Tools, Tones and Toys for Guitarists
Just some historic speaker info from 1967 – although I had to leave a page of advertisements in, as it has a kit for a fuzz box available from Moody. For those not from Australia, Moody was a guitar amp brand, which was one of the big names back in the day. I had no … Read more
Chicago Telephone Supply (CTS) originally built drivers for telephone network signaling and tone generation. By the late 1950s they expanded into loudspeakers, supplying the booming tube-amp market. Their speakers, often marked with the EIA code “137,” were used extensively by Fender, Ampeg, and many other amplifier companies from the 1950s through the 1970s. Early CTS … Read more
Etone speakers are a bit of a hidden gem in the guitar world, with their roots firmly planted in Australia. Manufactured in Sydney, these speakers were often considered the local (and cheaper) alternative to Celestion. Unfortunately there isn’t much detailed information available on the specs, but it’s widely believed that they have a ceramic magnet … Read more
When I set out to build a proper test cabinet for amp building, I came across a great switch wiring setup that perfectly suited my needs. With the parts I had on hand, I was able to put together a versatile cab without risking damage to my favourite speaker cabs. There are of course commercial … Read more
I know, I know—this is starting to drift even further from pedal circuits with each post, but stick with me for a moment. These old Bell and Howell projector amps have quite the following, so I’ve been keeping an eye out for one for a while. The catch is, they don’t pop up on the … Read more
This speaker had been sitting on Gumtree for months, so I thought I may as well give it a try. I know that Wharfedale doesn’t have the best reputation among some speaker aficionados, but a lot of people seem to do just fine with them, and it did tick a few boxes for me: It … Read more
This is an extension speaker from a vintage projection system, and I wanted to jot down a few notes since information on this particular version seems scarce. Most examples I’ve seen online are housed in brown cases from the USA (Ampro, based in Chicago). Those typically feature Jensen or Ampro-branded speakers, and some even include … Read more
Following on from the Rola post, I thought I’d split the posts, as it was getting a tad long. Long story short, Plessey bought Rola in the mid-sixties and the line evolved into the seventies. For a while they carried Rola and Plessey names. PLESSEY SPEAKERS The Plessey C12P is the go to for … Read more
Rola is better known as an American speaker maker, but there was also Rola Australia, based in Melbourne, which made speakers, transformers, chokes, and other related items. They also produced speakers in the UK and NZ. As a local manufacturer of quality products, Rola Australia found its way into many Australian-made guitar amps. Their biggest … Read more
MSP speakers are often found in Australian made amplifiers, such as Goldentone, Moody, Vase etc. It seems at the time, local manufacturers had a choice of either MSP or Rola / Plessey Rola speakers. This is likely because of the high import tariffs and shipping costs at the time. MSP were made in Sydney, Australia … Read more