's a great option for laying down rhythm tracks. I'll take it back to Clay at some point to restore it further, the tuning keys have a fair amount of tarnish and the frets could use a cleaning.

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1980s J. Steele 300/301 Precision Bass Guitar

Vintage Korean Fender P-Bass copy, saw action at some of my first gigs and still going strong

Virtually everything featured here over the last few years is something that has been found within that time frame, with just a few notable exceptions. This cheap little nugget is something that I found at Westminster Jewelry and Loan around this time in 1993. I bought this for $85 and over 20 years later, there is little to no information available about the make or model. Used Price suggested the model numbers and stated that they were made in 1987, but that's all I could find.

I gigged with this and put in countless hours of practice in 1993 and 1994, but by the time I moved on to other bands in later years, I had upgraded to a mid-level Ibanez. A friend of mine cleaned up the pots a few years back when he was fostering it and it still sounds and plays great. The neck isn't quite as fast as the Ibanez Roadstar that sits in front of it on the rack, but I still pick it up every once in a while, for old time's sake.

Some of the stickers on this bass are really special, especially the ones on the back. There is a Philadelphia theme on both sides, but the Philadelphia Music Company is a now-defunct music store from that area and where I first fell in love with guitars as a kid. The White Zombie sticker was a fan club thing 20 years ago and is probably worth just as much as the bass today. Of course, the KNAC and Pirate Radio stickers are original, and those were the two main radio stations that I listened to as a teenager in So Cal in the early 1990s.

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1975 Takamine F400S 12-String Acoustic Guitar

Vintage Martin lawsuit copy, solid top 12-string, made in Japan

The quest for vintage solid tops may have ended, as this guitar is definitely an upgrade from the F-385 that I picked up a few months ago. This will require some TLC though. The body has warped and con-caved at the soundhole and one of the braces inside the body has also cracked. I wanted this guitar so bad, that I bought it knowing that I'd have to put some cash into it and I even took the train down to Oceanside to pick it up...

As soon as I got back home, I took the guitar to Clay at Beach City Pawn and Guitar to assess the damages. I was relieved to hear that giving the wood some moisture would help the body go to back to something resembling its former shape over time. After only 4 days of this treatment, I can already see the difference and I plan on taking new measurements on Saturday. There is also a crack on the bottom edge of the body, but it looks like it may only be in the clear finish.

This is something that will definitely have before and after photos, like the Yamaha FG-200 that I found last year. That one didn't really have any structural damage, but it was still in bad shape and now it looks and plays great. Hopefully, this will have a similar outcome. Clay also noted that the action wasn't bad, even though the body had sunken in so deeply and the bridge and neck are both in good shape. Hopefully we'll have good news to report in a couple of months.

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1988 Peavey Studio Chorus 210 Combo Amp

Another sweet Peavey amp is added to the collection, vintage Made in the USA

All of the pieces featured here have some sort of history and sometimes you end up with something that once belonged to a classic artist. This one seems to be an early model and was owned by guitarist Lanny Cordola, who Peavey once sponsored while he was in House of Lords and signed to RCA records in the late-80s.

This is now the 2nd Peavey amp in the vault and this one is their answer to the Roland Jazz Chorus. When I posted the photos on Facebook, someone chimed in and questioned the ability of this amp to create heavy metal sounds. As recently stated when discussing the Squier 15 Practice Amp, my main guitar is a 1977 Gibson Les Paul Custom and it's loaded with a vintage Seymour Duncan Invader and a vintage DiMarzio Super Distortion. This is probably why I'm able to get such heavy sounds out of these amps and last night, the Super D (bridge) was churning out Paranoid-era Black Sabbath and the Invader was replicating GNR and AC/DC sounds.

I bought this amp for the stereo chorus, as I prefer the sound of the effects on these old amps to what I'm getting out of vintage pedals and some rack units that I've accumulated. Another thing about this amp is that its loud. It goes from barely audible to stadium rock and there is seemingly no in between. I love it... Back to Lanny Cordola, he has a charity project where he teaches music to children in poverty-stricken countries. Lanny & The MLKs is the name of his band and the bassist/previous owner, Billy the Fist is a local player who also works as the touring bassist for legendary Hollywood glam band, London.

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1978 Yamaha FG375S Acoustic Guitar

Vintage solid top, made in Taiwan, in top playing condition with slight surface wear

Most of the guitars that I buy are purchased out of sheer curiosity. Sometimes I've never heard of the brand or its something that I've seen or heard about and never actually played, so I'll at least check it out to see if its playable and then make my decision. This is a rare case where I saw something that I had to have and it will be tough for me to let go.

Along this now 3-year long journey of testing out vintage gear, Yamaha is one of the names in acoustic guitars that has made a good impression on me. I've been able to find many FG models from the early-to-mid 1970s and even more contemporary models. I even picked up a FG400A from the early-90s during a trip home to Philadelphia a couple of years ago. All of these guitars have been very good players, especially for the price and a some of them have been absolutely beautiful.

This one falls into that category. It doesn't possess the booming low-end tone of the FG-160s and 200s, but it plays like a much more expensive guitar. The diamond inlays and thick binding give that impression and other than a few nicks on the face and headstock, she's still in very good cosmetic condition as well. Someone slapped a set of Grovers on there and probably a long time ago, as they read "patent pending" on the bottom. I'm absolutely ecstatic with this guitar. I paid a little more than I normally do for what is featured here, but it was well worth it and my arsenal of acoustic guitars just got a really big gun.

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1980s Fender Eighty-Five Combo Amp

Vintage combo amp, built in the USA and made famous by Radiohead's Jonny Greenwood

This amp apparently made its debut in 1988 and the serial number on the back probably means it was made in 1988 or 1989. When I first started playing, the Fender M80 amp was a favorite among my peers and this sounds alot like those boxes to me.

In a bit of a reversal for Fender amps, the cleans on this one don't really sound all that great. Very heavy metal, but the distortion channel is actually better. When I picked this up last weekend and played through it with the Aria Pro II strat, the sounds coming out were a bit like those on the Weezer Blue Album.

That makes sense, as posted in the abstract, Jonny Greenwood of Radiohead made this amp famous when he used it to record one of their most well-known songs, 1994's Creep and those albums came out the same year. This is one of my better finds, as its a great amp and I'm probably going to end up paying around the same amount to find the original footswitch. These can go for as much as $200, thanks in large part to Mr. Greenwood's influence.

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1980s Fender F 220 SB Acoustic Guitar

Vintage mid-level dreadnought with sweet sunburst finish, made in Korea or Japan

When I found this guitar, I initially thought it was much older than it really is. Partly because of the label and headstock designs, but mostly because the back of the neck looks like it had been played virtually nonstop for about as long as I've been alive. It turns out that these were produced between 1982-88, but I haven't been able to confirm exactly when or where it was made.

I've featured a few different Fender acoustic and classical guitars over the years and while all of them played surprisingly well (Fender acoustics do not have a great reputation), this one is easily the best of the bunch. It already played great before I took it to Clay at Beach City Pawn and Guitar and after he was finished with it, it just about plays itself.

The action is nice and low and the sound it produces is better than expected. The sunburst finish and snowflake fret markers definitely make this guitar stand out from the bargain bin jobs and the natural relic look of the neck gives it tons of mojo. I'm definitely happy that I made the move to pick this one up, as it is in really good shape and is a solid guitar.

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1990s Squier 15 Practice Amp

Vintage jam box, made in Taiwan under the Fender banner

Normally the Squier brand isn't something that I would purchase, especially after spending a little time with the more recent guitars they've put out. This amp, however, carries a large amount of nostalgia with me. The 2nd amp that I ever owned was a Squier 15 and I traded a fellow classmate of mine my first amp, a Boss MG-10, because he came by to jam and I just fell in love with the old school crunch that it was pumping out through my Les Paul.

Sure enough, it still kicks and this youtube video (not me) demonstrates just some of the sounds that this little guy is capable of. That guy is playing a 50-year old Fender through the amp in that video and my Custom is a 1977, so maybe that does play a (large) role in the final sound, but I was happy to score one. These are still available all over this place somehow, I must see one or two every month. If you're an amp person and you're looking for something new to play with, you can find these for as little as $20.

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1960s-70s Crown 639 Acoustic Guitar

Vintage Japanese Gibson J-35 copycat, possible solid wood build

Despite the fact that I've been a guitar hawk for the better part of three years now, I hadn't come across many other Crown acoustic guitars since the classical featured a couple of years ago and this was the first one that I had seen locally since then. This one at least has a model number, but there is still zero information available about this guitar.

It seems to be a solid top and the guitar is about twice as heavy as any other that is currently mingling in the collection. There are no specs that can be found, so the "possible solid wood build" in the abstract is pure speculation. It is not labeled a Crown Professional, but the logo inside is very similar and the abalone inlays on the fretboard look to be of good quality.

There are some other features that stand out on the neck. For one, its a bit rounder than most and also thicker right where the headstock begins to arch back a little. It sounds super nice as well and I'm especially liking what is happening on the low end. The Carlos 240S and this now give me two really nice solid tops to record with and this one could be pushing 50 years old...

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1970s Acoustic Control 150 & 150b Amplifier Heads

Vintage solid state amps, made in So. Cal

Recently, I've made it known that Takamine is the favorite among acoustic guitars and Ibanez the preference of electric guitars. With that in mind, Acoustic Control is the brand of choice when it comes to amplifiers. The first pro rig that I ever had is an ACC 450 plugged into a Randall RB215 and that plays a large role in the interest.

Years later, I would score the ACC 230/403 half-stack that was featured in post #2 here at SCGM and the beast was unleashed. The guitar head was found at a great price just a few months after the 230 and also featured with a Sunn 412L cabinet that was picked up just down the road. One of the previous owners modified this head by adding a pot where one of the input jacks used to be and I think it was a way of controlling the level of the reverb and tremolo effects without a footswitch.

The bass head was found earlier this year by a local seller and is in great shape. The power cord has a couple of rough spots, but it still in working order. These are essentially the same amps, but the guitar version has the effects. The other cool thing is that I was finally able to find a footswitch for a decent price. These things can sometimes cost close to $100 on their own and that is just outrageous.

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1976 Epiphone Texan FT-145 Acoustic Guitar

Vintage mid-70s Japanese dreadnought in great shape

This is the first vintage Epiphone that I've been able to get my hands on and even though it seems like the low-end model for its day, its still a real nice player and is in great condition. The way the neck is bolted in like an electric guitar is odd to me, but it makes it easier to get higher up on the fretboard.

One of the great things about scoring an old big name guitar like an Epiphone, when you look for information on your new toy, you find a whole lot of it. This model was made between 1972-79 and was a total budget model job. Laminate top, sides and back and nothing special to mention on the headstock and fretboard, although the binding along the body is nice.

With the amount of gear that I have laying around, something of this level probably won't make the grade, but it is a nice enough guitar and would definitely make a good beginner. These generally run between $100-200 and for the vintage tone, coupled with the big name, that's not a bad deal. Certainly beats spending the same amount of even more money for a new bundle of plywood at the big box music stores.

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1990s Park G10 Combo Practice Amp

Vintage Marshall-designed box cranks out nice sounds, made in Korea

Another of the cheap finds that were scored during the practice amp kick, I had never heard of this brand before I stumbled upon it (literally) at the Goodwill. After reading some reviews and finding out that it was at least decent, I went back the next day and was lucky enough to find it still sitting there.

Like the Mako Piranha, this amp needs to have the electronics cleaned up. Just about all of the pots are super dirty and the overdrive really only works in a few spots. I was able to get some cool, early Pearl Jam-esque sounds in those spots when I plugged in the Aria Pro II strat and the cleans also sound nice and clear for a cheap practice amp, both the high and low end.

Also, like the Piranha, there are no effects to play with on this amp, but the ability to get those old school overdrive sounds make it worth picking up, if you can find one. Sometimes its nice to be able to just plug in and get a more natural sounding distortion than plugging in a pedal. That's the goal for recording, going forward; the option of different sounds and creating those sounds as organically as possible. Even the effects on the amps recently featured sound cleaner than the pedals that I've accumulated, which are also vintage.

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1974 Yamaha FG-200 Acoustic Guitar

An update on this 40-year old gem from the FG series, made in Taiwan

About a year and a half ago, this beauty was found about 20 miles away from me and the private owner that was selling it said that it had been sitting around for years. It had been through alot, with all sorts of dings, chips and scratches along the sides, back and face of the guitar. The original tuning keys had also had some casualties.

The first time new strings went on this guitar, the end of another tuning key snapped off, so it was time for replacements. The solution was a chrome set of Grover tuners. The screw holes matched the original set, so it was an obvious choice. The slots didn't really line up though, so new holes were made slightly to the side. The headstock does look a bit off, but its not an eyesore.

This guitar also brings about another cool story. All of these guitars have photos that are posted on Facebook and people from all over the world stop in to either talk about these guitars or ask questions that they may have. One fellow in Pennsylvania saw the photos and commented that he had broken one of his tuning machines years ago and could never find another one. Since the originals had been replaced on this one, he sent in his address and we were able to make his guitar complete again.

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1979 Peavey Deuce VT Series Guitar Amplifier

Vintage American-made 2x12 combo amp, loaded with CTS speakers

The last few weeks have seen some super sweet vintage pieces added to the arsenal and this one is probably the best combination of quality and condition. This amp was purchased from the original owner and he even gave me the original receipt and manual that he had kept all this time.

Peavey amps have generally been known for volume over the years. I won't be using it for that purpose, but mainly for the on-board effects that are installed. The reverb is very clean and I've had alot of fun with the phase effect, doing some of my best Todd Rundgren impersonations. I haven't really tried to get any overdrive sounds on this amp yet, but some youtube demos I've watched show a wide range.

This is only the 2nd amp that I've ever owned that is powered by tubes, the Carvin X-60B being the top dog among the current lineup. This one is powered by (4) 6L6 tubes and the owner had them replaced just a couple of years ago. Of course, 6L6s are very common tubes and I could possibly find a vintage set to install, just to keep everything vintage.

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1981 Carlos Model No. 249 Acoustic Guitar

Yet another Quality Product of Korea, this one in near-mint condition

Since the last few months have seen more pieces make their way to the Museum, you knew it was only a matter of time before another Model No. 249 showed up on the site. This one was found at a pawn shop that specializes in estate sales. They had some other instruments laying around their shop, but this beauty was really the only thing worth looking at.

Unlike the previous 1981 Model No. 249 that was featured last year, this one doesn't have quite as much red in the finish and is closer to the 1982 versions that were found. It plays and sounds just as nice as the others, though the bridge has started to lift just a tad at the high E. Hopefully, it's something that can nipped in the bud, as it will be difficult to find another in this condition.

Another cool thing happened when the photos of this guitar were posted, we ended up becoming friends with another guitar blog, this one dealing strictly with Carlos guitars. It's nice to know there are other people out there who love these little-known beauties.

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1990s Ibanez TR 300 Expressionist Bass Guitar

Semi-rare Korean Fender Jazz bass copy

The latest acquisition is a mid-grade gem, a solid Jazz bass copy that has seen its share of action. You can see the rust spots on the pickups; likely created by beads of sweat and the bridge also had its fair share, before I took a toothbrush and some Bar Keeper's Friend to it. My buddy Clay at Beach City Pawn and Guitar cleaned a nice layer of gunk off the fretboard as well.

The only info I could find on this model was in the 1996 Ibanez USA catalog. Its loaded with passive pups called Power Tier. The previous owner listed the color as burnt orange, but it looks like black and this cherry red finish were the only two that were produced. The catalog also brags about the dual-mount EB7 bridge that is installed on it.

I picked this up for a few different reasons. First, its an older Ibanez and second, I was looking for a bass with a rosewood fretboard, as the other basses on the rack right now have naked maple necks. I'm also looking to be able to achieve different sounds with all three basses, as one is a P-bass, one a P/J and now this J-bass. I may take out the pups and replace them with Seymour Duncan rails to get a fatter sound with it, if its even able to be done.

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1980s Mako Piranha Practice Amp

Super rare guitar amp, made in Korea. Great looking and sounding little box

Many longtime players remember the Mako name, because apparently Kaman Music made a very aggressive push with their guitars and basses in the 1980s. The first bass that I ever owned was actually a black Mako P-Bass copy with a maple neck and I remember it being a good quality instrument.

I never knew that they made amps as well. During one of my daily CraigsList sweeps, I found this little nugget in my area and picked it up for the price of an expensive lunch. There are no effects to play with, but it was definitely worth buying. The Tube Blaster function is basically its overdrive channel and it delivers a solid little crunch. This was my first purchase in a series of small amps.

The Mako logo is not made of cheap plastic, but appears to be chrome and the silver grill also gives it clean-looking vintage Fender vibe. I was surprised to find this in such great shape. Some of the pots are noisy, but that's an easy enough fix, just have to rip her open and clean her up one day.

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1986 Takamine EF-341 Acoustic/Electric Guitar

Vintage Japanese build from the pioneers of acoustic/electric preamps

Without a doubt, my favorite brand of acoustic guitar is Takamine. The first guitar that I ever bought brand new was a 1994 G334, which has seen plenty of playing time and is still in the rotation today. Since then, I've seen at least a half dozen other Takamine acoustics pass through my hands and this one is among the best.

I picked this up from Clay at Beach City Pawn and Guitar, he gave me a sweet deal on the price and did a great job setting up the guitar. The action is nice and low and it sounds beautiful as a naked acoustic guitar. I'm not really a fan of acoustic guitars that are plugged in, something just gets lost in the sound for me.

But, I bought this one because it was a great price for a vintage Japanese Takamine and I didn't have an acoustic/electric in my collection, so this will be what I take with me if I ever hit an open mic or something. One thing that strikes me is how thin the neck is. It plays fast to begin with, but when I have it hung up on the wall next to the G334, you can actually see that its smaller from a short distance. This model is still in production as the EF341SC and its a popular one that goes for a pretty penny...

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1970s Ibanez AD-230 Analog Delay & Multi-Flanger

Vintage Japanese effects unit, super high-quality pro-audio equipment

After suspecting that the GX60 Ibanez guitar amp that I've recently come across was built by Maxon, the discovery of this beauty may have confirmed it. The circuit boards inside the casing all have Maxon stamped on them and it all looks super clean as well.

This will need repair, however. It powers up fine and switches between effects, but the effects don't actually kick in unless you crank the volume to the max. Something must be shorted out somewhere. Hopefully it will be an easy fix. When I'm able to find the sweet spot and this thing works like it should, the sounds are top-notch.

This has a very large following in the collector's market, like most 70s and early-80s Ibanez gear. Famous players who used this model, which was manufactured between 1977 and 1979 are Jerry Garcia and Bob Weir of the Grateful Dead and Steve Miller. On top of being highly-collectable, these are also incredibly rare. I've seen it listed from anywhere between $550 and $1200 recently.

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1977 Kay Model No. K590 Acoustic Guitar

Vintage Korean Gibson Hummingbird copy with hardly a scratch on her, a true closet gem

I have to admit, I picked up this guitar just on looks alone and the fact that the seller lived about 2 miles away from my place didn't hurt either. This previous owner said that it was their grandpa's guitar and I would guess that it has sat in the case, in a closet or under the bed, for the better part of its existence.

This is a lighter acoustic, but definitely a better build than the Kay and Checkmate guitars that I've had in the past, which were produced in Japan in the 1960s. It does play and sound nice, just not quite as pretty as she looks or as nice as others that are laying around right now.

The sunburst finish, hummingbird pickguard and fretboard inlays all give it that classic look. This one not only has a vintage vibe, but is pushing 40 years old itself and looks relatively brand new. I'll slap some new strings on it and give it a shot. Worst-case scenario, it's a useable guitar that will look great on the wall...

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1978 Takamine F-385 12-String Acoustic Guitar

Vintage Japanese Martin copy from the lawsuit era. Some cosmetic defects, but still rock solid

Sticking with the made in Japan theme, this beauty was yet another thrift store find. Its amazing what people will give away. After parting with the 1995 G335 a couple of summers ago, I'd been looking for another Takamine 12-string and was very fortunate to have this one fall in to my lap.

It plays nice and easy, but it definitely needs a setup and some intonation work. I always set up my 12-strings with extra light strings and usually add this in on recordings to accentuate certain sections with arpeggios, just slightly in the mix.

Something occurred to me as I was taking the photos of this guitar; the date is stamped onto one of the braces around the soundhole, just like the old Carlos acoustic guitars featured here. The Carlos models that I've owned had a date stamped there from 1980-85 and the font on the stamp looks identical. The big hole in that theory is the fact that Takamines were made in Japan until at least the mid-80s and Carlos guitars were made in Korea. Of course, some of the early Jasmine models were made in Korea, so maybe it's not a completely crackpot theory.

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1985 Aria Pro II RS Knight Warrior

Vintage Japanese super-strat, made by Matsumoku and equipped with a Kahler Flyer tremolo

 

The younger cousin of the strat copy that I scored a couple of years back, this one is its mirror image and 30 years has seen the white finish age into a killer vintage cream color. The pickups seem to be original, although most photos show the guitar with blade style pickups and the Kahler Flyer is definitely stock. I took this to Clay at Beach City Pawn and Guitar for the setup and it does play and sound super sweet.

Getting back to those pickups, I found a set of vintage blade pickups, including an MMK 45 humbucker, but the PUPs inside looked to be the same build, so we decided to leave it be. This guitar doesn't have the output of some of my other electrics, but it gets really nice clean sounds and the Flyer alone is probably worth what I paid for it.

These are high-quality mid-grade guitars, worst-case scenario, and you can find them for $200 or less most times. I'm currently in the market for a bass with a rosewood fretboard and it's either going to be an Aria or another Ibanez Roadstar, which I also brought in for Clay to look at. If you live in Southern California and you need repairs to your guitars, check out the Yelp page above. Clay will take care of your guitars and give you a great deal on the price.

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1980s Ibanez GX60 Guitar Amp

Vintage early-80s Japanese combo amp, great cleans and distortions, takes pedals very well 

 

This was an incredible thrift store find and a rarity at that. Ibanez is among my favorite guitar brands, namely because of their electric guitars and the "fast necks" that they've been equipped with since at least 1980. This amp was also built around that time and just about everything they pumped out seems to be high quality merchandise.

Ibanez guitars and pedals from the era have a great reputation and are highly-sought after in the collectors' market, but I had no idea that they made amps as well. Much like the Boss SE processors from the late-80s simulate the sound of the pedals produced by Roland in the same period, this amp is capable of reproducing "tubescreamer" tones with the distortion on and the reverb is also very smooth.

Like many of the other items that have been featured here over the years, I haven't been able to dig up much information on this beauty. Its possible that the amp was built by Maxon, which also made the Ibanez pedals referred to above. If anyone has any info on this amp, including whether or not it came with a footswitch, please feel free to drop a line.

Thanks for looking, more high-resolution photos here.