What is the best-looking amplifier of all-time?

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Richard Sinkler
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Re: What is the best-looking amplifier of all-time?

Post by Richard Sinkler »

Have to agree with Steve about Cippolina's setup. Saw it many times in person. I would love that setup, or maybe the Grateful Dead Wall of Sound.

My motto: Think big or go home.

Of course, that wasn't one amp. It was actually 4 amps.
Last edited by Richard Sinkler on 9 Sep 2025 3:02 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Chris Templeton
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Re: What is the best-looking amplifier of all-time?

Post by Chris Templeton »

Anybody have a lap steel thats case matches the amp?
I
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Tim Whitlock
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Re: What is the best-looking amplifier of all-time?

Post by Tim Whitlock »

Hard to beat a Fender tweed. Here is my McClostone Tremolux clone.

Image
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Jack Hanson
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Re: What is the best-looking amplifier of all-time?

Post by Jack Hanson »

Chris Templeton wrote: 4 Sep 2025 5:48 am Anybody have a lap steel thats case matches the amp?
I
The case for my 1941 Kalamazoo KEH "Oriole" 7-string is covered with the same wallpaper as the amp in the photo above. It's hard to tell from the pix, but trust me -- they do match. It's a cool set that has miraculously stayed together for 84 years. It came from its original owner's estate.
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Fred Treece
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Re: What is the best-looking amplifier of all-time?

Post by Fred Treece »

Tim Whitlock wrote: 4 Sep 2025 6:47 am Hard to beat a Fender tweed. Here is my McClostone Tremolux clone.

Image
Your amp’s great, but the license plate “IMBLIND” steals the show 8)
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Tim Toberer
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Re: What is the best-looking amplifier of all-time?

Post by Tim Toberer »

Too many, but how about the cartoonishly huge Elektra. It is an EH-185 on steroids..
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Ken Fox
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Re: What is the best-looking amplifier of all-time?

Post by Ken Fox »

Just one of many beautiful pieces of amplifier artwork😀
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Ken Fox
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Re: What is the best-looking amplifier of all-time?

Post by Ken Fox »

Another beauty. With my tube reverb that I built based on the old Premier 90 concept
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Bob Carlucci
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Re: What is the best-looking amplifier of all-time?

Post by Bob Carlucci »

Ken Fox wrote: 5 Sep 2025 4:53 am Just one of many beautiful pieces of amplifier artwork😀


Gorgeous.. I rest my case stating earlier in this thread that Valco made the most visually appealing amps ever built.. Like all Gretsch amps in the 50's and 60's, this Roundup amp was made by Valco. and in this condition is probably worth $6-7 K... and if you happen to have the matching Roundup guitar in similar shape to go along with it???. Simply name your price.... bob
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John Larson
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Re: What is the best-looking amplifier of all-time?

Post by John Larson »

Model-T.png
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Rejoice in the Lord, O ye righteous; praise is meet for the upright. Give praise to the Lord with the harp, chant unto Him with the ten-stringed psaltery. Sing unto Him a new song, chant well unto Him with jubilation. For the word of the Lord is true, and all His works are in faithfulness. The Lord loveth mercy and judgement; the earth is full of the mercy of the Lord.
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Bob Carlucci
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Re: What is the best-looking amplifier of all-time?

Post by Bob Carlucci »

John Larson wrote: 5 Sep 2025 7:01 am Model-T.png
[/quote I like Sunn amps a lot but as far as aesthetics? meh.. They have a cool enough look I suppose, but I always thought of them as kind of "industrial" looking amps.. Not the worst, not the best...
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Nathan Guilford
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Re: What is the best-looking amplifier of all-time?

Post by Nathan Guilford »

Just my humble opinion. Drool-inducing for me.
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Bob Carlucci
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Re: What is the best-looking amplifier of all-time?

Post by Bob Carlucci »

There are very few amps as nice looking as a clean drip edge Twin, or any other drip edge combo of the late 60's.. That sparkle silver/blue grill cloth, bold Fender script logo, and silver control plate were a big improvement over the earlier cosmetics Fender amps used in my opinion.. I especially like the late 60's drip edge Twin Reverb w/casters that sported the JBL logo as well,, just a VERY handsome amp.. oh yeah and a clean sound second to none.... Still like that Gretsch Roundup better tho'.... bob
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John Larson
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Re: What is the best-looking amplifier of all-time?

Post by John Larson »

Bob Carlucci wrote: 5 Sep 2025 7:46 am
John Larson wrote: 5 Sep 2025 7:01 am Model-T.png
[/quote I like Sunn amps a lot but as far as aesthetics? meh.. They have a cool enough look I suppose, but I always thought of them as kind of "industrial" looking amps.. Not the worst, not the best...

I'm quite fond of the industrial look when it comes to amplifiers.
diezel-vh4-100w-tube-guitar-head-amp(2)-xl.jpg
L84214000001000-01-600x600.jpg
Another pair of favorites.
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Rejoice in the Lord, O ye righteous; praise is meet for the upright. Give praise to the Lord with the harp, chant unto Him with the ten-stringed psaltery. Sing unto Him a new song, chant well unto Him with jubilation. For the word of the Lord is true, and all His works are in faithfulness. The Lord loveth mercy and judgement; the earth is full of the mercy of the Lord.
- Psalm 33:1-5
Bob Carlucci
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Re: What is the best-looking amplifier of all-time?

Post by Bob Carlucci »

The Mesa is industrial looking... The Diezel is friggin' hideous... :wink:
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John Larson
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Re: What is the best-looking amplifier of all-time?

Post by John Larson »

Bob Carlucci wrote: 5 Sep 2025 12:11 pm The Mesa is industrial looking... The Diezel is friggin' hideous... :wink:
I guess there's a reason the French are known for their architecture and the Germans for their engineering. :lol:
Rejoice in the Lord, O ye righteous; praise is meet for the upright. Give praise to the Lord with the harp, chant unto Him with the ten-stringed psaltery. Sing unto Him a new song, chant well unto Him with jubilation. For the word of the Lord is true, and all His works are in faithfulness. The Lord loveth mercy and judgement; the earth is full of the mercy of the Lord.
- Psalm 33:1-5
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Cartwright Thompson
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Re: What is the best-looking amplifier of all-time?

Post by Cartwright Thompson »

I’ve always been more interested in how they look on the inside, like this 5Y3 I built a few years ago:
IMG_0122.jpeg
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Dave Hopping
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Re: What is the best-looking amplifier of all-time?

Post by Dave Hopping »

Completely subjective, but my fave has always been the blond/oxblood Fender "piggy-backs".
Here's my long-gone '62 Tremolux with the Gretsch that DIDN'T get away! ;-)
New Guitar Day,July '63. With '62 Tremolux.jpg
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Ken Fox
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Re: What is the best-looking amplifier of all-time?

Post by Ken Fox »

Not an amp. A Fox Reverb unit I finished today. Not a Fender circuit. My redesign of the old Premier 90!tube reverb

Gonna build a dozen soon. Wanted get the prototype cab built Just finishing covering it in Brown Ostrich and NOS Fender burgundy cloth I’ve had in stock for years now.

Build the cab from southern pine recovered from the hurricanes we’ve had in the last few years
IMG_2740.jpeg
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Ken Fox
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Re: What is the best-looking amplifier of all-time?

Post by Ken Fox »

Other photos
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Jerry Overstreet
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Re: What is the best-looking amplifier of all-time?

Post by Jerry Overstreet »

Dennis Detweiler wrote: 5 Sep 2025 8:13 pm Tone beauty is in the ear of the beholder.
...or the beerholder. 🥴
MV Grn.jpg
I think the H&K Tubemeister backlit heads are bitchin'.
gettyimages-886164928-612x612.jpg
....oops!, I took Dennis' quote from the best sounding amp thread...
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John Alden
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Re: What is the best-looking amplifier of all-time?

Post by John Alden »

Dweezil Zappa's Peavey Wiggy is interesting.
wiggy.jpg
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Jerry Overstreet
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Re: What is the best-looking amplifier of all-time?

Post by Jerry Overstreet »

Atlanta's Richard Goodsell had some very nice looking builds.
tamra.jpg
Many of the boutique builders offered some interesting looking amps like the Jetsonseque TV Box Tone King.

Rivera amps look nice too.
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Fred Treece
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Re: What is the best-looking amplifier of all-time?

Post by Fred Treece »

Finally!
Thanks Jerry. We all needed that.
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Jerry Overstreet
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Re: What is the best-looking amplifier of all-time?

Post by Jerry Overstreet »

I hope this is not verboten. I really don't want to start a rash of gear model photos.