1957 Danelectro Viscount amp

[Soiouz]

I just bought a 1957 Danelectro Viscount amplifier in excellent condition (it even has the original -and optional- footswitch and the original wooden travel case). The woman that sold it also threw in an early 1970's Traynor reverb unit and a multi-track mixer...... 

Here it is:





The amp is at my in-law's place right now, I haven't seen or tried it yet. Anyhow, I have a hard time finding any information online about these amps. I know they are pretty rare. I did find catalogue scans from the 1950's with the specs and an article on the restoration of one of these, but I'm wondering if anyone here has any experience with them? Opinions?

[JazzBlaster]

great little amps, I've never seen one that clean tho. we had a couple at the shop I used to work at, great sounding little amps on par with the other dano amps.

David

[glimmertwin]

Love the "Of/On" switch.

[Soiouz]

great little amps, I've never seen one that clean tho. we had a couple at the shop I used to work at, great sounding little amps on par with the other dano amps.

David

Oh cool! Thanks!

Love the "Of/On" switch.

Yeah, me too! I thought that was great!!

[chrisjedijane]

Nice one!

Is the mixer vintage too? If so, do you have any pics?

[Soiouz]

Nice one!

Is the mixer vintage too? If so, do you have any pics?

I kinda hope so but I don't know yet... The stuff is 550km away from here! 

The lady advertised the amp for sale for 250$, including the Traynor Reverb unit. But when my father-in-law went to get it for me, the lady said "wait a second, I'll give you something else", and it was the mixer... 

Since my father-in-law was kind enough already to drive down to the lady's place to get the amp and carry it back to his place, and he doesn't know anything about old amps or mixers, I didn't insist on getting him to describe the thing... I'll find out for myself in a couple of weeks when the stuff will be here.

[northern_dirt]

oOoOoOOoo it'll be like Xmas morning in two weeks when you go see what this mixer is..

When I used to work at a pub I had this older gent tell me his Garage was full of all this
"old Audio Junk" his father in law used to buy down in Detroit back in the 50's and 60's..
I told him if he wanted to get rid of it, id come take a look.. he said he'd give me all of it
for $500... So I wait and wait.. then he tells me his wife want their son to use the stuff...
a couple months go by and he tells me he had someone come by and appraise the "junk"..
one of the MANY mics was appraised at over $2000..
This was one of the most depressing audio snags I missed out on..
way worse than the Neve 8 channel Side car mixer..

[Soiouz]

oOoOoOOoo it'll be like Xmas morning in two weeks when you go see what this mixer is..

When I used to work at a pub I had this older gent tell me his Garage was full of all this
"old Audio Junk" his father in law used to buy down in Detroit back in the 50's and 60's..
I told him if he wanted to get rid of it, id come take a look.. he said he'd give me all of it
for $500... So I wait and wait.. then he tells me his wife want their son to use the stuff...
a couple months go by and he tells me he had someone come by and appraise the "junk"..
one of the MANY mics was appraised at over $2000..
This was one of the most depressing audio snags I missed out on..
way worse than the Neve 8 channel Side car mixer..

Oh man!!! A 2000$ mic among others!!   I wonder what the rest of the stuff was?



I can't wait to get all the stuff home. Xmas morning for sure!! 

[northern_dirt]

Oh man!!! A 2000$ mic among others!!   I wonder what the rest of the stuff was?

I don't even want to know.. He said that his fatehr in law was an electronics engineer,
and had to travel down to Detroit to get most of this stuff cause it wasn't available in
Toronto at the time.. Kinda scares me to think I might have missed out on some amazing
Pre's, EQ's Comps and Mics.. He said it took up 1/2 of his Garage...

The conversation that led to him telling me about this stuff was he was mentioning something about
mini mics he had heard and the amazing new technologies.. and I then said yes, but some of the best
mics were made back in the 1950's and 1960's and their designs are still being produced today..

Oh really? I have a garage full of that stuff.. ARGH!

[Soiouz]

Oh really? I have a garage full of that stuff.. ARGH!

   

[Soiouz]

I finally got the amp and the rest of the stuff home today.

I am amazed at how clean the Danelectro amp is!  It doesn't work, though.. It's probably not a big problem.. Going to the tech tomorrow anyway. I can't wait to hear it!

The CTS pots are dated 26th week of 1957 and the speaker is dated from the end of 1956. Pretty old stuff!


I love the way it looks! Closer to an cheap TV set than a guitar amp.. 

[northern_dirt]

That wood foot switch is awesome

[Jay]

That thing looks like a great piece of furniture that doubles as an amp. Those are always loads of fun to have around the house. 

[Soiouz]

...oh and by the way, the mixer is a Vanco POS!!!   

[JazzBlaster]

I just can't believe how clean that thing is, I never seen one that wasn't beat to shit.

David