Yet another Polytone Mini Brute II thread

[Shabroky]

Yes yes, another thread about these little amps. I've combed this forum and others for information but have come up lacking with regard to a few specifics (or at least what I have found is woefully outdated).

I work at music shop (primarily guitars) in southeast Wisconsin and we often deal in used/consignment items. Recently, a customer brought in five amps which belonged to the estate of a recently-deceased friend of theirs. They were looking to sell them, or at least find some use for them if they weren't functional (two were DOA). Among the pile was the Polytone Mini Brute II pictured below.

The writing on the chassis suggests a manufacture date of February 15th, 1978 - no clue what the K is I also don't know if the Roland AD Custom Speaker is original; I don't know what came "stock" with this particular iteration of this model. I do know that everything works, or just about everything. The reverb is finicky and sometimes very rattly, almost like it has an extra long tail on it, but hey that's what pedals are for!

My main question, especially to any of you who also work in the used gear market, relates to the general value of this amp. Is it as simple as, "It's worth whatever a buyer is willing to pay versus whatever the seller is willing to accept"? I have been unable to find any kind of reliable price history for these, especially this particular version. I see listings anywhere from $50-$100 for broken ones waiting to be stripped for parts, all the way up to some crazy people asking $1,300+ for theirs. I even found a really early model with only one knob, a Mini Brute SK!

Any help/insight is greatly appreciated, thank you in advance!

[deacon Mark]

To be very blunt I would not want you to give me the Polytone. In their day they were a fine amp but by today's standards a wreck waiting to happen if they work. To me in general used amps have little to no interest except possibly the real old fenders and such. These collect dust and sit around and given the age of the forum I think we avoid this stuff it takes up space. I used to keep many things around for parts but in the end not really used all that much and they get in the way.

[Bob_Ross]

I can confirm that that Roland speaker -- as well as the heavy-gauge steel grill over the speaker but underneath the foam grillcloth -- are not original.

Other than that... :::shrugs:::

They sold for ~$300 when new, so that's what I personally feel it's worth, at most.

[Mick-7]

As deacon Mark suggested, the market for the Polytones is quite limited, due to their age more than anything since, alas, age is often accompanied by infirmity, and an amp repair tech is liable to want $150-$200 just to fix a minor issue.

"I see listings anywhere from $50-$100 for broken ones waiting to be stripped for parts, all the way up to some crazy people asking $1,300+ for theirs"

Take a closer look and you'll see that the higher priced ads have been up for a long time, years in some cases = sellers' pipe dreams.

P.S. - I bought a Polytone 102 from Good Will last year for $200. It needs the caps replaced, which apparently will cost me at least as much as I paid for it. Buyer's remorse: I don't like the sound of the amp enough to warrant the investment.

[Stringswinger]

It is a late 70's version with a replaced speaker, added speaker grill and it sounds like it needs a new reverb tank (which are cheap) and probably needs a Cap job at this point (and possibly some new pots).

If anyone will give you more than $250 for that amp as it sits, take the money and run!

[jads57]

Didn’t Polytones have really low ohmage speakers? The ones I had always blew up,Lol! Then again I was using them for a louder Blues Band!

[Gustavo Eiriz]

There is something goin on about this amplifier that makes very unique, i think it could be the low cut, and it is extremely boxy, that paired with a great hollow body makes a kind of sound that to me is unique. Is clean but some kind of compression or thing is goin on... i been thrilled the first time that i connected an L-5 to it. I couldnt achieve that sound on the very expensive henriksen amps.

[floatingpickup]

I have a couple of Polytones from the 70’s and they are very nice sounding amps. Mine have never given me any trouble but I generally just use them around the house and don’t take them out on gigs anymore, because of their age. I see them come up for sale occasionally for a few hundred bucks. There is currently one just like the OP’s on Facebook Marketplace in Fort Myers FL for $400. It appears to be in good original condition with no issues and includes a cover. I’m not sure how long it has been listed, but it hasn’t sold.
Keith

[vintagelove]

Give me a polytone over any of the modern SS class D amps...

That being said, OP has a changed speaker which lowers the value. Probably a $150 amp on a good day.

[Mick-7]

I recently spoke to Randy Vincent's gear repair guy and he told me that Randy has 6 polytone amps - seems people either love 'em or don't.

[garybaldy]

I have two and (shouldn't say it though!) they're still going strong.
I may buy more if the opportunity arises.

[MiniMerckx.22]

If you touch the red knob it's not worth anything at all!!
$175.00

[garybaldy]

I wouldn't be seen dead with a red knob - polytone!

[GuyBoden]

I was playing thru a red knob Polytone this afternoon. They're not my fav amp, but do the job.

Edit: (It wasn't my amp, I too was told to never, ever, ever touch that red Knob.)

[Mick-7]

If you touch the red knob it's not worth anything at all!!

Actually, turning on the red knob on my humming old capacitor impaired PolyTone 102 produces a unique tone that lives up to the name "polytone" - a charming form of derangement (like habromania*). If your amp is not deranged, you can induce psychosis with the red knob - it's like an aural (rather than oral) psychedelic.

* Habromania: A form of insanity characterized by an excessively cheerful or euphoric state.