Historical Notes on NZ Amps

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Historical Notes on NZ Amps

Post by Slowy »

Beyond a critical point within a finite space, freedom diminishes as numbers increase. This is as true of humans as it is of gas molecules in a sealed flask. The human question is not how many can possibly survive within the system, but what kind of existence is possible for those who so survive.

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Re: Historical Notes on NZ Amps

Post by Jay »

Yeah, read that quite a while ago while searching for info on the Poweray amp. Did not make on that list.
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Re: Historical Notes on NZ Amps

Post by MrDINO »

I remember as a youngster watching Ken Wilson putting the Gunn amps together in my fathers factory in Papatoetoe. They were a great NZ made amp.

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Re: Historical Notes on NZ Amps

Post by GrantB »

" Commodore lap steels with their deco designs now fetch big dollars among local and international buyers."

Hmmm
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Re: Historical Notes on NZ Amps

Post by H671 »

There's a Gunn combo on TradeMe at the moment currently sitting on $300.

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Listing ... =911520214
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Re: Historical Notes on NZ Amps

Post by Kev77 »

*UNIQUE* wrote:" Commodore lap steels with their deco designs now fetch big dollars among local and international buyers."

Hmmm
This made me think of the price differentials between eBay and reverb.com
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Re: Historical Notes on NZ Amps

Post by GrantB »

I was more thinking that the statement was a little hopeful, which is typical of kiwis that own old musical gear. They all think it's worth a million.
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Re: Historical Notes on NZ Amps

Post by werdna »

On the bands using the amps featured in this article are Ticket. Here is Ticket in a 1972 tv clip of their song with the catchy title "Bad things in this world make the nice things nicer". I like nice things, don't you? And who at the time couldn't connect to the line, "waiting for the steamboat going nowhere", since in NZ in 1972, with one exception there weren't any steamboats to go anywhere on.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yNtG4bSrxAo
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Re: Historical Notes on NZ Amps

Post by GrantB »

It is actually great that someone had recorded this info. Some of those amps sound good on paper!
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Re: Historical Notes on NZ Amps

Post by MogwaiBoy »

Great article. I didn't know the Gunn 50 head was their first amp - I love mine. Also interesting to note that the Jansen Bassmans were Bandmaster based.

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Re: Historical Notes on NZ Amps

Post by Lawrence »

TICKET!!!!!

one of my great regrets is being about 4 years too young to have seen ticket during their Mojo residency n ChCh. Loved seeing them in their shortlisted comeback around 1974. Always a fan of Eddie Hanson. Its a great shame they didn't have the songwriting chips to go with their musical ability - otherwise they would be a major part of NZ history instead of a footnote. Still....wish I had Eddies gift!
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Re: Historical Notes on NZ Amps

Post by werdna »

Lawrence, Ticket could indeed play, perfectly channeling Hendrix. Eddie Hanson's chops - the best of any NZ guitarist for many years afterwards. But as you noted, much more diplomatically, their songwriting was pants. What classic rock chops!
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Re: Historical Notes on NZ Amps

Post by dc »

I took a lesson off Eddie, easily twenty-five years ago. An hour with the guy and I still use the insights he gave me.

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Re: Historical Notes on NZ Amps

Post by Kev77 »

*UNIQUE* wrote:I was more thinking that the statement was a little hopeful, which is typical of kiwis that own old musical gear. They all think it's worth a million.
Verily thus, eBay price vs what things will actually be daily sold for .
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Re: Historical Notes on NZ Amps

Post by goldtop0 »

There was also Gerrard amps that resembled the Boogie look as did Rockit. From memory Anil Naidu(God bless 'em) also worked for a short time with the chap who produced these combos(Tony Gerrard??) and then he went on to do the Rockit thing.
At least I think that's how it went, correct me if I'm mistaken.
Doin' that scrapyard thing.

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