Tuesday, June 01, 2010

Standel Artist Amplifiers Still Live Today, this just in from Danny Sage McKinney

Tech Talk from Jon Hammond of HammondCast KYOU Radio

Folks, Jon Hammond here in New York City today, every day I play my Hammond XK-3 organ through

an older Solid State Standel The Artist X Amplifier which looks like hell now but still sounds

great. I know that over the years Standel amps have been the choice of top players such as

Wes Montgomery and Chet Atkins *see Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Standel

I contacted Danny Sage McKinney yesterday who keeps the legacy of Bob Crooks Standel Musical

Instrument Amplifiers Company going today in Los Angeles CA

http://www.standelamps.com/about_us/story/index.html

and he kindly got right back to me personally with the following information about my trusty

old Standel Amp, as follows:

"Hi Jon,

Your Standel was built in 1965/66. It has 40 watts of power output (80 watts is power consumption with the amp being 50% efficient) and four ten-inch Jensen speakers.

Hope that helps.

All the best,

Danny “Sage” McKinney
The Standel Co."

The Amp (sounds way better than it looks folks): (original casters)


Back of Amp, notice information is scratched on the plates with a tool


Close up image Standel The Artist X


with spring reverb and tremelo

I first came in to contact with Standel amps when I shared a rehearsal space in

San Francisco with the band Quicksilver Messenger Service. John Cipollina one of

the 2 guitarists (Gary Duncan was other guitarist) had a very unique set up

in our rehearsal hall on Harrison St. SF, incorporating 6 Fender Twin Reverb Amps,

4 Fender Dual Showman heads and 2 big 2 x 15" Standel amps on either side with

similar front panel configuration to my Artist model. He also had his rig going

through brass high frequency horns. It was loud and it sounded good!

I got my Standel amp at Silver & Horland music shop on 48th St. in NYC in the

late 70's for 90 bucks and it's still working today.

Yesterday we featured some of the lost tapes of our good friend Les Paul R.I.P.

*WATCH THE VIDEO HERE:

http://ia360703.us.archive.org/8/items/JonHammondTheLostLesPaulTapes1988fromJonHammondShow/TheLostLesPaulTapes1988.m4v


The Lost Les Paul Tapes 1988 from Jon Hammond Show - Recorded April 4, 1988 NYC

As seen on The Jon Hammond Show MCTV a 1988 performance of Les Paul Trio at Fat Tuesday's NYC "There's No Place Like Home" dedicated to Les' Mom aka "Sniff Along With Les" hilarious commentary from Les.
*note from Jon Hammond: apology for some slight tracking variance, the historic nature of these previously lost tapes determine I broadcast this again in Les' memory.

Gary Mazzaroppi is the bass player and Lou Pallo second guitar (also a Gibson according to Les!)

Special thanks Roger Bell, Joe Berger, Rusty Paul.

Sincerely, Jon Hammond NYC NY http://www.HammondCast.com

The Jon Hammond Show is on MNNTV New York City

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xpCT3lb78rk



RIP Les - Lester William Polsfuss (June 9, 1915 – August 12, 2009)

Jon Hammond is a Hammond Artist and member of AFM Local 802 and Local 6 Musicians Union, Host
of daily radio program HammondCast on KYOU Radio


Have a great day folks, and a better one tomorrow! Keep it tuned to KYOU Radio

HammondCast Show


Jon Hammond

New York NY

Standel Amplifiers, Wes Montgomery, Bob Crooks, Danny Sage McKinney, John Cipollina,
Jon Hammond, HammondCast, KYOU Radio, XK-3c, XK-1, B3 organ, Local 802 Musicians Union