Sears 60 BXL Solid State

Online technical information for older Sears, Roebuck, and Co. anplifiers is extremely sparse, at best, but I will try and cover as much info. as I have researched. This is a Sears, Roebuck, and Co. 60 BXL (Model 257.14282000) solid state combo bass amplifier with 1 / 15" generic speaker. My educated guess on the manufacture date would be early 70's. This amp is about as basic as you can get, with the Front Panel containing: 1 Vol., 1 Bass, 1 Treble controls; 2 Instrument input jacks; A "3 - Position" ON/OFF/ON (for grounding) Power Switch; 1 Pilot Light. That's it !! The only way it could be any more basic would be if it had only a single Tone Control, instead separate Bass and Treble controls. The Back Panel has only a Fuse Holder and a 500 watt Max AC outlet. The BXL Line of amps were labeled for their Peak Wattage Output, therefor the 60 signifying Peak Watts Output. The particle board cabinet measures 29 1/2" height, 20" width, and 9" length, has 1 carring handle on top, and is simi-enclosed, meaning there's a 6" opening at the bottom where the back is attached. When new, I sure hope this didn't come with an Instruction Manual, because if someone needs instructions to operate THIS simplistic thing, they shouldn't be playing with electrical gadgets.

This amp is like a stripper without silicone...a super model without Botox...a car engine with a one barrel carburetor....Plain. simple, and honest to itself, concerning sound quality. I use this as a practice amp only, mainly because it doesn't have the watts to spare for live performances. However, it does provide nice full bass and enough treble to suit my needs, with its main attribute being the 15" speaker, which by far provides a much greater bass response than my previous practice amps containing 8" or 10" speakers, which just don't cut the mustard, tonality-wise....even for a practice amp.

The amp really speaks for itself in this category. With 100% original parts, it's still operating like new after 35-plus years of service. How many 35+ years old amps do YOU know of that are still working as new?? My early 70's Peavey F-800B Super Festival Bass Head is very much like this Sears 60 BXL....still going strong after all these years. If these aren't apex examples of "Reliability", then I don't know what are.

HA HA HA HA HA!! In all fairness though, I will not rate this category, since Sears discontinued their amplifier line way back when.

I purchased this amp in an Ebay auction for $60.00 (a buck a watt) and feel I got my moneys worth. It reminds me of my Grandmother --- both are old and should be retired, but are in Great physical shape and stll going like there's no tomorrow !! I Love this amp's high stability and simplistic character, while it sadly demonstrates the absolute lack of quality, durability, and craftsmanship of so many amplifiers offered in today's marketplace. To quote my Grandmother, "They sure don't build 'em like they used to". Grandma doesn't realize just how correct she is !!