As I mentioned earlier I stated I would start a thread about Ken and some history going back into the late seventies and eighties . If the guy could only buy the bike he wanted , we would be like owning the guitars and amps of our dreams . He was frozen in his tracks when asked about guitar gear , but he was a biker . So bikes took a back seat as he accomodated the masses . He had friends like , Brockey and Singerhouse , not to mention Dubman , BB, Hiroshi , Merren , Big Paul Deceasare and on and on . The guy told you he loved a 46 model 26 and the best amp ever was a Super Reverb . His love of the Ampeg V-4 and the matching cabinet with vintage Celestions is legendary when you can actually hear it .
Doug Brockey and Don Singerhouse , Dave Dipietro and Jeff Wylant ( Zach Wylde ) , the Birch Hill and the kids all around his neighborhood in Edison that would not only come to him for musical repairs via the teachers and friends , but would help with what was called empirical testing . He would do blind hearing tests to pull himself out of the loop . He was the master tinkerer . All the crazy shit you hear about him being able to hear this over that , is true . The date on a tube was a great example . Just insane , but true . I have interviews with him and statements about wire alone that is just unbelievable , but I was there and the people that selected parts in blind listening tests could only be unskewed . So to hear a part in a signal chain is at first a fallacy , but after thousands of chassis on your bench its a reality . So it doesn't mean much in and of it self , it does stack up . It stacks up ! when done to a degree that is discerning its the making of legend , and its real , I was there .
Kens way ....
Moderators: pompeiisneaks, Colossal
Re: Kens way ....
In the 80's Ken was very close to the action with the Vaccaro's and the EVH venture with Kramer . Ken was always buying vintage gear and he was actually commissioned to buy old Marshalls for EVH . Paul Deceasare was the artist endorsement rep for Kramer and is now in love in Oregon with his lovely wife , but he was such a great guy and always fun to run into . Ken and Paul bought I would say at least a hundred 50 and 100 watt plexi amps during this time . Let alone Paul running to pick up a case of wild turkey wiskey and marlboro reds for the visit . Andy Papicio was always planning parties and it is amazing to think of the amount of Marshalls that were so good sounding back then . Joe Taylor had the best sounding of them all . A 100w supertrem '69 with german 34's. It had the wicker basket tube retainers even . I had a 1969a and a V-4 with pre rolas and it was the quintessential mistake . Don't show up with the A game . He heard my cabs with the amp and said , HELL NO . Shit that was painfull . It was the best I have ever heard . But Ken always said those german 34s were killer . and aside from his amps he was so right . all pre rola 25's but rear mount in the 1960a and front mount in the V4 . I still have both cabs now as my main and a 12 series that absolutely smokes with it , but still not as ballsy as that trem . WHEW . Roe has schooled me on why and Merren too since then . Joe , still , no sell . Damn him ......David
Nice
Wow,Thats some cool reading.I have a 69 supertrem,Its cool to hear it is liked so well.Thanks for posting,and keep it going,Mikey
Custom Built Amps for Sale!http://faithamps.weebly.com/
Re: Kens way ....
Mikey , that Trem was so ballsy . It had German 34's in it and I was running the v4 with greenback 25s front mount and a 1960a with the same greenbacks . Since it was on the 8 ohm tap I'm not sure how it altered the sound much from a single cab as I usually played it but the end of the VH tune you really got me has a signiture run that was just so spot on we about shit and I knew it was a bad move as a buyer to do that . Joe was using newer celestions and a crate cab , I should have know but we even played all me plexis and stuff too and that was another bad move as a buyer , I was trying to share some great tones with Joe and in the end it was a bust . His amp had the stock transformers and I would say 500+ on the plates as my 69 had the same . its a keeper Mikey , turn her up ! David