Stumped

[Ross Neag]

Who can tell me what this is? 1956 ranch with basement; lots of homeowner add ons, fixes, patches, etc...

Looks like an old doorbell/low voltage something.

[Ron Bibler]

Thats a guitar amp or and organ amplifier. looks like around the 40s or the 50.

that could be worth $ 500 to $ 1,000 if its a brand name amp.

You should let your buyer and seller known what that is. guitar players look for old point to point hand made amps like that. very rear to find. they have a very cool sound think of the rolling stones or some of the old blues players thats the sound you get from an amp like that. I have a 1959 fender looks just like that. my amp
is worth over $ 1,000. take that to any music store and it will be sold in 5 min. flat. your in Chicago. thats the place for that amp.

very cool find.

It would be a big loss to see that chuck in the trash as an old junk...

Best

Ron

[Jeff Remas]

Tube amps are very expensive these days

[Rick Cantrell]

I think Ron is right about it being an amp, just not a guitar amp. I think it may be part of an intercom/ music system. But of course this is only a guess.

[Jim Zborowski]

My vote is with Rick, primative intercom amp.

[Jerry Peck]

My thought was a very early intercom, and then read that Rick and Jim said the same thing - I agree with Rick and Jim.

Was there any evidence of intercom speakers in the house?

Our house had ... 'had' ... an intercom, but the only things left when we moved in were the base station, the front entry speaker, and the rear porch speaker - the only thing left 'now' is the rear porch speaker (and it will be gone probably next summer).

All meaning you may not find any evidence of the speakers at this point.

[Steve Lowery]

I just showed that flick to a friend, here in the local cafe, who says that it may be a Magnetone or Marshal amplifier. The tubes take about 30 seconds to warm up so if it were to be a door intercom that would need to be constantly on. Tubes weren't ever just cheap. Maybe a sound system with speakers in various rooms?

[Ron Bibler]

Look at the 2 big tubes ( 6L6 ) the others are ( 12ax7 ) thats an amp. 15 to 30 WATS. You see a round brown 5 or 6 hold plug out the back vary common with organ amps speakers jack. Hammond.

They may have used it for some kind of intercom or home sound system.
kind of like something billy bob put together for Martha.

Thats a very cool old amp and it would sound great with a guitar.

Best

Ron

[Jerry Peck]

The tubes take about 30 seconds to warm up so if it were to be a door intercom that would need to be constantly on.

All intercoms are "constantly on". Even the newer ones which had AM, then AM/FM radios were constantly on, only the radio part was "off" when the switch was turned to "off" - you could still use the intercom part.

Yes, tubes are expensive, but "back then" they were just standard everyday fare. Same with old radio and TV tubes - you could even get that at the drugstore, those tubes were available anywhere.

[Michael Thomas]

Yup, audio amp, probably a guitar amp, circa 1960s. For comparison here's a picture of a Kay 720 Guitar amp made in 1965.

[Ross Neag]

Thanks guys. I'll inform proper authorities to confiscate for me ;). Pretty cool.

[Ron Bibler]

Ross let the owner known i will give them a $ 100.00 for that amp.
working or not.

Best

Ron

[JORY LANNES]

I have seen two similar units. They were Amplifiers for a HOME CENTRAL PA/RADIO SYSTEM.

Reminds me of my youth when I was a "HAM" radio operator

[Corey Friedman]

I have seen two similar units. They were Amplifiers for a HOME CENTRAL PA/RADIO SYSTEM.

Reminds me of my youth when I was a "HAM" radio operator

Hi Jory,

Is that when you were known as Jory LANES ? :D

Corey