Hendrix Amp/top Gear Music London

[Bramley]

On the Top Gear Music London facebook page , shop owner Craig Bradley confirms that he bought gear from Mitch Mitchell right out of the truck shortly after Jimi's death. As this is my first post I can't include the link but have copied the text below.

He talks about the amps, can any one here kindly ID who he might be referring to regarding the amp circuits?

The Hendrix truck turning up courtesy of Mitch Mitchell:

"Mitch was always in and out of the shop but when he turned up after Jimi's death it was with the regular road crew and only I think the day after it happened.

The truck was stuffed full of guitars, amps etc. I bought, from slightly hazy memory, a Flying V, one or two Strats, a Tele and maybe an SG. All the "Marshall" amps were there , all the guts were American blueprinted circuits by a guy I think from New Jersey. The guitars were all stencilled JH Exp and sold on at regular price...sorry but Jimi was just another dead guitar player!!!!!!! "

 

[tomsvintage]

Not sure who "a guy from New Jersey" could be.

The Top Gear London story is like so many others ....50 years ago...hazy memory ...hearsay ...

Without written ( serial number / signed by Mitch or Jimi receipt ) or photographic documentation that's all it is ....a story. Just like so many others trying to cash in / fabricate a story on what they claim to be Jimi's equipment. Never heard of any of Jimi's guitars stenciled JH Exp (only heads and cabs). To add insult to injury ~ the disrespectful comment by Top Gear buffoon Craig Bradley " Sorry but Jimi was just another dead guitar player!!!!!!! " is total BS.

Top Gear London FB page is about sharing memories and stories from yesteryear and some are funny to read.

Here is a link to Dave Weyer's comments on Jimi's amps , mods , fuzz pedals , wahs, tubes etc...

http://forum.metropoulos.net/viewtopic.php?f=33&t=43932&sid=f06129a2dd0b0bbe8539eba97c48e63b

 

[shakti]

It's fairly well documented by now that Hendrix' amps were maintained/tuned/probably modified by a number of different techs in the US. The most well documented is West Coast Amp and Organ Repair in LA, and the tech's name is Dave Weyer. He is still alive and contributes regularly to the Metroamp forum. Lots of stories and rumours about the mods, some are rather invasive and some very minimal, but until we get gut shots of proven Hendrix amps it's still conjecture unfortunately. The most documented mod through visual and aural evidence is that he used 6550s in place of EL34s at least some of the time during 69-70. West Coast stickers are visible on the rear of amps used at both Woodstock in 69 and Isle of Wight in 70.

The other rumour is about a guy in Long Island(?) called Tony Frank, but I know veyr little about that connection.

 

[Bramley]

Thank you for the input gents.

One thing I can add that isn't hazy is that as late as 1973 Mitch was bringing gear in that was marked JHExp. We suspected he had kept a stencil and was doing it himself but we handed over cash for stuff because he needed the money, I counted pound notes out to him myself. Anything he brought in was sold at regular retail value.

I have a line on a person in the UK who claims to have bought one of the amps from the 1970 purchase . If I get any verifiable information/ documentation I will post it here.

Anyone who was around Denmark Street during that time could understand stuff like this happening and not being a big deal . To add a little context, Jimi rehearsed right next door at #4 .

 

[Bramley]

An update, Kenny Driscoll of '70s Welsh band Lone Star was reportedly the buyer of one of the amps Top Gear bought from Mitch Mitchell. The amp Kenny purchased was used with Lone Star by guitarists Tony Smith, Paul Chapman, and Steve Jones (who was brought in and replaced the two former guitarists), and later in 1980 by Gary Moore when Kenny was the lead singer with the ‘Gary Moore and Friends Band’, and recorded the album ‘Live at the Marquee’.

if any one has heard anything about these guys using an ex Hendrix amp and can join even a few dots please chime in.

 

[geddy]

Kenny Driscoll's band played near me a couple weeks ago. I think he's still local . If I get chance I'll ask.
You could ask Paul Chapman via his FB page. He lives in Florida

 

[Marshallhead]

An update, Kenny Driscoll of '70s Welsh band Lone Star was reportedly the buyer of one of the amps Top Gear bought from Mitch Mitchell. The amp Kenny purchased was used with Lone Star by guitarists Tony Smith, Paul Chapman, and Steve Jones (who was brought in and replaced the two former guitarists), and later in 1980 by Gary Moore when Kenny was the lead singer with the ‘Gary Moore and Friends Band’, and recorded the album ‘Live at the Marquee’.

if any one has heard anything about these guys using an ex Hendrix amp and can join even a few dots please chime in.

Back in 2003-2005 when the Dickinson Hendrix 45/100 (serial 7026 if I recall) was under scrutiny, I heard it was that amp that Gary Moore used at the Marquee, but I never thought to ask Rich Dickinson (owner) himself whether that was correct.

For info, 7026 sold in 2008 if I recall, for £25k. No idea to whom, though, so don't know where it is now, but at least it was well photographed at the time. Heck, I even got to play through it - sounded exactly like my own amp (7227)!

 

[Bramley]

From what I can tell this amp was on Ebay UK around Nov 2005 and was described as the Governor. Unfortunately links to the auction no longer work.

 

[TAZIN]

From what I can tell this amp was on Ebay UK around Nov 2005 and was described as the Governor. Unfortunately links to the auction no longer work.

I believe the amp your referring to is SL/12361. There are some pictures on the amparchives site.

 

[Bramley]

Thank you, I really appreciate the info. Are you aware of any provenance linking it to Gary Moore and the others mentioned beyond what was stated in that Ebay auction? If so it's highly likely it was one of the batch Mitch sold to Top Gear.

I understand that Craig Bradley's statement about the purchase could be offensive to some but having worked at Top Gear and purchased gear from Mitch myself I have no reason to doubt that it happened .

At the time occurences like this this were just part of daily activity at Top Gear . The only record of serial numbers would be on the receipts written when the amps were sold and possibly on the receipt given to Mitch but I doubt any have survived 48 yrs later.

 

[TAZIN]

Thank you, I really appreciate the info. Are you aware of any provenance linking it to Gary Moore and the others mentioned beyond what was stated in that Ebay auction? If so it's highly likely it was one of the batch Mitch sold to Top Gear.

I understand that Craig Bradley's statement about the purchase could be offensive to some but having worked at Top Gear and purchased gear from Mitch myself I have no reason to doubt that it happened .

At the time occurences like this this were just part of daily activity at Top Gear . The only record of serial numbers would be on the receipts written when the amps were sold and possibly on the receipt given to Mitch but I doubt any have survived 48 yrs later.

Unfortunately, I have no proof that Gary Moore actually used this amp...I've only read the same speculative articles that others have mentioned. What does seem credible is that Kenny Driscoll purchased the amp in late January 1974 based on a photo of his purchase receipt from Top Gear Music.

 

[Bramley]

Thanks once again. So there is documentation that S/L 12361 was was sold by Top Gear ? Usually the salesman added his name to the receipt (see the receipt for a strat sold to Paul Kossoff ), if you still have access to the receipt would it be possible to post that name ?

In any case, it's great to know that there's documnetation of Hendrix gear passing through Top Gear, much appreciated .

 

[TAZIN]

The scan of the receipt is rather poor but it looks like the Salesman name is possibly Bob.

 

[ampmadscientist]

The scan of the receipt is rather poor but it looks like the Salesman name is possibly Bob.

Good old Bob?

 

[Bramley]

Thanks once again , that tallies with staff at that time . The receipt would have been written at this very counter by Bob Parkes , 3rd from left .

 

[tomsvintage]

Speaking of stories about Jimi's amps (which is what the OP is)

Top Gear Music London ~ Thank you for messaging me on FB. It must have exciting to work at Top Gear Music London back then !! Without the the serial number on the matching receipt documentation proving that it was Jimi's amp.... it is another story. For as many people that believe it there will be just as many to question it.

There are many claims and stories of people and stores owning Jimi's equipment that don't have written or photo documentation. Maybe real maybe not. In this case Jimi is gone as well as Mitch. Great story though

Jimi did purchase many guitars and such from Manny's in New York

Hard documentation with Jimi's signature.

A friend of mine here (Kurt Wiegert) bought one of Jimi's amps shortly after his passing (missing "m" in the middle stack) in 1970. No receipt.

Another friend of mine owns it now and likes to remain private.

You can see and hear it on Rainbow Bridge and many other shows.

Out of the 20+ plexi era amps we owned at the time the Jimi amp was always the best sounding !! I was lucky enough to play through it at high volume for many years !!

Jimi !!!

 

[Bramley]

I believe the amp your referring to is SL/12361. There are some pictures on the amparchives site.

From what I've read S/L 12361 has been confirmed as a Hendrix amp , is this correct ?

And if so does the Kenny Driscoll Top Gear receipt show that serial number ?

Thanks in advance .

 

[CoyotesGator]

Are the whereabouts of Twin Reverb #A18111 known?

 

[TAZIN]

From what I've read S/L 12361 has been confirmed as a Hendrix amp , is this correct ?

And if so does the Kenny Driscoll Top Gear receipt show that serial number ?

Thanks in advance .

For the most part I guess you could say "confirmed" but I usually use the term "reputed" in matters like this just to curb arguments.
Yes, the Top Gear receipt does have the serial number written on it.

 

[tomsvintage]

"Rumored" is another term that could be used to say if the S/L 12361 amp belonged to Jimi

It has been discussed ( 80+ pages ) in another forum previously.