Sounds Great and looks great! Main Capacitors have been repaced recently. Tremolo turns on via footswitch has a slight “helicopter” noise (common issue). Original speaker and footswitch and vintage repair invoice. I believe the amp faceplate had a “standby” switch added next to the power switch as shown in photos. This switch works and acts like a standby for the output.
Up for sale, a 1970′s Elk Viking 100 vintage tube amp head in near mint condition and in perfect working order. Produced by Miyuki in Japan and freshly serviced by our techs here at Mike & Mike’s Guitar Bar, this stunningly clean all-tube head features a quad of matched EL34 power tubes. Offering a two-channel, four-input design with Reverb and Tremolo dedicated to the first channel, the Viking 100 largely mirrors the feature set of Fender’s Silverface era amplifiers, yet the sonic properties of the Viking 100 are distinct in every dimension. The Viking 100 is a remarkably hi-fi sounding amp, with a clarity and muscle more akin to Hiwatt. The onboard effects include a very splashy and deep Reverb, and the effect is so lush that it borders on self-oscillation, with literal waves of echo as the signal decays. While the Reverb is functional regardless of the footswitch (included), the Tremolo effect requires the footswitch be plugged-in to activate, just like a vintage Fender. The effect has a smooth pulse with just enough percussive chop to be present, offering a wide range of available speeds. The circuit retains the original transformers, with fresh signal and bypass caps as needed for optimal functionality. The back panel of the amp includes a 100/117V voltage switch, along with dual speaker outputs (the amp wants to see a 4ohm load). The tube complement includes a fresh, properly biased quad of Electro Harmonix EL34 power tubes, as well as all of the original valves in the preamp. Cosmetically, this Elk Viking 100 is stunningly clean, with near mint textured black tolex, clean hardware, a practically perfect machined aluminum faceplate, and all of the original skirted aluminum knobs. A modern Fender two-button footswitch is included.
Up for sale, a 1965 Rickenbacker B9A 1×12 tube amp in excellent condition and in perfect working order, complete with its original matched set of RCA tubes. A notably rare all-tube vintage Rickenbacker amp, the B9A features the same silver tolex as Rickenbacker’s hardshell cases of the era, freshly serviced and extremely original, loaded with the original Jensen C12Q speaker. While this circuit was also marketed by Rickenbacker with different cosmetics/branding as the Electro E12, the Rickenbacker iteration is notably rarer, falling somewhere sonically and feature-wise between a Tweed-era Fender Princeton and Vibrolux. The single ended Class A design pushes around 7 watts via a 6V6 power tube and 5Y3 rectifier, with a touch-sensitive overdriven bite and sweet saturation. The 12 speaker and larger cabinet offers significantly more low end and tonal breadth than most single ended amps of the era, and the bias-based tremolo circuit has a strong pulse and dimensional quality. The circuit retains the original transformer pair and the bent brass chassis has all of the original CTS pots, with visible date codes from the 17th week of’65. The circuit was recently serviced and all electrolytic caps are viable. The tube complement includes all of the original RCAs, with a 6V6 power tube, 5Y3 rectifier, and 7025s (12AX7) in the preamp. The original Jensen C12Q speaker is in great shape, and the date code on the edge of the frame is from the 22nd week of’65. The amp retains its original smooth silver tolex, stamped Rickenbacker badge, and luggage-style handle. The polished chrome faceplate exhibits minimal patina, retaining virtually all of the white silkscreen text and the original quartet of knobs.
Up for sale, a 1960s Meteor U-45B 1×12 combo amp in excellent condition and in perfect working order, complete with a footswitch to engage the Tremolo. This rare Japanese-made amp was crafted by Univox in OEM capacity for their little-seen Meteor brand, identical to the Univox-branded combo of the same name. Sparingly little information is available as to the nature of the Meteor brand specifically, but it was likely used by Unichord/Univox for the Japanese domestic market. This combo features a single channel, three-input design (Guitar, Acc, Aux), delivering 10W of power with simple Volume, Tone, and Tremolo (speed) controls. Surprisingly full-sounding given its form factor, this U-45B offers muscular, expansive lows (enhanced by the relative depth of the cabinet) and punchy, crisp trebles that aren’t overly pointed or brittle. The circuit cascades into creamy, harmonic-rich overdrive around 6 on the dial, thickening up further when diming the amp out. The Tremolo has a strong pulse, only active with the footswitch plugged in, with the knob governing the speed of the effect. The circuit is very original and recapped as needed, retaining the stock transformers. A three-prong cable has also been installed. Tubes include a matched pair of Toshiba 6BM8s, a 12AX7 and a 6X4 (rectifier). This amp is loaded with a Weber Signature Series Sig12F 12 speaker, designed for early’50s Tweed-style tone that accentuates the amp’s overdrive capabilities. There are just a few small marks on the black tolex, the gray grillcloth is clean, and the Meteor badge is present. The silkscreened graphics on the control plate are pristine, and the original trio of reflector cap knobs is present. A modern footswitch is included.
Here is my beloved Kalamazoo Model Two amplifier, # 3. These were made between 1965 and 1967 – ace years of tube tone. Gibson only made a few thousand of these. These Model 2 Black Panel amps are special. I first heard one courtesy of my guitar tech, Edtronics in Evansville, Wisconsin (he also did the upgrades on this amp and is really good at these mods). He had a black face Kalamazoo Model 2 on his bench and he’d turn it all the way up, and it sounded so good–yet it wasn’t too loud. The tube breakup was the most buttery and brown thing I’d heard; smitten, I decided to jump into getting a couple of these. Their 5-10 watt circuit is akin to the tweed Fender Champs but with a sweeter tone perfectly suited for harps, electric violin and (all) guitars. I’m keeping #2, but #1 and #3 are on offer (here and elsewhere). I ran two of them together as a little valve stereo rig at one point. Going another way now so – this amp is offered here for your consideration. It has the safety modifications: death cap removed, grounded professionally, modern 3-wire power cord, big filter caps upgraded. The original power on/off switch on the Tone knob works fine. Recently sprayed the pots & inputs with Cramolin-D5. It is ready to rock. The four mystery holes on the back panel: it came to me this way. Maybe someone had a direct out / extension speaker thing going on? 60 years old, it’s showing some scars. #3′s tube set features a Mesa 7025 STR preamp (7025 are the heavy duty, lower noise versions of the 12AX7/ECC83, from a Boogie amp I think) and the original American RCA 6X4. It has a newer Russian 6BQ5 “mil spec” power tube which compares to our Joint Army Navy tubes–over engineered, louder and fatter. An old RCA 12AX7 is the Tremolo tube and it could be original; the tremolo sound on these amps is so nice. It absolutely sounds great – the breakup you want, the musical tremolo you deserve. I’ve recorded some killer tracks with these amps, they loves pedals. I will remove the tubes for transport. I will pack it as I’d like to receive it, which is super safely and double boxed. The speaker is a’64 Gibson branded CTS from another amp I own (a Skylark), as I ran this amp with a modern speaker (Emminence) that I liked better. This’original’ vintage speaker is a re-cone done by Edtronics, and it sounds magical for harp & guitar. With its mods & fat tube set this amp is definitely louder than it was stock — and juicier. Check the video out for a harp guy taking it through its paces. He does a couple videos demonstrating the Model 2′s. The black Tolex covering on several corners shows the wear of years and a light repair, check the pictures for the patina carefully! This amp is for a player, not a collector’s case. It has all 4 original rubber feet. In excellent working condition, this vintage Kalamazoo tone machine is a thing of rock and blues beauty. Pound for pound, the tube tone value is incredible here. Crank up my other amps. Stock specs on the amp from the web. Tremolo Frequency (with on/off switch). Tone (with power on/off switch). Two inputs, one channel. One CTS Chicago Telephone Supply Co. 12AX7A/ECC83/7025 (dual triode) preamp. 6X4 full wave rectifier. 6BQ5/EL84 output tube. 12AX7/ECC83/7025 (dual triode) tremolo oscillator. Woodward-Schumacher TF500-0-606-528, 4K input, 8 ohm output. Height: 15 1/2 in. Schematic and tube layout chart pasted inside amp. According to Gibson history buff Bjorn Anger. There are no records of Kalamazoo amps after 1967. Records from 1970 showing a combined total of 139 units of Kalamazoo instruments and amps? In 1969, CMI (Chicago Musical Instrument, the legal parent of Gibson) was bought by ECL. In 1971 the company was renamed Norlin. Some (or perhaps all) Canadian Kalamazoos were labeled “Turner Musical Instruments” which was a wholly owned subsidiary of CMI. Kalamazoo, MI, was the location of Gibson’s manufacturing operations from Gibson’s inception in the 1880s until the early 1970s; hence the Kalamazoo name. In their heyday (the mid-1960s), Kalamazoos were some of the best, small, tube amps around. They were never anywhere near as popular as Fenders, but were a great little amp for the price, and seem to have been of more consistent quality than many of the Gibson brand amps! The Kalamazoo Models One and Two were extremely similar to the tweed Fender Champ 5F1.
Very cool vintage amplifier. It’s very dusty and needs a good cleaning. There’s some crackling in the pots when you turn the dials but it’s not actually not that bad. Totally playable as it is. The video in the gallery is of my nephew playing it exactly as-is. Be ready to dust and clean this out I’m not doing anything to it because I don’t want to damage anything. The power wire is solid…. It doesn’t have any cracking in it. For restoration and needs cleaning. It will be extremely safely packed with ups. I don’t cut corners on packing. I pack a lot of vintage electronics and turntables so I understand they care that goes into this.
Vintage Danelectro DM25 Tube Guitar Amplifier Tremolo Reverb. This unit was serviced in October 2022, complete with a cap job and 3 prong added for safety. Trem sounds great, reverb works and sounds as good as any dano/silvertone reverb I’ve heard. 12 Jensen is OG and sounds amazing. I will pack well and insure for full amount.
