Hollow Body Electric Guitar

[george wilson]

I am always going back to that orange Gretsch model I made. It just sounds right.

I haven't played a Dumble,but I did buy myself a Standel tube amp a few years ago. It was considered the world's best amp back in the 50,s. Only about 50 were ever made. All the great players had one. Chet Atkins,Johnny Mathis,Buddy Merrill(sp?)(of Lawrence Welk's orchestra), everyone I can think of.

Mine is an exact copy of the originals,right down to having an original JBL 15" speaker with the aluminum dome. They are made by a very nice guy in California,named Kinney,who worked with the old owner,IIRC,and bought or inherited the company name.

It is only for clean playing,and it is so crystal clear,it will pick out little mistakes in your playing like no other amp ever made. It does not have a big bass,but I jack it through my Roland Jazz Chorus 120,and the tone is perfectly reproduced,but with great bass. I have had about 25 amps,and this is the most remarkable outfit I ever had. It is not for rock,though. I never could play rock.

Standel lost out when players started playing distorted. They listened to their engineers instead of musicians. And,when they went solid state (In the 60's,I guess),they made little cast,solid "cubes" with their transistors in them,so no one could copy them,I suppose. When the electronic values of those cubes drifted a bit, their amps started making noises,and no replacements.