Can Anyone Identify this Unknown Amp ? ?

[Nostromo]

Hi Everyone,

Need some help identifying the make / model / age of this vintage looking amp ?

Its a possible restoration project once I've worked out what it is ?

As you can see from the photos below there's a model logo on the right of the controls panel, its also got a bass boost knob making me think it may be a bass amp . . . . but thats just a guess ? . . It also looks like there used to be a substantial name plate on the front and you can see 4 screw holes where it would have been . . but not there now unfortunately ?

Its got two hefty transformers in it and four 6550 power valves . . . again making me think its might be a bass amp ?

Any help identifying it's Make / Model and possible age would be very much appreciated ? . . . . . pictures below:-

Edited July 15, 2013 by Nostromo

[discreet]

Calling Mr. Foxen...

[Nostromo]

Here are a couple of slightly higher res zooms of the front controls plate - The script on the right of the controls plate looks almost Orange like in terms of font style . . . also the cabinetry does appear to have that sort of angled bevel on the front face that Orange and Matamp heads have ?. . . but . . . I've searched the Orange and Matamp archives and I can't find anything that looks remotely like it ?

Edited July 15, 2013 by Nostromo

[Moos3h]

Roost, I think?

[andydye]

[quote name='Nostromo' timestamp='1373912461' post='2143073']
Here are a couple of slightly higher res zooms of the front controls plate - The script on the right of the controls plate looks almost Orange like in terms of font style . . . also the cabinetry does appear to have that sort of angled bevel on the front face that Orange and Matamp heads have ?. . . but . . . I've searched the Orange and Matamp archives and I can't find anything that looks remotely like it ?
[/quote]

Tour
Range

that's what the text near the power lamp looks like to me...

[Mr. Foxen]

White Tour Range is something I've heard of. I'd suspect from the being packed together that the 6550 are a bodge in, an it should have EL34 or KT77, possibly KT77 and it was burning up EL34 so 6550 were bodged it, which would make it all dirty sounding, and burn up the amp instead of the valves. Inside shots will tell more about who might have made it, White was a music store that outsourced. Exactly the sort of thing I'm after.

[Nostromo]

Thanks for the input but must confess I'm still pretty uncertain at the moment ?

I've surfed some Vintage Roost pages but cant find any example with a similar control plate (ie, black chicken style knobs on a dark plate with white, almost arial font, lettering and horizontal line graphics like on this amp) The Roost Amps I've looked at, and there are clearly a fair number of different models, all have boxed line graphics, rather than just horizontal lines like this amp ? . . and generally have round rather than ckicken knobs, though I know knobs can be easily changed and don't count for much ?

As for the "tour range" lettering on the right of the control plate, I think thats just the model or series, rather than the actual make - I'm sure the "make" would have been on the plate thats now sadly missing ?

The only White Amplifiers I can find on line are White Acoustics Tour Range . . they are modern high tech PA amps and not remotely like this old valve amp. Cant find any on line reference to a vintage amp named a "White" ?

One thing I do know, is, that its believed this particular amp hasn't been messed about with much, so the valve compliment and the chicken knobs are highly likely to be original.

Big thanks for the replies and suggestions so far . . any further suggestions very very welcome.

I'm doing daft things like googling "vintage Guitar Amp" and trawling through every single photo I can find in the hope of spotting this style of control plate design . . . . have to say the closest are Hiwatts . . except for the "tour Range" lettering which does look very very Orange like ? . . . .

Ah well . . still a complete mistery ? ? ?

Thanks,

Edited July 16, 2013 by Nostromo

[Mr. Foxen]

poor google-fu:

[andydye]

[quote name='Mr. Foxen' timestamp='1373997680' post='2144091']
poor google-fu:

[/quote]

I'd say that's distinctly similar wouldn't you?

[tonyquipment]

remarkebly similar indeed

[wateroftyne]

White Sound were based in Sunderland, I think...?

[andydye]

http://vintageamps.com/plexiboard/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=92611

[Mr. Foxen]

The shop was in Sunderland, but they had amps made all over the place, chap got in touch who was making amps for them in Cardiff.

[JPJ]

[quote name='wateroftyne' timestamp='1373999304' post='2144128']
White Sound were based in Sunderland, I think...?
[/quote]

They also had a place in the Handyside Arcade for a while in the late seventies/early eighties. I remember when it closed there was one massive old 4x12 left behind (thinking back, it could have been a 4x15 by the size of it) in the empty shop. Often wonder what became of it....

[Mr. Foxen]

[quote name='JPJ' timestamp='1374009208' post='2144278']
They also had a place in the Handyside Arcade for a while in the late seventies/early eighties. I remember when it closed there was one massive old 4x12 left behind (thinking back, it could have been a 4x15 by the size of it) in the empty shop. Often wonder what became of it....
[/quote]

Wasn't that Burman? And teh 4x18 possibly for Bumper Brown, is in one of the Burman threads: http://basschat.co.uk/topic/58299-burman-pro-4000-valve-bass-head/page__p__578014__hl__handyside%20arcade__fromsearch__1#entry578014

Although I heard rumour of a White/burman link with the Little Rock amps, there is some similarities.

[Nostromo]

Mr Foxen,

Big thanks for nailing the make of the amp for me . . . . must say I never ever heard of White ? . . . . but its got the 45 degree angled cabinetry detail front that we would all associate with orange/matamp designs . . . so I gues it may be one from that stable ?

I've got it at home now and could take it apart and post some pictures of the internals . . . . if anyones interested to see the insides of it that is ?

Give me a should if of any interest ?

Cheers and thanks for sharing your expertise

[Mr. Foxen]

The guts will say if its Matamp, or whoever made amps for Orange later on, or something else entirely.

[Nostromo]

Here are some pics of the chassis:--

[url="http://s1108.photobucket.com/user/Nostromovox/media/White9_zps7deda53a.jpg.html"][/url]

[url="http://s1108.photobucket.com/user/Nostromovox/media/White1_zps953d9571.jpg.html"][/url]

[url="http://s1108.photobucket.com/user/Nostromovox/media/White3_zps8ac7f030.jpg.html"][/url]

Would be interested to know to what extent its original ? . . . General concensus is that the valves are wrong . . but would be nice to know if the transformers were original and how much of the wiring and other components are original ?

The two transformers have got "Douglas Electronics LTD" Louth, England labels on them and there's an initialed Test/Assembly sticker on the chassis which I think reads either 5th April 1971 or possibly 1977 ? . . . but I think its 1971.

And I think the chassis serial number is 712.

Thanks,

Edited July 19, 2013 by Nostromo

[umph]

thats the matamp pcb in there, looks like its had some bodge work done though! those 6550s definatly shouldn't be in there