ajkula66

I know this is a long shot but figured it doesn't hurt to try asking here... I've located an "ESE Custom 150" head in the local ads. Solid state, by the looks of it - excellent condition BTW - I'd put somewhere in the mid-to-late '70s. Unfortunately I can't pull pictures from the site. The back plate states "E.S. Electronics" with an address in Maidstone, Kent along with a 5-digit phone number... Has anyone come across these amps, and if so what are your impressions ? Thanks in advance for any and all wisdom that you are willing to share.

Swede is a solid body instrument, shape similar to Les Paul. Are you thinking of Hagstrom Viking ?

I've owned two Thumbs - a 4 and a 5 - from around '89-91, both bought new at the time. NT models. Stunning sound-wise, I preferred the EMGs that the 4-string came with although the MECs in the fiver were not bad. Ergonomics were the reason for getting rid of both, as lovely-crafted and great-sounding as they were. The headstock felt like it was located on a different continent altogether, and the reach for the first couple of frets was just a royal pain. The ultimate Warwick - apart from possibly Dolphin - in my book, IF one can handle it. I couldn't. My $0.02 only... Happy shopping.

I absolutely love that finish. Play it in good health and enjoy!

I'm probably an odd duck here, but I've never bonded with any Peavey bass guitar or bass amp that I've owned or come across. Some of their guitar amps such as Renown were to my liking, though.

OT, but Gibson was a union shop while in Kalamazoo, MI. If you look at any acoustic guitar from that era it will have a sticker inside of it stating that it was union made. One of the main reasons IMO why Norlin had decided to move out of there. This is from my '64 Epiphone - already owned by Gibson/CMI at the time - acoustic. Lower left corner of the sticker...

Yamaha would be my preference given the decades of experience with their instruments that led to a very, very few disappointments. However, if you prefer the sound of Jackson...go for it. Have you considered any second-hand options since they often mean more bang for the buck ?

True, but that's been the case for most of the 45+ years that I've been playing bass. I've owned several stellar Fender instruments - not just basses - but have come across way too many from different eras where the QC crew seemed to have been on a general strike when these were leaving the factory...

They don't. This is coming from a guy who owns half a dozen Gibson basses and has owned many more in the past. The only time Gibson put some serious thought into their bass guitars as well as into marketing them was a short sting during the Norlin era which brought us Ripper, Grabber, G-3, Victory and a couple of lesser known/less successful models. Gibson sells guitars and mandolins, and has been for well over a century. That's their bread and butter. They had to design and produce bass guitars along the way but these were treated as an afterthought 90% of the time. Fender's marketing philosophy has always been a very different one. These new Standards will sell well, IMO. The power of the brand name on the headstock should never be underestimated.

Indeed. The first time this foreigner walked in there in '84 left him clinically insane for about three weeks. On the six-string side - I know I'm blaspheming here - Chandler Guitars in Kew Gardens was also one of my favourites during that decade... Ahhh to be young again...

That's the earlier version. Nicer necks as well, IMO.

Which version of Dyna do you have ? If it's the later one with VFL pickups it sounds rather meh passive, IMO. The earlier ones are much livelier.

Glad to see that they're bringing back the "reverse P" concept. Play it in good health and enjoy!

Congratulations! These are very sweet little old amps. Incredibly difficult to kill as well. Play it in good health and enjoy!

Congratulations! My first "good" bass amp was an H/H 100w/1x15" bass combo and to this day I have a very soft spot for almost anything and everything with that insignia. Have fun and enjoy these classic, semi-forgotten yet (at least to me) great pieces of British amp history.