1970s Carlsboro Stingray Professional Head 100W

Very Good condition, 7,5/10, Made in England, including original footswitch, 100w power amp (it can drive 4-16 ohms) with an awesome preamp section containing two foot-switchable channels, one with a built in foot-switchable distortion called “Suzz” and Analog Chorus/Vibrato based on the famed SAD1024 BBD chip, and a huge Accutronics spring reverb tank. The Chorus (similar to a Boss CE-1) and Reverb can be selected per channel (for example, Chorus only on Channel 2 and Reverb only on Channel 1, or any combination, or Both!) or controlled via footswitch., more info about Carlsboro: Founded in 1959 by Stuart and Sheila Mercer, in the English town of Nottingham, Carlsbro is among the very oldest British guitar amplifier companies, along with the likes of Vox, Selmer and WEM. The company even sold its famous 50 TOP valve heads to Jim Marshall’s guitar shop before Marshall made amps of his own. Stuart’s first designs were hand made for bands like Shane Fenton and the Fentons, on the kitchen table. In fact almost all early Carlsbro amps were made for and sold directly to musicians. Demand grew throughout the early 60s, such that production moved from the kitchen table to the garage, and by 1968 Carlsbro amps were being used by the likes of Herman’s Hermits, The Hollies, The Beatles and the Rolling Stones. There was now a fully fledged factory and adjoining showroom, displaying a range of “lead” and “bass” heads, cabinets and combos – it was classic tube heads like the 50 and 100 TOP that were making the company’s reputation – and from that showroom grew a whole chain of ‘Carlsbro Sound Centre’ retail stores. The 1970’s saw continued growth, beginning with a move into a custom built factory in Nottinghamshire, near to the country’s first motorway. The move introduced modern automated design and production techniques, enabling further increases in productivity and market share. Development of solid state designs produced a new range of market winning guitar and bass models, including the various Stingray series ranges, offering professional performance quality amps at a competitive price. The company was also making portable PA, having made “PA mixer amps” as far back as the valve CS series.