LAB Series or How to Love SS

[MeanMrMustard]

Hello all! I hope you bunch of solder sniffers are faring well in our (nearly) post Covidian world. I miss this place. Just got myself a LAB L5 that came into the shop DOA and offered to buy it after doing some preliminary work to get it to power on. No sound and $200 later I’m working to get it back up to task. All original except the power cord. Didn’t actually need much. Gave quite the heroic effort installing a new Alpha wafer into the old Mid pot assembly on the second channel since the old one likely had contact cleaner applied and was worn clear through the track and another intermittent later followed by some weeks and it finally seems to be perfect. These amps sound killer. I only know because of an L7 (4x10 model) that came in for routine maintenance years ago and I was hooked. Wouldn’t have believed how nice they sound from any description alone and they’re extremely well built. Proof is in the pudding as I can’t stop playing it. The Frequency and Multi Filter controls were initially bothersome but I have come to realize just how exponentially versatile its tonal options are. Needless to say, I’m enjoying it and its spring reverb.

David

[drew]

Interesting story behind those amps, as set out here: https://aionfx.com/project/l5-preamp/

[MeanMrMustard]

Interesting story behind those amps, as set out here: https://aionfx.com/project/l5-preamp/

Great article. I didn’t know they came about that early and were so short lived. The L7 that walked in seemed indicative of a well made amp but this L5 is proof that they were precision engineered. The main issues were caused by a clumsy tech and the rest is typical maintenance of any amp. The final intermittent was a signal lead resting at a rear jack’s ground lug that had expanded enough to cause the pointy end of the shielded lead to protrude the jacket. Found it with the chopstick, moved it and its perfect.

[imjonwain]

If you like those you should check out Pearce amps from the 1980s. They are a bit more 80's looking but the Pearce G1r is really good sounding.

I got in touch with Dan a year or so ago about a personal project related to the G1. He's a really nice guy.

[stelligan]

Had one in the late 70s for a very short time. Shouldn't have sold it but, I was a broke ass musician. Kept me from giving plasma for a few months......

BB King in a box in that era.

[MeanMrMustard]

If you like those you should check out Pearce amps from the 1980s. They are a bit more 80's looking but the Pearce G1r is really good sounding.

I got in touch with Dan a year or so ago about a personal project related to the G1. He's a really nice guy.

I read about those as well. They seem to be the next chapter in the high end SS game after the LAB era. What I love about these; simplicity and big output. I just wanted a big clean amp w/ verb these days when I’m not sporting any black or silver panel amps, and at a much lower cost. Not the same but definitely gives me what I want and I do enjoy the novelty of digging an old SS amp as much as this.

Had one in the late 70s for a very short time. Shouldn't have sold it but, I was a broke ass musician. Kept me from giving plasma for a few months......

BB King in a box in that era.

They haven’t appreciated in value like many other pieces of gear from the same time. Seems like a good time as any of the last 20 years to get back in the market. They ain’t paying anyone’s rent these days lol. For the $200 I’m in it plus a cord and a pot I’m happy.

[beasleybodyshop]

FWIW I built out that L5 preamp project from Aion Electronics.

It does sound really good. It is absolutely KILLER for Pedal Steel. I run mine into a Fryette power station 50 as a complete amp rig and it works great for a fraction of the weight.

I would encourage anyone who has enough amp building skills to give it a go. It's a high parts count project for a pedal, but very rewarding and worth it.

[martin manning]

FWIW I built out that L5 preamp project from Aion Electronics...

I looked at that when this thread got started. Very interesting. I'm hoping Aion will release a full kit.

[beasleybodyshop]

A kit would be the way to go. It was a drag sourcing parts and I ended up not finding a few pot values. I used resistors in parallel with the lugs to get the values close.

[dorrisant]

Someone local gave me an L7 chassis and all of the parts, factory schematics and service manual to put it back together. About 4 months later he had me come pick up the 4x10 cab for it as well... looks like new. I couldn't believe how old it was. I keep pushing it from one place to another in the shop until I find better storage for it. I need to build it back up, and repair the reverb circuit in my Kustom K250... and then rebuild my SWR Redhead. These amps don't get the priority of a tube amp but I can't see letting go of stuff that sounds so good.

At least one of these Lab Series amps is worth something... maybe in the eye of the beer-holder.

B.B. King Personally Owned LAB Series L5 Touring Amp & Touring Road Case https://reverb.com/item/51338835?utm_so ... t=51338835