Silvertone 1431

A friend recently gave me this 1431 silvertone. It has been modified sometime in the past and has a single speaker in it that looks like a t.v. speaker. The speaker is 6.5 inches, so I don't think it is original. I really would like to know what I should put in it for a replacement. The only instruments I have played through it is a banjo with a contact pickup and my pedal steel, just for practice. I do like the sound of this as well as other small amps like this one. The old tube tone is really hard to beat, in my opinion. They just sound honest to me ,I guess.

I have been playing about 35 years. I have a d-10 Mullen that was made in 1980. One of the first that Del took to St. Louis. I play it through a Session 500 that is about 20 years old. Also , a dobro type guitar, a mandolin that I built using Simminoff's first book and a real nice Hofner 5-string banjo. To share is to give back, so I believe we all should teach others the magic of music if we have the opportunity. Nothing I have done quite measures up to watching someone who wants to play, being able to learn something and become hooked on it.

Nuff said by earlier entries.

Running a 53 Gibson es175. I almost sold this baby on ebay but plugged it in again. I can't let it go. Breaks up at max volume real sweet, otherwise clean as a whistle with a nice round tone. 2 sounds, clean and overdrive. With a single coil pu you can do Perkins through Young.

The best part is that it is whisper quiet. No hums, none. Only what is shot through it comes out.

This is about as perfect a recording amp as you can find. Very much undervalued.

Simple design, easy fix.

If you see it, get it. I wouldn't wince at paying 200-250 for this sound.

This is a small practice amp made for Sears by Silvertone. It has a very 50's modern grey paper-covered pressboard cabinet with an inset wicker wrap-around speaker cloth-very hip! one channel, two jacks, a volume knob and a tone knob in the back. I bought it used and thought it sounded great. Then I took it to my amp tech guy and he replaced the original tubes(dated 1959!) with new american made groove tubes. He also replaced the filter caps. He felt it was around 3 to 5 watts and a class A amp. The difference in tone was unbelievable! The thing absolutely screams with such sweet tone. It breaks up so nice just where you would want it to, and when i add my maxon od-808, it is just the best! I use a fender vibrolux-reverb reissue with my band and I use this when I get together with my rhythm guitar player to practice-it is way loud enough-the perfect amp to have in my bedroom!

I play chicago/texas blues with plenty of philadelphia attitude. I use a '66 strat, stock and a hamer special with duncan P-90's. The amp is perfect for my style. I don't need a box with the hamer-the P-90's are powerful enough to overdrive the amp really nicely. The strat sounds best with the OD 808. The amp is cranked to 10 on both knobs. It cleans up very well when I back off the volume on the guitar.

This would be a dynamite recording amp. It must be dependable-the original tubes and caps were still going fine 40+ years from new!

The amp is very basic and the tube model nubers are printed on the chassis.

I've been playing for 35 years. I own a 1966 Fender Statocaster and a 1993 Hamer Special(American made). My gigging amp is a Fender vibrolux-reverb reissue. I use a Maxon OD-808 pedal and a Vox wah-wah. I would have to replace this little silvertone if it vanished-it is the best bargain on the planet. An all tube, class A amp for under 150.00?? You just can't beat it! I guess I have to start searching for a nice reverb pedal. I would have given this amp 10 ratings but I have to believe that the little boutique amps out there for over a grand MUST have superior tone and features, but they sure don't have the cool vintage vibe of this thing!

Basic '50s technology, 8 watts, two inputs, one volume and one tone. the tone control is of the treble bleed type. this amp shares the same schematic layout as the Wards Airline GDR-8512A and appears to be Valco made. there is also an external speaker jack. the chassis is aproximatly 12 " long by 4 in deep housed in a cabinet the size of a very large 1950 sterio/tv combo on coffee table legs.

The combination of tubes, one 6v6, a 6u6 pre amp and a 6x5 rectifier. and twin speakers, one 12"8 ohm paralleled with a 10" 6 ohm (both made by quam) and that large cabinet about 36x26x16 makes for a great blues sound. great with low to medium single coil pickups that is. with humbuckers or high output pickups the amp goes into whoopie cushion and death rattle type distortion. suprisingly there is no noticeable 60 cycle hum except whern using single coils around floresent lighting. this amp is a lot warmer and looser than a Champ due mostly to the large semi-closed back cabinet. and definatly won't get loud. It would be great for recording and a good blues match for a '59 ES125 for example.

I got it with the origional tubes and the pot codes are '57 so 40 years with the same tubes... I would rely on it for recording; but it's lacks power and the big furniture looking cabinet make it impractical for club work. the design is so symple and layout so clean that service if ever necessary should be no trouble for any one who can read a schematic.

none; but not needed

I love the bluesy sound and great look (like a walnut Tone kking with out tolex). its unusual especialy considerng all the other 1431's I've seen were the one 6 or one 8" champ size ones. I would buy any other one I see in any condition just because of the one sound... It would be nice if it were more versitile or had a broader tone range, but I like the one sound it does well..