My amps through the years

• My first amp was actually a Pilot tube amp used for a record player. It only had RCA inputs, so I got a 1/4″ to RCA adapter and plugged my guitar in. The speaker was something my dad built into a cabinet, I think it was a 12″ speaker. The amp has two 6v6 tubes, so it’s similar to a Fender Deluxe reverb. I still have the amp, but the speaker is long gone !

• Next up was a Danelectro DM 25 “piggyback”, which I think had the same tube configuration as the Pilot.  The head fit into the back of the 12″ speaker cabinet, I just saw one somewhere after many years.

• I found a blackface Fender Deluxe Reverb in the want ads, and bought it for $75 in Tarrytown NY. Of course I wish I still had it!

• Bought a blackface Fender Bassman amp with matching cabinet. It had JBL D120 Speakers. I had it right up until 2013.

• Silverface Fender Bassman with matching cabinet. Pretty sure it had JBL D120 speakers also.

• Marshall 100 watt Plexi. Bought this along with a bunch of cables and mics from the Alice Cooper Band. They were cleaning house. Awesome amp, but too loud for the little clubs we were playing. Yeah, I could use it now.

• Mesa Boogie. Serial number 301.  Saw Santana using one, so I had to have it.

• Marshall 4-12″ cab. Rescued it from a pile of wood in a rental house in Ithaca NY. Put a 12″ greenback in it and blocked up the other three holes. Ended up putting the other three greenbacks in it.

• Marshall 50 watt combo with 2-12″ greenbacks and 2104 head.

• Marshall 50 watt head (early 70’s vintage, small script logo)

• Marshall 50 watt head (early 70’s vintage, small script logo) with matching 4-12 slant cab.

• Lab Series L5 100 watt solid state amp.

• Fender Red Knob “The Twin” amp. Great-sounding amp.

• Naylor Super Drive 60 with 2-12 cab loaded with Vintage 30’s.

• Naylor  2-12 cab loaded with Naylor speakers.

• Naylor Super Club 38 with 1-12 100 watt Naylor speaker.

• Sewell Custom 50 watt with 12″ Altec 417 8c.

• Roland Cube 60 with stock 12″ speaker.

• 1957 Fender Pro amp with 1-15 Jensen. The holy grail.

• Kendrick K15. Very similar to the Fender Pro, and sounds amazing.

• Naylor Super Club 38- ungraded speaker to an old EVM12S. Kicked it up a notch!

• Black Star St. James 1-12″ combo-, Finally, a 50 watt tube amp that is light! This thing rocks and it only weighs 23 pounds.

• Marshall 1960A 4 x 12″ cabinet with Greenbacks.

• Marshall 1960B 4 x 12″ cabinet with Vintage 30’s.

• Frenzel Retro Super Bassman 100 Amp Head. Amazing 100 watt amp with EL 84’s and 19 lbs.!

So, my main amp is still the Naylor Super Club 38 after all these years. I still have the Pilot amp, but haven’t plugged it in in years. I use the Roland as a spare, and the Tweed Pro in the studio. The Black Star let me down on its maiden voyage, so it’s gone. The Marshall cabinets are great for the AC/DC sets and the Frenzell gives me the headroom I need to play the Malcolm Young guitar parts.