handbooksofthedaythat worktogether _350voltsatthe plates, andsound round, to pump out exemplary guitartones. chunky and if slightly dark = erepy One of the surprises in here is the and pleasantly so. And how's this for extensive use of ceramic disk coupling 6973 vs, ELA AI test? «aps where you'd normaly se larger, Curious about this tube after digging ‘more robust axial (ubulae) coupling tha litle Gretch 156 awhile back, we ‘apsin amps wearing mote prominent decided to tr something funky having bund names. The relatively low vot- just completed home-brewed amp of 3 modified! ice meaty bite just bigger sounding, with firme lows ‘Another of what today’s marketing andamestyfnat overcooked, midrange men might call the “unique selling Different tubes, different sound By Dave Hunter Points” ofthis amp ists pair of 6973 "TheSupro Model 4isikewisecapable ‘ouiputcubes.Weaddressedthesebrefy of pumping outa surprising umount Oo, while featuring a Valco-made 1963 of volume for its size: anyone with a kay.Zeppolice,soundthealarm their own thing, and did it very well. Gretsch6l56 Playboy combo February recently acquired original example andpreparetoloosethehounds-weare Components were largely of slightly "09 iauc), but they're worth revisiting, that seems wimpy or anemic in that finallyaboutiolifttheliden the Jimmy lesser standard, and cabinetry (which here This tubes ninepin layout and department should look tothe tubes Page amp. Well, maybe not the Jimmy varied from brand to brand) was oc- tahnarrowbotleleadsplentyofpeople filer cap, and/or speaker an expect Pageamp,butalmosteertainlyaimmy —casionally thinner and light-weight tomakethe assumption t-soundslike the amp. in good condition, to have a Page amp, and even this claim should than that used by Fender and Gibson, an ELS,” ut thats along way from bolder voice than the average tweed ‘be enough to get the keysclacking and but the cicuit designs themselves are accurate: Even on paper physial ap Delux, for example, and i thins the internet forums buzring withthe dificult to fault, and often tookclever, pearancesaside~ the 6973 va very dif pine cab makes itextcemely lively and Vitviolic denials of naysayers and Page original twists that today yield several ferent tubeywithamaximamplatevolage Fesonent lang wit i jobsessives who have already put their trulystunningvintage-vibedvoicesthat ratingsofaround 40volts compared" Where some smaller Vales crying ‘money on other Supros occasionally are quite different from the norm tothe FL8Y 350 volts a different pin- _similareitcuitryhavescaledbacktremo- believed ohavebeenthesource ofthat Alookinsidethechassisofthe Model out, and different bias requirements. los, governed by 2 “speed” knob on sweet.addictivecrunchon Led Zeppelin 24revealswhatatfirstglance.looksiike The robustness of this tube implies avian extremely deep, choppy effect and elsewhere Srey, but ifthe sant aratvnest of wiring strungoutalonga you can get alte more juice out of tae result, the Model 24 has both peed evidence points anywhere it points series of terminal strips. Look a litle ifyou try and that’s certainly the case. andintensityandcanbe mac to sound here given LPs dlfcuttoctrace yet closer though, and youlisee fairly tidy These tubes were favored by jukebox superb at a wie range of settings, fom Widely accepted past statements that it workmanship, and neat logic to the manufacturers of the 50s and 60s for genlepulsetoswampy throb, acho two ‘was “small, blue Supro” anda “Ix12__design. Valeo managed to fit simple their firm, bol response, although few similar channelscaries an independent combo" — and we say that with the yet extremely effective circuit into 2 (if any) guitar amps tapped them for toneknob the usual simple tele bleed firm convictions of claim-stakers who confined space and string together &allthey were worth Inoue Supro, they circuit but effetive), along with input understand deep down thatthere really series of stages out of the tube-design put out about 18 wats fom well under marked Treble” and*Bass" Counteie Js no knowing, and that we {witve though it might see ‘ould bejust as wrong as we the Base input sounds bet hope we ae right. Which is for most guitar applications toy, totaly tapping the fall vice of dl ‘So much for the furor, snp while the Treble opti hecause ultimately it doesnt ‘eubitehin and anemic matter anyway. Fven sf no ‘And lest we ignore o hhame artist ever played superficial but signifi through sweet litle id 605 factor. man, what ak Supro Model2shikethivone even ee ue fasted eagle cost though he did), is sill one of : lderly Instruments repaid thehippestiookingandcocest, : Steve Olson, is resplendent i sounding 45-year-old tube Calypso Blue vinyl (whic ombos onthe plane. Right, matched the finish on man through the years of Fenders Supro Super Seven guitaty seeming dominance of amp and other models). It af design in the US. Valeo also availble in red an, Sesigned and manufactured ‘othertimes the toga 2 broad range of amps for ray The single Fensen C12 recbranders such as Supro Oahu Gretsch, and Airline that totally disregarded the Fender standard, hey all did founds just right with thi fmporyoucanBrititupsom andaddalitlewolumeand io tnd in the process with somey thinglkeaCelestion G12H-39 1965 SUPRO MODEL 24 for an Austin Speaker Work Proanp tubes: tive yy UN ee lc to bon on GE 12AX ee the original for se heepigl ‘Come to think of i, we wi Jimmy Page hadn't ayes th amp. Then there would prob ably be more of them aroun forless money.forthe est of to snatch up DoveterisanAnercanni Stan andthe S He's afore of The ular Magar KI A VINTAGE GUITAR Juiy 2010 Vintagecuttars