Guild Maverick Bass Amp (70s?)

[dcookNH]

Hey all,

I picked up a Guild Maverick Bass Tube amp from a local shop today. It looks to be from the 70s but I can't tell. The serial # is MB0731. It sounds great and is a pretty quiet amp without a lot of hum. I have read that the power tubes that these came with were not really great for bass tones and you cant crank it without it distorting easy.

Anyone have any knowledge or experience they can share? thanks!

 

[Default]

It's a better practice amp than a gigging amp. It's around 20-25 watts, so it's more for a background gig in a restaurant than a bar band date.

 

[dcookNH]

right on. i like the tones so far at loud bedroom level. I paid 350 for it and it seemed like a decent deal.

 

[GAD]

There is precious little information available on Guild amps. There are a lot of fans here, though, so you're in the right place. I (and others) have the Maverick guitar amp and love them. Here is the original catalog page for them from a catalog I have not yet put on my site:

 

[dcookNH]

I played it a bit yesterday through a couple of basses and i found it to be a bit "boomy." meaning, I don't seem to be able to get a much in the way of mids and highs from the amp. Even with the Bass down to 0 and the treble maxed, it seems to be missing something. I'm also getting some popping at higher volumes and when I use more aggressive strikes, so I think I need to check the tubes. Should I consider switching out the speaker?

 

[Default]

I would clean the jacks first. The interconnects in anything are always suspect.

 

[GAD]

Have to ask: Have you fiddled with the tone switch? All it does is filter highs to various degrees and I found the switch on all of my Guild amps that have them to be pretty awful.

 

[Default]

Contact cleaner for sure.

 

[dcookNH]

Have to ask: Have you fiddled with the tone switch? All it does is filter highs to various degrees and I found the switch on all of my Guild amps that have them to be pretty awful.

I did a bit - but it seems to seriously kill volume as well. I'll tweak a bit more and see what i can come up with.

 

[dcookNH]

Contact cleaner for sure.

on what? the input jacks?

 

[Default]

On the switch and jacks.

 

[dcookNH]

On the switch and jacks.

cool, ill do that and see what's what

 

[AcornHouse]

Sounds like it needs a thorough going through by a tech. Sure to be some capacitors and resistors that need replacing after 50+ years.

 

[dcookNH]

so i took the amp out of the chassis and gave it a thorough cleaning. Tubes looked ok but one of the pre-amp tubes was a little loose. A tech has def been through this as some of the electronics look new and there is a new grounded plug.

After cleaning all the connections, I can now use the "tone" switch in the middle position and it sounds pretty good. not as boomy. no more popping at high volume..so maybe it was just connections that needed cleaning.

 

[GAD]

so i took the amp out of the chassis and gave it a thorough cleaning. Tubes looked ok but one of the pre-amp tubes was a little loose. A tech has def been through this as some of the electronics look new and there is a new grounded plug.

After cleaning all the connections, I can now use the "tone" switch in the middle position and it sounds pretty good. not as boomy. no more popping at high volume..so maybe it was just connections that needed cleaning.

Hooray!

 

[dcookNH]

Hooray!

im really happy with how it sounds now that I can use the tone switch - im so glad i snagged this. I had never even heard of Guild making a bass amp (or any amp) prior to seeing this for sale locally.

 

[dcookNH]

Does anyone else on this forum happen to have this amp? I would love to get any insight others may have.

 

[GAD]

im really happy with how it sounds now that I can use the tone switch - im so glad i snagged this. I had never even heard of Guild making a bass amp (or any amp) prior to seeing this for sale locally.

Guild made a bunch of bass amps! I've only used them with guitars, but so far every one I've used has been awesome.

 

[hearth_man]

Sounds like it needs a thorough going through by a tech. Sure to be some capacitors and resistors that need replacing after 50+ years.

+1

A must for old tube amps! Sometimes a proper 3 prong line cord doesn't mean the amp was gone through by a knowledgeable person. I have seen a new line cord installed but not connected correctly. Also a good tech would at a minimum replace all the power supply caps. While at it replace any other original electrolytic capacitor. Old preamp capacitors fail as well.

As said before Guild amps are real sleepers. They can make some great tones!

 

[The Guilds of Grot]

Does anyone else on this forum happen to have this amp? I would love to get any insight others may have.

I have one but it's packed away in storage holding up a shelf full of guitars so I'm not of much help.