[comp.dcom.telecom] Western Electric Guitar Amplifier

Billy Bradford <telecom@eecs.nwu.edu> (06/05/91)

[Moderator's Note: This message was forwarded to the Digest from the
PC Pursuit Net Exchange BBS.   PAT]


  No. 123  06/05/91   01:16:35
  From: Billy Bradford              To: Patrick Townson
  Subject: Western Electric Guitar Amplifier

I've been reading the Western Electric sound-recording thread for
quite a while now, and came across something interesting.

I bought an old guitar amplifier about three weeks ago.  On the back,
it says "LICENSED UNDER PATENTS OF WESTERN ELECTRIC AND AMERICAN
TELEPHONE AND TELEGRAPH CO.  LAUREL ELECTRONICS CO., SAN ANTONIO,
TEXAS.  110-120 VOLTS AC 40 WATTS".  It uses three vacuum tubes, a
12AU6, a 50C5, and a 35W4.  Do any of you great telecom gurus out
there know what patents are being used?  It's just got two instrument
inputs and a volume knob, and a built-in speaker.

I really enjoy reading this newsgroup.  Glad to see that John Higdon
is, as Aerosmith puts it, "Back in the Saddle Again." 8-)

 
Billy Bradford       | I'm just a 16-year old hacker (of the old
POB 1374             |  definition) with nothing to do but learn.
Anadarko, OK  73005  |  You people are making it INTERESTING! 8-)
telecom@eecs.nwu.edu


[Moderator's Note: Billy neglected to mention in his .signature that
he is also an honors student, and *the* computer expert in his school.
He desparately is trying to find a unix account somewhere with a local
area dialup if anyone can help.  PAT]

Scott Dorsey <kludge@grissom.larc.nasa.gov> (06/07/91)

In article <telecom11.430.8@eecs.nwu.edu> Billy Bradford writes:

> I bought an old guitar amplifier about three weeks ago.  On the back,
> it says "LICENSED UNDER PATENTS OF WESTERN ELECTRIC AND AMERICAN
> TELEPHONE AND TELEGRAPH CO.  LAUREL ELECTRONICS CO., SAN ANTONIO,
> TEXAS.  110-120 VOLTS AC 40 WATTS".  It uses three vacuum tubes, a
> 12AU6, a 50C5, and a 35W4.  Do any of you great telecom gurus out
> there know what patents are being used?  It's just got two instrument
> inputs and a volume knob, and a built-in speaker.

    You have yourself a pretty valuable piece of equipment.  From the
tube complement I'd say this was one of the later WE guitar amps, but
I have no idea which one.  Which cabinet did you get?  Is there a horn
driver in addition to the main speaker?

    These were two or three watt amps, but with very efficient
speakers that could get decent sound.  For an example of how good
these things can actually be, get your hands on some Charlie Christian
recordings.  For most of his stuff with the Benny Goodman band, he was
using WE amps.

    By the way, it is still possible to get good quality 50C5 tubes.
E-mail me if you want more details.


Scott