# Anyone ever heard of Lidovox amplifiers?



## Vintage_Groove (Mar 4, 2008)

Long story short I recently got my dad's 1970's (hardly used) el Degas electric guitar and Lidovox amplifier (separate head and lower cabinet with 2 speakers).

When I took off the cover for the amp head it looks like it has labels for accordian and organ, not guitar. There is one slot labeled guitar so I used that. Basically the guitar plays as is, no effects, just straight volume. It sounds clean, no hum, even at higher numbers.

As I'm learning guitar at this point I'm not looking to buy an amp specifically for it yet. But I was wondering if I get a splitter can I hook up a Bass guitar as well to learn on? 

If I had a friend over playing guitar would we be able to play both guitar and Bass together?


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## suttree (Aug 17, 2007)

the fact that it has organ inputs should mean that playing bass through it is ok (as an organ gets into very low frequencies)... be careful with the volumes, and listen carefully, you don't want to wreck the speaker.


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## whywhyzed (Jan 28, 2008)

it's an accordian amp! on one pic - says mfg by Yorkville Sound. - the treble input should be ok for guitar
http://www.accordiongallery.com/lidovox.htm


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## Robert1950 (Jan 21, 2006)

An accordion amp,... well. I'm afraid you are going to have to shoot it then.


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## Vintage_Groove (Mar 4, 2008)

Yep, that's the exact amp I have.


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## Steve_F (Feb 15, 2008)

that looks exactly like an old traynor. strange.


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## Vintage_Groove (Mar 4, 2008)

Actually someone at my work recognized the amp picture. He used to work at Yorkville sound and says that Lidovox were Traynor amps.


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## toby2 (Dec 2, 2006)

*lidovox - traynor - GBX*

The build quality is not unlike early solid state traynor and GBX .


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## Larryllama (May 15, 2008)

This amp was made by yorkville for Musical Instruments of Canada (accordion producers) in the early 70's, and closely resembles the 4 channel Traynor Voice Mate PA head. The speakers are custom built (don't know the impedance) and the head is either 80 or 100 watts RMS.


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## Michelle (Aug 21, 2006)

Can you imagine a teen with that and an accordian in the basement....

Cool amp, I'm sure it rocks, hang onto it. :wave:


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## Vintage_Groove (Mar 4, 2008)

Michelle said:


> Can you imagine a teen with that and an accordian in the basement....


Yes I can because that's why we got it. I was in a band at age 12 and drummer and guitarist drowned out my instrument. I can't remember how they convinced me to get it amplified and how I convinced my dad to buy the amp. Maybe amp store told him he could plug in an electric guitar and that was enough to sell him on it.

I hated playing the accordian, but my dad was crazy about it. While in that band I would play on the drums when the drummer wasn't around and kept breaking sticks...

Talk about irony though: the band decided that the accordian just wasn't cool (no kidding) and since we weren't getting the weddings and other family function events, they decided it was time for me to learn: The Bass. Of course that didn't go over well with my dad (who refused to get me drums and now of course a bass). Shortly thereafter I was asked to leave the band as I was working so much with my father that I kept missing practices.

Fast forward to this year; I now not only own drums (my son's new kit) and an SX bass, but my dad's electric guitar, his Lidovox amp (the accordian is still stored somewhere) and my parent's just got my son an SX electric guitar for his 9th birthday. 

I use the Lidovox for both the guitar, and now the bass. It's an excellent bass amp, clean and loud. The amp itself is brand new. I don't think I used it much and I know my dad almost never touched it, and then he packed it up and stored it for almost 30 years.


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## Vintage_Groove (Mar 4, 2008)

Larryllama said:


> This amp was made by yorkville for Musical Instruments of Canada (accordion producers) in the early 70's, and closely resembles the 4 channel Traynor Voice Mate PA head. The speakers are custom built (don't know the impedance) and the head is either 80 or 100 watts RMS.


It says '1500X' on the front, would that mean 150 watts? It actually sounds better playing bass with it than guitar. It has a nice clean sound and some good volume, but not the growl you expect from a dedicated bass amp. 

A friend bought a bass amp recently and I hooked up the SX, the sound was punchier and more growly. But as a practice amp the Lidovox serves well.


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## greco (Jul 15, 2007)

Strum said:


> Yes I can because that's why we got it. I was in a band at age 12 and drummer and guitarist drowned out my instrument. I can't remember how they convinced me to get it amplified and how I convinced my dad to buy the amp. Maybe amp store told him he could plug in an electric guitar and that was enough to sell him on it.
> 
> I hated playing the accordian, but my dad was crazy about it. While in that band I would play on the drums when the drummer wasn't around and kept breaking sticks...
> 
> ...


This is such a cool "story"

Dave


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## Larryllama (May 15, 2008)

"story",eh?

Anyway - i'm pretty sure the 1500x is just there because it was made for the Lidovox 1500 acordion. Straight from M.I.C. they told me 80 or 100W. maybe maybe 150, but i'm pretty sure its just to do with the accordion model.


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## Vintage_Groove (Mar 4, 2008)

Larryllama said:


> "story",eh?
> 
> Anyway - i'm pretty sure the 1500x is just there because it was made for the Lidovox 1500 acordion. Straight from M.I.C. they told me 80 or 100W. maybe maybe 150, but i'm pretty sure its just to do with the accordion model.


Who (or what) is M.I.C.?


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## Larryllama (May 15, 2008)

Musical Insturments of Canada (though I seem to recall they only deal with accordions.
Still in business today on Eglinton W. They built the lidovox accordion.


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