- Jun 30, 2010
- 44,638
- 194,352
- 11,987
- Disclosures
- musician/artist/owner - Gildaxe
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Official Ampeg Portaflex Club
- Thread starter JimmyM
- Start date
Yes more images! The '64 is a highly deesirable revisionn. We can verify what you have with more images and a look inside the chassis and date codes if you are bold enough to open it.
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You can tell by George’s smirk that he knows what a “clean machine” is.
I have its matching fraternal twin that I bought from Rocky’s Music Store in Muncie Indiana circa 1874. It was a youngster, only 10 years old then..
Nice find! There are repro dollies available if you would like to make it look more original.
No need, I have the original!Nice find! There are repro dollies available if you would like to make it look more original.
Ask and you shall receive! On closer inspection, it looks to be an NC model. This one has a kickback leg and socket, the leg is mounted in the cabinet. Did my best to get a clear pic of the speaker back, it appears to be a Jensen. Probably not going to open up the amp itself, but let me know if there's anything else you'd like to see!
You have a good one!
The cab is a double baffle B-15NC and all the parts are there. Often the tilt back leg is missing.
The speaker is not original. You have an alnico Jensen model number P15LL-C6435. The 220232 code indicates Jensen (220), 1962 (2), 32nd week of the year. It’s a very good smooth sounding speaker. There were often used in Leslie organ speaker cabinets. Those speakers were 16 ohm. Your amp performs best with an 8 ohm speaker and will be a bit louder with an 8 ohm speaker when the volume is turned up.
What to do? If you have an ohm meter, measure the resistance at the connector where the green and black wires attach. A 16 ohm speaker will measure about 12 ohms, not 16. If it reads under 8 ohms (around 6), you have an 8 ohm speaker. If it sounds good as is, enjoy it that way.
The NC schematic is available online, see the TalkBass Portaflex Wiki. It should also be on the tray that the chassis sits on, it’s seen when chassis is removed.
Thanks you, beans! I will investigate different speakers. The previous owner has a stash, it might be with him. Out of curiosity, what is the model should I be looking for, that corresponds with my NC? The current Jensen is indeed a lovely sounding speaker, though I wouldn't balk at having a little more output!
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My very early 65, which has 64 pots etc. has a 64 CTS that is branded Ampeg.
We must have sister amps. I have an early 65 with the double baffle. Mine is fixed bias though... is yours?
I don’t think it’s fixed bias, but I haven’t checked. It’s double baffle. It was owned by Jess Oliver so it’s a bit of a frankenamp with a mix of 64 and 65.
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Unbelievably nice score. Congrats!
As Stealth57 and RudyTardy said, a CTS ceramic 15” was standard. a JBL 421A and 418B were upgrades.
But first, find out if the speaker is 16 or 8 ohms. Sometimes the Jensen was reconed fo be 8 ohms. Alnico speakers tend to sound great.
Those 421A and 418B speakers are Altec. I thought the JBL D130 or D130F was the upgrade during that period. I don't have the Ampeg book handy.
Yes I should have called it an Altec for the 421A and 418B. Ampeg called them Altec Lansing speakers.
In 1964-65, the literature specifies for the B-15NL option, a J B Lansing speaker. They don’t mention the model number. Fender switched from the D130 to the beefed up D140F. A D140F is a good B-15N choice.
do you know the amp's history? Looks like it didn't move much.
what range did you pay for this beauty?