Kustom Amps---Any Good?

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Re: Kustom Amps---Any Good?

Post by bighonky » Thu Aug 07, 2008 2:45 pm

Ummm...sorry I asked. I withdraw the question! ;D
Last edited by bighonky on Thu Aug 07, 2008 3:39 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Kustom Amps---Any Good?

Post by Maggieo » Thu Aug 07, 2008 3:34 pm

My '65 Vibro Champ and I are proud to be Mini-Bratcore!!!

Mummmm, brats!  Just make sure it's at least 70% veal, OK?  :ph34r: :ph34r: :ph34r: :ph34r:
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Re: Kustom Amps---Any Good?

Post by phibes » Thu Aug 07, 2008 4:03 pm

Uggghhh the Strokes.

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Re: Kustom Amps---Any Good?

Post by 1946dodge » Thu Aug 07, 2008 5:05 pm

there's a BIG difference between "working professional" and "rock star."

I don't see that many "working professionals" using HRD amps, at least not seasoned veterans (or not for very long), unless the amps are either backline or the person is not too gear savvy (or is just incredibly lucky).

I don't pay as much attention to "rock stars" like Coldplay, but I will point out that you can't necessarily form conclusions about reliability or much else judging from concert footage due to the following reasons:
######## I would really appreciate it if you would tell us which are the most reliable amps made. That would make me very happy, and I expect alot of us, who just buy them and hope for the best. In fact, with your technical experience, a nice listing of what you think are the best built and most reliable would be greatly appreciated.
As far as sound, that is up to the taste of the player. Among the best built list you would provide, there should be one or two that anyone would like for sound.

Now, if you are uncomfortable with this request, I understand. But it doesnt hurt to ask.
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Re: Kustom Amps---Any Good?

Post by 1946dodge » Thu Aug 07, 2008 6:54 pm

Thanks #####. It does help very much. I am a big fan of not wiring tube sockets and pots to a circuit board.
They always have problems.

I also like the jacks to be metal and not plastic. I have had to replace plastic jacks on three of my son's amps with metal ones.
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Re: Kustom Amps---Any Good?

Post by dinosaurkale-> » Fri May 06, 2011 5:41 am

pawn shop down the street has a kustom I lead 1x12 combo amp....anyone know anything about it? its hard to find anything online....im tempted to go in and ask if i can rent it for a day or something...

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Re: Kustom Amps---Any Good?

Post by estranged » Fri May 06, 2011 6:33 am

i worked for Hanser Music group for just over a year (the parent company of Kustom) in '08

I will say, they rate of return their tube amps were very low. Rare that we had a failure. The designer, James Brown did some great sounding circuits. He came from Peavey and had designed the classic series, 5150 and Triple X amps....

that and they stand behind their stuff...they were made in China - thing there is that factory ONLY makes Kustom amps, no one else's amps.

all that said, i never really dug the tone that much to actually buy one....just wasn't *MY* sound

-aaron

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Re: Kustom Amps---Any Good?

Post by Smorgy » Fri May 06, 2011 10:18 am

kustom's bass heads are pretty damm good. the deep end is one hell of a bass head.
if i was still playing bass in a band it would be a hard choice between a gk 1001rb and the deep end de300hd

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Re: Kustom Amps---Any Good?

Post by noisepunk » Fri May 06, 2011 11:49 am

JazzBlaster wrote:All good points but I think you missed mine, it's all some of us can afford... 
Quickly (edit, ha, quickly :squint: ), before I post on topic:

I've used this argument before (yours), and it's bull-plop.

1- there are always solid state amps, they don't sound as good when you compare the best to the best, but I've heard SS amps that are better than or just as good as some lower bracket, or similar bracket tube amps.

2- there are still vintage (or quasi vintage) tube amps by less known manufacturers out there that are sometimes made better, sometimes sound better, and are sometimes cheaper.

3- there are still vintage name brand tube amps (fender and the like) that can be had for, again, the same price-point, or close to, if you keep your eyes peeled and jump when the opportunity presents itself. I looked religiously on craigslist, ebay, and the websites of a few local shops, for 2 years for a silverface twin, and when I found it I had to drive nearly 100miles to check it out, but they guy gave it to me for $400.

All you need (for a band situation) is an amp and a guitar that work, and there is an extremely broad spectrum of affordable gear that fits into that category.


On Kustom amps. My girlfriend owns a 400 watt red kustom bass amp (the same one used on Glee if you've ever had the, er, 'fortune', to watch an episode). It's one of the chinese reissues, and it sounds great and was cheap to fix last time something happened to it (which leads me to believe it wasn't an especially difficult fix).

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Re: Kustom Amps---Any Good?

Post by estranged » Fri May 06, 2011 11:58 am

noisepunk wrote:
JazzBlaster wrote:All good points but I think you missed mine, it's all some of us can afford... 


3- there are still vintage name brand tube amps (fender and the like) that can be had for, again, the same price-point, or close to, if you keep your eyes peeled and jump when the opportunity presents itself. I looked religiously on craigslist, ebay, and the websites of a few local shops, for 2 years for a silverface twin, and when I found it I had to drive nearly 100miles to check it out, but they guy gave it to me for $400.
Great point - buy local. Perfect example - Portland craigslist - $300 for a 50watt Marshall JMP clone. It's even red tolex!

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Re: Kustom Amps---Any Good?

Post by noisepunk » Fri May 06, 2011 12:01 pm

estranged wrote: Great point - buy local. Perfect example - Portland craigslist - $300 for a 50watt Marshall JMP clone. It's even red tolex!
mmm :?

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Re: Kustom Amps---Any Good?

Post by dinosaurkale-> » Sun Jun 19, 2011 9:05 am

still fiending this lead I amp in the pawn shop...someone tell me about it !

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Re: Kustom Amps---Any Good?

Post by Jaguar018 » Sun Jun 19, 2011 7:13 pm

dinosaurkale-> wrote:still fiending this lead I amp in the pawn shop...someone tell me about it !
If it hasn't sold in a month then that's already telling you something-- that it's probably a p.o.s. . :-/

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Re: Kustom Amps---Any Good?

Post by sexwithdolphins » Tue Jun 21, 2011 11:06 am

Jaguar018 wrote:
dinosaurkale-> wrote:still fiending this lead I amp in the pawn shop...someone tell me about it !
If it hasn't sold in a month then that's already telling you something-- that it's probably a p.o.s. . :-/
well i dunno, the pawn shop down the street from my place has had a newer fender vibrolux sitting in the corner for a good month and a half now.... just shows maybe the people that go there often aren't always interested in amplifiers.

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Re: Kustom Amps---Any Good?

Post by Jaguar018 » Tue Jun 21, 2011 7:23 pm

sexwithdolphins wrote:
Jaguar018 wrote:
dinosaurkale-> wrote:still fiending this lead I amp in the pawn shop...someone tell me about it !
If it hasn't sold in a month then that's already telling you something-- that it's probably a p.o.s. . :-/
well i dunno, the pawn shop down the street from my place has had a newer fender vibrolux sitting in the corner for a good month and a half now.... just shows maybe the people that go there often aren't always interested in amplifiers.
Point well-taken. My feeling is that when stores get 'good' stuff, like a Vibrolux, it's priced too high. When they get bad stuff, it never sells because it's just bad at any price.

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