Music Man Amps

Alex McCollough · Post by **Alex McCollough** » 18 Sep 2004 6:52 am

Does anyone use these?
If so, what models?

Larry King · Post by **Larry King** » 18 Sep 2004 8:49 am

Yes they do and quite well...the lad lives about 28 miles east of you..his name is Randy Beavers.

Rick Schmidt · Post by **Rick Schmidt** » 18 Sep 2004 10:54 am

Buddy Merrill plays his P/P through one with 15" speaker. Sounds great!

Tony Prior · Post by **Tony Prior** » 18 Sep 2004 11:11 am

Just came from Atomic Music in DC where they had a MM-2x12..I almost bought it even at $450 which was a steal..loud and very clean..did I say Loud ? I think these amps are 100 maybe 120 watts..

They also had a 2x10 which was on consignment..it was brand spankin new for an amp that is probably 20 years old !

These are great amps..don't be mistaken..

t

Randy Beavers · Post by **Randy Beavers** » 18 Sep 2004 12:30 pm

I sold my 150 watt Music Man amp back in 1991. I went on a quest to find the guy I sold it to and bought it back. It hadn't left his music room since he bought it. I felt lucky to get it back. I think Leo Fender had that tone circuit figured out.

------------------
Randy
http://hometown.aol.com/pulltightb/home.html

Jody Carver · Post by **Jody Carver** » 18 Sep 2004 3:42 pm

.[This message was edited by Jody Carver on 19 September 2004 at 03:28 PM.]

Stephen Gambrell · Post by **Stephen Gambrell** » 18 Sep 2004 3:50 pm

I sorta think Randy's got that tone thing figured out...

Larry Clark · Post by **Larry Clark** » 19 Sep 2004 5:07 pm

I worked for a Musicman dealer for about 15 years and I can tell you they are the most trouble free amps I could ever recommend. I currently have a 65-112 model that I purchased in 1976 and I have yet to even replace a fuse in it. Though I don't use it primarily as a steel amp my Tele sounds great through it although at 65 watts I'm sure it would fine for smaller venues. You can find more info on Musicman amps here:
http://www.pacair.com/mmamps/
[This message was edited by Larry Clark on 19 September 2004 at 06:09 PM.][This message was edited by Larry Clark on 19 September 2004 at 06:10 PM.]

Bill Hatcher · Post by **Bill Hatcher** » 19 Sep 2004 7:32 pm

I was under the impression that Leo Fender was the guitar side of Musicman more so than the amp side. Wasn't the Musicman amp designed by someone else?

Jody Carver · Post by **Jody Carver** » 19 Sep 2004 9:00 pm

You will notice that I had edited my original
post above. This was called to my attention by a Forum member asking me why I edited my post. I often myself wonder why people edit what they posted.I want to explain my reason
for doing so.

I had been a Fender endorser and sales rep since 1950. I have been a friend of Leo Fender for all those years. He didnt act as my boss, but as my friend.

When CBS took over, many changes were made,many salesman who were original were replaced by younger salesman who for the most
part didnt know a snare drum from a guitar.

As time went by I went with the flow and became a CBS rep and met all the requirements
CBS asked for. I even had an office at the CBS headquarters in NYC at 51 West 52nd St.

I didnt need an office,my car was my office and in the early days at Fender,may times I slept in my car because I had not enough money for a motel room.

I had been doing well financially when I was in the groove during the CBS regime,I had no problems in spite of the pressure put on each salesman to meet a sales quota.

I had no beef with CBS,,when I received a phone call from Forrest White who was Leo's right arm at Fender all those past years,Forrest informed me that Leo had decided he was tired of sitting around and that he really missed the business that made him so succesfull

I then spoke to Leo on the phone and he was happy to hear my voice again after all those years. He asked me if I knew someone who was looking for a job selling this new amplifier
company called "Tri Sonics".

I hesitated and told Leo that I would be happy to help find someone capable and trustworthy to do so.

From that point on I wondered and thought about what Leo had said. I couldnt get his voice out of my head. Would I resign from a company like CBS with all the benefits etc and a job where I was home every night to go back on the road again and start all over again.?

I thought it over very carefully,meanwhile Leo called again to ask if I had found anyone
I told him I had not. I really didnt try.

He then offered to send me a few amps to try
out and get my opinion as far as my feelings about the new company which was then re-named
MusicMan.

I received the 4 amps he sent and I was impressed,they looked so much like a Fender
but the sound was a bit different than the
sound I had been accustomed to.

I had a dealer friend check the amps out and I told him that I was thinking of having my son inlaw rep this new amp line. I didnt want
to say no to Leo and yet I didnt want to bite the hand that was feeding me (CBS).

The dealer who borrowed the amps called me and told me the amps were awesome and that to ask my son inlaw that he wanted to buy the line of amps.

I did this same thing a few more times and then, I took a deep breath and said to myself
If I do this move what happens to me if Leo passes on,would this become another pre Leo MusicMan syndrome?

I bit the bullet and resigned from CBS the following week and called Leo at home and told him I found someone. he asked his name and I said his initials are JC..he gave out a holler and said "darn you" I offered you the dang job but you didnt make a move.

I spent the next years happier than before,times were tough at the outset and I wondered if I did the right thing. But to see
Leo's smile and hear his voice made me happy
but with less income

Leo did not in fact design the Musicman amplifiers although he had final approval on design and sound etc.
If Leo said NO it was NO. It was Tom Walker
an original Fender rep who was a saleman for Leo since day one and Tommy knew his trade which was electronics.

The third partner was Forrest White who was Leo's right arm and together they worked together until disagreements followed causing
bad feelings.

Fender CBS was aware that there was a dark cloud hanging over Musicman and I received a phone call in confidence with an offer to have my old job back asap.

I told my wife and I was about to take Fenders generous offer and have my old job back. But when I discussed this with Leo up front,I could feel the disappointment in his
voice. I called CBS Fender and thanked them but I explained that I was Leo's friend and I would stick it out until the dust settled.

That never happened and then Leo opened his new operation G&L and after that MusicMan tried to sell the company and finally did to
Ernie Ball. Ernie god rest his soul was a fine guy but his philosophy was over the phone sales and no salesman in the field.

That decision ended my career and although Leo asked me to rep G&L I had just about had enough of the music business. Did I make a mistake by not going back to Fender and leaving Leo when CBS Fender called?

That my friend is a question I have lived with for the past 25 years..what if? should have? could have?.

Anyway to sum this up..I think MusicMan amps are the greatest and although my heart will always be with Fender and Leo. I am true to both and thats the rest of the story and then along came bOb and gave me a job as a long story specialist.The money is not good
but Its a lot of fun and I have made many good friends like all of you.

My best to all of you and thanks for listening to my tale of woe.

The Knight Of Fender Tweed Has Spoken..

Only God knows if I did the right thing, and to me Leo Fender was God.

Thanks...This and more will be in my book so
I will ask your understanding that I add my copyright to this thread.

Copyright (C) by Jody Carver 2004 All Rights
Reserved. "The Book Is Titled" The Last Fender Guitar" I think you will like it..I hope.[This message was edited by Jody Carver on 19 September 2004 at 10:04 PM.]

Rick Johnson · Post by **Rick Johnson** » 20 Sep 2004 3:17 am

Jody
I love to read stories about the
old days.
Where can I get a copy of your book?

------------------
Rick Johnson

Robert Parent · Post by **Robert Parent** » 20 Sep 2004 3:19 am

I have used Music Man amplifiers since the early 80's. I currently have two: The first is a 100 watt with an EVM-12L speaker. The second, a 50 watt model with a JBL 12 inch speaker.

They are great sounding amplifiers in my opinion.

CrowBear Schmitt · Post by **CrowBear Schmitt** » 20 Sep 2004 4:21 am

Keep on tellin' it like it is Sir Knight

Joey Ace · Post by **Joey Ace** » 20 Sep 2004 5:33 am

I love your stories too, Sir Tweed.

Rick, the book is still a work in progress.

Jody,
Isn't it true the main reason those great Musicman amps failed to sell is Fender forbid their dealers to carry the line?

That move locked Musicman out of all the major stores. If true it was a good corporate decission, but a dirty trick, IMO.

Rick Johnson · Post by **Rick Johnson** » 20 Sep 2004 5:54 am

Were those Music Man amps wired
point to point or did they have
a solid state preamps and some
point to point wiring on the
output side??

------------------
Rick Johnson

Lefty · Post by **Lefty** » 20 Sep 2004 2:50 pm

Probably that 70's logo is the reason they did not sell. All kidding aside, I still own two HD-130 2-12 models. I plugged into one of them Sunday, and verified why I still have them. The sound and quality is there.
Lefty,
Sho-Bud LDG
Dekley D-10
MusicMan HD-130

Jody Carver · Post by **Jody Carver** » 20 Sep 2004 6:48 pm

Joey
All companies expect equal representation of
their lines. To answer your question would be difficult, I have heard that some companies practice that. But in all fairness I have not been subjected with any problem that you make reference to. I beleive
nothing that I hear and half of what I see.

Robert Parent · Post by **Robert Parent** » 21 Sep 2004 3:27 am

Rick,

Both of my Music Man amps have high quality fiberglass circuit boards. The 100 watt amp has a solid state preamp but the 50 watt version also uses a tube. (12AX7A I believe)

There is a some amount of point to point wiring with the 6L6 power tubes.

Tony Harris · Post by **Tony Harris** » 21 Sep 2004 3:52 am

Some time in the late seventies I went into a music shop to try out an overdrive pedal that everyone was raving about - the Ibanez Tube Screamer. I wasn't that impressed with the pedal, but the amp I was playing through had such a great classy clean sound that I looked around and bought a second-hand one. It was a Music Man 100 Watt 1 x 12" with built-in phaser. I'm still using it - it's my number one amp for guitar, and sounds good with lap steel too. No channel-switching, and not a great overdrive sound - but loud, clean and reliable. If only they could make an amp with that sound, but weighed half as much - I'm twenty-five years older than when I first started carrying it around!

Randy Beavers · Post by **Randy Beavers** » 21 Sep 2004 4:22 am

Great story Jody. Keep 'em comming. To me, reading about events such as these are the most interesting on the Forum.

The weight of my amp is an issue. But I took Lloyd Green's advice and had Duane Marrs build a cabinet for just the head portion, and added external speakers. It also gives me several options to experement, like different speakers and cabinets.

I do want to mention that I also play Peavey amps. I don't think there is a better amp on the market today for steel. But if I want nostalgia, I go with tubes. At the last NTSGA jam in Nashville I played my old '67 Emmons with the Music Man. Now there's a package!

I'm currently using a package that lets me have what I feel is the best of both worlds. I'm using an Alembic F2-B tube preamp, (Fender tone section), with a digital effects unit. I plug into the power amp section of any Peavey, Nashville 400, 1000, or 112. That sweet Fender tone, digital reverb, and the ultra clean power of a Peavey. So far the best I've tried.

------------------
Randy
http://hometown.aol.com/pulltightb/home.html

James Quackenbush · Post by **James Quackenbush** » 21 Sep 2004 5:11 am

Randy,
I've been singing the praises of the Alembic pre for years.....It's not just for pedal steel ya know !!.....Plug that pre into your mixing board, and hear how nice your steel reocords !!!... You got the right idea for sure....I LOVE to listen to you play....I pray for 1/2 your talent ....Jim

Tony Harris · Post by **Tony Harris** » 21 Sep 2004 5:39 am

Here's all you want to know - http://www.musicmanamps.com/

Peter · Post by **Peter** » 21 Sep 2004 6:42 am

Randy, what are your prefered settings on the Music Man?
I have the RP112 and I cannot get a nice steel sound.
Any suggestions?

Thanks

------------------
Peter den Hartogh
1978 Emmons S10 P/P; 1977 Sho-Bud D10 ProIII Custom;
1975 Fender Artist S10; Remington U12; 1947 Gibson BR4;
Internationally Accredited 3D Animation Academy

Jody Carver · Post by **Jody Carver** » 21 Sep 2004 9:36 am

Tony
Thats really a great site and accurate as can be. Thank you for posting it.

Jody Carver

Randy Beavers · Post by **Randy Beavers** » 21 Sep 2004 2:10 pm

Peter, The Music Man EQ looks a little different from "Twin" settings. The area I like is: treble 2 1/2 to 4 range, mid 6 to 8, and bass 7 to 10. Bright switch off, and the low boost on sometimes if I want a deeper sound. But with the deep switch on I'll back the bass off to about 7. In my opinion, the treble control is too sensitive. The sound at 5 is where I think it should be at 10. But I've got use to it and tend to think of the treble as more of a presence control.

Another point of interest for this amps character, the more gain you use, the more the highs come out. Not that this is a bad thing but something to be aware of.

The Evans amp has an even more delicate treble control. When I've tried them I couldn't turn the treble up over 1 without pealing paint.

------------------
Randy
http://hometown.aol.com/pulltightb/home.html