Video of Ben Harper with an ODS combo amp

[dbharris]

Hi,

In this youtube video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ao1YW83L ... re=g-all-u recently posted by Ben Harper, you can see him playing a telecaster through an ODS combo amp, then he switches mid song to his new Asher lap steel signature. The amp is behind the red chair in the video, to the left of #093. The Asher lap steel I believe is in humbucking configuration, but the coils can be split. You can see him do some tap dancing when he switches guitars, I believe he is going from clean to overdrive and turning the PAB on. As well as turning other effects on and off. I wondered if anybody had information they would like to share about this amp (serial #, circuit topology etc.)

I believe this amp is not #109. My reasons are that this amp is a silverface, whereas #109 is blackface. This amp has a dark green or black covering (possibly tolex) and a wheat grille cloth, whereas #109 has black/grey felt type covering and a black grille cloth.

I have attached a picture of the same combo amp that I took just after a Ben Harper & Relentless7 concert on 4/29/2010. I believe that this amp was acquired around late 2009-early 2010. I do not know of any appearances before that time. AFAIK up until this point Ben Harper toured with either #093 or #109, but not both. There was one tour in 2009 where Ben used one of David Lindley's ODS heads. AFAIK after 2010 Ben has toured with both #093 and this silverface combo amp. I do not know how he uses them live (one amp for standard guitar and one for lap steel, or one for regular input and one for FET with acoustic instruments etc. etc.). It is my speculation, that this may be the amp Ben Harper mentioned in interviews a few years ago that HAD was making specifically for him.

Any information would be appreciated.


Thanks

-Dan

[talbany]

Harper's 109 (perhaps) is a Low plate classic..Looks to be still in it's all original state..109 was rumored to belong to Jackson Brown.. Ben and David L are good friends and David frequents Bens family stringed instrument shop I think they both live in the same town...

The Silverface amp looks to be a newer one!!..Who knows what it is.

Tony

[boldaslove6789]

Yeah this amp is definitely not #109, it may even be a newly build ODS as Landau's new ODS has a Silverface too, with a presence control. Although, that may not be right at all since Landau's amp was commissioned long ago and tweak over the period of almost 10+ years till he actually took possession of it. Soo, the chassis may have been from a run from around when the later silver face amp were made (before serial # 100)

If only one could turn on Ex-ray vision, Superman, anyone...? Bueler?

[talbany]

Landau's new ODS..(looks similar huh!!) Perhaps Mike ordered the amp 10 years ago and he finally got around to building it..I DON'T KNOW!!.. I have a hard time believing it took him 10 years to build and tweak up an amp!!

Tony

[Aaron]

It looks like he still has Lindleys head.
In the video its sitting behind #093

[boldaslove6789]

It looks like he still has Lindleys head.
In the video its sitting behind #093

Indeed Lucky SOB

[les_guitar]

Not sure where you got your info on Landau's amp, but when I asked Landau he said it took around 4 years.

[dbharris]

It does look similar to Landau's amp.

Hey Tony, I thought from reading other threads on this forum that those gut shots you posted were of #093 not #109. And for some reason I thought the amp was described as having high plate resistors but the classic tonestack. I will try to dig up that thread, I may be remembering incorrectly.

Also good call Aaron, I didn't notice the Lindley head in the background.

Maybe one day we will have some more info about this amp, I would love to see gut shots or find out more about the circuit.

-Dan

[talbany]

Little confusion!!..I was going by your statement here..

I believe this amp is not #109. My reasons are that this amp is a silverface, whereas #109 is blackface.

Why I put a perhaps after. ..Not important..So check me on this!!

109 is this amp.. http://www.fretboardjournal.com/photos/ ... id-lindley

and #93 is the one I posted with the Sesame Street Script in the pic you posted(which is a Low Plate classic) check the 1500 ohm cathodes (IRC's) V1..

Not positive about this but I would ASSUME!!.. 109 is a high plate Skyliner..

Have Fun!!

Tony

[dbharris]

Sorry for the confusion.

Tony, you are indeed correct. I re-read the thread on #093 and I guess I was confused b/c there was some talk about the OD plates being different. Now from re-reading it, I believe it was a difference in layout (maybe part of the "transition" in generations?) and not a difference in value.

Also, I don't have color codes memorized for resistors, I normally just use my DMM. But I should probably learn that. I have built a bunch of pedals, and soon will start building some amps. Right now I am just trying to take in as much info as I can.

Thanks again,

Dan

[talbany]

(maybe part of the "transition" in generations?)

Dan..
093 ser # would put it near the end of the transition generation classics that ran roughly from ser #075 (Ferris Amp) to #095..

Have a good one!!

Tony