Was Transonic with serial 325 really used by Led Zeppelin?

Tube and solidstate amplifiers made by Rickenbacker

Moderators: rickenbrother, ajish4

Post Reply
User avatar
gibsonlp
Technical Admin
Posts: 1725
Joined: Mon Sep 05, 2005 10:40 pm
Contact:

Was Transonic with serial 325 really used by Led Zeppelin?

Post by gibsonlp »

Hey guys.
I purchased Collin's Transonic and had it shipped to Israel.
It arrived a few days after we moved to our new house so this is a nice new-house gift for myself :)

I checked for the serial number and it seems that at least according to this page, this amp was used by Led Zeppelin in their tour.

The amp already comes with a Doug Fieger heritage, I was wondering if Doug purchased it from Led Zeppelin/Cheap Trick (and got a nicer looking cabinet along the way...)
I added photos to the register item: http://www.rickresource.com/register/vi ... p?id=16160 they clearly show a 325 serial number for the head.

Thanks.
So long and thanks for all the fish!
User avatar
jps
RRF Consultant
Posts: 37132
Joined: Wed Feb 12, 2003 6:00 am

Re: Was Transonic with serial 325 really used by Led Zeppeli

Post by jps »

gibsonlp wrote:Hey guys.
I purchased Collin's Transonic and had it shipped to Israel.
It arrived a few days after we moved to our new house so this is a nice new-house gift for myself :)
What did Kareen get? :mrgreen:
User avatar
gibsonlp
Technical Admin
Posts: 1725
Joined: Mon Sep 05, 2005 10:40 pm
Contact:

Re: Was Transonic with serial 325 really used by Led Zeppeli

Post by gibsonlp »

A house! :)
So long and thanks for all the fish!
User avatar
libratune
Veteran RRF member
Posts: 4254
Joined: Mon Jul 29, 2002 9:06 am
Contact:

Re: Was Transonic with serial 325 really used by Led Zeppeli

Post by libratune »

Gil, does the plate on the back of the speaker cab also have the serial number 325?

Congrats on the house (and the amp) by the way!
User avatar
collin
Senior Member
Posts: 6949
Joined: Wed Mar 21, 2007 6:28 pm

Re: Was Transonic with serial 325 really used by Led Zeppeli

Post by collin »

Uh...bonus! If that's legit the congrats because I never checked the number. :shock:

Either somebody has a number wrong, or the factory stamped two with the same number.

As I understand it, Doug bought the Transonic from Scott Jennings in the late 1980s when Scott unearthed a number of NOS Transonic amps at the RIC factory in various states of completion and sold them through his shop Route 66 Guitars. This is why the amp features a couple pieces of hardware that clearly date to the 80s (see the speaker input jack oh the cabinet back, and also the XLR power cable.

When Bob Rossi services that amp before I shipped it to you, he showed me a decrepit looking Transonic chassis that he claimed was one of the Zeppelin amps.

Only the factory could validate the true story and what serial numbers were actually shipped out to Zeppelin, but I understand the amps were returned to the factory after the '69 Tour, so who knows...
User avatar
gibsonlp
Technical Admin
Posts: 1725
Joined: Mon Sep 05, 2005 10:40 pm
Contact:

Re: Was Transonic with serial 325 really used by Led Zeppeli

Post by gibsonlp »

Ron:
Thank you.
The cabinet's SN is 227.

Collin: Thank you for the info.
So long and thanks for all the fish!
User avatar
johnhall
RIC
Posts: 3926
Joined: Tue Sep 26, 2000 11:17 am
Contact:

Re: Was Transonic with serial 325 really used by Led Zeppeli

Post by johnhall »

Being semi-retired has given me the luxury of time! This morning I used this to review the Led Zeppelin file, which has full receipts and shipping documentation for the goods that they used on the tour.

Unfortunately, neither #227 or #325- top or bottom section- appear in the records we have. Sorry . . .

However, I was surprised to find a small tube amp listed that I still own listed; ironically, it's out on loan to a local theater company that needed a 60's amp for authenticity.
User avatar
collin
Senior Member
Posts: 6949
Joined: Wed Mar 21, 2007 6:28 pm

Re: Was Transonic with serial 325 really used by Led Zeppeli

Post by collin »

johnhall wrote:Being semi-retired has given me the luxury of time! This morning I used this to review the Led Zeppelin file, which has full receipts and shipping documentation for the goods that they used on the tour.

Unfortunately, neither #227 or #325- top or bottom section- appear in the records we have. Sorry . . .

However, I was surprised to find a small tube amp listed that I still own listed; ironically, it's out on loan to a local theater company that needed a 60's amp for authenticity.
Thanks John! Appreciate you digging into the records, that's great info.

I wonder why Zeppelin needed a small tube amp. Maybe a warm-up amp during the tour? Cool find.
User avatar
Ontario_RIC_fan
Advanced Member
Posts: 2794
Joined: Sat Dec 20, 2008 8:39 pm

Re: Was Transonic with serial 325 really used by Led Zeppeli

Post by Ontario_RIC_fan »

johnhall wrote:Being semi-retired has given me the luxury of time! This morning I used this to review the Led Zeppelin file, which has full receipts and shipping documentation for the goods that they used on the tour.

Unfortunately, neither #227 or #325- top or bottom section- appear in the records we have. Sorry . . .

However, I was surprised to find a small tube amp listed that I still own listed; ironically, it's out on loan to a local theater company that needed a 60's amp for authenticity.
That is very cool John... Thanks as always for sharing information here.

While the file is in front of you, is there any info on my November 1967 FG 625 - Sn GK4452?? It too seems to have been on one of the loan agreements, although I have never seen any photo evidence that anyone from the band actually played it.

I would be grateful to know what might still be in the files.

I gather most of the instruments were returned to Electro Strings after the tour. The unique JG bass prototype is back in your collection. I have seen pictures of the band playing that one.

Cheers!
Brian Morton
A Rickenbacker Fan
in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
=========================
67 FG 625
74 JG 4000
76 JG 430
77 JG 620
77 JG 320
79 JG 4001
80 FG 620/12
81 BG 480
91 JG 610
02 BG 620
78 TR7
83 TR25
User avatar
gibsonlp
Technical Admin
Posts: 1725
Joined: Mon Sep 05, 2005 10:40 pm
Contact:

Re: Was Transonic with serial 325 really used by Led Zeppeli

Post by gibsonlp »

Thank you so much John!
I thought about dropping you an email to ask but didn't want to intrude.
So long and thanks for all the fish!
Post Reply

Return to “Rickenbacker Amplifiers”