Ever heard of Audio Guild amps? (50s~60s era)

[JJ Gross]

I have one that's pretty old, early 60s, maybe late 50s. It's the "Imperial" model (cheezy cream plastic badge with gold lettering on the sparkley salt & pepper speaker grill). The original slip cover is even there, but it's taken a beating. It did it's job though since the amp itself is in pretty good shape. It has probably the coolest vibrato I've ever heard in an amp. It actually bends the pitch almost a 1/2 step when the depth is cranked - talk about swampy! It almost sounds like a Univibe or Leslie. Crank the speed though and it's too fast and just sounds like junk, really garbles up the sound.

All tube, single 12" enclosed in the lower half of the combo. 2 channels, remote-switchable vibrato and reverb. 3 inputs, one for each channel and one that goes into both channels simultaneously with a slider switch to select them. Has an external speaker jack in the back. Made by Audio Guild Corporation, Van Nuys, CA. Tube compliment is a pair of 7591, a 6GH8 and a pair of 12AX7A.

Seriously cool amp with a nice blues growl to it, especially when you plug into both channels and dime everything. Add the vibrato + a little reverb and it sounds absolutely huge. Not very loud though, I'd guess it pushes maybe 15w ~ 20w. Takes pedals very well and with a drive unit in front of it, it can get loud enough to annoy the neighbors.

I've searched the web for info but came up empty handed. Anyone even heard of the company? Maybe a Magnatone type clone?

Cheers,
- JJ

[rudutch]

imfo seems scarce, this is the best I could find

http://letstalkguild.com/phpBB2/view...c067c1bb2274da

http://www.ggjaguar.com/guild.htm

[Gravity Jim]

Hey! Is that OUR Kap'n in that thread?

[Kap'n]

busted......

[rudutch]

he is everywhere!

[NeoFauve]

There may be some connection to Magnatone.
I found this on the Vibroworld site.
Made by Audio Guild.

http://www.vibroworld.com/magnatone/PAN_unknown.html

They don't list the "Imperial," but it'd be a good place to inquire.
And I bet someone over there, as well as us mugs, would love to see some phtots.
I don't know how up to date things are on that site.

[JJ Gross]

I've found stuff on Guild amps but not "Audio Guild" - different company.

I did find some info about an amp called the "PANoramic" which was also made by Audio Guild Corp in Van Nuys, CA. on the Magnatone page but that's it. It never really says anything about it being made by Magnatone or if the AGC was owned by Estey or Magnatone.

It is a cool amp, I'd love to find a schematic to learn a little about that swampy vibrato this thing has. Never heard anything like it before. Inside it's definitely old school. I guess if I'm going to consider altering this from stock in any way, I should at least get a 3-prong cord on it. ;)

I'll take some pictures later today and post them. From what the Vibroworld site shows, my amp is likely a late 60s build, maybe very early 70s & is missing an aluminum strip along the front edge under the controls. That would be easy enough to replace at any hardware store.

Cheers,
- JJ

[JJ Gross]

Rather than stuff the thread full of pictures, I'll just post links to them.
I'm not on dial-up, but I know some people still are. ;)

Cheers,
- JJ

With cover

Front view

Controls 1

Controls 2

Controls 3

Controls 4

Badge - at least what's left of it

Pre tubes

Top rear

Output transformer

Power transformer

Speaker codes

Cabinet rear - open

Weird little cabinet port to nowhere

Cab, bottom - open

Rear shot - open

Chassis 1

Chassis 2

Chasis 3 - vibrato board

Chassis 4

Chassis 5 - better light

Vibrato board - better light & straight on shot

Looking down the chassis

Every tube in it is a GE black plate!

[Kap'n]

Looks like it was built late 1970 or early 1971.

The speaker is an Eminence replacement from 1981.

Patent # 3,146,292 was granted on August 25, 1964, but I can't get any more details.

[Kap'n]

This could explain some of the cabinet construction.

[JJ Gross]

Wow, that's cool. Mine has the 'tone chamber' just like that, but no cutout for another speaker like that one. That picture also explains why the grill looks beat only on the edges. Someone probably took off the dated looking aluminum pieces along the top & bottom edges of the speaker grill.

Thanks for the date info, that all makes a lot of sense.

I'm guessing the early patent number is for the overall design or maybe the trippy vibrato. If I get real industrious, I might pull the vibrato board out and draw up a schematic for it so I can try to clone it in a pedal. I'm just guessing by the way the effect works and how much it does to the sound that it would eat batteries pretty fast so it would have to be at least run on a power supply.

Cheers,
- JJ