Amps
SELMER AMPLIFIERS 1970 ONWARDS - THE "SV" SERIES
Selmer Treble n' Base
100 Head, courtesy of Bill Donnelly, London, UK.
For the 1970 London Music Trade Fair, Selmer rationalised their amplifier range into the
"SV" Series. As explained by John Weir in his Account of Production Management at
Selmers, elsewhere on this website, the decision was made to adopt a common cabinet size and facia layout in order to make production easier and
cheaper. Part of the concept was to ensure that the drilling for control knobs, switches, pilot lights, and input sockets should be as uniform as possible on the amplifier
fascias of the various models. The front of amplifier heads and even the combos of that time are therefore dominated by highly regimented, brushed aluminium
fascias.
Emphasis now appears very much to be on amplifier head units, with the range of combination amps now much diminished. It would appear that Selmer's excursion into transistor amp production during the later years of the 1960's had not gone down well with dealers and the buying public, and hence solid state amps have
disappeared from the early 1970's catalogues.
By the way, "SV" stands for Selmer Valve, according to John Weir.
COMBOS
- THE COMPACT 30 SV
A very simple, 30 watt valve combo amp which was produced during the aluminium fronted period. Basic volume and tone controls were fitted. Two slightly different versions have been identified - a small cabinet version with top carrying strap and a single 12" Goodmans speaker, and a larger combo with twin 12" speakers and side handles fitted. The output was achieved using 2-EL506, 1-ECC83, and
1-ECC82, plus 5 silicon diodes. (The EL506 is an obscure valve, difficult to
find nowadays. Its modern equivalent is a Model 7868 nine pin power pentode.)
This model seems to have replaced the All-Purpose 30 in 1971. Price for the
twin-speaker model was £85.
- THE COMPACT 50R SV REVERB
A combo produced by simply fitting a Treble n Bass 50 Reverb aluminium fronted amplifier into the top of a cabinet similar to the large Compact 30SV. Twin 12" speakers were fitted to handle the 50 watt output.
This combo seems to have superseded the Treble 'n Bass 50 Reverb Combo which
was introduced during the Black/Silver Period.
- THE ALL-PURPOSE TWIN 30
The final version of the Twin Lead/Bass and All-Purpose budget combos, with the amp now mounted integrally into the front of the speaker cabinet. Equipped with twin Goodmans speakers. two inputs, single volume and tone controls, plus bass and treble switches. Valve compliment - 1 x ECC83, 1 x GZ34, 2 x
EL506 (See Compact 30 SV above), 1 x OC 71 transistor.
This model appears in the 1970 catalogue at a price of £89-10-0, but it was
replaced by the Compact 30 in 1971. Hence it is a rare amp nowadays.
AMPLIFIER HEADS
- THE TREBLE 'N
BASS 50 SV
This was, I think, the final version of the T'n'B and probably the least eye-catching with it's plain black cabinet and aluminium front, although the circuitry was identical to earlier models. Control panel configuration changed entirely but still 2 inputs per channel, each having volume, treble and bass controls. A presence control now also featured.
Both this and the TnB 100 remainded in production until at least the
mid-1970's.
Cabinet size 21" x 11.1/4" x 9.1/4", valve complement EL34 (2), ECC83 (4) and 2 silicon rectifiers. Price £74.0s.0d.
- THE TREBLE 'N BASE 50 SV
REVERB
Similar to the 50 SV above, but featuring a
foot-switchable reverb on the normal channel. and hence one extra control knob. Usual SV cabinet size of 21" x 9.1/4" x 11/1/4". Valve compliment of 2 x EL34, 5 x ECC83, 1 x 6BR8, plus two silicon rectifiers.
Price in 1970/71 was £88.
- THE TREBLE 'N BASS 100 SV
The last and loudest of the T'n'B's at a formidable 100 watts undistorted output, and some very distorted output on top of that!
Two versions appeared during the SV Period - the first did not have a
presence control and the input sockets etc were fitted on the top side of
the control panel. The later version did have a presence control fitted, and
the input sockets were at the bottom of the control panel (in line with the
other standard SV amps.)
The valve compliment comprised of 4 x EL34, and 4 x ECC83, plus
two silicon rectifiers in the first SV version, and three in the second. Back-panel sockets were fitted for external effects.
- THE ZODIAC 50 SV
The Zodiac was really now a deluxe version of the T'n B 50, having lost its push-button tone controls. However, tremolo was provided on one channel of the new amp, with reverb on the other channel. Cabinet dimensions and appearance was the same as the rest of the SV range.
Valve - 2 x EL34, 6 x ECC83, plus two silicon rectifiers.
THE ZODIAC 100 SV
Same as the new Zodiac 50 head, but with 100 watts of power being supplied through 4 x EL34, 6 x ECC83. Three silicon diode rectifiers were fitted.
- THE CHIEFTAIN 200 WATT AMPLIFIER & SPEAKER STACK
We have discovered this monster in the 1972 catalogue. The amp head had four channels, each with two inputs and volume, treble, and bass rotary controls. However, two of the channels were also
equipped with the push button "Selectortone". Two stacked speaker cabinets were supplied for use with the head - one 100 watt Horn Enclosure (horn unit plus 2 x 12" speakers), and one 100watt Bass Cabinet (4 x 12" speakers). That must have been a seriously loud amp!
PA AMPLIFIER UNITS
- THE PA 100/4 SV
Four
separate channels, each with a single input socket, a volume control and
separate treble and bass controls. A master volume control was also fitted, acting over all four channels. Also on the front panel were send/return sockets for external echo or reverb units, there being no reverb being internally fitted to this amp. The 21" x 9.1/4" x 12.3/4" standard SV cabinet was
utilised.
Valves were 4 x EL34, 6 x ECC83, with three silicon rectifiers.
The recommended speakers for this amp were either a pair of TV-60 column speakers, or two pairs of TV-35 columns. (See below.)
- THE
PA 100/4 SV (TRANSITION MODEL)
It would appear that prior to the
above PA 100/4 being introduced, Selmer marketed for a short period the previous
"black-silver" wooden case version under the "SV"
designation. An example of this transition model is shown here.
- THE PA 100/6 SV REVERB
Fitted in a larger cabinet (23" x 9.1/4" x 12.3/4"), and
up-rated to provide six
separate channels. Two of the channels were served by an internal reverberation unit, and two of the other channels had send/return facilities for external echo/reverberation.
As with the four channel unit, recommended speakers were a pair of TV-60 column speakers or two pairs of TV-35 columns.
SPEAKER CABINETS & COLUMNS
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