Comics and Reality

Classic Tone in a Modern Boutique Guitar Amp

Tweed amps of the 1950's are today's standard of tone. There are many mass produced and boutique current production guitar amplifiers on the market today. Fortunately, owners of these products like posting their pride and joys on You-Tube.

I have been listening to amps on the web since it first came out. Most amps sound similar. The exceptions I can count on one hand. The Komet 60 is one of them. With Sovtek EL34 power tubes and 12AX7-LPS preamp tubes it goes against the grain of tube "experts".

The proof of the pudding is how an amp sounds clean or before harmonic distortion. With a mediocre guitar and speaker the Komet 60 sounds as good as any super expensive 50's jazz guitar and amp combination. 

Growing up in the late 50's and early 60's I loved the tone of jazz combos of this era. The way the tone rings out like a bell - like this amp does! It is comforting the 50's magic tone still lives today in a current production amplifier.

50'S Icon Comic

Comic, "Mandrake The Magician", was very popular in 1950's. It was published daily in the local paper. Each morning I eagerly read it. The series was captivating.

For example, one series started on Monday morning picturing an everyday utility pole. At the top of the pole a foot appeared. But, it was a foot with wings, similar to the Greek god Mercury. The next day the whole body would materialize, part by part. By Friday the whole figure was shown - dashing off, holding a butterfly net. Out of the commonplace came the bazaar!

The cynicism of 60's helped the comic strip become defunct. It didn't help having another comic out with the same name about a dog. Then, there was Mad Magazine 's parodies on it.

Mad Magazine printed satires on Mandrake. One pictured Mandrake and his assistant, Lother, looking at a flat tire. Lorther asked him to fix the tire with magic. He replied: I can hypnotize you thinking it is fix. I can hypnotize me thinking it is fixed. But, I can't hypnotize the tire thinking it is fixed.

50's Beeswax/Paper Capacitors

In the 50's wax / paper capacitor cost pennies to produce. It was prevalent in audio and musical instrument electronics. Why a "cheap" capacitor?

A beeswax / paper capacitor has the most musical tone of all material compositions.. 

Close Replica Of 50's Stratocaster Pickups

Australian electrical engineer, Jay Slider, came up with 50's replica Stratocaster style pickup. He shared one secret about it with Tone Quest Report.

It was his good fortune to be at the right place at the right time. He happened upon old spools of wiring, which are the same vintage Fender used in their original pickups. What a blessing! Experts claim no pickup gets any closer to the 1950's Fender sound than this.

The Big One, The 50's, and State of the Art

Many a time I've asked the question: Why was the 1950's so different?

Sadly, I confesses I hated the 50's, while growing up in the 60's. Being a rebellious teenager and a second born child, I resented any hand-me-downs. That was my outlook on clothes, commodities, and the previous decade and generation. The newer - the better was my philosophy.It wasn't until the boring 70's, that I appreciated the 50's.

Realizing 1950's manufacturing is state of the art and all this new junk being produced today and everything since then was in decline. I gained respect for anything 50's. But, why was 1950's production superior? Australian electronics engineer, Jay Slider, gave a hint.

Slider was in the army and was in charge of radio equipment. In field conditions and under fire equipment is  
in ultimate hostile operating conditions. Slider noted and adapted what he learned. What doesn't work, you scrap. What does work, you build upon - the exact conditions of  The Big One.

The 1950's were directly and adamantely influenced by the Big One - World War II

World War II was baptism under fire - survival of the fitness. Lives were at stake! All things being even, the force with the superior product came out on top. This winning attitude carried on into the 1950's. Thus, everything was state of the art.

Late 50's Fender Twin

Fender's late 50's Twin 5F8-A remain the object lesson for a sweet harmonic amplifier.