Mystery Tube Amp

[Timatmit]

I found this amp at a yard sale and paid $10 for it. It's in pretty rough shape but surprisingly it works (somewhat). I can't find any name brand anywhere on it, at first I thought it was homemade but now I'm not so sure. Tubes are (2) Mullard 7025's , 6CA4 rectifier and 6V6GT output. It has 3 instrument inputs arranged in a triangular pattern. Also has a homemade(?) wooden foot switch. Anyone out there ever seen one like this?

[Chuck H]

Massie?

Check out the amps in this article. Same slant front chassis but rear loaded. Knob, jacks, switch, lamp and fuse spacing matches but it looks like Massie just omitted some knobs depending on model. Even the knob style matches most Massie amplifiers.

http://thermionic-studios.com/node/103

Massie amplifiers were made by Ray Massie who was an engineer for Fender in the early years before breaking away to start his own company. Massie amps seem to have a following and some collectability having been designed and built by the same guy that designed many early Fender circuits.

[Timatmit]

Thanks for the info Chuck, I had never heard of Massie amps but there are many similarities. The 3 input jacks arranged in a triangle, the knobs, pilot light, power switch and fuse all look identical to the "Skipper" shown in the link. The 6V6 tube has a 1960 date code so that may be an indication of its age if it's original.

[Chuck H]

I just image searched "vintage amp" "three inputs" "triangle" and found a couple of pictures that looked similar enough. I had some fun learning about the Massie amps and their heritage myself. So you're very welcome.

[Timatmit]

Thanks again Chuck, I'm going to do some more research, it's great having a resource like this forum to be able to tap into others' knowledge on the subject.

[Timatmit]

I found a posting on TheGearPage from about 9 years ago that describes a similar amplifier..

"I recently retrieved my very first guitar amp and I'm trying to resurrect the little thing. I'm looking for any information or historical facts about this amp.
Here's the story... I was in first grade back in 1961 and Mom and Dad bought me a steel slide and this amp from Tracy's music in Belflower CA.
The model/serial number is 1259 and the name is "The Vibe".
It uses four tubes, one 6CA4. one 6V6GT. two 7025.
The controls are from the left, SPEED, DEPTH, TONE, VOLUME. then two 1/4" cord sockets, a green cat eye pilot light, on/off switch, Fuse 2amp.
It has a foot switch for the tremolo that is wood with a basic on/off push button type switch in the center and zip cord ending in an RCA male that plugs into the amp chassis inside the cabinet.
The cabinet is plywood with black leatherette covering with a heavy leather carry handle on top center."

Even the wooden foot switch is the same as the one I have.

[Chuck H]

I figured yours was a "The Vibe" model before the company changed to the two inputs. Maybe before they ever named it "The Vibe" There are a couple of knob configurations for that model that I saw. One with three knobs and one with five knobs. Yours is the only one I saw with three inputs and four knobs but otherwise everything else matches up. Later models had a footswitch that looks to be the slanted bakelite type ubiquitous with the era. I think your amp is probably late fifties to maybe 1960 but I really don't know.

[Timatmit]

I think mine probably is "The Vibe" model, if I look closely I can see where the name once was, just above and left of the pilot light. I can just make out ....be" all that's left of what I think once said "The Vibe".

[g1]

I figured yours was a "The Vibe" model before the company changed to the two inputs. Maybe before they ever named it "The Vibe" There are a couple of knob configurations for that model that I saw. One with three knobs and one with five knobs. Yours is the only one I saw with three inputs and four knobs but otherwise everything else matches up.

There is a 2 input, 4 knob "The Vibe" 1259 on jedistar: https://jedistar.com/massie/
Looks like the handle has been changed, another Massie handle on the jedistar page matches the one Timatmit posted.

[Timatmit]

Yes, that one has a lot of similarities, Chuck. The one I found does work but the tremelo does not, it looks like it has all original parts so I'm kind of afraid to use it much without replacing caps.

[The Dude]

Can we see a gut shot?

[Timatmit]

I tried to upload a couple of pictures of the underside of the chassis but I got an error message "You have exceeded the upload quota of your usergroup"