Any thoughts on Baldwin amps?

Ryan Quinn · From: Northampton, MA

A local music store is selling a Baldwin B2 amplifier for $104. I have wanted one of these amps ever since I learned that Willie Nelson has been playing Trigger through a Baldwin C-1 since the '70's. If you've ever seen him on stage, he has an amp about the size of a Fender Twin with blue sides and a ton of aluminum trim. Here's a pic of the B-2: http://johnkvintageguitars.homestead.com/BaldwinB1/Baldwin_B-1-07.jpg

Here's what I can make out from the small bits of information online:
It's a bass amp, 1x15, 35 watts, solid state, two channels, no reverb. Supposedly pretty heavy as well.

It seems like it would be good for steel in my band, which practices at low volumes and can generally mic amps on every stage we play. On the other hand, it is an early solid state amp, which seem to have terrible reputations. But then, weren't some of the Sho-Bud amps made by Baldwin?

Does anyone have any experience with these for steel, guitar, acoustic instruments, etc.? I think it would be hard to go wrong for $104, but if these are junk, I'll hold off.
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Fessenden SD-10, Long-Scale Fender 400, Short-Scale Fender 1000

J Fletcher · From: London,Ont,Canada

Hi Ryan
I say resist the temptation to buy the Baldwin boat anchor. If you want a Baldwin, go for a more portable model.

Jerry Hedge · From: Norwood Ohio U.S.A.

Here in the Cincinnati area Baldwin gave a lot of the local pro guitarists and bassists instruments and amps. At the time Baldwin was headquartered in Cincinnati. The amps were modified organ power amps.The reason Willie uses those amps is that "Trigger", his Martin classical guitar, has a Baldwin pickup. Baldwin was one of the first companies to build an electric-classical guitar. They gave one to Willie. That guitar was broken. So he had Shot Jackson put the Baldwin pickup on the Martin. The Baldwin pickup worked and sounded the best with their amps. So Willie's Guitar tech buys every Baldwin guitar amp that he sees.The amps have a lot of parts that are aren't made anymore. He uses the parts from the amps he buys to keep Willie's main amps working. I wouldn't buy that amp unless you were going to buy other Baldwin amps for parts to keep it running.

Steve Alonzo Walker · From: Spartanburg,S.C. USA (deceased)

I do know that Willie buys everyone of these amps he can find.

Ryan Quinn · From: Northampton, MA

Sounds like good advice. I think I've read that some of the guitar combos also had some kind of early phantom power for the Baldwin pickups, but that's just talk on various forums (that I trust less than the TSGF). There's not much in the way of hard info - schematics or manuals - online.

If I do get it, against the advice I've received, I'll be buying a 3-year warranty for repairs from the store. I think I could wring $104 worth of service from that amp in 3 years. But then, that $104 might better be spent towards a Nashville 400.

Thanks, everybody!
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Fessenden SD-10, Long-Scale Fender 400, Short-Scale Fender 1000

Doug Palmer · From: Greensboro, North Carolina, USA

Ryan, I have a Sho-Bud S-15 amp built by Baldwin. I got it in 1972 I think. It has a JBL in it and sounds great. Never had any problem other than breaking the reverb springs a few times and all of the slider knobs are gone. I like it that way, the sliders don't move unless I move them with my thumb pick. This is not the same amp you are looking at but thought I'd pass on my experience with the Baldwin I have.
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Emmons D-10, ST-10,LD-10 III, NV-112,Fender Deluxe Reverb. Authorized wholesale dealer musicorp.com!

chris ivey · From: california (deceased)

i say buy it and try it. if you don't like it, sell it to willie for $500 and a bag of weed!

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