Aspen Pittman

Michael Johnstone · Post by **Michael Johnstone** » 10 Aug 2019 4:54 pm

Aspen Pittman audio designer, inventor and founder and owner of Groove Tubes was killed in a motor vehicle accident yesterday in Saugus, California. Red Rhodes introduced me to Aspen around 1977 when Red had his amp repair shop down in Hollywood.
For a long time Aspen was the only source of decent vacuum tubes and on Red's recommendation I bought one of his first matched sets of 6l6s for my Twin. Later he designed and built well regarded boutique guitar amps and studio quality tube microphones. His latest invention was a powered X/Y speaker enclosure he called the Center Point Stereo Space Station that somehow projected a wide stereo image out of a single unit. He was a longtime friend and his home and shop are just a few blocks from my property. He was a fixture in the L.A. music, studio and pro audio scene. I'll miss that old character. RIP Aspen Pittman

Mike Neer · Post by **Mike Neer** » 10 Aug 2019 5:51 pm

Very sad news.

Blake Hawkins · Post by **Blake Hawkins** » 10 Aug 2019 7:10 pm

Michael, My condolences on the passing of your friend.
Our prayers are with you and his family.

Blake

Stu Schulman · Post by **Stu Schulman** » 10 Aug 2019 11:04 pm

Very sad indeed,I had met Aspen breifly while I was living in L.A. Rest in Peace.

Ross Shafer · Post by **Ross Shafer** » 11 Aug 2019 6:53 am

RIP Aspen

Chris Boyd · Post by **Chris Boyd** » 13 Aug 2019 6:15 am

My sympathies to Aspen's friends and family...very sad..

Herb Steiner · Post by **Herb Steiner** » 15 Aug 2019 3:24 pm

I knew Aspen way before Groove Tubes, he was working at the Guitar Center on Sunset NW corner of Gardner, before the GC moved to the NE corner Sunset/Gardner. Aspen and Craig Buzzart were the salesmen there around 1970.

Aspen was a neat guy and adored Red Rhodes. I haven't seen him in almost 50 years, but have fond memories of hanging together in those days.

Sad way to go, car wreck.

Jon Zimmerman · Post by **Jon Zimmerman** » 7 Sep 2019 9:18 am

So very tragic, Michael. A hero from the retro-world of Cathode Tube circuitry, whether near extinct, or digitally enhanced. He was its wise and wizardly guru. Still refer to and make use of The Tube Amp Book my daughter got for me some years ago, a valuable resource in a binder.
The highway takes its toll without mercy.