I collect an amplifier that will never get the respect it really deserves. I spent ten years in Okinawa Japan while stationed at Kadena AFB, I came across a old tube amp in an electronic scrap yard. Some of the wires where burned up and the original tubes where still in the chassis. No info, and a lot of time produced a need to repair this amp.
I eventually purchased a identical model from a re-opened Music store in NYC. I wrote a review after I finally heard it.
I eventually came across the Only American Engineer who had worked at that factory in the late sixties. He provided me with the information That I required to finish that long awaited repair of that damaged amplifier. Nice.
Here was my review at another forum:
The other listing on here and drtube.com have been my only source of information for this amp.
Here is what http://www.drtube.com/guitamp.htm#Elk has to say:
Product: Miyuki Elk Custom Amp 30 (ES30)
Price Paid: USD 550.00 USED
Submitted 03/29/2007 at 07:22am by Drew-ski
Email: drew-ski@excite.com
Features : No Opinion
1967 Elk Custom Amp 30, Made by Miyuki Ind, Co,. LTD, Made in Japan, could have been the Bluesmen secret amp of choice.
Styled in appearence to resemble the famed Fender Bluesman Blackface, was featured with a Foot Pedal which control the Vib and Reverb with connect by a RCA cable for operation. The six knob control line up starts with Volume control of the Reverb and main Volume, Tone section with Bass and Treble controls and Vibrato Section for Speed and Intensity.
The models made for export Ground and switch slide switch placed next the the rear mounted power switch. The protection for this amp was a simple 3A fuse. The Domestic Model came with a 100 Volt and 117 Volt selection switch.
With the Use of a tube lineup of 12AX7, 12AX7, 6AQ8, 7025, 6BQ5, 6BQ5 and 6CA4 (Tube Based 9A, 9A, 9AJ, 9A, 9CV, 9CV and 9M) the only problem that I could find is the lack of a tube order identification lables for proper placement of the nine pin tubes required for this baby to properly sing. One outlet from the amp head for the Amp Cabinet which houses twin ten inch 4 Ohm speakers. Of the two models that I have ever come across, the amps have been tubed with a 6AQ8 in the third position, wild guess for use with the reverb tank. Still looking for another owner to compare notes with.
Sound Quality : 8
Magic sound of the classic 50's tube sound that is so highly prized as the Clean glassy tone with a natural deep bass edge with allows for the deep rich sounds with the clarity in your attack that makes you play harder. The longer you play the better the tone and the gain seems to increase and the claririty does not fade. After about a half and hour or so the amp becomes this responsive to the slightest touch, bend, whin and moan, each scream gets more intense like making love and feeling its nails letting you know that now it ready to play.
Class act, a Bluesmans dream, Sounds best played clean. Overdrives of a Fuzzface just make it down right nasty, but each effect sounds like it holding back the actual tone qualities that this amp offers.
Reliability: No Opinion
This amp is so rare and hard to find that I would reserve this one for studio application only. I have been looking for this amp since I played one in the Kadena Recreation Center in Okinawa japan while stationed there in the late seventies. They where hard to get in japan and I know this after being stationed there for a ten year period. My serious search began in 1985. No luck departed in 1989 with only a broken amp found in a local electronics disposal site which I boxed away for twenty plus years. No information schematics to indentify the missing components from that hollow shell. internet searches provided zero information.
Mazzotti Music in Brooklyn New York has been the only place that I have every seen one stateside and i found this one Online at their store and purchased it that next week. Stasha Claire was able to package and ship this item with professional results in a safe and timely manner. Big smiles to them. Big smiles.
