Sarah we would love to talk to you more about your Dad’s work! You can email me at lucasf89guitars@gmail.com or you can look me up on Facebook. I think it’s possible my Dad might have the biggest collection of these amps of anyone at this point 😂
I gigged one of these (Rock and Roll 50 combo) back in the about 1979 . Bought it new ! Played a lot of shows with this amp ! I know that a few guys bought them after hearing mine . Great sounding amp that always hung with the big amps of the day ! Great memories :)
I own seven of them. I'm in love with them also. These amps have taken me places I never visited in anything else I have ever plugged into in my 60 years of playing rock and roll ! I agree with this man. A demo video doesn't do it justice. I think the oak cabinet helps the speaker torture the tubes and reverb tank when you turn it up. It may sound like it's falling apart but when you feel the transformer it's running cool. I dream about playing these between gigs !
I remember seeing ads from around ‘80 or ‘81 in Guitar Player Magazine. What this amp really reminds me of is Molly Hatchet’s sound in the late 70’s and early 80’s. I always thought the played Peavey but this sounds much closer.
That is a great sound, I love how full and balanced everything sounds. I especially appreciate the lead tone, it’s not overloaded and screechy it just kind of blends in.
Great amp and nice chops. I have a pair of legends. A RnR 50 head and a RnR 50 II combo with a built in SM57 capsule on the baffle. Also 2 1x12” cabs one sealed the other open back. The cabinets originally came with celestion G12 80’s now called the classic lead 80. These amps are much louder than the 50 watts they claim to be. I don’t use mine as much now as I used to but I can’t seem to part with the because of their unique tone.
Back around 1986 I bought a Rock N Roll 50 from a friend just because he had to unload it and wanted only $300 for the head, two 2x12 speakers, and an Ibanez Strat knock-off that isn't too bad. It sounds just like what you hear in this video, and it can rattle the walls like nobody's business. What I especially like about this combo is that it's great for classic rock, blues, punk rock, and even jazz guitar, as Lucas demonstrates. Thanks for the video!
I always loved these amps but ended up getting the mentioned Music Man instead.. Bought it in 79 and it's still rocking my socks off to this very day.. l always used to talk about how cool the legends I heard were.. If I hadn't gotten my Music Man I'm sure I would have gravitated towards these Legend amps... Thanks for sharing this
Picked up my Legend. Now I am looking for a decent attenuator. I liked your other combo amp shootout when you cut to the room mic to show how loud it was in the room. Love the lead channel!
In '82/'83 I Toured with a Rock n Roll 50 1X12 combo with a matching 1X12 cab playing a'56 gibson TV Jr and the prototype set net all mahogany Jackson Dinky that Grover Jackson gave me. My store was the first Legend dealer in Los Angeles..,loved the amps after the tour I traded the amp and cab and $200.00 for a '57 Gibson LP Special
ive had a 'Rock n Roll 100' someone GAVE me twenty years ago....he was trying to use it as an acoustic amp, but it fed back too much..so he asked me if i wanted it....it needed a volume pot. ..and i love it SO much, that when i saw a 50 watter on Craigslist i went and paid the guy $425 for it, but after 3 days it quit.... It has been my experience that techs dont know how to work on them, because of the hybrid design, and the schematics that ARE available, cant be read cos they are VERY grainy so the values are impossible to read.... BUT i think ive finally determined that it is a bad diode in the power supply and im gonna work on it this week. The 100 watt is my 'go to' amp lately, even over my 2204 Marshalls...it IS THE rock and roll sound... I AM one of the guys who asked about it sitting back there.... ;-) I was SO excited when i saw this posted i stopped EVERYTHING.
In the early 80s I lived in Syracuse, and one of my best friends was the brother of Legend founder Richard Newman. I remember going up to his house and seeing all his stuff there.
You make it sounds way better than I can. I sort of love mine. Sometimes it sounds super midrange heavy, nasally. Other days I'll plug on and it will growl fantastically. Mine prefers humbuckers, I'm finding.
So good to hear you speak about this amplifier. Personally I feel amplifiers are not given enough attention. In my opinion, play guitar long enough and you'll realize you have to use the guitar to play the amplifier! As far as durability, PTP hand Wiring can last forever (or darn near forever).
I picked up a 1 x 12 50W combo for 200 bucks. It is in the shop right now getting checked out and cleaned up. It needs about 125 bucks in work. A good deal if ya ask me. NOW I want the 2 x 12 cabinet.
If you come out with a working Legend for $325 then I'd say that's a great deal :) The 2x12's are a little rare, partially because my Dad owns all of them hahahaha
This amp I feel work well for EJ. The first time I ever came across your channel you were demoing various amps in a music store, then it was your Legend demo. It's cool that you still use and enjoy these amps. At the same time I subscribed years later and only discovered that it was you last year.
Yeah, I hear that guttural Gibbons sound in the Overdrive. The Lead 80 is also a fairly dark speaker. It works for the tone, but I might try a speaker with better high-end that isn't shrill. Ever tried a Weber Ceramic Legend 12 55Hz cone or the cloth surround 1230-55? A 100W (Aluminum voice coil version), 50oz magnet, Pre-Rola doped Ceramic 1230-55 would give it better 4kHz+ chime & air without being shrill/spikey in the 2~4kHz range. You might ask them if less doping would complement that guttural midrange sound. I have a hunch it might.
Rock out dude I remember I went to a practice and there was this guy with a Les Paul Custom and a legend head and cabinet and he played the beginning of Saturday night is all right for fighting by Elton John and it was just insane it was so dead on and every time I heard one at the store they kicked ass I always wanted one but they suddenly just disappeared and they were real expensive too.
Thank you Lucas! I HAD the same amp, brand new back in the day! I wish I still had it after watching your demo. I agree with your “woody and darker” tone character. These Wicker Beasts rattled your butt cheeks, without the piercing highs. My 50 had the beer can rings stained on top….That was a great demo!
I'm fortunate enough to own an A60 1x12 Combo, Rock N' Roll 50 1x12 Combo and a Super Lead 50 head and matching 2x12. And my Dad owns every other Legend in existence, I think :P
@@LucasFowler I remember I used to gig with the Lead 50 head and a 4/12 cab. You were able to dial in a fat tone at a fairly high volume. Well designed amps at ridiculously reasonable prices.
My dad bought me an A-30 when I was 17 as my first amp. It's still my main gig amp 25 years later! It's never been over 5 (with the gains up). Never, ever had a time when it couldn't keep up....this is the 30 watt version....lol It sounds good at low volume, really good at high volume and takes pedals well. I just picked up a Super Lead 100 2x12. It's so big and loud I'll probably never use it. Doesn't sound as good as the A-30 either.
Make another video just doing pinch harmonics to sound like ZZ top, because I want to hear if these LEGEND amps can get those zz top pinch harmonics tones
The effect loop doubles as an extra gain stage with its own controls (on the back) if you plug in a jumper wire between the send/return jacks on the back. You should demo how that works too!
My Dad and I do that all the time! The interesting thing with the Rock N Roll is that it doesn't just boost the gain, it adds a kind of "tightening" effect, almost like using a tubescreamer.
@@LucasFowler How awesome is that! You also mentioned about how your head seems to have more gain than some of the others you've tried. What I found with the 112 combo version that I owned is that the preamp tubes install make use a huge difference in respect to the tone and gain of the preamp.
Looks like I'm picking up a superlead 50 tomorrow, gonna run it through a Port City Wave cab with Eminence governor/wizard, will let you know how it sounds!
I bought a super lead 100 combo in 93..... Someone swiped the onboard shure sm58 that was in it. One of the original celestions was torn and repaired. I played with it a bit back in the day.. it is UNGODLY loud ..I kept it but ended up gigging with a Roland JC120(quite the difference). I still have it.. even though it has seen better days.. I paid a guy in Vegas to bring it back to life in 2000 but he did a shit job. I'm gonna find someone who knows his stuff to do it right. The amp is a heavy assed work of art.. a tank.. and it can indeed get down and dirty.... not the best base for a ton of pedals though. I use it now as home decor... it deserves so much more. You play really nice man... tight.
I had a couple of the 50w heads. They were pretty cool amps, but unfortunately both crapped out. I still have the 2/12 and 1/12 oak cabs with the Celestion G12-80's that came in them.
If you’re ever interested in selling either or both of those cabinets, my Dad and I collect them. Please drop me an email at lucasf89guitars@gmail.com if you are so inclined!
I was half expecting you to use your Grand Funk guitar for this demo for quirky 70's effect .. oh wait, when were these amps made? I've never seen one over here, but we did get Kustom stuff with metallic Tuck & Roll ! I love wooden cabinets , looks class. 😎👌
I'm guessing they were too expensive to sell overseas, with Marshall right there as competition. My Dad says they were very pricey amps at the time because of the Oak cabs and high quality components. I'm all about stained wood cabs! I need to get the Messenger down for something soon... :)
even though these were made in the Kustom factory, they are NOTHING like the tuck and roll sparkle Kustoms...there WERE in the early 90's Kustom amps that were very similar, even with finger joint oak cabinets like these, that are GREAT....the tuck and roll Kustoms are good for clean sounds, but not much else
@@LucasFowler You should get your Dad on the show again , it was a cool video last time . Marshall in the UK was like a big fish in a small pond for a long time. Ah yes , Messenger , I forgot the name but I dig it 😎👌
@@edwhite7475 Over here 🇬🇧, those tuck and roll amps (which I love ,just for the aesthetic) turn up in the most unlikely places. Social clubs / Royal British Legion clubs ..I remember seeing a green sparkle PA system bring used to call the Bingo and announce the raffle prizes lol 😂
@@shaunw9270 my FIRST amp, back in 76, was a sparkle Green tuck and roll Kustom 300, with 3x15s in a head and separate cabinet....my Dad drove me to go get it...$150....you had to use a fuzz box, but it was cool ....and over 6 feet tall !!!!...the next amp i got was an EARTH, with tubes, and i think THEY were made in that same factory in NY....the tuck and roll WAS cool, and pretty durable, and came in lots of wild colors and they were cheap.
Hey Lucas great passion in the vid! I’ve owned one about 35 years and just have redone some electronics and now putting it all back together;) Do you happen to know where I could get some parts for my RnR 50 head? Needing -handle-hardware-screws -chassis screws
Lucas, do you know a reliable tech to work on Legend Amps. I have an A 30 that has gotten a bit crackley and I'd like to get it fixed. (I've tried pot cleaner. I think we're a bit past that.) Thanks.
Question: The Presence pot. Does it do a whole lot? I tested the pot with a multimeter and it works fine, but it doesn't seem to do a whole lot, if anything. Amp sounds good, but I'm just having that issue. Thanks.
Not really any sag in the preamp, no. The power amp can still sag a tad at _extreme_ volumes but that would be so loud you would be kicked out of the club. I would say they sit somewhere between a 70's Marshall and a Dumble Ovedrive Special in terms of tone. Very thick and lots of bass on tap.
Leo Fender told the head of Legend at a NAMM show in the early 80's that Music Man was "doing it backwards" and that Legend "had it right". At least, that's what I understand.
This is just based off the research I've done, here's an article where Terry Manning talks about it: www.woodytone.com/2010/09/30/engineer-billy-gibbons-eliminator-gear/
Nicely done. Thanks for helping to keep the "Legend" alive. I've owned my R&R 50w 212 combo for a while. Bulletproof and prefer the 65w celestion greenbacks. Gotta go wake the neighbors now 😎 Rock on
I have a pretty specific question for you, I have a super lead 50 I just picked up, but it didn't come with a foot switch. What did the switch actually control?
Is there a way to get an owners manual for my "Super Lead 50w"? Is the super lead the same as the Rock n Roll 50 except for the added controls on the super lead?
I picked up R n R 50 212 that has the original speakers. The wires where taken off speakers so I had it wired up 16 ohms to be safe. Should they be wired 4 ohm?
You can run as low as a 4 ohm load with Legend heads, but 16 ohms is perfectly safe and the amps are so loud you need not worry about any volume difference. 16 ohms might work better in the long run if you choose to add another cabinet.
Tone is subjective of course, but I do think the Legends really need to be turned up pretty loud to sound "right". In some cases maybe louder than sound guys like us to play these days.
That is the one thing that is very common with these amps. There are people who can punch little metal inserts out for you, but you'll have to buy them in bulk. Still, probably $20 of an investment.
@@LucasFowler thanks for your reply and the suggestion! $20 is better than finding non-existent replacement knobs. 😂 Any leads on someone who does this? I have no clue where to look.. :/
They are similar. The Super Lead is essentially the same circuit as a Rock N' Roll, but with the addition of a footswitchable reverb and an adjustable "bass boost" control that would add a lot of bottom to help make smaller cabinets sound bigger.
@@LucasFowler Hmm I'm trying to find a good specimen for decent $ but reverb and ebay don't have too many right now. Some guy is selling a super lead 100. Would you say the 50 is better? Or does it not matter with the master volume?
@@levijessegonzalez3629 Yeah in this case since the power section is solid state, volume is *relatively* unimportant to tone. Obviously you want to turn amps up to get speakers working, but you won't get the same effect you get with power tubes. So 100 or 50 would be the same tone essentially, the 100 is just capable of more volume.
People post them on ebay and reverb sometimes for ridiculous prices but they never sell for more than $600 or so. Dad and I continue to pick them up for $300-$400 every year. Patience is the key.
@@LucasFowler the shipping will kill you with that weight! I had one in the 90's but got rid of it. Not great at low volumes as I recall, although most amps aren't. I bought it because a guy in a heavy indie rock band I liked had one. I wish I had it again. Curious if it's closer to a Marshall than a Fender when it comes to Sag factor (rectifier tube.)
"A lot of legends" Use them" Besides The Rev Willie G, NAME THEM ! & ANY ZZ Fan ( That plays Guitar ) Will admit that's the worst sounding ZZ Sound. Period. There's an Incredibly good reason no one playes them. ( Hint) It's the power tubes where the MAGIC HAPPENS. &, Most any amp sounds OK & Low Volume.
Eh, everyone likes their own thing. It's the style of amp I associate with my Dad and so it's something I really dig. I also like the way Oak cabinets sound in the room. They are definitely heavy though.
What's the reason? You spout but nothing dribbles out. Looks great. Sounds great. Maybe it is really resonant? You probably like black tolex on plywood... Classy!
I suppose that's subjective, but I don't think the bass frequencies are where this amp excels. It would probably be good if blended with another amp that had more clear bass response.
Legend- my dad started this company
Sarah we would love to talk to you more about your Dad’s work! You can email me at lucasf89guitars@gmail.com or you can look me up on Facebook. I think it’s possible my Dad might have the biggest collection of these amps of anyone at this point 😂
I might have met your dad at the Frankfurt Messe, I was working for Kustom in the U.K. … gréât amp
I wish they were still making these amps. I sold mine several years ago and regret it.
Sarah that’s amazing/))
LOVE LOVE LOVE these amps!! I’ve had my rock n roll 50 head since about ‘88
@@LucasFowler
Dis you ever hear back from Sarah ?
The overdrive is where it's at. Nice sound and playing.
I gigged one of these (Rock and Roll 50 combo) back in the about 1979 . Bought it new ! Played a lot of shows with this amp ! I know that a few guys bought them after hearing mine . Great sounding amp that always hung with the big amps of the day ! Great memories :)
I own seven of them. I'm in love with them also. These amps have taken me places I never visited in anything else I have ever plugged into in my 60 years of playing rock and roll ! I agree with this man. A demo video doesn't do it justice. I think the oak cabinet helps the speaker torture the tubes and reverb tank when you turn it up. It may sound like it's falling apart but when you feel the transformer it's running cool. I dream about playing these between gigs !
I have a Legend Rock N Roll 50 amp. This thing is a beast. 2 speakers Celestion G12k-85s. I may be selling it.
@@trialsbikeguy I just found one but I’m curious what you would sell yours for.
I remember seeing ads from around ‘80 or ‘81 in Guitar Player Magazine. What this amp really reminds me of is Molly Hatchet’s sound in the late 70’s and early 80’s. I always thought the played Peavey but this sounds much closer.
Thanks for posting this. The band, Shooting Star, had an endorsement deal with Legend and they sure sounded great loud and live.
My first amp purchased in 87, wish I still had it !👍
That is a great sound, I love how full and balanced everything sounds. I especially appreciate the lead tone, it’s not overloaded and screechy it just kind of blends in.
Really like your playing. The feel is beyond your years. Make me want to practice that much more. Really enjoying the channel.
Great amp and nice chops. I have a pair of legends. A RnR 50 head and a RnR 50 II combo with a built in SM57 capsule on the baffle. Also 2 1x12” cabs one sealed the other open back. The cabinets originally came with celestion G12 80’s now called the classic lead 80.
These amps are much louder than the 50 watts they claim to be. I don’t use mine as much now as I used to but I can’t seem to part with the because of their unique tone.
Back around 1986 I bought a Rock N Roll 50 from a friend just because he had to unload it and wanted only $300 for the head, two 2x12 speakers, and an Ibanez Strat knock-off that isn't too bad. It sounds just like what you hear in this video, and it can rattle the walls like nobody's business. What I especially like about this combo is that it's great for classic rock, blues, punk rock, and even jazz guitar, as Lucas demonstrates. Thanks for the video!
I always loved these amps but ended up getting the mentioned Music Man instead.. Bought it in 79 and it's still rocking my socks off to this very day.. l always used to talk about how cool the legends I heard were.. If I hadn't gotten my Music Man I'm sure I would have gravitated towards these Legend amps... Thanks for sharing this
Wow that amp sounds amazing
Buying one of these tomorrow! Well done!
Picked up my Legend. Now I am looking for a decent attenuator. I liked your other combo amp shootout when you cut to the room mic to show how loud it was in the room. Love the lead channel!
I have 2 and LOVE them!!
In '82/'83 I Toured with a Rock n Roll 50
1X12 combo with a matching
1X12 cab playing a'56 gibson TV Jr and the prototype set net all mahogany Jackson Dinky that Grover Jackson gave me.
My store was the first Legend dealer in Los Angeles..,loved the amps after the tour I traded the amp and cab and $200.00 for a '57 Gibson LP Special
A true gem if you can get your hands one. Love them.
Sounds great
Interesting to see the huge smiles as you knew what you were about to hear!!
ive had a 'Rock n Roll 100' someone GAVE me twenty years ago....he was trying to use it as an acoustic amp, but it fed back too much..so he asked me if i wanted it....it needed a volume pot.
..and i love it SO much, that when i saw a 50 watter on Craigslist i went and paid the guy $425 for it, but after 3 days it quit....
It has been my experience that techs dont know how to work on them, because of the hybrid design, and the schematics that ARE available, cant be read cos they are VERY grainy so the values are impossible to read....
BUT i think ive finally determined that it is a bad diode in the power supply and im gonna work on it this week.
The 100 watt is my 'go to' amp lately, even over my 2204 Marshalls...it IS THE rock and roll sound...
I AM one of the guys who asked about it sitting back there.... ;-)
I was SO excited when i saw this posted i stopped EVERYTHING.
There are always those of us who "know" about these and we get all excited when we see one somewhere :)
@@LucasFowler oh and the original speakers in both mine were 80 and 100 watt Celestions, my personal favorite loudspeaker for guitar...lots of bass
Definitely ZZ Top tone!
I had an A 60 in the early 80's wish I would have kept it but at the time I was on a quest for a Marshall. It was a beautiful well made amp. Solid
In the early 80s I lived in Syracuse, and one of my best friends was the brother of Legend founder Richard Newman. I remember going up to his house and seeing all his stuff there.
You make it sounds way better than I can.
I sort of love mine. Sometimes it sounds super midrange heavy, nasally. Other days I'll plug on and it will growl fantastically. Mine prefers humbuckers, I'm finding.
So good to hear you speak about this amplifier.
Personally I feel amplifiers are not given enough attention.
In my opinion, play guitar long enough and you'll realize you have to use the guitar to play the amplifier!
As far as durability, PTP hand Wiring can last forever (or darn near forever).
I picked up a 1 x 12 50W combo for 200 bucks. It is in the shop right now getting checked out and cleaned up. It needs about 125 bucks in work. A good deal if ya ask me. NOW I want the 2 x 12 cabinet.
If you come out with a working Legend for $325 then I'd say that's a great deal :)
The 2x12's are a little rare, partially because my Dad owns all of them hahahaha
Had the Rock N' Roll 50 Combo in 1981 never had a problem keeping up with the Marshall half stack our lead guitar player had these things can crank.
This amp I feel work well for EJ. The first time I ever came across your channel you were demoing various amps in a music store, then it was your Legend demo. It's cool that you still use and enjoy these amps. At the same time I subscribed years later and only discovered that it was you last year.
Man those bring back memories! I miss the one I had....that I ironically bought from my dad, and then later traded it back to him lol
Yeah, I hear that guttural Gibbons sound in the Overdrive. The Lead 80 is also a fairly dark speaker. It works for the tone, but I might try a speaker with better high-end that isn't shrill. Ever tried a Weber Ceramic Legend 12 55Hz cone or the cloth surround 1230-55? A 100W (Aluminum voice coil version), 50oz magnet, Pre-Rola doped Ceramic 1230-55 would give it better 4kHz+ chime & air without being shrill/spikey in the 2~4kHz range. You might ask them if less doping would complement that guttural midrange sound. I have a hunch it might.
Thanks for the legend amp review. I had a 50 watt combo
Rock out dude I remember I went to a practice and there was this guy with a Les Paul Custom and a legend head and cabinet and he played the beginning of Saturday night is all right for fighting by Elton John and it was just insane it was so dead on and every time I heard one at the store they kicked ass I always wanted one but they suddenly just disappeared and they were real expensive too.
What a nice sounding amp..
My Dad also had one of these back in the day. Im on the hunt for a super lead combo!! Great video!
You ever find a combo? I picked up a Super Lead 100 2x12 combo. It's so big and loud I don't think I'll ever really use it...lol
@@stringslider Yes, would you be able to contact me directly?
Thank you Lucas! I HAD the same amp, brand new back in the day! I wish I still had it after watching your demo. I agree with your “woody and darker” tone character. These Wicker Beasts rattled your butt cheeks, without the piercing highs. My 50 had the beer can rings stained on top….That was a great demo!
I'm fortunate enough to own an A60 1x12 Combo, Rock N' Roll 50 1x12 Combo and a Super Lead 50 head and matching 2x12.
And my Dad owns every other Legend in existence, I think :P
@@LucasFowler I remember I used to gig with the Lead 50 head and a 4/12 cab. You were able to dial in a fat tone at a fairly high volume. Well designed amps at ridiculously reasonable prices.
My dad bought me an A-30 when I was 17 as my first amp. It's still my main gig amp 25 years later! It's never been over 5 (with the gains up). Never, ever had a time when it couldn't keep up....this is the 30 watt version....lol It sounds good at low volume, really good at high volume and takes pedals well. I just picked up a Super Lead 100 2x12. It's so big and loud I'll probably never use it. Doesn't sound as good as the A-30 either.
Make another video just doing pinch harmonics to sound like ZZ top, because I want to hear if these LEGEND amps can get those zz top pinch harmonics tones
Nice history
The effect loop doubles as an extra gain stage with its own controls (on the back) if you plug in a jumper wire between the send/return jacks on the back. You should demo how that works too!
My Dad and I do that all the time!
The interesting thing with the Rock N Roll is that it doesn't just boost the gain, it adds a kind of "tightening" effect, almost like using a tubescreamer.
@@LucasFowler How awesome is that! You also mentioned about how your head seems to have more gain than some of the others you've tried. What I found with the 112 combo version that I owned is that the preamp tubes install make use a huge difference in respect to the tone and gain of the preamp.
I had an aluminum neck Kramer guitar and that exact head and a 4 x12 filled with green back celestions
Looks like I'm picking up a superlead 50 tomorrow, gonna run it through a Port City Wave cab with Eminence governor/wizard, will let you know how it sounds!
I remember yeaaars ago watching a video you did on one of these. Put the on my radar. Totally slipped my mind
I bought a super lead 100 combo in 93..... Someone swiped the onboard shure sm58 that was in it.
One of the original celestions was torn and repaired. I played with it a bit back in the day.. it is UNGODLY loud ..I kept it but ended up gigging with a Roland JC120(quite the difference).
I still have it.. even though it has seen better days.. I paid a guy in Vegas to bring it back to life in 2000 but he did a shit job.
I'm gonna find someone who knows his stuff to do it right. The amp is a heavy assed work of art.. a tank.. and it can indeed get down and dirty.... not the best base for a ton of pedals though. I use it now as home decor... it deserves so much more. You play really nice man... tight.
I had a couple of the 50w heads. They were pretty cool amps, but unfortunately both crapped out. I still have the 2/12 and 1/12 oak cabs with the Celestion G12-80's that came in them.
If you’re ever interested in selling either or both of those cabinets, my Dad and I collect them. Please drop me an email at lucasf89guitars@gmail.com if you are so inclined!
I ad one of those in the combo from 1986 to 90, but sold it as it was so heavy. Very loud, but a little too brittle.
I had a Legend head back in the late 80s I bought it used wish I kept it it had a tube preamp was the best head I've ever owned
Pervey looks at the camera while playing
I was half expecting you to use your Grand Funk guitar for this demo for quirky 70's effect .. oh wait, when were these amps made? I've never seen one over here, but we did get Kustom stuff with metallic Tuck & Roll ! I love wooden cabinets , looks class. 😎👌
I'm guessing they were too expensive to sell overseas, with Marshall right there as competition. My Dad says they were very pricey amps at the time because of the Oak cabs and high quality components.
I'm all about stained wood cabs!
I need to get the Messenger down for something soon... :)
even though these were made in the Kustom factory, they are NOTHING like the tuck and roll sparkle Kustoms...there WERE in the early 90's Kustom amps that were very similar, even with finger joint oak cabinets like these, that are GREAT....the tuck and roll Kustoms are good for clean sounds, but not much else
@@LucasFowler You should get your Dad on the show again , it was a cool video last time . Marshall in the UK was like a big fish in a small pond for a long time. Ah yes , Messenger , I forgot the name but I dig it 😎👌
@@edwhite7475 Over here 🇬🇧, those tuck and roll amps (which I love ,just for the aesthetic) turn up in the most unlikely places. Social clubs / Royal British Legion clubs ..I remember seeing a green sparkle PA system bring used to call the Bingo and announce the raffle prizes lol 😂
@@shaunw9270 my FIRST amp, back in 76, was a sparkle Green tuck and roll Kustom 300, with 3x15s in a head and separate cabinet....my Dad drove me to go get it...$150....you had to use a fuzz box, but it was cool ....and over 6 feet tall !!!!...the next amp i got was an EARTH, with tubes, and i think THEY were made in that same factory in NY....the tuck and roll WAS cool, and pretty durable, and came in lots of wild colors
and they were cheap.
Rev. Billy G. Still likes the tube pre-transistor power amp combination, except now it's Marshall stuff.
I have come to rely on the solid state back end of these amps for headroom and tight bottom :)
My A-30's need refurbishing and I also have a A-60 with the original half stack speaker cabinet.
I'm on a quest to snag a Legend 4x12 sooner or later. Dad got one and now I want one for my studio too :P
Saw this in your solid state amp demo. I have a couple of A30s, haven’t been able to find a RR 50.
I found one
Hey Lucas great passion in the vid!
I’ve owned one about 35 years and just have redone some electronics and now putting it all back together;)
Do you happen to know where I could get some parts for my RnR 50 head?
Needing
-handle-hardware-screws
-chassis screws
just like the musicman hd series, tube preamp solid state power amp
I had one in early 80s
Great Video, Lucas. Speaking of Tres, isn’t it about time to have him join you for another video?
I thought it was a marshal lead 12 he used right......
cool
Lucas, do you know a reliable tech to work on Legend Amps. I have an A 30 that has gotten a bit crackley and I'd like to get it fixed. (I've tried pot cleaner. I think we're a bit past that.) Thanks.
Question:
The Presence pot.
Does it do a whole lot? I tested the pot with a multimeter and it works fine, but it doesn't seem to do a whole lot, if anything. Amp sounds good, but I'm just having that issue. Thanks.
I have one of these. How do you dial it in for a telecaster with single coils?
How does the 60a gain compare to the rock & roll featured here? Thanks for being from North Carolina
I'm looking at a Model A 60 watt and it looks pretty cool? not sure what the difference between these two are?
Anyone work on these? I have a super lead combo that doesn't sound right anymore.... love the sound and want it back.
Lead Channel, AKA Lead/Grin Channel. Very classic tone. That PRS, is it the Dolce & Gabana model? 👀
The one and only Dolce & Gabana Signature model :P
To me personally it almost has that kind of “dumble” sound especially that lead channel he played. Very even, harmonically rich, and very responsive
So there's no sag in the preamp, solid state? Marshall-esque?
Not really any sag in the preamp, no. The power amp can still sag a tad at _extreme_ volumes but that would be so loud you would be kicked out of the club. I would say they sit somewhere between a 70's Marshall and a Dumble Ovedrive Special in terms of tone. Very thick and lots of bass on tap.
It sounds very Blackface-like, even the "lead" channel sounded very much like a Super Reverb or a Concert.
These seem like they make more sense than Music Man architecture.
Leo Fender told the head of Legend at a NAMM show in the early 80's that Music Man was "doing it backwards" and that Legend "had it right". At least, that's what I understand.
I thought BG used a Marshall Lead 12s on some of Eliminator
This is just based off the research I've done, here's an article where Terry Manning talks about it:
www.woodytone.com/2010/09/30/engineer-billy-gibbons-eliminator-gear/
Nicely done. Thanks for helping to keep the "Legend" alive. I've owned my R&R 50w 212 combo for a while. Bulletproof and prefer the 65w celestion greenbacks.
Gotta go wake the neighbors now
😎 Rock on
I have a pretty specific question for you, I have a super lead 50 I just picked up, but it didn't come with a foot switch. What did the switch actually control?
Is there a way to get an owners manual for my "Super Lead 50w"? Is the super lead the same as the Rock n Roll 50 except for the added controls on the super lead?
I picked up R n R 50 212 that has the original speakers. The wires where taken off speakers so I had it wired up 16 ohms to be safe. Should they be wired 4 ohm?
You can run as low as a 4 ohm load with Legend heads, but 16 ohms is perfectly safe and the amps are so loud you need not worry about any volume difference. 16 ohms might work better in the long run if you choose to add another cabinet.
@LucasFowler thanks a whole lot, just did a session with it, I really appreciate your response and knowledge of these awesome amps.
I gigged through one but thought it was cold sounding. But if it works for you......
Tone is subjective of course, but I do think the Legends really need to be turned up pretty loud to sound "right". In some cases maybe louder than sound guys like us to play these days.
Now.. Where does one get replacement knobs for these amps? All my gold caps fell off!
That is the one thing that is very common with these amps. There are people who can punch little metal inserts out for you, but you'll have to buy them in bulk. Still, probably $20 of an investment.
@@LucasFowler thanks for your reply and the suggestion!
$20 is better than finding non-existent replacement knobs. 😂
Any leads on someone who does this? I have no clue where to look.. :/
So all the legends were hybrid amps?
So far as I am aware, all Legends were tube preamp and transistor/solid state power amp, so hybrids, yes.
What model PRS is that?
It's a David Grissom Signature, the DGT :)
Are the rock N rolls the same as the Super Leads?
They are similar. The Super Lead is essentially the same circuit as a Rock N' Roll, but with the addition of a footswitchable reverb and an adjustable "bass boost" control that would add a lot of bottom to help make smaller cabinets sound bigger.
@@LucasFowler Hmm I'm trying to find a good specimen for decent $ but reverb and ebay don't have too many right now.
Some guy is selling a super lead 100. Would you say the 50 is better? Or does it not matter with the master volume?
@@levijessegonzalez3629 Yeah in this case since the power section is solid state, volume is *relatively* unimportant to tone. Obviously you want to turn amps up to get speakers working, but you won't get the same effect you get with power tubes. So 100 or 50 would be the same tone essentially, the 100 is just capable of more volume.
@@LucasFowler thanks so much for the info. I stumbled across these amps today and then found your video. I want one!
Real video runs from 4:20 to 8:00 Save yourself from random babbling with no focus.
Save yourself even more time by not watching!
300$, not any more.
People post them on ebay and reverb sometimes for ridiculous prices but they never sell for more than $600 or so. Dad and I continue to pick them up for $300-$400 every year. Patience is the key.
@@LucasFowler the shipping will kill you with that weight! I had one in the 90's but got rid of it. Not great at low volumes as I recall, although most amps aren't. I bought it because a guy in a heavy indie rock band I liked had one. I wish I had it again. Curious if it's closer to a Marshall than a Fender when it comes to Sag factor (rectifier tube.)
"A lot of legends" Use them" Besides The Rev Willie G, NAME THEM ! & ANY ZZ Fan ( That plays Guitar ) Will admit that's the worst sounding ZZ Sound. Period. There's an Incredibly good reason no one playes them. ( Hint) It's the power tubes where the MAGIC HAPPENS. &, Most any amp sounds OK & Low Volume.
Cool 👍
Oak?? Gross. There's a reason that NO amp or cab maker use oak anymore....
Eh, everyone likes their own thing. It's the style of amp I associate with my Dad and so it's something I really dig. I also like the way Oak cabinets sound in the room. They are definitely heavy though.
What kind of dummy says that oak is gross?
What's the reason? You spout but nothing dribbles out.
Looks great. Sounds great. Maybe it is really resonant?
You probably like black tolex on plywood... Classy!
These sound good for bass guitar at all?
I suppose that's subjective, but I don't think the bass frequencies are where this amp excels. It would probably be good if blended with another amp that had more clear bass response.