WEST FILLMORE AMPLIFIER. WEBER MASS 200 ATTENUATOR. EPIPHONE SG-400 HighOrder pickup

[8goong]

Hi there, that amp sounds really good! i was just wondering, was that drive from the amp or were you using a pedal? I just wanted to know what the clean tone was like on these crazy things! THanks!

[kevlar3000]

@8goong It is just the amp. While it does break up early, without an attenuator, you would likely get clean tones only, simply because it is sooo loud!

[kombik98]

Sloppy playing, eh? Wish I was sloppy like that. Great amp. Is that just the sound of the amp or were you driving it with something?

[SKYVOLTAGE]

Built by Dave West.

westlabs.com/

[BobCronley]

Way far cool sounding amps. I remember seeing Grand Funk, with Bloodrock opening. The Wests towered over the Marshall stacks. If you look up Dave West and get to his site, he has been threatening to reissue these amps for a few years. If I win the lotto, I'm going to have to put some money behind that.

[jks2]

200 watts holy f*ck! my old 50 watts davoli is already loud as hell. this monster has 4X as much!

[drewz120]

How do you like the weber mass 200? I am trying to decide between that or hotplate or Dr Z airbrake

[mikec717]

Man, that amp sounds nice with the SG - thick and gnarly but still clear - not just a mass of distortion - you can really hear the notes well. If I didn't have SAT issues, I'd be out looking for one - thanks for posting - I love hearing about "under the radar" pieces of equipment.

[kevlar3000]

Much appreciated Mike!

[classicrock1958]

@kevlar3000

kev how are you?

im still selling my west labs grande,eastwood messenger,farner collectibles keep your ears open

thanks bro

[sixintune]

Nice! I had a West Grande in the early eighties ... i sold it or traded it can't really remember. What a dumb-ass I was, but I was a kid.

[kevlar3000]

Not many of those left! Likely a trade for a Peavey Butcher...lol That is what I would've done in my not so "smart" years..... You might want to talk to Wolfgang below!

Thanks much!

[kevlar3000]

Selling? Wow! That's a bold move. Someone will LOVE that monster!

[fredN71]

I see you have some nice amps here. However, why use a Korean made Epiphone. Get a Gibson SG, Les Paul, Strat, Tele or a custom/boutique guitar.

In other words, GET A REAL, MADE IN THE USA GUITAR. Those amps need to be paired up with the guitars i've mentioned. Iommi used a SG with his Laney and Clapton used a Paul with his Marshalls.

[kevlar3000]

Where it's from has nothing to do with how it feels or plays. I got tired of being over charged for guitars with poor fretwork, neck issues and QC that is simply not superior to the guitars I own. It comes down to the neck for me. I put some splendid pickups in it and away I went. Price does not = quality, I find the most variance in US gibbys and Fenders, lotta bad necks out there...

[BobCronley]

@kevlar3000 I know about those bad necks. I have a Fender Strat that badly needs a new neck, and I am switching to my Yamaha copy until I can afford a new neck. As far as Epiphones go, I notice that about half of them I have played are great guitars (I currently own two), and the other half refused to stay in tune (used to own one of those).

[kevlar3000]

I love that freakin Monster! Just played it the other day through an ACOUSTIC dual 15 cab. Simply HUGE!

[kevlar3000]

That is about as cool as collections get! The Fillmore is just absurd in it's power, crazy fun!

Congrats!

[justinwiggy]

bad ass tone...sweet!

[kevlar3000]

Thanks man!

[3score10]

Me too, I rolled all the knobs and wow POWER!!! I have a 1968 fillmore it was owned by the guys in grand funk. Mel to be correct (bass player) The only way I knew that was from Dave West himself. We are both from Flint, MI. He give me all the history through mutual friend who sold it to me. It was love at first strum. I have been using the volume knob more then ever, (lost art form).

Great to see others have that amp, and yours sounds killer. You sound awesome-Keep on rockin.

[Sweeper5]

So you have Mel's old West amp, eh. That's the coolest thing. I was a huge Grand Funk fan back in the day. I remember seeing West amps in photos of their live performances. That's why i did a youtube search for West amps...and the first one I see has a post of YOU owning Mel Schacher's West amp. Pretty freaking cool man. Made my day to read that!

[3score10]

Awesome! Iam glad it made your day. I was really stoked when I bought it. I had no clue. I bought from (Andy Bogner) Bogner Sound and Music in flint, Mi the owner. Not to be confused with Bogner Amps. He is good friends with Dave West, and the last time he came in the both took a photo with the Amp and emailed to me. Dave gave us the full history, that he built that amp for the band, and not for public sale. Great Guy!

[Sweeper5]

It's like sooo cool. I remember Mark, Don, and Mel when they were on top of the world. Farner was the coolest guy in the world...with that green acoustic guitar all making-taped up, hair down to his azz. White coil-wire guitar cords...and those huge West amps. And you own one...you lucky devil. I'd love to hear it...do you think you'll post a vid of it?

[kevlar3000]

I too would love to hear it! That is what I love about these old amps, they stories attached to them!

[3score10]

Kev,

Are you using a gain pedal, just curious.

Saul

[kevlar3000]

No, I am just using the amp,

[benjefferies]

Hey dude, i just got one of these, super stoked! but mine doesn't get any louder when I turn it up past 3? Think it's a tube or the trans? Oh what is the rating for speakers, 8ohm?

Thanks bro, nice vid

[kevlar3000]

Great score! A true monster, yet extremely musical... As just a speculation, I would have the filter caps checked, as well as tubes, and clean all inputs and tube sockets. If the caps are original, they running about 30 yrs past their prime...

[benjefferies]

Mine had the case refurbished at some point, and they made the mistake of covering up what the labeling for all the jacks/switches on the back. I was told that the switches adjust your output rating, like top position is 16ohm, middle is 8ohm etc. Is that correct?

What kind of sounds ranges can you get from it? (mines not operating prop so I can't really tell)

Do you know of any good links on these amps? I can't find any info on them.

[Rhyneer]

Someone just gave me a mini II combo w/o speakers, it's pretty sweet!

[Keyboardman88]

Did you get the speaker bottom that originally came with the head?  I believe that Dave West loaded them with JBL D-120F 12" speakers.

[kevlar3000]

No I did not, sadly about two yrs ago a WEST cab in great shape was at a local store, for 199.00. Kickin myself for not picking it up~

[Keyboardman88]

Kev,

Back in the 60's I had a choice between two amps as a gift. I believe one was the West Avalon, which was 60 W with 2 JBL D-130F speakers, or a Sunn Sentura II Which was 60 W with 2 JBL D-130F speakers. I chose the Sentura because it had built in Reverb and was cleaner. Later in the 70's I remember seeing Dick Wagner & the Frost ( a Michigan group ) using those West amps. Excellent sound.

Rob

[crawlbat89]

Does the west fillmore have a master volume?My hiwatt custom 200 has a master volume.I thought about getting a weber attenuator.For one of my other amps that doesn't have a master volume

[kevlar3000]

No it does not, so the attenuator was all the more essiential. I even use it with the couple of amps I own with a MV as I like the sound better with the master cranked and the pre rolled back a bit.

[BobCronley]

@kevlar3000 Sadly, lack of a master volume control is what stopped me from getting one of these, back in the day. There was a guy in East Lansing (Demon was his handle) that built amps in his basement. His amp had an edge control, similar to the master volume, and I ended up getting one of his Roc 100 amps. Used it for 20 years, until it got stolen.

[marcelcruzeiro]

Sound sweet. I have heard that atenuators tendo to make you feel like there's a blanket in front of the speakers... is that true?

[kevlar3000]

At lowest settings they can, but the stuff available today is a VAST improvement over the earlier generations. I record with the Weber Mass on all my studio stuff and am extremely happy with the tone. It is a great tool. W/o it, I would never be able to use the WEST as it is so loud. To crank it is something that would have never happened w/o the MASS.

[kevlar3000]

Very cool!! To find someone with one, let alone two!! Which do you have? I am greatful for the Weber Mass, otherwise it would be a felony to use that sucker!

[kevlar3000]

Thank you! Very kind words.... I think those old amps do most of the work on their own.....