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Topic: Gretsch amp--Nashville Pro Steel Model |
James Morehead
From:
Prague, Oklahoma, USA - R.I.P.
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Posted 14 Nov 2008 5:13 pm |
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Anyone played this amp? I just scored one in a pawnshop today. What are these worth on todays market, if they are in better than average condition?
This amp sounds wonderful, though it needs maintenance. Speaker is original and sounds great. I understand these are a "cousin" to the shobud single channel solid state amps. Anyone know who GMS company is/was?
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Lee Jeffriess
From:
Vallejo California
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Posted 14 Nov 2008 6:11 pm
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I wonder if its a repackaged Cain single channel??.
Lee |
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James Morehead
From:
Prague, Oklahoma, USA - R.I.P.
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Posted 14 Nov 2008 6:27 pm
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Hey Lee, I just got an email from Woody W., and he says it's "the same amp as the Shobud, except built better, and more reliable. Different transistors in the power amp." So there's some of the mystery solved.  |
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Lee Jeffriess
From:
Vallejo California
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Posted 14 Nov 2008 9:30 pm
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James, congrats good score.
Lee |
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Mike Sweeney
From:
Nashville,TN,USA
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Posted 14 Nov 2008 10:28 pm
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I had one of these things 25 years ago. The original speaker in mine was a JBL D-130. That one may have come with that speaker, I don't know. But, All of them I ever seen had a JBL. They are a fine sounding amp.
_________________
Zumsteel steel guitars, Telonics and Peavey amplifiers, GHS strings. |
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James Morehead
From:
Prague, Oklahoma, USA - R.I.P.
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Posted 15 Nov 2008 12:08 am
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| Hey Mike, that JBL wins out over the Altec, to my taste. I do know one thing for sure, I tried this amp with my D130 tonight, and I DO like it better than the Altec. It would be hard to understand why that Altec would not be the original speaker in this amp, seeing that label. I'm sure there's a story to it, though. Might have been a last year run, maybe--who knows. |
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Gene Jones
From:
Oklahoma City, OK USA, (deceased)
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Posted 15 Nov 2008 3:49 am
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In the early 1980's, I bought a new Sho-Bud Super Pro guitar and a new Nashville Pro-Steel amp. The GMS Altec was the original speaker. In my opinion the amp sounded similar to the Standel Custom that I also owned.
I was told at the time that Gretsch had designed this amp specifically for Sho-Bud guitars to be marketed as a package.
_________________
"FROM THEN TIL' NOW" |
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Brad Sarno
From:
St. Louis, MO USA
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Posted 15 Nov 2008 9:10 am
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To understanding, that amp is the Sho-Bud Single Channel circuit designed by Kenneth Cain, but perhaps with a couple of tweaks. I think they were made by Baldwin for Gretsch/Sho-Bud in Cincinnati from the mid '70s to the very early '80s. That is the original speaker and the label reflects that. I had one for a long time. Really a great sounding amp. Like the Sho-Bud single channel, it's kind of a transistorized Fender Twin circuit using a couple of jFET's for a sweeter transistor tone. Total power is about 60 watts using two power transistors, and with that Altec speaker it's a pretty loud amp, but you'll know it when you reach max power. It's been a while since I had mine, but it's a real solid and well made amp.
Brad |
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Brad Sarno
From:
St. Louis, MO USA
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James Morehead
From:
Prague, Oklahoma, USA - R.I.P.
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Posted 15 Nov 2008 8:24 pm
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Thanx Brad, and Gene Jones, we appreciate the input.
IS IT TRUE, THERE WERE ONLY ABOUT 30 OF THESE AMPS MADE??? |
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Casey Lowmiller
From:
Kansas
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Posted 15 Nov 2008 9:44 pm
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I'll have to keep my eyes peeled for one of those amps. Pretty neat looking with straightforward design.
Casey
_________________
Known Coast to Coast as
"The Man with The Plan" |
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James Morehead
From:
Prague, Oklahoma, USA - R.I.P.
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Posted 17 Nov 2008 6:20 pm
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| Woody Woodel mentioned he remembered only one run of these amps being made, and that would be around a hundred. |
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Harold Parris
From:
Piedmont, Alabama USA
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Posted 23 Nov 2008 6:22 pm Gretsch Nashville Steel Amp
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I know where two of these amps are. I have one and a friend of mine has one. Mine has a differant speaker but his has the Altec in it. They are good amps and according to Woody, the first run was produced and there were some faulty transistor in some of them. The design is good the manufacturer just bought a bad lot of components. The word is the news traveled about the amps going out and this hurt the sales. They are quiet heavy due to the multiple ply plywood the cabinet is made of. They sound great for a low wattage amplifier and have a great reverb also.
_________________
EMCI Double 10,Session 400,Webb 614E and Gretsch Nashville Pro Steel Amp, Keith Hilton Digital Sustain pedal and Seymour Duncan KTG -1, Hughes&Kettner BATT
Harold Parris email hparris9@aol.com |
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tomsteel
From:
columbia/tn/maury
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Posted 24 Nov 2008 12:15 pm nashville pro amp
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| I,ve got one that I got off ebay a few years back.It really does sound good.Mine has bw in it though.They are probaly hard to come by.I am sortof a gearhead.I have a peavey renown that came with a 15black widow from the factory.You just see alot of them either.It is heavy..Thomas Malugin Columbia,Tn |
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tomsteel
From:
columbia/tn/maury
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Posted 24 Nov 2008 12:15 pm nashville pro amp
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| is heavy..Thomas MalugiI,ve got one that I got off ebay a few years back.It really does sound good.Mine has bw in it though.They are probaly hard to come by.I am sortof a gearhead.I have a peavey renown that came with a 15black widow from the factory.You just see alot of them either.It n Columbia,Tn |
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Darrell Owens
From:
California, USA
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Posted 28 Nov 2008 8:36 pm What is it worth?
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James,
I recently sold a ShoBud Single Chanel amp to a fellow forumite. He was happy with the amp and the price. It was in excellent condition. Those amps sound great. Obviously, their value is only determined by the demand for them, but you can email me and I will tell you what I sold it for.
Darrell
_________________
Zum Steel, Little Walter Amp, Benado Steel Dream
Darrell Owens
www.darrellowens.com |
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James Morehead
From:
Prague, Oklahoma, USA - R.I.P.
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Posted 28 Nov 2008 8:54 pm
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| Thanx Darrell. Actually, I will service this amp and try it out a little, but will probably sell it or my LTD 400. Email sent. |
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James Morehead
From:
Prague, Oklahoma, USA - R.I.P.
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Posted 29 Nov 2008 8:45 pm
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| This amp weighs in at 62 LBS, but it sure sounds great. A little over-kill on the cabinet. I think it would survive a bombing. |
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James Morehead
From:
Prague, Oklahoma, USA - R.I.P.
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Posted 1 Dec 2008 9:12 pm
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I removed the chassis and reverb tank and weighed the cabinet with the Altec in it---50 LBS!! Then out of curiosity, I weighed my Peavey LTD 400--all assembled--50 lbs!
Amazing tone in this Cain amp. Clear as a bell all the way up the neck. Magnificant tone!! And a LOUD little bugger! |
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Jeff Jackson
From:
Iowa, USA
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Posted 7 Feb 2009 5:12 pm Nashville Pro Steel Amp
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| Mike Sweeney wrote: |
| I had one of these things 25 years ago. The original speaker in mine was a JBL D-130. That one may have come with that speaker, I don't know. But, All of them I ever seen had a JBL. They are a fine sounding amp. |
Hey Mike or anyone who has played through one of these amps I just purchased one of these for $200.00 I think that the amp sounds pretty decent with the Altec 15" speaker in it. Would you suggest replacing it with the JBL? |
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James Morehead
From:
Prague, Oklahoma, USA - R.I.P.
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Posted 7 Feb 2009 5:18 pm
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| Naw, I wouldn't switch unless the JBL sounded better to you. Altecs are a real sweet speaker, too. Congrats on scoring a great sounding amp!! Let us know what you think of it. Post some pics of it right here if you want, we'd like to see it. |
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Brad Sarno
From:
St. Louis, MO USA
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Posted 7 Feb 2009 5:18 pm
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Jeff,
that Altec is quite a special speaker. They're killer in that amp. The JBL is fine too, but the Altec is stupendous.
Brad |
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Donny Hinson
From:
Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.
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Posted 8 Feb 2009 6:01 am
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| The single speaker Gretsch Nashville is worth about $250-$350 in average shape. The larger version (with two 15" speakers) is worth a little more. Both were made starting in 1969, and both had 75 watts. |
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Gary Steele
From:
Columbus, Ohio, USA
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Posted 8 Feb 2009 6:44 am Nashville Amp
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I bought one new in the Early 80,s or late 70's and it had the Altec. Great sounding amp back then.
Gary Steele |
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Harold Parris
From:
Piedmont, Alabama USA
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Posted 8 Feb 2009 3:51 pm Nashville pro steel amp
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I have one of these amps and it sounds great too. A friend of mine has one and he had a technician install a preamp out jack in it. He is getting a killer sound running the  preamp out from the Nashville Pro into a bigger power amp. I am thinking about fixing mine.
_________________
EMCI Double 10,Session 400,Webb 614E and Gretsch Nashville Pro Steel Amp, Keith Hilton Digital Sustain pedal and Seymour Duncan KTG -1, Hughes&Kettner BATT
Harold Parris email hparris9@aol.com |
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