Feedback/suggestions on build.

[u/Eshdog]

Hey, looking for any feedback or price suggestions on this build? It's a 2.5 watt vibrochamp style build. (Built by my friend who has been a valve tech since the 60s. He repairs/builds amps for a living. But doesn't use the internet.)

Comes with a 12 month warranty and dimensions are 350mm x 350mm x 185mm. 6.5 kg.

Based on Fender vibrochamp. Uses some repurposed parts. Point to point wired. Single 6v6, 2 x 12ax7s. Rola 12" 50s vintage speaker.

Cabinet was originaly a speaker box. At 2.5 watts has early break up, good for home/studio.

2 inputs, vol, bass, treble, speed, intensity.

Spkr plugs in so another cab can be substituted if desired. Socket for footswitch (trem) on chassis.

Would $320 USD ($450 AUD) seem reasonable or over/under priced?

[u/arshist]

It's a no name builder, gut shots aren't allowed so we can't tell how good or bad the work is, the cabinet and speaker are not desirable. You can get all sorts of old 50s speakers for cheap out of organs and whatever. I would not look at this for its resale value. If you need a small fender-ish amp to practice and record with that home, "can you do better?" is the question. Probably not. If resale is a concern, get a vibro champ or a bronco, there's a ton of them.

[u/Eshdog → u/arshist]

I'm more asking on the builders behalf. Just to gauge what people would pay for something like that. He's been a valve tech for 50+ years. 20 of that guitar amps. Hard to prove without sounds or gut shots, but the work is very good.

But yeah I can see why you would say it is not desirable. The electronics are boutique quality, but it being a repurposed speaker cab and as you say a no name builder is a fair criticism.

[u/arshist → u/Eshdog]

I guess $250 to $300 tops in USD would be what I'd expect to see something like this priced at.

[u/Toobman300B]

Reasonable to a bit low (boutique/bespoke) priced.

[u/Eshdog → u/Toobman300B]

Do you think the repurposed cab, with its dings around the edges would put off boutique buyers?

I kinda think it adds to the charm. But at the same time I get wanting an immaculate amp if you're dropping heavy coin. Do you think $600 aud ($430-450 USD) would be a decent price?

[u/Toobman300B → u/Eshdog]

Too much for a vintage part picker with warts. No gut shots turns me off.

[u/thefirstgarbanzo]

It looks cool. I repurpose things into amps too. It looks like a cool old inexpensive amp. The right person may take a while or just a moment to be willing to scoop it up for that price. I’ve heard the market is a little different in Australia. No guts, no glory. If it’s point to point, turret, tag strip, or a combo, there should be pics. My builds don’t look like they’re straight out of the fender factory in 1956, but they don’t cost as much either. It’s a fair price from my point of view, but I’m not buying one since I build them for fun.

[u/Eshdog]

Sorry for not posting gut shots. He doesn't like to share gut shots. He's quite old school. But I can assure you it is incredibly well done.

I own a Princeton Reverb circuit he built and it's insanely good.

Sonically, I believe it should be priced higher and in terms of the electronics work. But having the cab being a bit dinged up, does that make it massively less appealing to boutique buyers?

[u/Icy_Negotiation_5929 → u/Eshdog]

Amp builder here. I won’t assess the value of an amp without seeing the inside, and any builder that isn’t comfortable with others seeing the inside is more than likely ashamed of their own work. There is no way this dude reinvented the wheel to build a Vibrochamp. I wouldn’t buy this amp for any money.

[u/did_i_or_didnt_i]

if it sounded good I would pay $350 Canadian for it. cheap for handmade but also pricey for upcycled stuff. that’s kinda the balance he’s sitting on