Alamo Amp-5 Model Tube Amplifier (1952), made in San Antonio, Texas, serial # 701, natural finish.
Alamo Electronics was originally founded in 1947 by Charles Eilenberg in partnership with San Antonio-based Southern Music. Eilenberg began with radios before producing his first guitar amplifiers and instruments in 1949. Alamo amps became known as a formidable Texas-based alternative to popular west-coast brands of the day, offering several accessible student grade models and a few larger wattage models for professionals. They continued to make guitars and amplifiers mostly for the regional market and prospered through the surf craze and Garage band eras of the 1960s. Moving into the solid state era, Alamo saw a shift into different tastes and styles, and ultimately folded in 1982.
The Model 5 was among Alamo's first amps produced in the early 1950s, designed to sound like Fenders but at a much lower price point. These early models featured a rather striking natural-wood cabinet design with a stylized letter A in the center of the speaker cutout and a large chrome handle on top, much like some Epiphone amps of the time. The Model 5 has controls reminiscent of the Fender Bassman, with two volume channels each controlling two instrument inputs for a total of four and a single tone control knob. A 5Y3 rectifier feeds 6SL7GT and 12AX7 preamp tubes and two 6V6 power tubes for an output of roughly 15 watts into a single 12" Jensen P12R speaker.
The cabinet features a 3/8-inch birch veneer with a hardwood top, finished with a "hand-rubbed finish with natural satin luster." Alamo products were distributed mostly in the southwest and never really took off nationally, but for some years offered a very good and economical alternative to more familiar brands. Today these very solid 1950s and '60s hand-wired Alamo amps still offer great sound (quite raunchy when pushed) and cool looks at a relative bargain price.
Height is 17 in. (43.2 cm.), 15 1/8 in. (38.4 cm.) width, and 9 in. (22.9 cm.) in depth at deepest point.
Overall this amp is cosmetically well preserved given its age. The plywood cabinet is in good shape overall, the top and bottom edges of the show typical scuffing and light wear, and there are several small chips to the plywood at the bottom corners of both side panels but no signs of delamination. The front panel has several small blemishes but is otherwise in lovely vintage condition with a beautiful light crazing effect visible in the vintage clear lacquer finish. The grille cloth is fully intact with no notable tearing and the control panel shows some minor spot blemishes but retains all the stenciled lettering. The knobs and chrome handle are both original and beautifully preserved.
Electrically, this little Alamo is wholly original. The Jensen P12R speaker is marked 220219, dating it to the 19th week of 1952. The speaker has been tested and sounds excellent. The transformers and pots appear original to the amp and it has received our typical maintenance and servicing, including replacement of all electrolytic caps, a 3-prong grounded power cord, cleaning of all sockets, pots and jacks and biased to spec.
A terrific little amp with a clear and articulate sound that explodes into a mighty growl when cranked. Alamo amps have long had a cult following among savvy collectors and players and this one is a great early example of the best of them! Overall Excellent - Condition.
