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Old 31st Jul 2017, 3:04 pm   #61
Radio Wrangler
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Default Re: Bygone musical amplification manufacturers

Calrec seem to be quite alive as well

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Old 1st Aug 2017, 10:42 am   #62
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Default Re: Bygone musical amplification manufacturers

Quote:
Originally Posted by stevehertz View Post
Yes but these aren't bygones, they're all still going strong!
Yes, Steve, you are correct, but I would add "watch this space". I think I had a bit of brain-fade and forgot that it was supposed to be "Bygones".
I hope my extra info on Orange/Matamp was of value, though.

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Old 1st Aug 2017, 11:30 am   #63
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Default Re: Bygone musical amplification manufacturers

Colin, you're a mine of info, it was just that the idea of this thread was to reminisce about the UK brands of musical amplification equipment that are no longer with us - no matter where they may be made now; the Fenton Weills, the Birds, Custom Sound, etc etc. If we start listing companies that are still going (in whatever form) it confuses the issue, dilutes the intention.
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Old 1st Aug 2017, 11:46 am   #64
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Default Re: Bygone musical amplification manufacturers

Just remembered another one, Sola Sound. It was one of the first amps I set eyes on. I'd just started work and met a guy there who played in a band. He asked me if I wanted to watch them rehearse one Sunday afternoon in a big, deserted (stately) hall. Of course I did. Alan was using a Sola Sound amp. I remember his telling me how one day he was 'off' on a solo, in the groove, and suddenly smelt burning. He looked around aghast to see his amp emitting clouds of smoke. Working in the electronics industry, he fixed it. I still bump into Alan occasionally and we get to talking about bands and equipment. And guess what? he's still using that same Sola Sound amp some 46 years later, never changed it!

Photo below off tinternet, not Alan's!
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Old 1st Aug 2017, 11:53 am   #65
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Default Re: Bygone musical amplification manufacturers

Just found this about Sola Sounds Amps:

These are extremely rare! As you know, they are a stream off from Hiwatt, made for Macari LTD. The story goes as follows:
“To subsidize its income at the time, HyLight Electronics also started manufacturing amplifiers under the SOLA SOUND name for Macari Ltd., one of the largest musical instrument distributors in the U.K. This arrangement only lasted for a short while as the popularity of the HIWATT amps were becoming more overwhelming on a daily basis.” (hiwatt.org)
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Old 1st Aug 2017, 2:35 pm   #66
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Default Re: Bygone musical amplification manufacturers

Just thought of a UK designed and built amplifier, no longer with us; the Sinclair X-10.
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Old 1st Aug 2017, 3:01 pm   #67
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Default Re: Bygone musical amplification manufacturers

Hardly suitable for the category of "musical amplification" - not even if it worked as claimed!
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Old 2nd Aug 2017, 6:51 pm   #68
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Default Re: Bygone manufacturers of amplifiers used by musicans at performances.

re: post #69: I bought a Sola Sound Tone Bender from Macari's circa 1971, I didn't know they made amps too?
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Old 2nd Aug 2017, 8:10 pm   #69
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Default Re: Bygone manufacturers of amplifiers used by musicans at performances.

Tiny snippet about the Sola Sound amp here.
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Old 3rd Aug 2017, 10:13 pm   #70
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Default Re: Bygone manufacturers of amplifiers used by musicans at performances.

Grampian has been mentioned, so here's what Trix offered the musical types in the 30's.
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Old 4th Aug 2017, 10:47 am   #71
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Default Re: Bygone manufacturers of amplifiers used by musicans at performances.

Nice one. What an art deco piece that mic/stand/amp/speaker is?! I bet you don't see many of those in charity shops for £2.50!
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Old 4th Aug 2017, 10:52 am   #72
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Default Re: Bygone manufacturers of amplifiers used by musicans at performances.

Interesting that the Trix amp and the Grampian one are both AC/DC designs: I hope they used input-isolation transformers!
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Old 4th Aug 2017, 11:01 am   #73
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Default Re: Bygone manufacturers of amplifiers used by musicans at performances.

I was thinking the similarly - isolating transformers at the microphone inputs, and preferably the microphone stand metalwork earthed, as well .

Cheers,
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Old 4th Aug 2017, 12:11 pm   #74
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Default Re: Bygone manufacturers of amplifiers used by musicans at performances.

There were several 'shocking' moments in the early days of vocal / electric guitar use - especially when the two used seperate amplifiers, one or more might not have been earthed at all.
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Old 4th Aug 2017, 3:26 pm   #75
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Default Re: Bygone manufacturers of amplifiers used by musicans at performances.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/wales/ent...e-8d012e2ce0ad
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Old 5th Aug 2017, 10:54 pm   #76
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Default Re: Bygone musical amplification manufacturers

Hi,

Roost

I spent the first three years of my working life working at Roost, prior to it being sold to FAL in 1979.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Bill View Post
Anyone remember TVM? Made in Manchester/Salford in the 60's. Well built in an all steel grey hammer finish case.I had a 30w TVM that featured a Radiospares "De-Luxe" output transformer. These amps were popular with bands in the area and cheaper than Vox or Selmer.
Mention further back of Burman- these were made in Newcastle. I have a 1970's 100w(4xEL34) SL100 power amp and MPA pre-amp. Beautifully made using very neat point to point wiring and tag boards, almost military standard of construction , weighs a ton and very LOUD!
TVM made amplifiers for Barratts music store one of them being the Chromatone amplifier, which I recently came by… see link below (the amplifier is right at the bottom of the page with a few comments posted about it)....

http://www.manchesterbeat.com/gear/a...#cmtx_comments

Terry
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Old 6th Aug 2017, 12:06 am   #77
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Default Re: Bygone manufacturers of amplifiers used by musicans at performances.

How about Fradan amps? Built in Leigh Lancs. The firm's name was Fradan Radio owned by Frank Dando. I seem to remember that they did an amp with a built in endless loop echo unit a la copicat.
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Old 6th Aug 2017, 6:04 pm   #78
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Default Re: Bygone manufacturers of amplifiers used by musicans at performances.

Hi,

Another two manufactures come to mind:

Center – I figure these were local to Essex as this was a small outfit, although I’ve seen some pictures of Steve Marriott in Humble Pie with Centre 4x12 cabs, although Steve Marriott did live in Essex.

Beck – I remember one of these coming into Roost workshop for repair.

Good days….

Terry

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Old 7th Aug 2017, 2:35 pm   #79
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Default Re: Bygone manufacturers of amplifiers used by musicans at performances.

Great stuff, thanks guys, keep em coming. And yes, I remember Roost and Beck.
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Old 7th Aug 2017, 10:10 pm   #80
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Default Re: Bygone manufacturers of amplifiers used by musicans at performances.

Hi,

Another four:

Dallas and Shaftesbury – I figure they were one and the same?

TUAC – they did a 60Watt head/PA amplifier. Well known for thier PW and PE adverts in the 70’s. Have seen a TUAC amplifier re-branded as Norman.

MM – Mixers and power amps etc.

Canary – Mixers.

Saw a name from the past in post #57 and that's the Otis amplifier. From memory, this was the brain child of the guy behind Rauch power amplifiers. Also, I believe Ben Duncan may have had an input into the design. I have one in the workshop.

Terry
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