Frosty
Senior Member
While traveling recently, I stopped into a guitar shop and found this Guild Thunderbass amp. Not for sale at the moment, apparently. Looks great! Cell phone quality pictures:
Eye candy: Guild Thunderbass amp
- Thread starter Frosty
- Start date
Hi Frosty; impressive rig and very clean. That's the 2-channel, 4-tube preamp model fitted with either 8417s or 6L6s depending on early v. later model; 50 watts according to the adverlit. If you or anyone gets the itch for one of these, must keep in mind that the 8417 has been out of production for some time and the NOSs are gone; used ones at $75-$100 ea.
Speaking of handles, is your hand all healed? cj
Speaking of handles, is your hand all healed? cj
Frosty
Senior Member
It's a fine looking rig - wish I could justify a need to try to wrangle it for myself, would look great in the family room, don't you think? 
Thanks for asking about my hand. Really, I am doing quite well and continue to be thankful for the opportunity to play guitar every day. And I do! I had to leave home for a 120 mile business drive this morning, but I picked a quick tune at 6:30 before heading out the door. First things first!
Thanks for asking about my hand. Really, I am doing quite well and continue to be thankful for the opportunity to play guitar every day. And I do! I had to leave home for a 120 mile business drive this morning, but I picked a quick tune at 6:30 before heading out the door. First things first!
matsickma
Senior Member
I have been thinking of selling mine. I just can't quite get it together to depart with this vintage amp. The unusual vintage look stays with me. I remember seeing these amps in real time back in 1966 when I was taking guitar lessons.
The one for sale looks to be the 2-12" speaker model. There are 3 cabinets of this era. Type 1 is a smaller 2-12 " speaker INFINITE BAFFEL cabinet with seperate chambers for each 12 inch speaker and a closed back. No ports.Type 2 is a taller cabinet with 2-12 inch speakers in a sealed back cabinet with a open front "port" around 5 inch high running the width of the front. It is located on the bottom of the front grill and is a cutout of the plywood/particle wood making a zero depth "port". Type 3 is a larger cabinet with 2-15 inch speakers and a cutout port similar to the Type 2 except taller and wider.
My particular amp is one of the early ones. The early beige Thunderbass heads showed a quick progression of subtle features in the first year + of introduction. Mine is one of the earliest. The initial heads did not have rubber feet on the top of the cabinet and the back of the amp panel protecting the tubes was a solid piece of wood. Guild quickly changed the head to add the little feet to protect the top of the cabinet from wear as most people used the combination handle/mounting bracket and flipped the head around and put in on the floor without the cover . The heads began to show wear so the rubber feet were installed. (Note: The rubber feet color matches the tolex!). The next thing Guild did was deal with the heat build up from the tubes by modifying the rear tube protection panel with a large rectangular cutout with grill cloth covering the hole and "chicken wire" reinforcing the grill cloth on the inside of the cutout.
More changes came in the following "black Tolex" era(s) but that is another story.
M
The one for sale looks to be the 2-12" speaker model. There are 3 cabinets of this era. Type 1 is a smaller 2-12 " speaker INFINITE BAFFEL cabinet with seperate chambers for each 12 inch speaker and a closed back. No ports.Type 2 is a taller cabinet with 2-12 inch speakers in a sealed back cabinet with a open front "port" around 5 inch high running the width of the front. It is located on the bottom of the front grill and is a cutout of the plywood/particle wood making a zero depth "port". Type 3 is a larger cabinet with 2-15 inch speakers and a cutout port similar to the Type 2 except taller and wider.
My particular amp is one of the early ones. The early beige Thunderbass heads showed a quick progression of subtle features in the first year + of introduction. Mine is one of the earliest. The initial heads did not have rubber feet on the top of the cabinet and the back of the amp panel protecting the tubes was a solid piece of wood. Guild quickly changed the head to add the little feet to protect the top of the cabinet from wear as most people used the combination handle/mounting bracket and flipped the head around and put in on the floor without the cover . The heads began to show wear so the rubber feet were installed. (Note: The rubber feet color matches the tolex!). The next thing Guild did was deal with the heat build up from the tubes by modifying the rear tube protection panel with a large rectangular cutout with grill cloth covering the hole and "chicken wire" reinforcing the grill cloth on the inside of the cutout.
More changes came in the following "black Tolex" era(s) but that is another story.
M