Supro Thunderbolt

[stjimmy328]

My friend is looking at a Supro Thunderbolt. The seller is asking $550. Its missing the front logo, and has some rusty bolts and apparently there is a problem with the power cable. We have not taken a chance to go actually see it and play it yet. But any thoughts or comments will help a ton.
Thanks guys!

 

[Leonc]

My least favorite Supro. I've heard one Thunderbolt recording that I really liked, but whenever I've had the opportunity to play thorugh...I didn't care for it's overdriven tones at all. They tend to be stiff and barky. I don't like their break up and I don't like how pedals sound through them. You want a great Supro, look for:

- 1688TN
- 1696TN
- 1624T (mid-to-late 50s)
- Dual Tone (or model 24, or 1624 from the 60s)
- Coronado (preferably late 50s)

 

[wyatt]

LeonC and I have agreed on this before. I restored two, didn't like either one. Big, stiff and thumpy. When he was designing a Thunderbolt kit, the late Ted Weber kinda agreed, saying it would seem ideal for someone who wanted really tight clean tones, like surf. Unlike the Tweed Bassman or the low-wattage Traynor Bassmaster Mk I, the Thunderbolt is definitely more of a true bass amp, tight, focused, relatively high preamp headroom, etc.

That said, $550 is a great price. Thunderbolt prices have been dropping though, I believe the average has fallen well below $1K after peaking around $1200. This s a bit strange considering most vitnage amps hold their value over time, but the Jimmy Page crowd has moved on to the sleeker 1624/Model 24 and left the poor, lumpy Thunderbolt all alone again.

 

[guitarjazz]

I bought one last summer for $450 and he threw in a vintage Vox Wah. How'd I do?