FACTOIDS & TRIVIA
In 1968, Ampeg introduced their line of second generation solid state amps.
The 100 watt (or 120 watt depending on which Ampeg catalog you read)
solid state amp head was used in a few configurations including the GT-15C
guitar amp and BT-140, BT-25 and BT-25L bass amps. The only difference
between these models was the speaker configuration. The BT-140 is actually
part of the Portaflex (ported reflex design) line although this term is most
associated with Ampeg "flip-top" amps such as the B-15N. The solid
state line never gained the popularity of Ampeg's tube amplifiers, but they
do have that classic Ampeg sound and should not be ignored. One interesting
note - Ampeg's 1st and 2nd generation solid state amps had an unusual feature
- the electroluminescent control panel.
1968 AMPEG BT-140 head and cabinet
Power Amp: Solid State, 100 watts RMS @ 4 ohms
Preamp: Solid State
Rectifier: Solid state
Speakers: 2 x 15" JBL D-140F
Channels: 2; 2 inputs per channel
Effects: None
Controls: Volume, bass, treble, ultra hi switch and ultra lo switch for each channel
Head Dimensions: 10 H x 18 1/2 W x 10 D inches
Speaker Cabinet Dimensions: 42 H x 21 W x 14 D inches
Total Weight: 125 lbs.