BadgerDave Posted February 14, 2008 Posted February 14, 2008 Those of us "of a a certain age" will remember the golden era of Kustom amps and P.A. systems. Part crack-your-eardrums solid state nirvana and part hot rod upholstery. Sparkle tuck 'n roll is back:
marcnorth Posted February 15, 2008 Posted February 15, 2008 I've used a few of those back in the day.
BubbaVO Posted February 15, 2008 Posted February 15, 2008 Reminds me of what the red metallic vinyl fabric on the seats of a tilt-a-whirl must've looked like when new.
GusS Posted February 15, 2008 Posted February 15, 2008 Reminds me of the PA we're currently using at our practice space
Willie G. Moseley Posted February 15, 2008 Posted February 15, 2008 My bar band in the mid-'70s went Kustom across the board---bass player had a black head w/ two cabs, PA was black, I had a turquoise piggyback with a horn and 15" spker in the cab. All of 'em had big purple power indicator lights. Hartley Peavey has a hilarious recollection about how his early stuff used to smoke Kustoms---he describes the sound of a Kustom being turned on as 'KA-POOK! Sssssssss..." Our rig paled in comparison to the Bushmen, an Atlanta quartet: All red Kustom gear: PA, amps, and one of those naugahyde organs. Guitarist and bassist played a red ES-335/345/355 (don't remember which; it was 40 years ago) and an EB-2, respectively. Not surprisingly, they wore matching outfits. Talk about aesthetically encaustic...
tomteriffic Posted February 15, 2008 Posted February 15, 2008 Reminds me of the PA we're currently using at our practice space I used that exact same rig in a rehearsal space in LA in the early 70s. Who knows? Might be the very same pieces? That one looks to be in great shape!
beach bob Posted February 15, 2008 Posted February 15, 2008 I doan wanna. No! I doan wanna!!! They sure looked cool. Saw some in gold sparkle at the guit show last month... looked like something Rick James would have around the house...
sirskelt Posted February 15, 2008 Posted February 15, 2008 I doan wanna. No! I doan wanna!!! They sure looked cool. Saw some in gold sparkle at the guit show last month... looked like something Rick James would have around the house... I used to deliver pizzas to Rick's house in Buffalo in the early 80's and I would have to say you are right on target. One of the front windows was a stained glass version of the heart with wings from his first album. He also tipped very well. I could easily see such gear in his basement studio that I never got to see. Back on topic, I don't intend to highjack the thread!
Steve Haynie Posted February 15, 2008 Posted February 15, 2008 There is definitely a cool look to those amps, especially when there are a bunch of them used together. Idiots still manage to get cigarette burns on those amps.
seeker Posted February 15, 2008 Posted February 15, 2008 I still have a Kustom silver tucknroll ported 2x15 that's a monster. Tried to get rid of it once, but just couldn't make myself do it.
princeofdarkness56 Posted February 15, 2008 Posted February 15, 2008 Sirskelt, consider yourself lucky you never made it to the basement. He use to keep people down there and abuse them. That's what he went to jail for. Still, if you had a chance to score vintage equipment it might have paid off in the long run. Plus the stories you could have posted here would make you a star.
fruhike Posted February 15, 2008 Posted February 15, 2008 Sirskelt made it to the basement and he liked it.Once I saw Catherine Bach (Daisy Duke) on a plane from FL to Buffalo, going to record a country album at Rick James place. He has a big studio in said basement. When she gets off the plane Rick and his posse were there hitting all over her. It was a funny scene. They all had fur coats on and it was like 60 outside.
princeofdarkness56 Posted February 15, 2008 Posted February 15, 2008 Oh man. So close and yet so far from being Rick James punk. Sex slave to the stars. How come I never have a brush with destiny like that. I would like to think that I would step up to the plate and answer the call.
Turdus Posted February 16, 2008 Posted February 16, 2008 local GC has what is most likely a very early Kustom head/cabinet combination. It is black T&R. Has a 2-15" cab, and really looks minty. They are asking about $550 for the set, and it has been there forever.The reason I think it is early is that it says "Kustom By Ross"
prototype-fan Posted February 16, 2008 Posted February 16, 2008 I've always thought Kustom amps look cool as hell, but sound crappy as hell.
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