Kalamazoo Amps

gheumann · Posted: Sat Aug 26, 2006 5:14 pm Post subject: Kalamazoo Amps

If you haven't heard a Kalamazoo model 2 amp with a hot harp mic, you don't know what you're missing -the best little harp amp I've ever heard and they are available at very reasonable prices. They were made in the mid-60's by Gibson's parent company, Chicago Musical Instruments.

I have learned to repair/recondition these amps, and in the process learned that regardless of what the eBay seller tells you, they ALL need it. I have some for sale and/or will work with you to fix yours up.

Fore more information, please see http://www.blowsmeaway.com/kalamazoo.html

Jeffrey Spoor · Posted: Wed Aug 30, 2006 6:21 pm Post subject:

How much?? Can you post a sound file?

gheumann · Posted: Wed Aug 30, 2006 7:00 pm Post subject:

Hi, Tim -

I posted a sound file late last night, though neither my playing or the sound file really does the amp justice. It is on the kalamazoo page - http://www.blowsmeaway.com/kalamazoo.html ... or, here is the direct link to the MP3 file.... http://www.blowsmeaway.com/sounds/zoo_sample.mp3

The prices vary according to the condition of the cab - I sell beat up ones for $175, relatively decent ones for $199, really clean ones for $225. Guess I should say so on the web site! I will update it right now....

Let me know what you think!

Jeffrey Spoor · Posted: Fri Sep 08, 2006 2:30 am Post subject:

That's a good sounding little amp! How loud is it? Will it hold it's ground next to an obnoxious guitar player at a jam?

You have great tone as a player! I'm diggin' it. I take that was one of your wood shell mics too?

gheumann · Posted: Fri Sep 08, 2006 4:07 am Post subject:

Hi, Tim -

Actually I think the amp sounds better than that - the recording is pretty sterile. The amp is loud enough for some jams, not for others. I have gigged through it too - but then I mic it. If you get it up on a stool or something that really helps. But I am crazy, so I have found various ways to use it when I need more volume.

Obviously, mic'ing it is an option. Once I chained 4 of them together, 2 stacked on top of 2 more - we called it the "Wall of Zoo's" - it sounded pretty good! - 4 10's, about 40 watts.

Once I put one on each side of the stage and played through both - that was loud enough too. More fun, though, was to run the tremelo's on both at different rates - the sound moves all over the place - a little like a Leslie, but different.

The other night I tried (for the first time - not sure why it didn't occur to me before) using it together with my Sonny Jr. WOW! Sounded great. I intend to do this more often. Got the great crunch from the 'Zoo with big full sound from the SJ410.

And yes, that mic was one of my burl maple ones, with a 99A86 CM Shure element.

Since putting the amps up on my site 2 weeks ago, I have sold 2 (both clean ones.) I have 2 ratty ones left plus the "lounge lizard" above (not for sale)- and I'm always on a lookout for fixer-uppers....

Brasso · Joined: 08 Aug 2006 Posts: 50 Location: Texas

Greg, yes there awesome little amps , a couple pre-amp tube changes and get a pocket mic from Ron Holmes.

I usead it in my Champ, Silvertone 1482, Ampeg Jet 12B, it's fantastic.

We should all know by now that we are always trying to defeat feedback, right, so why would we add "Another" Mic to our equation , usually because we don't have an out plug.

I put the amp on a regular chair and tilt it back about 30 degrees and tie it in secure through the handle . I always attempt to stay close to the bass player and as far from the lead guitar as possible.

Now when you MIC an amp, the sound man will plug that into MIC in which automatically boosts the gain on it.

With the pocket mic ,(PM) it is put "INSIDE" the cabinet in tha back of the amp

It has a pre amp built into it and 2 switches, Flat and amp . you click it down to flat and plug in a 3.5 mm headphone and then move it around till you fine the best sound.. Then you secure it with the industrial hook and loop double tape..

OK, it operates off a 9 volt akaline battery. The PM draws only 6mA of battery current so it last a fairly long time.

It's 4 " by 1.5" x 1.5" 7oz. The PM is completly contained in a rugged black box. The case is damped and rattle free even in rough handling.

200 Ohm balanced, isolated transformer. Standard line output level - 10 dBu. Comes with XLR 3 adaptor cable.

Ok, this is what happens. Output "+" is tip current "-" ring and sleeve is ground. The output phase is inverted to compensate for the out of phase rear speaker sound. This means that the output is now in phase with the front of the speaker.

It was crazy when I thought about it however it works and it actually picks up the sound at the apex of the front of the amp about 12 inches away in the center. The PM out put is to dive a PA "LINE IN" channel input XLR -3 connector .

The upper end of output winding goes to tip which is in phase with front of speaker when use inside cab. He reversed the phase so when used inside the PM out put is in phase with front of amp.

so you plug into a line in and run your amp levels low, this way you can add more gain from the PA/PM conbination, feedback is less likely. You are not trying to fill the entire room with a 15 watt Vintage tube amp, when you are using the PA, it does the work for you and stillmaintains the tone.

To see it, plus a bunch of the adaptors/mics, amps etc go to,

http://s54.photopocket.com/albums/g111/brasso9/Ranger

To see who makes these and the Harp commanders, go to

http://www.holmeseng.com LOL Cool

_________________
"KEEP ON HARPIN"

Brasso

Brasso · Joined: 08 Aug 2006 Posts: 50 Location: Texas

Brasso · Joined: 08 Aug 2006 Posts: 50 Location: Texas

WELL, I FINALLY BOUGHT A K-ZOO II from Greg...unreal...no tube changes required! This sucker can growl, using a Knurled Canary wood mic with a Shure CM element and in line Vol control, made also by Greg.

Balls to the wall sound. I'm going to put the Holmes Pocket Mic in the back and hook that baby up to the PA and it should FILL THE ROOM real easy.

Outstanding performance from Greg....again. Grab one when you can You won't regret it!!

Brasso Cool

_________________
"KEEP ON HARPIN"

Brasso

84harley · Joined: 19 Oct 2007 Posts: 6

Hello Ive got a model one that has been serviced & has a 5751 tube.
It sounds Great ,but was wondering why it sounds better when I plug
a splitter into both input jacks on the amp & plug into my delay.
Any suggestions .Thanks Ron Hall

gheumann · Posted: Tue Oct 23, 2007 2:05 am Post subject:

Hmmm. If you only play through one channel it MUST be the first input - so make sure you're not comparing this to single-channel input through Input 2. Delays usually makes amps sound better - but I can't explain the 2 inputs vs. 1 thing. The inputs are paralleled and end up at the same pin of the same tube - there is nothing different about them EXCEPT the fact that input 1 is shorted to ground if nothing is plugged into it (which is why you use it if only using one input. ) Maybe I don't understand your question.

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