Seymour Duncan 100w convertible amp
Tom Hervert
I have the chance to buy this amp, which uses preamp tube modules to get
theoretically any number of clean and dirty guitar sounds, for $450. Any
experiences/opinions, attitudes, etc., on this amp? I believe it uses a
Celestion type speaker. Thanks in advance. Please reply to email address
below.
Tom
ther...@worldnetxxx.att.net
(remove xxx when replying)
Parijat Jauhari
I just bought a Strat from a pawn shop, it feels really good and plays
well. But I'd like to know exactly what kind it is. It's Serial No.
is S 911550 but the Fender "axe dater" doesn't come up with anything.
It has three individual switches for the 3 pick-ups (Seymour Duncan,
a feature I didn't see in any of the guitars on the Fender homepage.
Also it has just 2 knobs, a rosewood neck and a beautiful wood finish.
Any info will be helpful.thanks.
Ari
Andrew McWhirter
I don't have the book here right now, but I think what you're describing
is a second issue American Standard. The serial number indicates 1979,
but maybe later, since Fender just continued to use serial number decals
until they ran out. This guitar has the output jack on the pickguard,
right?
Regards
Andrew
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kol...@lmb.uni-muenchen.de
> I just bought a Strat from a pawn shop, it feels really good and plays
> well. But I'd like to know exactly what kind it is. It's Serial No.
> is S 911550 but the Fender "axe dater" doesn't come up with anything.
> It has three individual switches for the 3 pick-ups (Seymour Duncan,
> a feature I didn't see in any of the guitars on the Fender homepage.
> Also it has just 2 knobs, a rosewood neck and a beautiful wood finish.
> Any info will be helpful.thanks.
>
> Ari
Could that be a Schecter Strat? What does the headstock label say?
The Chris
I can't help you with the price, but they were great amps designed by a
great pickup designer. Also I'm not sure about the modules either, if
they're still available, go for it
PCo...@harris.com
In article <01bc9b70$3d913460$2e3493cf@499140626worldnet>,
I would be wary of this amp. And you better get a copy of the schematics
up front, before you need them in a pinch. Just because Duncan designs
good pick-ups doesn't mean Duncan designed good amps. I'm not even sure
if this amp was made in USA or Korea, as were the lower powered Duncan
amp using the KT-88 tubes. In fact, these amps didn't go over well in the
market place and were discontinued after a couple years. The only person
I've ever saw playing one professionally is Rick Derringer many years
ago. The various pre-amp modules are virtually impossible to find these
days, and you will pay a hefty price if you can locate them. So, unless
you get a couple thrown in with the amp, what you buy is what you are get
for the long run. This kind of invalidates the primary feature of this
amp, IMO. (Would you buy a convertible car if, for some reason, you can't
put down the top). There are better amps out there for the money, IMHO.
Then again, it's your money.
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Kevin Smith
Hi,
As a former owner of a Seymour Duncan 100w Convertible combo, I'd like
to offer my opinion, and insight here.
>I would be wary of this amp. And you better get a copy of the schematics
>up front, before you need them in a pinch. Just because Duncan designs
>good pick-ups doesn't mean Duncan designed good amps. I'm not even sure
>if this amp was made in USA or Korea, as were the lower powered Duncan
>amp using the KT-88 tubes.
a) When the first amps came out in the early 80's, they were indeed
plagued by numerous reliability problems. I've heard all kinds of
stories, but it seems as though most of the problems are actually
associated with the preamp modules themselves. (More on this later).
b) It is always handy to have the schematics for ANY amp you own.
c) Agreed re: the comment that "just because a company designs good
pickups.... That is an unfair extrapolation. FWIW, Seymour Duncan
pickups are excellent, but the company has absolutely horrible
customer service.
d) All of the Convertible 100 and Convertible 60 amps were build and
assembled in the United States. The 84-40 and 84-50 amps were Korean.
(Which did suck, and further served to seal Duncan's reputation as a
manufacturer of unreliable amps).
>In fact, these amps didn't go over well in the
>market place and were discontinued after a couple years.
Correction: When the Seymour Duncan line of amps was unveiled in
1984, it took the amp market by storm. Back then, they were selling
all they could build, and thanks to the endorsement of people like
Jeff Beck (who used them on his Flash album)...they were WIDLY
popular. Both Guitar Player AND Guitar For The Practicing Musician
gave rave reviews to the SD 100. They were also manufactured from
1984 to 1993. (IMO, that's more than "a couple of years").
My first SD convertible was the less expensive and less feature
oriented 60 watter. I wanted the 100 watt model..but just didn't have
the money. (This was in 1987). I later bought a used 100 watter in
1995.
>The only person
>I've ever saw playing one professionally is Rick Derringer many years
>ago.
(see above comment re: Jeff Beck).
>The various pre-amp modules are virtually impossible to find these
>days, and you will pay a hefty price if you can locate them. So, unless
>you get a couple thrown in with the amp, what you buy is what you are get
>for the long run. This kind of invalidates the primary feature of this
>amp, IMO. (Would you buy a convertible car if, for some reason, you can't
>put down the top).
Agreed: re the availability of the preamp modules. It is indeed
getting very difficult to find them. That was probably the main reason
for selling mine. Also, a few people told me that the modules
themselves were the amps downfall. This is because the PC boards that
the modules use to mount into a larger PC board must allow large
voltages to pass (which according to some engineering nuts is not very
good for that). I can't comment because I'm not schooled in electrical
engineering.
Incidentally, there are 5 slots of which you can put any combination
of 15 potential modules. Let's say for purposes of argument that you
found a stash of modules. That means you could use:
15X15X15X15X15 or 759,375 different modular combinations!!! That does
not mean that all of these combinations would sound great (if not
outright nasty). But it does mean that the SD 100 is THE most
versatile amp ever made.
>There are better amps out there for the money, IMHO.
>Then again, it's your money.
There are much more reliabile amps, and amps that have much better
DEDICATED tones. But there is nothing which can touch the sheer
versatility of the SD 100. OTOH, given that you cannot get the modules
anymore, that argument is washed right out the window. Also, since
they're no longer even making the amps anymore (can't get parts), and
the people over at Seymour Duncan are dipshits (can't get customer
service)....I'd have to recommend that you look somewhere else. Caveat
Emptor.
Kevin
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I'll sell mine with four or five modules (can't remember - it's in storage)
- $450.
Pete
In article <33e526f6...@news.aa.net>, a...@aa.net wrote:
> I had one when they 1st came out. Some good sounds, but not a "great"
> amp. Mine gave me some problems, the reverb NEVER worked right, even
> when the amp was brand new and the effects loop was goofy too. Also
> their customer support sucked. But some of the later ones may have
> been more reliable. The coolest feature to me was being able to run
> four EL34s in triode, a real sweet sound. You shouldn't have to pay
> more than $500 for one nowdays.
>
> Al
>
> *********** a...@aa.net ***********
John Kelley Brown
> I would be wary of this amp. And you better get a copy of the schematics
> up front, before you need them in a pinch. Just because Duncan designs
> good pick-ups doesn't mean Duncan designed good amps. I'm not even sure
> if this amp was made in USA or Korea, as were the lower powered Duncan
> market place and were discontinued after a couple years. The only person
> I've ever saw playing one professionally is Rick Derringer many years
> days, and you will pay a hefty price if you can locate them. So, unless
> you get a couple thrown in with the amp, what you buy is what you are get
> for the long run. This kind of invalidates the primary feature of this
> amp, IMO. (Would you buy a convertible car if, for some reason, you can't
> Then again, it's your money.
Actualy two of my favorite players used these, Jeff Beck for a short
time and Jerry Donahue. When they first came out, I eagerly went to the
store to try one out, I INSTANTLY discovered that I hated the damn
thing. Alot of amps sound better and for less.
JKB
Bill Hatcher
Good amp if you never have to move it around too much. Prices on
them?-- I would not pay more than $300 for one. I have purchased two
for less than $300.
I am fortunate to be able to do the service work on mine. I ahve also
done a few factory updates that helped with the reverb (more reverb
gain). The BIG problem with the amp is the grounding. ALL of the
Convertibles have a little 60cycle hum in them. The problems were
fixed in the next generation of the amp (Convertible 2000), but the
PR damage was done and the amps had a bad rap.
This was a very cool amp with a lot of features. Heck, it even got a
whole page in Aspen Pitman's Tube book. Doesn't that guarantee it a
spot in history? ;-). Bill H.
Danny Russell
John Kelley Brown wrote:
>
> Actualy two of my favorite players used these, Jeff Beck for a short
> time and Jerry Donahue. When they first came out, I eagerly went to the
> store to try one out, I INSTANTLY discovered that I hated the damn
> thing. Alot of amps sound better and for less.
>
> JKB
I sorta think that what greatly contributed to the demise of that amp
was that the modules were way overpriced (something like $125 each?
Somebody correct me if I am wrong). Instead of trying to clean up on
the sale of proprietary modules, Duncan should have just thrown a whole
erector-set collection of 'em (several of each) in with the purchase
price of an amp. That way most of the users probably would have been
better able to construct a tone that worked for them. Everyone I know
that had one basically was unable to arrange their meager set of modules
in a manner to their liking and were unwilling to plunk down the cash
for any more. Also the edge-card contacts on the modules would get
scratchy and need to be burnished clean with a pencil eraser, then
treated with cramolin or whatever. Sometimes that would last at least
until the next gig. -Danny
Ericb
I shouldn't write this because I'll probably jinx myself but..I've owned a
Convertible 100watter for about 2 years+ now...I've used it on many a gig
and never had any problem whatsoever..This amp was owned before me by a
guitarist of a touring band, so it is well used and abused...I'd like to
make a few points...First of all this amp is extremely VERSATILE...It can
sound like complete shit or completely great depending on how knowledgable
the user is re: tubes/speakers/ and the combination of preamp modules...I
got the amp with an old "Vintage Celestion for Marshall" speaker in
it..I've left that alone because it is the best sounding speaker I've
found for it..(I think it's Celestion pre-v30 model)...I've got about 10
preamp modules that I experimented with and finally foundnd a combination
I really like and left them at that..Another great factor in the sound I
found is which specific 12ax7 you use in each preamp module..To me every
one I tried(sovtek, nos USA, chinese, tungsram) sounds different, and can
make or break your sound...Oh well, just wanted to let you know I do like
mine and use it regularly..I paid 200.00 for it after it sat in the store
with a 375 price tag for a year(like I said this one's very used-they're
normally more expensive)..I spent about 100.00 on 4 new el34's and a
cleaning/rebiasing and it's been maintenance free since ...we'll see how
long it stays that way! My advice is there are plenty of other excellent
sounding, cool looking, reliable of amps out there that would be a better
deal to the typical guitarist, but if you find a good deal on one of these
with enough variety in modules, and you have a decent tech that knows
these amps, it could be a fun and very versatile amp to tinker
with....ERIC
PCo...@harris.com
In article <33E2AC...@tdl.com>,
ledb...@tdl.com wrote:
> Actualy two of my favorite players used these, Jeff Beck for a short
> time and Jerry Donahue.
Well, we can all understand why Jeff Beck might have had one in his
stable for awhile, can't we, considering his long-standing association
with Duncan. He probably still has it, and is using it in the shop to
noodle around on whenever he gets the urge (always a Strat at hand) or as
an end table in the den.