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I had never seen one these other than in old Ampeg ads, so seeing photos of one in mint condition is a bit of a treat. The original starting bid was $100 and I watched it just to see how high it would go. It reached $1,400, which was less than the seller’s reserve price. The seller just re-listed it; here’s the link in case anyone is interested:
1957 Ampeg Johnny Smith Fountain Of Sound JS 35 Amplifier | eBay
Disclaimers: this is not my Ebay listing, nor do I have any connection to the seller.
John Galich
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09-20-2020 11:56 AM
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This is a rarity and an item for a museum or a serious collector. For something more practical, I revived the idea of an upward-firing speaker in 2015, placing one behind a jazz band with several horns. This is currently an option for the TOOB 12J (Jazz), 12B (Bass) and Metro 6.5BG (guitar and bass) cabs. Pointing the speaker upwards works fine, if you have a ceiling above. You hear yourself, the band hears you, and so does the audience, with nobody suffering in the first row.
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super cool item...rarity
cheers
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I wonder if it takes pedals well... :)
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Cool amp. Very 60's with its skinny legs. Reminds me of our old coffee table as a kid.
The amp even has an input for a guy named "Mike".
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They didn't think $1400. was enough ??
Ok I guess....
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Originally Posted by Dennis D
It's one of those gfao items.
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Sputnik legs!
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Just kidding around, I bid $335 on it last week, and then I got an email today telling me I was outbid at $348.
I just checked it five minutes ago, and the guy ended the auction again, because it only went up to 1K and change.
He just relisted it as an auction with a Buy Now price of $2250. He said he'd also take a vintage guitar of comparable value as a trade.
It's local pickup only, so it's time for someone on the West Coast to pony up, or trade in their vintage axe for that piece of music history.
Just think of the conversation piece an amp like that would make for those times when you're having company over for dinner. Hell, you could even use it to serve the dinner on!
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Originally Posted by sgcim
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Originally Posted by Dennis D
not bad $$$..for a basic ampeg amp turned on its side with some nice legs added!!! haha
those are mid century modern legs...collectible!
cheers
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I think I'll do this with my V4 and some JBLs to raise the ceiling a few feet.
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I heard about them but never saw one. Is it really nothing more that an amp turned on its bottom or is it something different? I went and bought a Fender Rumble 40 which is more than enough for what I do. I'm going to try the Ampeg treatment and see if it works any better. I'll try to figure out how it projects out towards the people.
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This from Vintage Guitar:
He wanted an amplifier with flat frequency response, which would amplify his archtop without boosting its treble or bass frequencies. In 1955, the first Ampeg Johnny Smith model went into production. Two years later, the grandly titled Ampeg Fountain of Sound became available. The Fountain of Sound was, in effect, the Johnny Smith model fitted with four legs and turned on its back so the speaker faced upward. Virtually every studio guitarist in New York used it.
Some useful photographs on Reverb
An advertisement for the amp, featuring Johnny Smith, can be seen on page 47 of Ampeg: The Story Behind the Sound By Gregg Hopkins and Bill Moore 1999.
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Originally Posted by hot ford coupe
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Typical coffee table amp!
This could be perfect in front of my sofa, for noodling while watching tv.
My Quik-Lok amp stand takes my amp half way there, let’s say to 45 degrees of this.
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