Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

I was wondering if there were any other Kustom Amp users on this forum. I'm not talk about affordable practice amps that you get on musiciansfiend, but the padded vinyl ones of the 60's and 70's. I pick one up a month ago I I think its one of the best sounding amps I've played through. The amp has two separate channels which work wonderfully with a ric-o-sound kit and its LOUD! I was curious if anybody else would like to comment on these great amps.
-Mike

I have a friend here in town with a whole garage full of old T-A-R Kustom gear, from amps to cabinets to PA gear.

I used a single channel Kustom 100? (IIRC) back in the early 70s that was a great sounding head. Used it with a Fender Bassman with 2-15" speakers. Black TAR.

I've had a few Kustom basses before and I liked them. Smaller scale basses. Never played through one of their amps though. I figured this thread was about Kustom amps -- or low riders!

I had one of the "white sparke" Kustom bass amps back in the '70's. 100 watts I believe w/2-15's.

I used to have a red sparkle.

My first amp was a '72 Kustom 200 head with a 2X15 bottom in silver sparkle. My band mates used to make fun of it and call it the "flotation device."

Although it was heavy, I always liked the speaker. The amp was a different story. It was just okay. I'd take just about anything made today over it.

I still have one of the black ones, the amp is a little dirty, but it still works. There is only one small hole in the upholstery, and I have the head and cabinet covers.

A friend of mine played in a blues/rock band and in about 1967 they signed with an agent who bought them a wall of first generation, black T&R Kustoms. He had the twin 15 cabinet with two JBL D140's and I don't think they were ported at that time. He played an EB3 with the big mudbucker and every time he hit a note you could see the silver domes jump about an inch and a half. Up to that point, it was one of the coolest things I'd ever seen and is one of the reasons that I became a bass player.

...and one of the reasons I built this, but if I crank it up enough to move the dome much it will most likely blow my house apart....

Nice rig Todd ... careful with that gain control!

Mine was ported. When I'd power it up, it would let out a loud pop that would move the JBL's an inch or so.

I liked the cab enough that I've considered getting a matched pair of them...but then I remember that I'm older now and don't feel like lugging the darned things around!

My first amp was a Black tuck and roll Kustom 200 Watt head with 2 X 15's on the bottom.

I LOVED to lay my Ripper on the floor, turn the volume way up and just drop a pick on the strings from a standing position.

The resulting BOOM made my Mother's Lladró figurines fall off of the shelves!

I was a ROTTEN kid....

I loved that amp, if it wasn't SO heavy, I'd get another one today!

Todd, you taking orders?! Nice cab.

Had a Kustom tuck and roll PA system in the late 70's. Really loud, really clear.

John, not unless my manufacturing capabilities get a lot more efficient. It was kind of a fun project though. Baltic Birch plywood is really nice stuff to work with compared to regular old plywood. I "borrowed" the double-baffle porting design from Jess Oliver's early B15 cabs and adjusted the width to match the Acoustic head. My old Gibson bass is stereo-wired and needs two channels, so I still use that head for it. The E-140 is getting a bit old and could use a re-cone, but I only play loud these days when I want to rearrange the furniture.