How delicate are the old transistor amps?

[blue330]

I've had a Transonic amp (head only, alas)for ages, which I use now and then to record something where I want that special solid state sound or to use the incredible Fuzztortion, etc., but lately I've discovered that when this thing is cranked up it's... rather special! I always had the idea that early solid state amps were easy to blow up- are they? I'm tempted to play this thing on stage but I note that the meter is warning me that I'm well into Overload even before it sounds fuzzy! Any amp with a meter rates high in my book. Is anybody using theirs in rugged conditions these days? It seems generally healthy, despite a bit of hiss which all the transistor amps of the time seem to have.

[dswp]

Mitch, I play mine out from time to time. I never push them too hard as I play bass thru them.

In my case, I need to let them "warm up" for about a half hour before I use them. I cannot explain why but they sound better heated up.

[blue330]

Dave, that is an awe-inspiring sight! Do you happen to know of the dB's? Their bass player, Gene Holder, used to have two Transonics (head/cab, with the chrome stands, and he even had the slip covers), one on each side of the drums. This was the best-looking bass setup I've ever seen!

[dswp]

Mitch, I know vaguely of the db's. If you have a picture of the set up, I'd love to see it.

When I get to my work computer on Monday, I'll post a picture of Tom Peterson (from Cheap Trick), who uses three of the T200. That was my inspiration for the Transonic purchases.

[paologregorio]

These amps are sooo cool looking. There was a vintage shop up in the Valley(?) here in L.A. that had a few of them in the 90s. I never bought one because I had recently sold my Super Beatle amp and was not keen on buying another tall solid state monolith. They look super cool though. It's nice to see that some of the forum members have them.

[leesh]

Dave, if you ever sell that T100...you know where to find me

[dswp]

[johnhall]

Generally speaking, these amps are pretty indestructible, especially in comparison to other amps of that era. The chassis and circuit boards were made to a mil-spec level and top grade components were used throughout. The weakest link- and this is only due to the technology of the era- were the output transistors. However, we used to buy large lots of them and test every one with a curve tracer first, so they're the best of the best. If perchance you blow these up, there's no problem to get replacements, which at today's quality levels will last forever. Finally, Bob Rissi is still available to work on these.

I might mention one design detail that's overlooked (something that was patented). If you use these in a stack as intended, they actually get cooler as they are turned louder. The speakers are tuned through ports on the top and the air is passed across the heatsinks in the head. Therefore, it's best that in very high power usage you don't stack the heads away from their cabinets.

I'd say- go 4 it!

[paologregorio]

Does anyone know if Bob Rissi works on other solid state amps? I have a Vox Series 90 that I bought for the bulldog speakers. It turns on but doesn't work. There was a busted resistor in the power amp, but I don't know what else might be wrong with it.

[kennyhowes]

I don't know, Paul - Thomas Organ amps are a real specialized pain in the neck to work on, from what I hear (no tech am I). Obviously, in this case Bob's got the advantage, being the designer of the Supersonic and Transonic series.

[paologregorio]

Ah, thanks for the 411. I knew that Thomas Vox amps were a pain to work but I didn't know that Bob Rissi designed the Rickenbacker Transonic series.

[tracy]

Yeah, transistor amps. What a pain. I blow 'em up all the time. Finally put the death knell to my '66 Sunda Empire. Thought it would never fry. All the knobs were dimed and I was stylin' 'til the smoke started. Like most techs, I never get around to fixing my own gear, rather let it build up a pile in a remote corner of the shop. There's a Series 90 in there somewhere as well as a few of those recent Cambridge 30's. They blow up easy. Just got ahold of a 70's thing called a Kustom VI, the kind of amp I like to submit to the Chernobyl smell alike contest. So far, so good. I don't think I've ever blown up a Transonic. Couldn't ever get them past two and a half and still remain standing. Gotta be the loudest amp on the planet.

[jingle_jangle]

The early Thomas/VOX amps are a prime early example of corporate shenanigans resulting in a strikingly inferior product that sold like hotcakes due to a name connection. The story of how they came about (and of how Thomas came to produce them without Jennings' explicit OK) is well-documented.

My personal experience with an early Berkeley II piggyback solid state back in '67 was not a good one.I bought the amp new and it cost what a tube Bandmaster did--around $400.00 at the time, I recall. Our first gig was a party in the basement of a frat house at Northwestern U in Evanston...it didn't have the guts to be heard over the drums and bass in that space.

These early piggybacks were a nightmare to service, as there were something like 28 wires that had to be desoldered (!) in order to separate power supply from amplifier, before the amp chassis could be removed from the case. Later versions used a Molex plug to make this a five-second job. Just one example of how a rush to judgement/production can take an awful toll on product reliability and, subsequently, reputation.

Sexy-looking amp, though...and I still remember the feel of those die-case chrome knobs!

[fatcat]

There was a mindset back then that if you took away the tubes, then there would be no need to service them;Fender's first round of solid state also have a repairman's nightmare rep.
I have two Westminsters, a V118 and a V1182.The 118 has gone hissy, and I really don't want to start on it;but I'll eventually have to.

[paologregorio]

The early Thomas/VOX amps are a prime early example of corporate shenanigans resulting in a strikingly inferior product that sold like hotcakes due to a name connection. The story of how they came about (and of how Thomas came to produce them without Jennings' explicit OK) is well-documented.

My personal experience with an early Berkeley II piggyback solid state back in '67 was not a good one.I bought the amp new and it cost what a tube Bandmaster did--around $400.00 at the time, I recall. Our first gig was a party in the basement of a frat house at Northwestern U in Evanston...it didn't have the guts to be heard over the drums and bass in that space.

These early piggybacks were a nightmare to service, as there were something like 28 wires that had to be desoldered (!) in order to separate power supply from amplifier, before the amp chassis could be removed from the case. Later versions used a Molex plug to make this a five-second job. Just one example of how a rush to judgement/production can take an awful toll on product reliability and, subsequently, reputation.

Sexy-looking amp, though...and I still remember the feel of those die-case chrome knobs!

Mine has the Molex plug that looks like the end of a tube, with the corresponding tube socket like plug. I bought it from the bassist in the garage band I was in back in the mid-late 80s, who used it for a bass rig. It looked pretty cool next to my Super Beatle, which along with both guitarists using Ricks, my Vox Teardrop, and the other guitarist doubling on a Vox super Continental, made for a nice visual. The bassist also used a 4001, then a Vox bass with an ES335 style body, before finally settling for a Harmony single cutaway with a tobacco sunburst finish(why?). It was pretty much all downhill for her after the 4001, but she just loved that Harmony for some reason.