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[Ned Ward]

Was just down at my local guitar shop, and a fella had a Bogen K130 that he had set up as a guitar head, plugged into an open 2x12 cab with Celestion vintage 30s.


I may need to get me one of these or similar - wow! Sounded amazing. I've started to see a few of these, but this may be the time to grab one if you're a guitar player looking for something different. 20-50 watt Bogens are going for under $80...


Any pitfalls to be wary of, besides sometimes some oddball tubes?

[Lee Brenkman]

Was just down at my local guitar shop, and a fella had a Bogen K130 that he had set up as a guitar head, plugged into an open 2x12 cab with Celestion vintage 30s.


I may need to get me one of these or similar - wow! Sounded amazing. I've started to see a few of these, but this may be the time to grab one if you're a guitar player looking for something different. 20-50 watt Bogens are going for under $80...


Any pitfalls to be wary of, besides sometimes some oddball tubes?

There's a fellow up here (SF Bay Area) who's been converting those old tubed PA amps into guitar heads for five or six years.

Pretty much everyone who has bought one is very pleased with the cost/tone ratio.

As a result the price of decent used ones has skyrocketed.

[Bob Leonard]

Shop Ebay and look for a Bogen challenger. Those are the tube driven PA amps we used in the 60's. Many people used them for guitar back then because they were cheap, but the lower watt models with the 6V6s were a lot like a Deluxe. Find one and have some fun, but keep in mind that since you youngsters have caught on the prices have gone up.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/BOGEN-CHALLENGER-CHA33-TUBE-AMP-/261196019965?pt=Vintage_Electronics_R2&hash=item3cd07ef8fd
 
PS - These work just as well and I think they were re-badged Bogens.
 
http://www.ebay.com/itm/vintage-Heathkit-AA31-PP-7591-tube-PA-amp-amplifier-/390570115796?rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.m1851&_trkparms=aid%3D222002%26algo%3DSIC.FIT%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D163%26meid%3D6784974077514874595%26pid%3D100005%26prg%3D1088%26rk%3D2%26sd%3D261196019965%26

[Mike Reigh]

I can't tell you how many of these we've dumpstered over the years.  Who knew there was a market for them.

[Ned Ward]

Bob - bidding on a CHA33 as we speak... thanks!

[Bob Leonard]

If you get it send it to me and I'll mod it for use with guitar FOC.

[Ned Ward]

appreciate it Bob!

[Ivan Beaver]

Was just down at my local guitar shop, and a fella had a Bogen K130 that he had set up as a guitar head, plugged into an open 2x12 cab with Celestion vintage 30s.


I may need to get me one of these or similar - wow! Sounded amazing. I've started to see a few of these, but this may be the time to grab one if you're a guitar player looking for something different. 20-50 watt Bogens are going for under $80...


Any pitfalls to be wary of, besides sometimes some oddball tubes?

One of my first guitar amps was a Bogan CHB50.   I took out the screw on mic jack and put in a 1/4" and it worked great-as far as I can remember.

But remember that the amp is only PART of the sound-there are the speakers-the guitar-pickups etc.

And let's not forget the PLAYER-often the BIGGEST different in any sound.

[Ned Ward]

And let's not forget the PLAYER-often the BIGGEST different in any sound.

Well, then I'm screwed!


Won the bid, so I should have a CHA-33 coming to me shortly... Should be fun. Was also able to find online the schematics and parts list for it.

[Bob Leonard]

You prick! I saw that amp and almost bought it myself. Send her to me Ned, NC for the work, just pay for the shipping. PM me.

[Ned Ward]

PM sent.

[Ned Ward]

Unit arrived after bouncing around the Bell Gardens, CA sort Facility. Looks like it was opened to see if they could steal and sell, and then they dumped half the packing out and sent it to me. In pretty good shape nonwithstanding. Tubes appear to be possibly original, including a rebadged Bogen 5U4GB RCA rectifier. My model is the older with the single 5U4GB rectifier vs. twin 5Y3GTs. Pix are up on Flickr for those who are interested at:


http://www.flickr.com/photos/67163340@N03/sets/72157633312616843/


Should be fun.

[Bob Leonard]

I have chicken head knobs just like those (hint).

Ned,
What an outstanding example of old school Bogen. The trick with these is to provide the correct inputs and outputs without hacking the crap out of the cabinet or destroying the esthetics of the box. Yum, yum.

[Ned Ward]

Hint taken...

Totally agree - I don't want to butcher/hack the thing, just make it easier to hook up a 1/4" cable for guitar and a 1/4" speaker cable.

Bringing it to our electronics dept. tomorrow to have them test to ensure it's not ruined from transport.

[Gus Housen]

@ one time I had a huge collection of old bogen amps - some from the early 50's with 4 5ar4 rectifier tubes. (m60's said presto-bogen on the back) and some later 70's mx 60's and mx 30's and a odd ball m-30 I still have some old challengers
Back in the day you couldn't give them away but the tubes and transformers were valuable so we gutted them and sold off the tubes and transformers. got quite a bit of cash for them

[Ned Ward]

Went to a radio/electronics store and bought an F-type connector; had our friends in the electronics lab solder it to a guitar cable. Connected speaker wire to the terminal ends and into the speaker from a Carvin combo... just in case. Turned on the amp with no inputs, and no magic smoke. Great! Plugged in and the sound is pretty darned great; the tube rectifier sags just right. So glad it didn't get ruined from transport.

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