Alembic Guitars Club

Connecting => Miscellaneous => Topic started by: edwardofhuncote on April 08, 2017, 02:25:34 PM

Title: Toby Flip-Top bass amp
Post by: edwardofhuncote on April 08, 2017, 02:25:34 PM

So this thing has been in the local (Roanoke, Virginia) Craigslist for ages... I'm curious enough that I'm tempted to go check it out. There's not a lot of information on the Almighty Google about it, but I figure surely somebody here might save me a wasted Sunday afternoon.

https://roanoke.craigslist.org/msg/6000331947.html

So, is it rarer than moon rocks? Good candidate for American Pickers?  Or is this the missing piece to finding 'my sound' ?  ;D

Title: Re: Toby Flip-Top bass amp
Post by: elwoodblue on April 08, 2017, 02:31:20 PM

Cool...looks like something from Navy Surplus.
Does the power meter bounce around when you play?

Title: Re: Toby Flip-Top bass amp
Post by: StephenR on April 08, 2017, 03:42:57 PM

Looks cool but also too big and unwieldy to be practical. Things that stay on craigslist for a long time tend to be overpriced. If it was a Versatone I would say get your butt over there but this one would need some research.

Title: Re: Toby Flip-Top bass amp
Post by: edwardofhuncote on April 08, 2017, 04:02:26 PM

Found this link on an old TalkBass thread: http://www.tobyspeakers.com/index.php?dispatch=pages.view&page_id=3

Sounds like a cool story... probably a better story than the actual thing, but still, a pretty cool idea some bass player/engineer had. Maybe just a little ahead of it's time. Like that time I invented chocolate cool whip.

(I'm telling you guys - I DID! And it was awesome... that is until Mom discovered the empty can of Hershey's... but I could have been a millionaire at 6.)  ;D

I'm darn-tootin' tempted to go plug my Distillate into that thing tomorrow just to say I did.

Title: Re: Toby Flip-Top bass amp
Post by: keith_h on April 08, 2017, 04:41:30 PM

I had a dog once named Toby.

Title: Re: Toby Flip-Top bass amp
Post by: pauldo on April 08, 2017, 05:11:17 PM

Moon Rocks?

Title: Re: Toby Flip-Top bass amp
Post by: elwoodblue on April 08, 2017, 06:09:55 PM

Seastones? (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9_F5uQGk-hg)

Title: Re: Toby Flip-Top bass amp
Post by: bigredbass on April 09, 2017, 01:51:42 AM

See?  Flip-top boxes are sturdier than soft packs.

It's Made in Texas (like me!) by a company called RAMCO.  What's not to like?  I suggest chicken-fried steak with Texas Sheet Cake for dessert.  I'd, you know, skip the Lone Stars . . . . . .

Title: Re: Toby Flip-Top bass amp
Post by: cozmik_cowboy on April 09, 2017, 07:13:37 AM

I'm trying to understand why it's called "Flip-Top".  I mean, the old Ampeg flip-tops you actually flipped the top, but why this?

Peter

Title: Re: Toby Flip-Top bass amp
Post by: edwardofhuncote on April 09, 2017, 08:47:58 AM

Quote from: cozmik_cowboy on April 09, 2017, 07:13:37 AM

I'm trying to understand why it's called "Flip-Top".  I mean, the old Ampeg flip-tops you actually flipped the top, but why this?

Peter

Pic 5 in the ad kinda' shows it 'flipped' Coz... I'm not going to have time today to go check it out, (yard work calls... ;)) but it's not going anywhere anytime soon. I just gotta' see this thing firsthand. If (BIG IF) it works, and has any decent sound, I may make the guy an offer. It's been listed for at least 3-1/2 years.

I just think it's cool somebody built their own line of bass amp, and apparently built at least 100 of them before moving on. ;D

Title: Re: Toby Flip-Top bass amp
Post by: cozmik_cowboy on April 09, 2017, 11:49:25 AM

OK, I think I see now; the speaker & control panel are at 45°, and the head hinges down knobs-to-grill to make a box for transport, right?

Peter

Title: Re: Toby Flip-Top bass amp
Post by: edwardofhuncote on April 09, 2017, 02:46:33 PM

Yeah... more like a flip-up-top. ;D