Blind purchase: watch or guitar amp?

[Fuselierpa]

For you guys who do watches and guitars (and there is much overlap between the hobbies): would you rather buy a luxury watch you haven’t tried on, or a boutique amp you haven’t gotten to test drive? Why?

[Malum]

I don’t need a new amp . I’m still using the Ampeg SVT I bought used in 1978 .

[White Collar Boy]

I would feel much safer going for an amp blind. I just know what I am getting, and assuming it is legit, a tech could fix anything up. But with watches, so many I have loved in photos and cabinet but not liked at all on my wrist. Seems like there is more of a risk when it comes to ‘bonding’ with a wristwatch but that’s just me.

[rickc007]

Well, here are some of my amps ...
Safer with a watch, tone picky

[White Collar Boy]

Originally Posted by rickc007

Well, here are some of my amps ...
Safer with a watch, tone picky

Cool mancave. Love the poster on far left of the old-looking Strat! What are those Bluesbreaker-looking amps? Look like combos, but just sweet looking cabs?

[rickc007]

Thank you, that's the half of it, more below, stock gets rotated frequently.

The poster on the far left is an oversize poster of Rory Gallaghers Strat, really cool.

The Bluesbreaker style amps are made by a Boutique builder Greg Germino.
The Green one on the left is a early JTM 45 recreation with the Radio Spares style transformer. KT66 power tubes, 2x12 Heritage Greenbacks

The black one next to it is a recreation of a JMP 50 but in 35 Watt mode.
EL34s running at lower voltage.

Germinos link below, if you're not familiar with his work, check his gut shots.
Impeccable wiring, all hand made
https://www.germinoamplification.com/

Below is the other side of the room

Originally Posted by Hungry Eyes

Cool mancave. Love the poster on far left of the old-looking Strat! What are those Bluesbreaker-looking amps? Look like combos, but just sweet looking cabs?

[White Collar Boy]

Originally Posted by rickc007

Thank you, that's the half of it, more below, stock gets rotated frequently...

Most impressive! Thanks, will have a read...

@ Rich, that Deluxe Reverb looks very nice too.

Must admit, I absolutely love amps, but a switch in my brain has been flicked, and I am far more absorbed by watches and horology these past two years. I will always keep a couple of favourite amps around though. I love vintage Fenders. The sound, but also the look and the smell!

[rickc007]

Deluxe Reverb is my favorite amp.
I have a Pre CBS 1964 Deluxe Reverb one of my favorites.
All original transformers, tone caps, speaker ... all the good stuff



More pics, and gut shots below

http://rconnelly.com/64DeluxeReverb/

Originally Posted by Hungry Eyes

Most impressive! Thanks, will have a read...

@ Rich, that Deluxe Reverb looks very nice too.

Must admit, I absolutely love amps, but a switch in my brain has been flicked, and I am far more absorbed by watches and horology these past two years. I will always keep a couple of favourite amps around though. I love vintage Fenders. The sound, but also the look and the smell!

[Dan Pierce]

I have all the [bass] amps I need, so probably the watch. Easier to flip if it didn't work out.
dP

[RichM]

I going with the amp on this one. I have a lot more fun with the amps then I do with the the watches. First one up is a Special Edition Fender Deluxe that was sent to George Alessando for a re-wire. http://alessandro-products.com/

[RichM]

Next up is my Vintage Sound 22SC. It’s how Leo should have built the Deluxe Reverb. Built by Rick Haynes in Florida. https://www.vintagesoundamps.com/

When it comes time to sell, the watches will be much easier.

[rickc007]

I love what he does, Blackface Fenders are my favorite

Originally Posted by Rich Mickol

Next up is my Vintage Sound 22SC. It’s how Leo should have built the Deluxe Reverb. Built by Rick Haynes in Florida. https://www.vintagesoundamps.com/

When it comes time to sell, the watches will be much easier.

[gnuyork]

I have a small collection of nice amps, and I always want more... so probably amp... But it's really a tough choice.

[EEpro]

The watch. Musical stuff is hard to offload if you don't like it.

[rickc007]

OK , for this illustrious group of tone connoisseurs, let me share my Holy Grail

1965 Fender Twin Reverb.
All original (except power tubes, but NOS GE 6L6s)
In the pic below you can see the original receipt
Got it about a year ago

Many more pics and gut shots at the link below
Crazy clean condtion

All original electronics, Filter caps, tone caps, transformers, even preamp tubes.

http://rconnelly.com/65TwinReverb/

[Dan Pierce]

Current little rig, big rig, and a classic rig from the past.
dP

[chinaski]

I bought a Reissue Princeton Reverb that I never tried out, but I had played through vintage Princeton's in the past. Completely satisfied.

Most of my watch purchases have been made without trying them on first...

[White Collar Boy]

Originally Posted by chinaski

I bought a Reissue Princeton Reverb that I never tried out, but I had played through vintage Princeton's in the past. Completely satisfied.

Most of my watch purchases have been made without trying them on first...

I bet that PR Reissue sounds beautiful. If you are unhappy with the tone, I have tried a couple of different speakers and can vouch for Weber Blue Pups and Celestion Golds (just require about 30 hours to break in and soften, tonally). But no doubt it is good to go as is. Or did you buy it and flip it?

[gnuyork]

Originally Posted by Hungry Eyes

I bet that PR Reissue sounds beautiful. If you are unhappy with the tone, I have tried a couple of different speakers and can vouch for Weber Blue Pups and Celestion Golds (just require about 30 hours to break in and soften, tonally). But no doubt it is good to go as is. Or did you buy it and flip it?

Yes, I have a Weber Bluedog (Alnico) in my Tweed Deluxe boutique amp. Great speaker and great Amp, though I find I'm mainly playing my Vox AC15 lately.

[White Collar Boy]

Originally Posted by gnuyork

Yes, I have a Weber Bluedog (Alnico) in my Tweed Deluxe boutique amp. Great speaker and great Amp, though I find I'm mainly playing my Vox AC15 lately.

I love Vox AC-15s. Anytime someone asks me what amp they should buy, usually wanting to not spend a lot of money
in their case, I tell them to find a used AC-15.

(I realise that sounds a bit self-important. But in my small circle of indie rock musicians, not many people care or know much about amps.)

[White Collar Boy]

Originally Posted by Dan Pierce

Current little rig, big rig, and a classic rig from the past.
dP

I love your gear Dan, especially the vintage Precision Basses and that B-15! As you probably noted from a photo of my amps in a previous thread, it’s all old guitar combo amps but no bass amp, despite me owning an old Guild Starfire bass and playing that more than anything else in a current band (the bands I play guitar in are pretty inactive lately). I just use whatever amp is available at shows, and there is a bass amp provided for free where we rehearse, but I would like to get a smallish bass amp (I have a small car and don’t enjoy lugging). I don’t really like Fender Rumbles, or the Markbass stuff I’ve borrowed. What would you suggest? My favourite amp I’ve played through was an SVT but it was a big rig.

[zengineer]

This one has really "bright" tone. I don't play well enough to outrun even a bad amp but am picky about watches, so I guess an amp would be more safe.


Sent from my Motorola Bag Phone

[Andad]

From a fun and enjoyment point of view I’d buy an amp.

From your next door neighbour’s point of view I’d suggest a watch.

[woowoo]

Great fun question.

My first reaction was to say amp. Watches I wear, need to feel something special to want it and keep it. With amps, I am much more open to different sounds in a collection even if I dont love it, there can be beauty in a sound that's uncomfortable.

But thinking about it more, I can get a rough idea how a watch will look and wear based on pictures. With an amp we have no f'ing clue how it will sound.

So with that my final answer, assuming there's no return policy and we can't just flip them for a small loss, is neither. I got enough crap and junk in my life, don't need to buy more stuff I don't really like.

[gnuyork]

I bought these both without hearing them, though I did listen to as many You Tube clips as I could. I found a deal on the AC15 new, then had to have the AC30 just after and found a unique buying opportunity from a seller who was looking for a local pickup only and he happened to live near my brother in DC. I negotiated pretty hard, and got a great deal on that one as well. Mint condition, hardly used, but the guy had at least 3 or 4 other high end amps (Marshall Bluesbreaker, Tone King Imperial, Swart, and others) so he didn't need or use the AC30.

They are both 60th anniversary hand wired amps made in England to the spec of the originals (1957 AC15 and 1962 AC30). Custom made silver bell Celetions in both amps. As close to vintage Vox as you can get for a modern amp.





My Tweed Deluxe is made by a guy in North Carolina (I think) Michael Clark. Also handwired and speced as close to an original 5E3 as possible. Incidentally, I bought this sight unseen as well. I wanted a real Tweed, but at the time they were $4500 so I did some research and ordered a boutique clone through Michael Clark.







I'd love to have a brown face Princeton or one of the reissues like the Chris Stapleton version with a 12" speaker.