Product: Alamo Capri
Price Paid: US $80 used
Submitted
06/25/1999
at
10:24pm
by
Greg
Email: OASYSCO at aol<dot>com
Features
:
1
This little tube amp was made in 1967 per the pots, transformers, and 10" speaker codes.
The speaker is a 1967 CTS alnico magnet 10". The 3 tubes are 50C5 (premap?), 35W4 (rectifier?), and 12AU6 (power). The amp has 2 transformers - power and speaker output. Most of the wiring is cloth-covered. All is point-to-point handwiring.
The amp is VERY light - less than 10 pounds. This is attributable to the lightweight cabinet which is solid wood, but fairly thin and covered by black tolex as well as the alnico speaker that has a small magnet compared to modern ceramic types.
The amp has 3 inputs, but I can't imagine anymore than 1 guitar at a time - the amp just does not get loud enough to support more than one instrument. The faceplate says the amp is 40 watts, but it does not say if that is input or output.
I gave it a "1" due to it's super simple controls (volume [tone and on/off are combined]), no 'verb and no tremelo. The "1" rating should not be construed as negative. The amp is simple and sounds GREAT like an old tube amp should!
Sound Quality
:
10
I play an Aria TA62 (ES335 copy) with dual humbuckers along with a Zoom 505 thru the amp.
The Alamo Capri overdrives easily and can be dime'd for bedroom practice or small jam volume levels.
I bought the amp for blues and R&R only. I wanted a cheap, vintage tube amp that overdrives like crazy and I got it.
The tone control is also the on/off control. So, you either get flat, treble or bass. It's not a multi-band EQ.
I crank the amp to 10 for practice. That's nice to do.
As for noise, there is some hum on 10, but it is tolerable.
With a certain setting on the Zoom 505, the Alamo amp sounds like a stack - no kidding - except without the volume.
I give the amp a "10" for tone. not for the variety and not for volume, but for doing one thing - tube overdrive - and doing is GREAT!
Reliability
:
10
The amp is 32 years old. The circuit, speaker, and possible the tubes are original. If it has not gone bad by now, I don't see it going bad later.
I have only had the amp for a short while. I have order a NOS set of tubes. I'll keep the old ones for backup.
Customer Support
:
No Opinion
Alamo started in the 40's and 50's making amps in Texas. They went out of business in the 70's.
Overall Rating
:
10
I have been playing on/off for about 7 years. i own a flattop, archtop and the Aria.
If I lost the amp, I'd buy another at the same price.
