Washburn SX 50H Head

1987(?) one channel 50w transistor amp with overdrive, distortion, boost controls, bass, mid, high tone controls, reverb, effects loop, line out, speaker outs. This amp is surprisingly light, easy to carry. it's 50w so it's a rehearsal amp, needs help from the PA for live work

I use asian/pacific strats, superstrats, paul and V copies with mid-output pickups. This amp was used so it's had some knocks and could use a cleaning and fresh pots and jacks. But if you don't mind wiggling the mid knob once in a wile, it works fine. The distortion is the warmest most versatile circuit I've heard in a mid-80s transistor amp. It makes a LOT of different useable sounds, the distortion/overdrive/boost controls make for a wide range of basic grit that is then shaped well by the tone controls. The reverb is insane, in fact it's a bit silly, on 2 it sounds like a cavern and on 3 it's in outer space, after that it's so much you can't even hear the dry sound.

considering its age and the fact that parts are surely no longer available, I wouldn't trust it to make it to a gig and back too many times before it craps out. its well made and has obviously withstood a lot of use and transistors are a bit tougher than tubes, so it may surprise me

washburn was bought by st louis music company in the 90's and has been impossible to (same happened to ampeg and crate) deal with ever since. they claim no knowledge of amps made before the buy-out, so I'd say it blows

for $80 (I saw the 100w version on ebay last week for the same price), this thing kicks ass. I use it to augment my peavey (peavey up loud with medium distortion, washburn a little quieter with lots of distortion so it lingers after the peavey sustains out, nice). If stolen I'd look for another one but wouldn't pay more than I did for this one. an ampeg vh140 head would be nice too.