I had a thing for getting S-W amps, but a tech I know was giving me major warn-offs. He reckons they’re rubbish (I know they’re linear and a bit too clean for Marshall types) but he means RUBBISH, not just so-so-sounding. All the ones he’s had through required major corrective surgery.
What really irritates me is that people spend time and effort constructing a website for virtually unheard of little English amp makers like Bird, Impact and the like but it gets abused by ignorant chancers. The amps used to sell on Fleeb for easily under the ton but now stupid eedjits find this info on a web search and slap a ridiculous price on their “prized and much sought after” possession.
I put it about on the vintage amps forum that I was after a S-W PA200. I reckoned it would make a nice project, described the good points but wouldn’t pay more than £50-£75 like recent auctions went for. Next thing I know, some arse puts one on Fleeb, £695 BIN and says “don’t listen to that moron on Plexi Palace”, then quotes half of my text about its better points. He even registered under a different name on PP to argue with me that “the seller” had put a fair price on it. I didn’t fall for that one.
Anyhoo, stopping the rant. I haven’t got the URL but look on ebay.com for an auction for four Gold Lion KT77 (fancy EL34) tubes still in their wrappings and boxes. Opening price of $1,899 for the four 😯 🙄