ACOUSTIC CONTROL CORPORATION MODEL 126 COMBO-QUESTIONS

[rocker19]

Hi all
greetings from Slovakia. A month ago I bought ACOUSTIC MODEL 126 /100W/ bass combo, I am extremely happy I`ve wanted some ACC gear for years, since I was student/Early 80s../.
It seems ACC stuff is very, maybe extremely rare in EU today, almost impossible to find.
Mine is made in March 1981 in very nice, visually I would say in TOP condition, /working almost 100% I will say later/. I`m going to do full review of this on YT in a few weeks, including detailed photos and video of opened amp.BTW according to the sticker above the power switch, the combo was  sold propably new at a shop in Vienna, I bought it used of course./I found 2 photos the shop no longer exist .../
So I would have a few questinos on ACC.

I put this topic on Talkbass some days ago I got some answers but still need some info.I will appreciate ANY respond-thanks.

1.There is "Power Boost" switch, which isn`t working, what is it for?Does it add only more volume or some distortion?Actually I don`t need it I play only in my apartment with friend using volume max at 1./neighbours/.Does anyone have a sound clip?PB on/off...

2.EQ/70Hz pot isn`t working too.I think I don`t need it I can get enough bass from 15inch speaker but I am curious why...As I mentioned above, I took out amplifier and inspected all wires, all conections seem to be perfect I would say untouched,/but I am not expert at all/.I can turn on/off the Eq with footswitch /DIY but woks well/.

Except these 2 issues the combo works beautifully I wouldn`sell it for any money.All pots work great, BRIGHT switch, wchich I love, works too.My LH Rick 2004 and LH Fender 62 RI MIJ 1994-5 sound amazing.

3.On the back there is :BREAKS PREAMP CONNECTION below preamp out/power amp in. What does it mean?Is it only a different name for effect loop or is there any special possibility to connect something?/Maybe my English is not good enough to understand this clearly.../.

4.The amp has two inputs passive/active can I use them both simultaneously without damaging something?/For example drum machine.Or is it better to connect to POWER AMP IN?I mean bass in input 1 and SOMETHING to power amp in./I got an advice from Talkbass nOT to use it this way/.

5.I`m looking for Owners Manual has someone got it?I`d love to have original /printed/ I would pay for it of course, or if someone could send me pdf.

  I have got enough pdf docs from unofficial ACC site but they are all schematics I wasn`t able to find any OM.

I`m HUGE ACC products enthusiast if someone has original owner manuals, catalogs/I have 1978 and 1980/, I would buy them,

or I can offer some interesting HI-FI and video catalogs from 1981-2005.

6.How rare is ACC gear in UK? I regularly watch ebay and always see only few of them always USA sellers.

 Thanks in advance  Jan.

 

Edited April 19, 2018 by rocker19

[frankzelf]

Hi Jan,

Great amp you got there! I had the same back in the 80's, but not as good looking as yours.

1. Yes, it's a boost, I never needed it.

2. If possible, you should get that 70 Hz slider fixed. It's a nice Eq.

3. preamp out/ power amp in is basically an effects loop

4. If you connect something to the power amp in, it will disconnect the preamp out.

   I think it's best to connect both to the front ( that's how it works on my 320 and 370's, don't have the 126 anymore, but I'm pretty sure it works the same way)

5. Don't know if I have an owners manual, have to look for that

Regards, and wishing you lots of fun with your amp!

Cheers, 

Frank

 

[rocker19]

Hi Frank

ň

I thank you A LOT! Your answers really helped.Could you send me some pics of your ACC gear?I collect everything related to ACC.Thanks again and cheers Jan

One another pic...

Edited April 20, 2018 by rocker19

[frankzelf]

Sure!

here's my 320 and 408 (4x15")

and two 370's and a 301 (1x18")

[rocker19]

Fantastic!These MUST be LOOOOUD:-) Thank you the pics are in my comp already

Edited April 20, 2018 by rocker19

[Chimike]

Hi Jan,

beautiful example, congratulations.

often the problem with these amps is the eq inductors failing. While there are workarounds, , your combo is so pristine, better to leave it as it is,, if you are happy with the sound, 'till you can find an original replacement inductor.

oh, and Hi Frank,

408, not often you see those, now ! Love mine .

370's , brilliant, my main gigging amp, at the mo'

best Wishes

mike.

 

Edited May 7, 2018 by Chimike
Add Frank.

[rocker19]

I apologize for late respond..thanks for your words! best Wishws too jan

Edited May 22, 2018 by rocker19

[Majk]

Hello 

Need schematic or SM for Acoustic 126 BAss Amp Combo 

Pleas   help 

 

Reagard

[BassmanPaul]

What you may not know is that the brand 'Acoustic' was purchased by the Guitar Centre chain of music stores. Since the purchase the brand has been made in China and bears little in common with the ACC of old.

Edited February 11, 2021 by BassmanPaul

[stereoplayer]

On 08/02/2021 at 16:57, BassmanPaul said:

What you may not know is that the brand 'Acoustic' was purchased by the Guitar Centre chain of music stores. Since the purchase the brand has been made in China and bears little in common with the ACC of old.

You are correct.  But...I didn’t see any of the newer Acoustic stuff in this thread.

[Balcro]

On 07/02/2021 at 11:51, Majk said:

Hello 

Need schematic or SM for Acoustic 126 BAss Amp Combo 

Pleas   help 

 

Reagard

If you want the real McCoy and a chance of picking up a schematic for the 126 Bass Combo then start looking here -
https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/unofficialacousticcontrolcorpmessageboard/

Today, the names for "Acoustic" are confusing, but as Bassman Paul & stereoplayer have said the "acousticamplificationcompany" is owned by the Guitar Center. The link above is for the enthusiasts, particularly a man named George Grexa who builds the stuff which is as close as possible to the original. See the words Acoustic USA and GPG.

[stereoplayer]

I love my ACC 370 head and 301 cab!  The 371 system, Acoustic Control Corp.
The head I bought used is a 1974.  I refurbished the head case a couple of years ago. I bought the cab new in 1973.

 

Edited February 12, 2021 by stereoplayer

[René]

Hi all, I just purchased an 126 combo today. Not in perfect state and bit rundown but I hope to restore it and get it working perfectly again. I got the Owners Manual from 1979 and the original receipt from 1980 with it. All readable. So if you need a copy drop me a line and I will send you one. Rgds René, The Netherlands. 

[JohnDaBass]

Had to do some re-organising in the basement so it was a good opportunity to show off my Acoustic 136 combo.

The combo was purchased new in 1971 from Roger Jenkins Sound Centre in Cardiff. Roger was one of the importers and distributors of Acoustic products at the time and as an employee I enjoyed a small staff discount. The Combo is all original except the original Eminence 100w 8 Ohm 15 ins square magnet speaker has been replaced with an Eminence 400w 4 Ohm  Kappa -C 15ins. (I still have the original speaker). Back in the early 70's I was not knowledgeable enough to calculate whether the Kappa-C had the correct specs for the folded horn reflex cab design, I just thought " well it's Eminence, it's 15 ins and it can handle 400w , so it must be right". Fortunately it has worked and lowering the impedance from 8 ohm to 4 ohm allowed the amp to output it's full potential.  

 

 

 

 

The castors and the H & H bar handles were added to help with handling. It works really well and sounds awesome. Isn't it strange how we used to manage our sound tailoring with 3 simple controls? Volume, Treble and Bass plus a Bright switch to and a little sparkle. These were fine amps built in California with great pride and professionalism. It's really sad how big corporations buy up innovative successful companies only to loose the key personnel and run the businesses into the ground. We are fortunate that those clever engineers and Innovators moved on to create other new enterprises that we bassists have benefited from.

This combo replaced my Selmer Treble'n Bass 50 Mk2 and Selmer 100w 1x18 Goliath rig. I still have the T'nB 50 Mk2 amp and I plan ( One day) to rebuild it with all new replacement transformers, valves and caps. I'm sure it will sound fantastic thro one of my Barefaced Super Compacts.  

[Chienmortbb]

I had one of the Selmer 1x18 Goliaths although not the T&B, for the life of me I cannot remember what amp was drining it.  I also had a Selmer Zodiac 30, their answer to the Vox AC30 ( yes I was a guitard once).  I find it stange that there were so namy T&B 50s around in the 60s/70s yet they seem to have almost dissapeared. When they do come up they are silly money though.

[JohnDaBass]

1 hour ago, Chienmortbb said:

I had one of the Selmer 1x18 Goliaths although not the T&B, for the life of me I cannot remember what amp was drining it.  I also had a Selmer Zodiac 30, their answer to the Vox AC30 ( yes I was a guitard once).  I find it stange that there were so namy T&B 50s around in the 60s/70s yet they seem to have almost dissapeared. When they do come up they are silly money though.

Selmer did a 50w 1x18 Goliath bass cab and 100w 1x18 Goliath bass cab both had Goodmans speakers. I bought my 100w cab second hand and the Selmer T'n B 50 amp came from Bells catalogue on HP. A T'n B 50 in mint condition is worth a small house nowadays. I seem to recall they used to sell for £35 s/h in the early 70's.

[Chienmortbb]

The Bells catalogue, it was a young musicians porn. I poured over the pages over and over again knowing I could not afford most of the guitars in there.

[JohnDaBass]

Just now, Chienmortbb said:

The Bells catalogue, it was a young musicians porn. I poured over the pages over and over again knowing I could not afford most of the guitars in there.

Yup a Bells catalogue and Beat Instrumental were read by so many youngsters with a torch under the bed sheets. Happy days of innocence.

[JohnDaBass]

RIP Steve Rabe

Really sad news .

https://www.notreble.com/buzz/2021/10/05/in-memoriam-steve-rabe/

Edited October 5, 2021 by JohnDaBass
Correction

[BassmanPaul]

Agreed! 73 is way too young. Sadly as we Grumpy Old Farts get older there are less of us to go around.

 

[MoonBassAlpha]

I played through a 126 combo last night. It was plenty loud and had a really solid sound, with all the eq flat and the volume on about 2. It  was a backline amp provided by the venue,  glad I didn't have to lug it up the stairs!