Toby Flip-Top bass amp

[edwardofhuncote]

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' ? 

[elwoodblue]

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

[StephenR]

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.

[edwardofhuncote]

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.) 

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

[keith_h]

I had a dog once named Toby.

[pauldo]

Moon Rocks?

[elwoodblue]

Seastones?

[bigredbass]

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 . . . . . .

[cozmik_cowboy]

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

[edwardofhuncote]

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.

[cozmik_cowboy]

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

[edwardofhuncote]

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