Sears Silvertone 1464

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spindlebox
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2014/11/24 09:04:00 (permalink)

Sears Silvertone 1464

I have an opportunity to buy this head for $100.  The guy said he just got it back from being checked out and it all works great, including the Reverb and Tremalo.  Looking to get it for my recording studio and maybe even for playing around with - not as my primary rig.  Studio for an added "vintage" texture should it be called for.
 
It is the same one here:
https://reverb.com/item/47672-sears-silvertone-solid-state-100-model-1464-guitar-amp-2x12-cab-vintage
 
Thoughts?


 

 
#1

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    spindlebox
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    Re: Sears Silvertone 1464 2014/11/24 09:19:03 (permalink)
    Just found these....
     

     



     

     
    #2
    fireberd
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    Re: Sears Silvertone 1464 2014/11/24 09:59:14 (permalink)
    The first amp I had when I started playing in bands, in 1959, was a Silvertone with one 12" speaker.    That was a long time before I moved to KC (in 1973).

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    #3
    spindlebox
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    Re: Sears Silvertone 1464 2014/11/24 10:02:37 (permalink)
    Thanks Fireberd.  I can't find any videos with the 1464; and the one in the Jack White pic is actually a 1485 which is a valve model.  

    But it seems to me that for $100 as an amp to use for creative purposes, as long as it's working, I could hardly go wrong.  


     

     
    #4
    ampfixer
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    Re: Sears Silvertone 1464 2014/11/24 11:03:04 (permalink)
    I wouldn't get too excited about the head. In those amps, the speaker cab is the most valuable part. I would pass on the solid state head.

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    #5
    spindlebox
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    Re: Sears Silvertone 1464 2014/11/24 11:46:42 (permalink)
    Mr. Ampfixer, I am having my second thoughts too.  I was hoping it was a tube head.  I think I might hold out for a 1485.


     

     
    #6
    Grem
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    Re: Sears Silvertone 1464 2014/11/24 17:56:08 (permalink)
    I agree with ampfixer. Solid State amps from that period weren't all that good. And when they went south....

    Find a valve amp if ya can.

    If nothing else, offer $50 and see if he goes for it. Also let the amp get good and warm and see if it still acts right.

    Grem

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    johnnyV
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    Re: Sears Silvertone 1464 2014/11/24 20:52:29 (permalink)
    Wow. I'm pretty sure that is the same vintage as my first Silvertone Bass amp I owned when I was 15. ( 1968 )   mine was a 75? Watt with a 15" . Anyhow, it was a turd. I quickly replaced it with a 66? Bassman with a 2x 12" cab.  I remember that the Silvertone was more powerful but the Bassman at 40 watts was way louder. 
    I also remember the Silvertone was transistor and it was a bit distorted in a bad way. We ended up using it as a guitar amp because we didn't notice the distortion as much as with the bass. 
    I traded it for a Vox Wha Wha I think. 
    I was young, but even back then we new about tube amps being way better than transistors. I don't think I've ever owned another transistor guitar amp since. 
     
    This is the closest picture to what mine looked like but I think this is a guitar amp. I can't seem to find  picture of mine, I'm sure had only a few knobs. But the Tolex was this color, and the logo and faceplate looks right. 
     

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    johnnyV
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    Re: Sears Silvertone 1464 2014/11/24 21:07:53 (permalink)
    While I looking for the Silvertone, I found this picture of a National Guitar amp. It is most certainly the exact model I owned for a few years in my early teens. I dragged it around to basement band practices. I always regretted selling it. I bet it would still be a great amp.
    I think I was asked to play bass, and of course this couldn't do it, So I sold it to buy the Silvertone Bass amp brand new..  The good thing was the Fender Bassman worked for both Guitar and Bass. If I had been smarter I would have just added a 15" bass cabinet to the National. 
     


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    Rimshot
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    Re: Sears Silvertone 1464 2014/11/24 21:23:27 (permalink)
    Wow guys, those pictures really take me back!  The Beatles were just out and life in 6th grade was full of mischief and music.  I was playing in a group then called "The Blue Lights".  Black Lights weren't around yet!
     

    Rimshot 

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    spindlebox
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    Re: Sears Silvertone 1464 2014/11/24 21:54:05 (permalink)
    JohnnyV the picture of the amp and speaker looks like the one I actually want - the 1485. They are around. :) It is a valve model.


     

     
    #11
    johnnyV
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    Re: Sears Silvertone 1464 2014/11/25 00:21:37 (permalink)
    ya, It's not the amp I owned but that's the closest picture to what I remember it looking like. 
    I'm looking up my National and see they go for $800-$1,500 now. I think I paid $30 and it was pretty much brand new then. 
    I'm trying to find the brand of my very first amp which I swear was a Tapco.  I can just make out the logo in the front in an old picture. And it doesn't match anything I find on Google. 
    It looks like a V with balls on the tops. I'll see if I can dig up the original picture and re scan at a higher resolution. It's the one on the left, The other amp was my band mates and I bet it was a Silvertone.. My guitar in this shot is a Canora. 4 PU's. 

     
    Oh and notice the little 3"  Sony? Reel to reel- My first DAW! 

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    fireberd
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    Re: Sears Silvertone 1464 2014/11/25 06:36:59 (permalink)
    In 71/72 I worked as the amp tech in a Nashville music store.  The old solid state amps from that period were not very reliable.  When I got one in to work on, that had no output, it was usually multiple transistors to replace.  The output transistors would go and take the driver transistors and sometimes other components with them.  Fender had an early solid state amp that they took off the market around that time because of reliability.  Standel's were bad about blowing output and driver transistors. 

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    #13
    spindlebox
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    Re: Sears Silvertone 1464 2014/11/25 11:22:41 (permalink)
    Speaking of vintage gear, I thought I would make some of you guys drool over my latest acquisition - totally off topic but drool-worthy.  My 1966 Fender Jaguar with Original Hard Case:




     

     
    #14
    johnnyV
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    Re: Sears Silvertone 1464 2014/11/25 16:10:18 (permalink)
    Excellent find! I love those Whammy bars, total Surf Music. All you need is that Amp with the Tremelo and spring Verb. 

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    spindlebox
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    Re: Sears Silvertone 1464 2014/11/25 16:31:20 (permalink)
    Ha!!  Yes, one reason I want to grab a Silvertone.


     

     
    #16
    spindlebox
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    Re: Sears Silvertone 1464 2016/03/28 00:15:18 (permalink)
    OK, older thread but lots has happened since I started this!

    Coincidentally, I picked up a 1464 about a month ago for giggles and I had my amp tech go through it.  Just plugged it in tonight, through a Tube Screamer, and WOW, it sounds great!!  It is sort of going to be a live amp for my guitarist since with repairs, I got it for under $400, and it's now practically brand new for a 50 year old amp.

    Here is a pic:


    Secondly, a few months after I posted this thread, I ended up getting a 1484 with jensen-filled cabinet and footswitch.  It goes without saying that this thing is the pride of my recording studio.  I have recorded at least 2 albums with it already, including one for me, and I will be buried with it.  Here it is:



    Finally, you'll see I've gone a bit SILVERTONE CRAZY, and I picked up a 1478 Guitar as well, all original with the "tin-foil" pickups.  In GREAT shape, and it sounds fantastic.  Plays well too after I had an expert set it up.  In fact, I am going to use her onstage.  Here she is with my 1484:
     


    See what obsession can do?


     

     
    #17
    TheMaartian
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    Re: Sears Silvertone 1464 2016/03/28 10:32:02 (permalink)
    Rimshot
    Wow guys, those pictures really take me back!  The Beatles were just out and life in 6th grade was full of mischief and music.  I was playing in a group then called "The Blue Lights".  Black Lights weren't around yet!

    Cool name! My first band was the "Prodigal Sons". We earned that name! 
     
    As for Silvertone...it's difficult to imagine today going to Sears for 'sear'ious audio gear. My lead guitarist played a Silvertone, but I have no memory of the model. I had a Fender Bassman that I played my bass and Farfisa minicompact through. I had one of the first models, like this:
     

     
    My mother gave it away, along with all of my other gear, when I went into the Army. 
     
    Never got a chance to play one of the deluxe mini compacts. 
     

     
    Just looking at that keyboard brings back 96 Tears, the first song I learned to play on it!
     

    post edited by TheMaartian - 2016/03/30 20:49:37

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    #18
    bitflipper
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    Re: Sears Silvertone 1464 2016/03/28 12:33:46 (permalink)

    My first combo organ came from the Sears catalog. I amplified it with a quite inappropriate Kustom Naugahyde-covered 100W head and 3x15" cabinet. It was a beauty, and being padded could double as a comfortable bed when laid on its side in the van. 


    All else is in doubt, so this is the truth I cling to. 

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    #19
    TheMaartian
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    Re: Sears Silvertone 1464 2016/03/28 13:05:37 (permalink)
    bitflipper

    My first combo organ came from the Sears catalog. I amplified it with a quite inappropriate Kustom Naugahyde-covered 100W head and 3x15" cabinet. It was a beauty, and being padded could double as a comfortable bed when laid on its side in the van. 


    A 3x15? I thought I was overdoing it running my Farfisa through my Bassman. Ha ha ha!
     
    And naugahyde?
     
    OK, I admit it. I did, in fact, wear a Nehru jacket on stage. 

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    bitflipper
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    Re: Sears Silvertone 1464 2016/03/28 22:42:24 (permalink)
    My Mom made my Nehru jacket for me. Of course, I accessorized it heavily with cheap headshop bling, to make it my own, you know.
     
    My Kustom was like this one, only in "cascade" (turquoise). With the head atop, it was nearly as tall as me. The whole band had matching amps and cabs, as well as the PA.
    We made up for lack of talent with plenty of style.



    All else is in doubt, so this is the truth I cling to. 

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    #21
    spindlebox
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    Re: Sears Silvertone 1464 2016/03/28 23:26:44 (permalink)
    You guys are really making me jones for more vintage gear.  STOP IT!!!  


     

     
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    TheMaartian
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    Re: Sears Silvertone 1464 2016/03/29 10:02:50 (permalink)
    bitflipper
    My Mom made my Nehru jacket for me. Of course, I accessorized it heavily with cheap headshop bling, to make it my own, you know.
     
    ...

    And the young ones are going "What's a Nehru?" 

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    jbow
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    Re: Sears Silvertone 1464 2016/03/30 20:18:22 (permalink)
    My first "real" amp was a 1465, all tube, 6x10 cab... it was AWESOME. It has TWO output transformers, one for each input. The 1864 2x12 is a good amp too but NOT the SS model in the first picture. Pay attention to the condition of the cabinet, it isn't wood. It's some sort of composite covered in vinyl. If it is in decent condition and it's all tube... GET IT.
     
    J

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    #24
    spindlebox
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    Re: Sears Silvertone 1464 2016/03/30 20:30:16 (permalink)
    I already own the amps I showed in the pic above.


     

     
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