Kasino solid state amplifiers, bass guitars, electric guitars


Kustom Audio made these in the 70's. They were famous for their "tuck n roll" guitar and bass amps and mixers. I'm sure you've seen those. Metallic Blue sparkle vinyl rolled amps with usually 2 port holes. Those were sooo cool to have back then!
They also had a "Kasino" line listed as the "little sister" level of PA amps systems and mixers to the Kustom stuff.
Here's a link:


Bud Ross started Kustom Electronics in the early-mid 60's to make RADAR GUNS !!!!! He got interested in the burgeoning rock'n'roll music biz and in around '67 started up "Kustom by Ross" to make solid-state (the transistor was his passion!) guitar and bass amps, PA systems, later on, combo organs and electric guitars. His unique upholstering of the amps with metal-flake Naugahyde (red, white,blue,charcoal, silver,gold, and "cascade"-a turquoise) as well as flat black, in tuck'n'roll made them hugely popular, unique, and expensive. The PA rigs were big with the travelling "showcase" acts of the day - Altec-Lansing speakers, a unique "anti-feedback" circuit design, and 1/4" Hi-Z mic inputs- as many as 16 of them - made them a hit. Hard to imagine these days, isn't it?
Kustom came out with the less frilly and lower-priced Kasino line in around 1970-71. The concept was different. You started out with a one-piece monstrosity of an amp - preamp, power amp, and CTS speakers - in one cabinet. Then you could buy a "power module" which was the power amp and speakers, sans the preamp section. The "master" amp had 1/4" line outputs and AC power outlet receptacles on the rear panel to feed several "power modules". The sales brochures from them show a wall of Kasino amps all interconnected to form a massive 2,000 watts of Kasino sound...YIKES!!! In Kustom tradition, the amps' internal electronics were built to be very reliable and easy to service. Tonally, if you plug a Strat into one of those behemoths, it's like an icepick in your ear!
Kasino PA consoles like yours came out a few years later, and were designed to compete with Sunn and Acoustic Control gear. Hartley Peavey would soon follow.
The PA gear was the only Kasino gear that had built-in spring reverb, the guitar amps were much less fancy than the Kustoms. That reverb used a larger Hammond tank with more springs than the Fender amps did, and it ROCKED!!! This would be the only reason to even consider plugging that beast into a wall socket! All Kustom gear, while it was built like a brick outhouse, was insanely noisey! When you powered up any amp, there would be this humongous THUMP through the speakers and then this steady roar of the ocean...Bud Ross has stated that the thump and hiss were intentional..."Those amps sounded loud just sitting there idling!" And, yes, that is a VU meter , not a dB meter on the front, and it's probably as accurate as Helen Keller at a darts tournament...
I still have a very nice 1971 blue-sparkle Kustom 200 PA head that I use when I want real surf spring reverb happening. You do have to be sure that there's some sort of speaker load on the amp at all times or it will damage the output transistors.
Bud Ross went through a nasty divorce around 1974-75 and had to liquidate his companies (there is still a Kustom Electronics radar gun factory in Kansas, though). Around the same time, sound reinforcement technology was rapidly increasing but Kustom did not keep up with it and lost market share. Too bad, because Bud was quite a visionary in his field, as well as a master promoter, a pilot (he flew himself all around the country in a Beechcraft promoting his products), and a really nice guy.

This double page Kasino ad from 1970 highlights the reliability of Kasino solid-state amplifiers. Kasino was a subsidary of Kustom

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Hi, I think there might be a mistake in the text. Wasn't it not the Baldwin group who was responsable to set up the Kasino amp line, in stead of Bud Ross, who had sold it in 1972 to the Baldwin Company ?

This 1970's Kustom Concert Kasino CON-L Series amp is a testament to the versatile design philosophy of Kustom. Built to handle both guitar and bass with ease, this amp features a robust and adaptable sound that makes it a valuable addition to any setup.

For instance, the Kustom and Kasino amps I've been in are maybe the most heartily-built PCB amps I've ever seen.


Kustom Tuck And Roll/ Kasino Club amplifiers.

Explore kasino online amp kasino online google play it games net designs, illustrations, and graphic elements

This is a quick repair of a club Kasino Amp head

Aside from the Kustom brand, Kustom Electronics also began to manufacture an amplifier line called Kasino. The brand was established in 1972. These were internally the same as Kustom amplifiers but were covered with traditional material as seen on style amplifiers. Kasino amps were used mainly by country music performers who felt the regular Kustom Tuck-And-Roll Naugahyde models were too flashy. Another reason for establishing a parallel brand was simply to gain a greater share of the amplifier market. One distributor could sell the Kustom brand and one could sell Kasino without competing with each other. was an early supporter of the Kasino line. Kasino amps were discontinued in 1975 when Kustom Electronics once again changed ownership.

Kustom Club Kasino 100watt amp! Came in DOA, but she purrs now!

This model stands out with its four built-in effects, which include dual tremolo knobs, an overdrive knob, and a reverb knob. While these effects are more commonly associated with guitar use, the Kasino Concert's versatile design ensures they complement bass sounds as well. The tremolo and overdrive add dynamic depth and character, while the reverb provides a lush, spatial quality to your tones. Its durable build and distinctive sound make it a standout choice for musicians seeking a reliable and adaptable amplifier that can handle a range of musical styles and effects. It's been serviced by our technician, and is ready for the stage/studio!

Rices Tube Amp Repair Apr 29, 2020 Kustom Club Kasino 100watt amp

Another reason for establishing a parallel brand was simply to gain a greater share of the amplifier market. Kasino amps were used mainly by country music performers who felt the regular Kustom Tuck-And-Roll Naugahyde models were too flashy. These were internally the same as Kustom amplifiers but were covered with traditional Tolex material as seen on Fender style amplifiers. The most notable merger happened with Gretsch, which at the time was owned by Baldwin.Īside from the Kustom brand, Kustom Electronics also began to manufacture an amplifier line called Kasino. During the following years the factory in Kansas and the associated trademarks would change ownership numerous times. Later Bud Ross established a fairly lucrative business which manufactured police handheld radars. The sale was finalized just prior to the 1972 Summer NAMM show where the metal/slant face Kustom amps were introduced. The company was owned by Bud Ross from 1964 until June 1972, when Ross sold it to Baldwin Pianos. The first amp was built for a member of the Nebraska Hall of Fame and is now a featured display in the collection of Rainbow Recording Studios in Omaha, Nebraska. Eventually the company branched out to produce organs, drums, microphones, and guitars.Ĭharles "Bud" Ross produced the first Kustom amp which comprised two fifteen inch speakers mounted side-by-side in a horizontal white sparkle cabinet with and a non-Frankenstein head. The original Kustom amps came in a variety of colors including Red Sparkle, Blue Sparkle, Gold Sparkle, Cascade Sparkle (teal), Charcoal Sparkle (grey), Silver Sparkle (white), and Flat Black (which contained no glitter). The Kustom (The Nauga, or Naugie) Kats were from the same Uniroyal Naugahyde that Kustom used to cover their products. There was also a line of guitars with DeArmond pickups in a variety of colors, including the infamous Pink to Green sunburst that fans have affectionately named "Watermelon Burst." In an original promotion Kustom gave away "Kustom Kats" with the purchase of an amplifier. The company produced several models of guitar amplifiers, bass amplifiers, organ amplifiers, Guitars, Basses, and keyboards and P.A. operated in a factory in Chanute, Kansas. The solid-state circuitry instead of vacuum tube-based designs so common in the 1960s. was the first to mass-produce amplifiers covered in roll and pleat, popularly referred to as "Tuck-And-Roll" naugahyde, similar to hot-rod automobile upholstery popular at that time. The main selling point of Kustom amplifiers was their unique appearance: Ross, Inc. "Kustom" was a brand and trademark of Ross, Inc., a company founded in 1964 by Charles A. Since 1999, Kustom has been owned by the Hanser Music Group headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio. Kustom Amplification or Kustom Electronics is a manufacturer of guitar and bass amplifiers and PA equipment and accessories. Kustom 200 Bass Amplifier, 100 watts RMS, two 15" speakers, cascade sparkle, 1971 Kustom 200 B-4 amplifier in black Naugahyde, purchased new in 1972.

Kasino solid state amplifiers for sale in USA

Other Electronics were Klassic and Camco. Kasino amps were discontinued in 1975 when Kustom Electronics once again changed ownership. Waylon Jennings was an early supporter of the Kasino line.

Kasino (Kustom) Little Joe Half Stack Amplifier for sale

I grew up only a short distance from Chanute Kansas home of Kustom Electronics. I've owned several bass amps in my day. One setup when I was 18 or so and playing full time was two 200 heads, one black roll and one blue sparkle, a 3-15" black cab with Altec 417's and a 2-15" blue cabinet with D140 JBL's. We had that board that Kurt had a picture of, A Peavey PA900 (yep nine channels) A pair of Altec A7's and two Crown D300's with a pair of little Kasino 4-8" columns for monitors. We were the shizit! Guitar player had a pair of Bassman Blackface heads and a couple of custom made cabinets his Dad built.
When I left the midwest for Denver I traded the Kustom heads for a pair of Sunn 200S heads and then traded one of those for a Sunn 1200S head. Kept the cabinets for several years until a traveling show band came over to the house after a gig and HAD to have the blue sparkle cab to match the other one they already had. I also had a Silver rolled guitar amp. A 100 head with reverb and fuzz and a little 2-10" cab. Dont see many silver ones. Or white but they were were out there.