So the initial assessment was a bit perplexing. This type of outgassing is generally due to the applied voltage being in reverse polarity to the markings on the capacitor. Seeing the capacitor in this condition we took a quick photo and then turned the power off. It was then that we noticed that one of the electrolytic capacitors was outgassing (Photo 8). Photo 7 - Interior View of Front-Panel Lamp and Ballast Resistor With the Kasino Natural bass amp powered up again, we observed that front panel lamp was illuminated and that its ballast resistor (Photo 7) was running very hot - too hot to touch. We noticed that the filter capacitors had been replaced and the mechanical mountings had been modified. For example there were screw holes in the bottom of the cabinet that were no longer in use. This amp had a lengthy orange power cord which replaced the original, and once the case was open the internal components showed various signs of having been repaired or modified. Kustom/Kasino standardized their circuit boards, and then used them in different combinations in different models. The schematic on the chassis showed it to have a 5104 preamp board and a 5033 power amp board. As we began to remove screws we observed it externally to be in good condition, but obviously not in original condition. The construction of this amp is much more suggestive of a custom "one-off" build rather than a product that was manufactured in numbers.īefore opening this amplifier we gave it a try and got no sound or output of any kind. It features a hand-drawn (Photo 5) printed circuit board and a variety of metal and plastic transistor types (Photo 6). Photo 4 - Outer Cabinet with Cast-Metal Sidesīeyond the cabinet, the Kasino Natural Bass Amp is a fascinating trip into the early history of solid-state guitar amplifier design and construction. This design was clearly overkill, as the amplifier industry developed cabinet/chassis designs that weighed less and still offered adequate protection. This box slides into a secondary cabinet (Photo 4) made with cast-metal sides and a tolex-covered top and bottom. The inner cabinet is a fairly standard sheet metal box enclosure of heavy duty construction. One of the first things you notice with this amp is that it's built like a tank! It is very heavy due to its double-cabinet construction. It has two input jacks for one channel with controls for volume, drive and three, count'em, three bass controls (Photo 3) - this is our kind of bass amp!
The Kasino Natural bass amp (Photo 2, above) is an early 1970s, solid-state amplifier rated for 75 watts RMS (root-mean square) and 150 watts peak. To expand their dealer network and sell a less expensive product, Kustom created the Kasino amplifiers brand, using the same designs but with traditional Tolex-type coverings.
Their position as a high-quality amplifier, with fancy upholstery made their product expensive and limited the market size. Kustom was a leader in high-end, solid-state amplifier design and famous artists using their equipment at the time included Credence Clearwater Revival, Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins and Waylon Jennings. While these amps were famous for their unique look, they also had a large following by notable artists for their great sound. Photo 1 - Typical Kustom Amplifier Featuring Tuck and Roll Upholstery If you're not familiar with them, the Kustom amps brand was famous for covering their amplifiers in "tuck and roll" style upholstery (Photo 1), previously used in hot rod cars. The Kasino brand was made by Kustom Electronics, maker of Kustom Amplifiers. In this episode of The Repair Bench we are troubleshooting a Kasino Natural bass amp from the early 1970s.
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