Calborn Tube Amplifier (1939)
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Item # 12670
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Calborn Tube Amplifier (1939), probably Chicago, tweed finish.
This interesting little amp dates to the late 1930s, a well-preserved example from the era of early vacuum tube instrument amplification. This little tweed pre-war amplifier is branded "Calborn" and shares its form and overall appearance with some National-Dobro amps of the era, not to mention the general radio aesthetic of the time! While originally primarily intended for lap steels these small amps also amplified the earliest archtop electric guitars as the world increasingly plugged in.
Sometime around 1939 John Jay Calborn of Columbus, Ohio established the Calborn Music Publishing Company. He issued several dozen sheet music titles, primarily public domain tunes arranged for Hawaiian guitar. This trick had been most successfully pioneered in Cleveland by Oahu Publishing, who became quite prosperous selling music and materials to legions of Hawaiian guitar students. A number of others like Calborn followed the same path, but few had anything like the same success. Little information has survived on instruments the small company would have offered but this little amp was likely part of a set with a lap steel guitar, both subcontracted from outside manufacturers.
The amp itself features the simplest imaginable layout of two inputs, one volume control and a power switch. A single-ended 6V6G-laden power section yields around 5 watts into a Rola K-8 field coil speaker. The beautiful tweed-clad cabinet was made by Geib (who also made Gibson's EH-150 cabinets) and mounts the speaker and power unit side-by-side. The face features a quite elaborate speaker cutout with the letter "C", backed with a silky patterned grille cloth. If a very obscure prewar piece this is one of the more attractive and better-made amps of this type we have seen; John Calborn at least offered his guitar-sliding acolytes a fine quality product!
Height is 9 1/2 in. (24.1 cm.), 17 in. (43.2 cm.) width, and 7 1/4 in. (18.4 cm.) deep.
Cosmetically, this 86-year-old amp is in phenomenal shape with its woven tweed covering remarkably well-preserved for its age. The grille cloth is equally in great shape, save for a few spots of thinning, but no actual punctures. The chassis coating is in great shape as well and even the original leather-wrapped handle has plenty of life left in it!
Electrically, the Calborn amp is all original. The 8" Rola K-8 field coil speaker is original to the amp and has been professionally reconed, testing and sounding wonderfully. The power and output transformers both appear original and are marked M-1006 and 5554 respectively. The volume pot appears to be original as well. The amp has received our typical maintenance and servicing, including a grounded 3-prong power cord, replacement of all electrolytic capacitors, cleaning of all sockets, pots and jacks and output section biased to spec.
This fabulous and beautifully compact specimen of a rare early pre-war amp has a sweet sound at lower volume, and surprisingly satisfying roar when dimed! Overall Excellent Condition.
This interesting little amp dates to the late 1930s, a well-preserved example from the era of early vacuum tube instrument amplification. This little tweed pre-war amplifier is branded "Calborn" and shares its form and overall appearance with some National-Dobro amps of the era, not to mention the general radio aesthetic of the time! While originally primarily intended for lap steels these small amps also amplified the earliest archtop electric guitars as the world increasingly plugged in.
Sometime around 1939 John Jay Calborn of Columbus, Ohio established the Calborn Music Publishing Company. He issued several dozen sheet music titles, primarily public domain tunes arranged for Hawaiian guitar. This trick had been most successfully pioneered in Cleveland by Oahu Publishing, who became quite prosperous selling music and materials to legions of Hawaiian guitar students. A number of others like Calborn followed the same path, but few had anything like the same success. Little information has survived on instruments the small company would have offered but this little amp was likely part of a set with a lap steel guitar, both subcontracted from outside manufacturers.
The amp itself features the simplest imaginable layout of two inputs, one volume control and a power switch. A single-ended 6V6G-laden power section yields around 5 watts into a Rola K-8 field coil speaker. The beautiful tweed-clad cabinet was made by Geib (who also made Gibson's EH-150 cabinets) and mounts the speaker and power unit side-by-side. The face features a quite elaborate speaker cutout with the letter "C", backed with a silky patterned grille cloth. If a very obscure prewar piece this is one of the more attractive and better-made amps of this type we have seen; John Calborn at least offered his guitar-sliding acolytes a fine quality product!
Height is 9 1/2 in. (24.1 cm.), 17 in. (43.2 cm.) width, and 7 1/4 in. (18.4 cm.) deep.
Cosmetically, this 86-year-old amp is in phenomenal shape with its woven tweed covering remarkably well-preserved for its age. The grille cloth is equally in great shape, save for a few spots of thinning, but no actual punctures. The chassis coating is in great shape as well and even the original leather-wrapped handle has plenty of life left in it!
Electrically, the Calborn amp is all original. The 8" Rola K-8 field coil speaker is original to the amp and has been professionally reconed, testing and sounding wonderfully. The power and output transformers both appear original and are marked M-1006 and 5554 respectively. The volume pot appears to be original as well. The amp has received our typical maintenance and servicing, including a grounded 3-prong power cord, replacement of all electrolytic capacitors, cleaning of all sockets, pots and jacks and output section biased to spec.
This fabulous and beautifully compact specimen of a rare early pre-war amp has a sweet sound at lower volume, and surprisingly satisfying roar when dimed! Overall Excellent Condition.