Kalamazoo Model 2

I just got this well-restored tube amplifier from one of the most respected and trusted guys in the sound business. It's a Kalamazoo Model 2. These were produced from the mid-1960's through about 1970. Gibson Guitars was, at the time, owned by Chicago Musical Instruments, and they resurrected an old brand name for a budget line of guitars. Kalamazoo. The guitars, basses, and amplifiers were made from inexpensive, but not inferior materials. The guitars and basses are quite rare today. The amplifiers are more findable.

This one I bought from Greg Heumann of Blows Me Away Productions. He did a good job restoring the face and electronics. It still has all four of its original Raytheon tubes (6X4 full wave rectifier, 12AX7 (dual triode) preamp, 6BQ5/EL84 output tube, 12AX7 (dual triode) tremolo oscillator), and its original Alnico 10" speaker. Volume, tone, and tremolo circuit controls. He also removed the bad safety cap (also known as the "death cap"), and equipped it with a modern three three-wire power cord and plug, thereby making the amp safe to play. The feature I love most about this amp though, is the line out jack he installed. This allows me to run the amp (which only has an 8 watt output) through a larger amp or into a PA mixing board's high-Z inputs for extra amplification, while still getting the sound of the Kalamazoo. I use it for playing harmonica by the way, and not guitar.

I've always had an affenity for inexpensive instruments that had great sound, the Kalamazoo being one. Thanks to Greg, this amp is now my main piece of my arsenal.