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Karl Paulsen

 

From:
Chicago
Post  Posted 7 May 2021 10:25 pm    
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Have a chance to pick up a TKO 65 locally for $65. I'm thinking or could provide a new home and maybe even a new speaker for my Reno 400.

Two questions.

1) Anyone know what Speaker came in these?

2) any reason I couldn't open the back and mount my Reno 400 (without horn) in there?

I appreciate whatever advice you'd all can offer before I see it tomorrow morning.[/quote]
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Last edited by Karl Paulsen on 9 May 2021 12:53 pm; edited 2 times in total
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Doug Earnest


From:
Branson, MO USA
Post  Posted 8 May 2021 7:50 am    
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I think those two amps probably have the same size cabinet, or very little difference.

The TKO is a bass amp, most I have seen are a Scorpion speaker. You might be surprised how good that can sound with your steel if you have a reverb pedal to use.

https://peavey.com/manuals/80370366.pdf

Worth $65 whether you need it or not!
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Karl Paulsen

 

From:
Chicago
Post  Posted 8 May 2021 10:16 am    
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Thanks Doug,
Picked it up just before your post. Only $60! Sounds good with the P-bass I brought along to test it with. From a bit of peeling tolex on the bottom it looks like the cabinet is made of OSB.

Going to lug it up and compare it to the Reno later today. Will take pictures then also.

Two more questions.

1)The TKO is of course a closed cabinet. Anyone care to comment on the suitability of closed or open cabinets with regards to steel?

2) Are 400 series cabinets plywood or OSB?
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Doug Earnest


From:
Branson, MO USA
Post  Posted 8 May 2021 11:36 am    
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All of the cabinets I have seen are particle board. Different than OSB. Both are very dense and heavy.
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Karl Paulsen

 

From:
Chicago
Post  Posted 8 May 2021 1:18 pm    
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Here it is.







Despite what the camera angle might suggest, The TKO is only about a half inch shorter than the Reno. It's also a half inch wider and a couple inches deeper.

The TKO is lighter but I imagine that has more to do with it's lack of a reverb tank, horn, or 210 watt transformer.

Will pop the grill and speaker later this weekend and see what I've got. Note that the TKO has the chrome hardware I want for my Reno, so that will probably get swapped after a little vinegar on the rusty pieces.
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Sonny Jenkins


From:
Texas Masonic Retirement Center,,,Arlington Tx
Post  Posted 8 May 2021 2:56 pm    
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That TKO is a great little bass amp!!!!
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Sonny Jenkins


From:
Texas Masonic Retirement Center,,,Arlington Tx
Post  Posted 8 May 2021 2:57 pm    
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That TKO is a great little bass amp!!!! Wish I could find one for 60 bucks!!!,,LOL
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Jerry Overstreet


From:
Louisville Ky
Post  Posted 8 May 2021 3:34 pm    
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Concerning construction, my 89 NV400's both were 3/4 in. plywood cabinets, not particle board so I guess it depends on the model maybe and/or era of build.

Oh, I just remembered I split my buddy's TNT 115 bass amp and it was particle board. We also have a 4x10 cabinet for it that is particle board. We're going to split it into 2 2x10s and rebuild them with birch ply too if we can find someone to pick it up and get it to the shop. 😫😫

3/4 ply is heavy enough, but particle board is brutal.

My first amp was a 70s era TKO. I don't remember much about it, but it did have a Scorpion speaker. It was OK since I was a pedal steel beginner and knew nothing....not even that reverb was a necessity. I just remember how much nicer my next amp, an LTD 400, sounded against the TKO. I never missed it.

Good score considering your cost though.
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Karl Paulsen

 

From:
Chicago
Post  Posted 8 May 2021 5:11 pm    
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Sonny Jenkins wrote:
That TKO is a great little bass amp!!!! Wish I could find one for 60 bucks!!!,,LOL

Thanks Sonny,
It's been a good month for Craigslist. Since I started looking at amps, on two consecutive weekend's I've found a Reno 400 ($100) and a TKO 65 ($60). Makes me wonder what I might have missed and what might come up next...

At this point one thing I'm sure of is that the chrome hardware is definitely destined to be swapped with the black hardware on the the Reno.

If the speaker is better than the Scorpion in the Reno I'll put it in the Reno and part out whatever's leftover. Might chop the TKO down to a head as my church has a bass cab but could use a bass head as they are borrowing mine.

If the speaker is same or worse than what's in the Reno I'll probably flip the TKO after installing the black hardware. If I had need for another amp I'd probably keep the TKO, but I don't need another bass amp, certainly not one too heavy to want to gig with.

Jerry Overstreet wrote:
Concerning construction, my 89 NV400's both were 3/4 in. plywood cabinets, not particle board so I guess it depends on the model maybe and/or era of build...

...3/4 ply is heavy enough, but particle board is awful.

My first amp was a 70s era TKO. I don't remember much about it, but it did have a Scorpion speaker. It was OK since I was a pedal steel beginner and knew nothing....not even that reverb was a necessity. I just remember how much nicer my next amp, an LTD 400, sounded against the TKO. I never missed it.

Good score considering your cost though.


Thanks Jerry,
My Reno is an '89. From what I can feel inside it seems like plywood painted black. Quite smooth.

That the TKO is particle board made the decision for me that it won't be considered for rehousing the Reno.
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Darvin Willhoite


From:
Roxton, Tx. USA
Post  Posted 8 May 2021 7:38 pm    
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I used one for a practice amp for steel for a while and it worked pretty good with a reverb pedal. After my amp collection grew a little I used it for the low end out of a Session 500 crossover. If I remember right it has an Eminence square magnet speaker like a Pacer amp had.
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Darvin Willhoite
MSA Millennium, Legend, and Studio Pro, Reese's restored Universal Direction guitar, as well as some older MSAs, several amps, new and old, and a Kemper Powerhead that I am really liking. Recently added a Zum D10, a Mullen RP, and a restored blue Rose, named the "Blue Bird" to the herd. Also, I have acquired and restored the plexiglass D10 MSA Classic again that was built as a demo in the early '70s. I also added a '74 lacquer P/P, with wood necks.
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Karl Paulsen

 

From:
Chicago
Post  Posted 9 May 2021 4:26 am    
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Pulled the speaker. 2 questions for you gentlemen.

1)What is it?

2)Would it be better for steel in my Reno 400 than the scorpion it currently has?






The printing on the back appears to be:
70777053
I5830J
67-8301
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Jerry Erickson

 

From:
Atlanta,IL 61723
Post  Posted 9 May 2021 5:06 am    
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The top number is Peavey's part number.
The second is the manufacturer's part number.
The third is the manufacturer's number and date of production.
67-83-01 says it's an Eminence speaker made in 1983, the first week.

https://tedweber.com/speaker-codes-application/
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Karl Paulsen

 

From:
Chicago
Post  Posted 9 May 2021 7:05 am    
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Thanks for that!

Now the tough issue. Is this a better or worse choice for steel in my RENO than the scorpion that it's in there now?

I've been unable to find an official power rating, but resellers seem to assume it's only 100 Watts because it's 90s mostly in amps of that rating or lower.
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Steve Spitz

 

From:
New Orleans, LA, USA
Post  Posted 9 May 2021 10:24 am    
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I bought one at a yard sale. Didn’t work, $15. I rocked the amp a bit and could hear something rolling around , like a fuse.

Yep, put the fuse in its holder once I got it home. After 25 years of using as a steel, keyboard, and bass amp, I gifted it to a local pro bass player.

Great amp, and a great bargain. Sounded good on anything.
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Steve Spitz

 

From:
New Orleans, LA, USA
Post  Posted 9 May 2021 10:31 am    
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Oops....
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Karl Paulsen

 

From:
Chicago
Post  Posted 9 May 2021 10:49 am    
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I agree that it sounds good. Hopefully it's future owner will agree. A bit more research indicates the stock eminence is not better than the Scorpion in my Reno and I don't need another bass amp.

The speaker and grill are back in place. I'm installing the black hardware from the Reno now. Going to mark it up and put it on Craigslist but if any local forum member wants it for the $60 got in it I'd be happy to oblige.
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Karl Paulsen

 

From:
Chicago
Post  Posted 9 May 2021 12:56 pm    
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Here it is without the broken logo and with the addition of black hardware. Looking good I think. I wonder if it would look even better with the aluminum strips also painted black but I'm leaving it as it stands.


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Steven Pearce


From:
Port Orchard Washington, USA
Post  Posted 9 May 2021 1:45 pm    
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Here’s a TKO 80 with all black and white knobs.



Sounds great, looks better!
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Karl Paulsen

 

From:
Chicago
Post  Posted 9 May 2021 2:50 pm    
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Those white knobs are cool. I'm thinking of swapping out the knobs on my Reno with Radio shack metal capped black plastic knobs.
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Chicago Valley Railroad. Trainspotting and Bargain Hunting...
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Karl Paulsen

 

From:
Chicago
Post  Posted 11 May 2021 8:36 am    
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Just wanted to let folks know that this is now up for sale in the classifieds.
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Chicago Valley Railroad. Trainspotting and Bargain Hunting...
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