#filmosound

[thirtytwoelvismovies]

Spent the day breaking down some 16mm pre-show reels.

[deebeeus]

The Origin of the Species.

Here is the impossibly rare amp I was going apesh*t about seeing on Saturday:

~1996 Bernard Raunig "#Bernie" amp (#Filmosound 385 conversion), owned by @chriswstringer8

If you own, have ever played, or covet a converted "Filmosound" movie projector amp - here is one of its rare forefathers. This one magically appeared on Marketplace last week and sold instantaneously, Chris being the lucky winner! Originals like this NEVER come up for sale...there were only ~25 ever made.

Bernard Raunig of was an electronics repair person and tinkerer, who purchased a lot of surplus Bell & Howell model 385 film projectors being auctioned off by a Hamilton, Ontario school board in the early 90s. According to the article by @colinjcripps in @fretboardjournal Electric Annual Vol 2, Raunig had a notion he could extract the audio amplifier sections from these movie projectors and repurpose them as guitar amplifiers - making him, I suppose, the first "upcycler" in the guitar business! The cabinet was homemade from solid pine and covered in sail canvas which was then brushed with lacquer.

The very first of Bernard's conversions was sold to Canadian musician Colin Cripps (at the time of the band Crash Vegas, and later playing with such musical icons as Kathleen Edwards and Blue Rodeo), who skeptically auditioned it at Raunig's insistence. In his article, Colin says that he had never seen anything like the "Bernie", but despite his hesitance he immediately fell in love with the sound produced by the unlikely little contraption, and bought it on the spot. Colin's "Bernie No. 1" has appeared on countless recordings since that day in late 1993, and no doubt has played a huge role in the popularization of the Filmosound guitar amp conversion "cult".

Well, now I have seen *two* original "Bernie" amps! I am not likely to see any more in my lifetime. I am grateful to have friends like Chris and Colin who let me take snaps of all their interesting and historically significant gear to share with you!

[chuckbbird]

crap from an old sketchbook, Staffordshire University, 2008-9.

[deebeeus]

1959 Grestch 6120 with customized modern case (case art by Michael Segui), custom built Filmosound amp (a vintage movie projector amp converted for guitar), and 1970s Nikon F2 SLR camera.  All of this gear is on loan from my friend Tom Gibson.

Art by Petter Rotter https://peterrotter.com/

Guitar stand by @atlasstands

PS: welcome to any Instagrammers who have come over here to Tumblr to see the full quality, full sized photo!

[deebeeus]

July 1...a holiday in Canada!

IU will be noodling on the following:

1961 Les Paul Junior

1959 Fender Harvard

50s Filmosound projector amp, converted for guitar in custom Gretsch style cabinet.

Strap by Tom’s Vintage Straps

Stand by Atlas Stands

Art by Peter Rotter

[deebeeus]

Flashbackurday to when @tomgibson3783 lent me his custom "#Gibson" #amp. PSYCH! It's actually a Bell & Howell #Filmosound #movieprojector amp converted into a #guitaramp in a custom cabinet. . A couple of years ago I was fortunate enough to take some photos of the very first ever Filmosound conversion amp, made by #BernieRaunig of Hamilton Ontaio, and owned by @colinjcripps. My photos were published alongside Colin's article about the amp in the @fretboardjournal's second Electric Annual issue. Swipe left for pics of the magazine I copied from Colin's feed...we even made the contents page with the black light pic, which was @terry_foster's idea! 😀 Check out that issue for a fascinating history of how film projector conversion amps got their start 30+ years ago. . #fender #stratocaster #strat #straturday #guitars #guitarra #chitarra #guitarre #electricguitar #customshop #fendercustomshop #reissue #relic #guitarphotography #amps #vintageamps #filmosoundamp #boutiqueamps #customamp #amplifiers #tubeamp https://www.instagram.com/p/CUPqnQorlks/?utm_medium=tumblr

[deebeeus]

#Flashbackurday with my 2005 #CustomShop '66 #Reissue #Strat and @tomgibson3783's custom made "#Gibson" #Filmosound movie projector #amp conversion, made by @morattoampsho. . The Gibson badging is tongue in cheek of course, based on Tom's fortuitous last name (or maybe not? His name probably should have been "Tom #Gretsch" based on his primary taste in #guitars! Or at least "Tom Pre-War Martin" 😆). The amp started out life as part of a vintage Bell&Howell movie projector that has been modified for use with #guitar. It's sound is very crisp and bright...and EXTREMELY loud! . The amp stand is by @atlasstands, of course! . PS: The Deluxe Reverb lunch box in the back is a clone. Unfortunately... . #fender #stratocaster #fenderstratocaster #morattoamps #filmosoundamp #ampconversion #customamp #guitar #guitars #guitarra #chitarra #guitarre #electricguitar #fenderguitars #fendercustomshop #relic #closetclassic #guitargear #guitarsdaily #guitarsofinstagram #guitargear #guitarsdaily #fendersofinstagram #guitarphotography https://www.instagram.com/p/CBGQ5f7hngy/?igshid=gfrfrt7yvmc4

[deebeeus]

A year ago this past week, over at @terry_foster's place one evening, I had the privilege of photographing @colinjcripps incredible first year 1958 #Jazzmaster in #RomanRed (no...it's not fiesta!) along with his "Bernie number 1" #amp, the first ever #Filmosound film projector amp converted into a #guitaramp by Canadian engineer #BernieRaunig several decades ago. . If you would like to see what Colin's historic amp looks like, head over to @chriswstringer8's last post. That custom artwork all over it lights spectacularly up under black light! It's amp that began the whole film projector amp conversion trend and has appeared on hundreds of Colin's iconic recordings with artists such as Kathleen Edwards, Blue Rodeo, and many others. . Oh and this #guitar is nothing to sneeze at either! 😄 . . #fender #fenderjazzmaster #offsetguitars #fenderoffset #guitars #guitarra #chitarra #guitarre #electricguitar #vintageguitars #fenderguitars #vintagefender #tone #guitargear #guitarsofinstagram #geartalk #guitargear #vintagegear #guitarsdaily #fendersofinstagram #guitarphotography https://www.instagram.com/p/CA59AvphOf-/?igshid=lf6glpi1upir