Hey Zach,
I have one of these really cool Kustom
amps (at least I think they’re cool),
and I’ve always been curious about
what the “100” on the front and “7”
on the back indicate. It seems that no
two Kustom amps are the same. Why
is this and what are these worth today?
Thanks,
Bill in Jacksonville, FL
Hey Bill,
Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise—
Kustom amps are way cool. Many players
think these amps sound great, and bands
such as Jefferson Airplane and Creedence
Clearwater Revival used them heavily in the
1970s. Kustom amps are important because
the company really pushed the envelope
with unique cosmetics and offered virtually
endless options. But more importantly,
Kustom, along with Acoustic and Standel,
were the first manufacturers to successfully
build and market solid-state amps when the
technology was new in the 1960s.
Bob Ross founded Kustom in Chanute, Kansas, in 1965. His amps immediately stood out because of their “tuck-and-roll” covering made from a material called Naugahyde, a vinyl-coated fabric that feels like squishy plastic. And Kustom offered this unusual covering with the option of seven sparkly colors: black, blue, cascade (blue/green), charcoal, gold, silver, and red.
If you ever have a chance to see a vintage Kustom catalog, you’ll instantly realize why every Kustom amp appears to be different— the company offered nearly every possible configuration you could think of. Endless options are great, but trying to differentiate and identify Kustom amps can be extremely frustrating because three different sets of identification numbers were used: series numbers, model numbers, and catalog numbers.
Series numbers are usually found on the front of the amp—under or behind the Kustom logo—and consist of values like 25, 50, 100, 200, and higher. Generally speaking, these numbers indicate the amount of power multiplied by two. For example, a 200 series amp means 100 watts of power. Model numbers are normally found on the serial-number plate located on the back of the amp, and they range from 1 to 8. The model number indicates the chassis used—with a higher number denoting more features—and repairmen relied on these numbers to know what chassis they were working on. Lastly, the catalog numbers were used in price lists and catalogs so a customer could order the exact amp he or she wanted.
These catalog numbers typically followed a number/letter format of X-XXL-X. The first number indicated the number of speakers [usually 1-4], the next two numbers indicated the size of the speakers [10, 12, 15, etc.], while the lone letter represented the brand of speaker [A for Altec Lansing, C for CTS, J for Jensen, and L for JBL]. Finally, the last number in the sequence indicated the aforementioned model number. Still with me?
So, the “100” on the front of your Kustom tells us it’s a 100 series amp and has an approximate output of 50 watts. The “7” on the back means it has a model 7 chassis, which includes reverb, vibrato, and tremolo (the controls on the front also confirm this). Unfortunately, since we don’t have the catalog number (catalog numbers only appeared in catalogs and not actually on the amps), the only way to determine what speakers your amp is equipped with is to disassemble it.
Without knowing the
catalog number, the only way to determine this K
100’s speaker setup
is to remove the back panel.
As mentioned previously, these amps used early solid-state technology and have a reputation for being built like a tank. But road wear and heavy use was typically not kind to the soft, Naugahyde tuck-and- roll covering, and many of the amps that survived over the years are in rough shape today.
Cosmetic condition is the number-one factor in determining the value of these amps, and cover color follows as a close second. Black seems to be the most common color and the other six are slightly more desirable, with gold and cascade probably the most rare. These amps also need to be in working condition, since it’s difficult to find replacement components—especially the germanium transistors. Today, your amp is worth between $400 and $500 because it still works, has the more desirable blue covering, and the covering is in good condition. If nothing else, it’s a treasure for the living room!
Zachary R. Fjestad
is author of Blue Book of
Acoustic Guitars, Blue Book
of Electric Guitars, and Blue
Book of Guitar Amplifiers.
For more information, visit
bluebookinc.com or email
Zach at guitars@bluebookinc.com.
Gibson originally launched the EB-6 model with the intention of serving consumers looking for a “tic-tac” bass sound.
The Gibson EB-6 was announced in 1959 and came into the world in 1960, not with a dual-horn body but with that of an elegant ES-335. They looked stately, with a thin, semi-hollow body, f-holes, and a sunburst finish. Our pick for this Vintage Vault column is one such first-year model, in about as original condition as you’re able to find today. “Why?” you may be asking. Well, read on....
When the EB-6 was introduced, the Bass VI was still a glimmer in Leo Fender’s eye. The real competition were the Danelectro 6-string basses that seemed to have popped up out of nowhere and were suddenly being used on lots of hit records by the likes of Elvis, Patsy Cline, and other household names. Danos like the UB-2 (introduced in ’56), the Longhorn 4623 (’58), and the Shorthorn 3612 (’58) were the earliest attempts any company made at a 6-string bass in this style: not quite a standard electric bass, not quite a guitar, nor, for that matter, quite like a baritone guitar.
The only change this vintage EB-6 features is a replacement set of Kluson tuners.
Photo by Ken Lapworth
Gibson, Fender, and others during this era would in fact call these basses “baritone guitars,” to add to our confusion today. But these vintage “baritones” were all tuned one octave below a standard guitar, with scale lengths around 30", while most modern baritones are tuned B-to-B or A-to-A and have scale lengths between 26" and 30".)
At the time, those Danelectros were instrumental to what was called the “tic-tac” bass sound of Nashville records produced by Chet Atkins, or the “click-bass” tones made out west by producer Lee Hazlewood. Gibson wanted something for this market, and the EB-6 was born.
“When the EB-6 was introduced, the Bass VI was still a glimmer in Leo Fender’s eye.”
The 30.5" scale 1960 EB-6 has a single humbucking pickup, a volume knob, a tone knob, and a small, push-button “Tone Selector Switch” that engages a treble circuit for an instant tic-tac sound. (Without engaging that switch, you get a bass-heavy tone so deep that cowboy chords will sound like a muddy mess.)
The EB-6, for better or for worse, did not unseat the Danelectros, and a November 1959 price list from Gibson hints at why: The EB-6 retailed for $340, compared to Dano price tags that ranged from $85 to $150. Only a few dozen EB-6 basses were shipped in 1960, and only 67 total are known to have been built before Gibson changed the shape to the SG style in 1962.
Most players who come across an EB-6 today think it was a response to the Fender Bass VI, but the former actually beat the latter to the market by a full year.
Photo by Ken Lapworth
It’s sad that so few were built. Sure, it was a high-end model made to achieve the novelty tic-tac sound of cheaper instruments, but in its full-voiced glory, the EB-6 has a huge potential of tones. It would sound great in our contemporary guitar era where more players are exploring baritone ranges, and where so many people got back into the Bass VI after seeing the Beatles play one in the 2021 documentary, Get Back.
It’s sadder, still, how many original-era EB-6s have been parted out in the decades since. Remember earlier when I wrote that our Vintage Vaultpick was about as original as you could find? That’s because the model’s single humbucker is a PAF, its Kluson tuners are double-line, and its knobs are identical to those on Les Paul ’Bursts. So as people repaired broken ’Bursts, converted other LPs to ’Bursts, or otherwise sought to give other Gibsons a “Golden Era” sound and look ... they often stripped these forgotten EB-6 basses for parts.
This original EB-6 is up for sale now from Reverb seller Emerald City Guitars for a $16,950 asking price at the time of writing. The only thing that isn’t original about it is a replacement set of Kluson tuners, not because its originals were stolen but just to help preserve them. (They will be included in the case.)
With so few surviving 335-style EB-6 basses, Reverb doesn’t have a ton of sales data to compare prices to. Ten years ago, a lucky buyer found a nearly original 1960 EB-6 for about $7,000. But Emerald City’s $16,950 asking price is closer to more recent examples and asking prices.
Sources: Prices on Gibson Instruments, November 1, 1959, Tony Bacon’s “Danelectro’s UB-2 and the Early Days of 6-String Basses” Reverb News article, Gruhn’s Guide to Vintage Guitars, Tom Wheeler’s American Guitars: An Illustrated History, Reverb listings and Price Guide sales data.
Originally released in the 1980s, the Victory has long been a cult favorite among guitarists for its distinctive double cutaway design and excellent upper-fret access. These new models feature flexible electronics, enhanced body contours, improved weight and balance, and an Explorer headstock shape.
A Cult Classic Made Modern
The new Victory features refined body contours, improved weight and balance, and an updated headstock shape based on the popular Gibson Explorer.
Effortless Playing
With a fast-playing SlimTaper neck profile and ebony fretboard with a compound radius, the Victory delivers low action without fret buzz everywhere on the fretboard.
Flexible Electronics
The two 80s Tribute humbucker pickups are wired to push/pull master volume and tone controls for coil splitting and inner/outer coil selection when the coils are split.
For more information, please visit gibson.com.
Gibson Victory Figured Top Electric Guitar - Iguana Burst
Released in 1983, the Roland SDE-3000 rackmount delay was a staple for pro players of the era and remains revered for its rich analog/digital hybrid sound and distinctive modulation. BOSS reimagined this retro classic in 2023 with the acclaimed SDE-3000D and SDE-3000EVH, two wide-format pedals with stereo sound, advanced features, and expanded connectivity. The SDE-3 brings the authentic SDE-3000 vibe to a streamlined BOSS compact, enhanced with innovative creative tools for every musical style. The SDE-3 delivers evocative delay sounds that drip with warmth and musicality. The efficient panel provides the primary controls of its vintage benchmark—including delay time, feedback, and independent rate and depth knobs for the modulation—plus additional knobs for expanded sonic potential.
A wide range of tones are available, from basic mono delays and ’80s-style mod/delay combos to moody textures for ambient, chill, and lo-fi music. Along with reproducing the SDE-3000's original mono sound, the SDE-3 includes a powerful Offset knob to create interesting tones with two simultaneous delays. With one simple control, the user can instantly add a second delay to the primary delay. This provides a wealth of mono and stereo colors not available with other delay pedals, including unique doubled sounds and timed dual delays with tap tempo control. The versatile SDE-3 provides output configurations to suit any stage or studio scenario.
Two stereo modes include discrete left/right delays and a panning option for ultra-wide sounds that move across the stereo field. Dry and effect-only signals can be sent to two amps for wet/dry setups, and the direct sound can be muted for studio mixing and parallel effect rigs. The SDE-3 offers numerous control options to enhance live and studio performances. Tap tempo mode is available with a press and hold of the pedal switch, while the TRS MIDI input can be used to sync the delay time with clock signals from DAWs, pedals, and drum machines. Optional external footswitches provide on-demand access to tap tempo and a hold function for on-the-fly looping. Alternately, an expression pedal can be used to control the Level, Feedback, and Time knobs for delay mix adjustment, wild pitch effects, and dramatic self-oscillation.
The new BOSS SDE-3 Dual Delay Pedal will be available for purchase at authorized U.S. BOSS retailers in October for $219.99. To learn more, visit www.boss.info.