WEM Dominator Mk2 , only bigger?

robgilmo

When I was a kid, back in the olden days (80's) I had for a short time a big valve amp, it had a tremolo that was more akin to a leslie spinning speaker, Ive been trying to figure out what it was. The Mk2 WEM Dominator looks very like it but I seem to remember it being bigger? Although I was in my teens so it might not have been. Any ideas what it might have been? At the time it was already quite old, full of dust and cobwebs, battered , not very well cared for and probably quite dangerous.

ecc83

Could have been a Carlsbro or Shaftsbury?

Dave.

robgilmo

ecc83 said:

Could have been a Carlsbro or Shaftsbury?

Dave.

It was a tall amp, very much the same as the WEM, same silver plate with knobs on at the top, same tremolo, I can remember thinking it looked very dated and naff, kind of hesitant to switch it on in case it blew up. I am thinking it possibly was a WEM and I was just shorter back then so it may have seemed bigger. I've never forgotten it though, it was very loud and scary.

ICBM

WEM Sapphire?

http://wem-owners.com/combos/sapphire-60-2x12-60-watt-combo/

robgilmo

ICBM said:

WEM Sapphire?

http://wem-owners.com/combos/sapphire-60-2x12-60-watt-combo/

No, it was tall and thin and very basic, looked cheap and naff akin to an old leak stereo 70 , it was probably a Dominator if it was a WEM, I cant remember it having the red WEM logo on it but I can remember it having an odd name, I just cant remember what it was.

ICBM

robgilmo said:

No, it was tall and thin and very basic, looked cheap and naff akin to an old leak stereo 70 , it was probably a Dominator if it was a WEM, I cant remember it having the red WEM logo on it but I can remember it having an odd name, I just cant remember what it was.

None of the later Dominators have tremolo, only the first angle-fronted ones with the controls on top.

If it sounded like a Leslie that means it was a proper vibrato, not tremolo, which should narrow it down a bit.

I'll have another think...

ICBM

Could it have been one of these https://www.vintagehofner.co.uk/gallery/gallery3/gallery4/cat23.html



mounted in the top of one of these https://www.vintagehofner.co.uk/gallery/gallery3/gallery6/gallery7/cat72.html ?



There's no indication that they made the Zodiac 50 SV as a combo, but the chassis sections would be interchangeable.

robgilmo

ICBM said:

robgilmo said:

No, it was tall and thin and very basic, looked cheap and naff akin to an old leak stereo 70 , it was probably a Dominator if it was a WEM, I cant remember it having the red WEM logo on it but I can remember it having an odd name, I just cant remember what it was.

None of the later Dominators have tremolo, only the first angle-fronted ones with the controls on top.

If it sounded like a Leslie that means it was a proper vibrato, not tremolo, which should narrow it down a bit.

I'll have another think...

The MK2 did, I cant remember it having a foot switch but it might have. Watkins Dominator Mk II (youtube.com) 

ICBM

robgilmo said:

The MK2 did, I cant remember it having a foot switch but it might have.

Ah, I forgot about those. Still, I'm pretty certain the ones with the controls on the front never had tremolo.

robgilmo

ICBM said:

Could it have been one of these https://www.vintagehofner.co.uk/gallery/gallery3/gallery4/cat23.html



mounted in the top of one of these https://www.vintagehofner.co.uk/gallery/gallery3/gallery6/gallery7/cat72.html ?



There's no indication that they made the Zodiac 50 SV as a combo, but the chassis sections would be interchangeable.

No, the controls were at the top top, not the top of the front, it was very basic like that one though.

ICBM

robgilmo said:

No, the controls were at the top top, not the top of the front, it was very basic like that one though.

Ah, I misunderstood you. So we're looking for a tall, narrow combo with the controls on top and a silver control panel, but possibly with a true vibrato not tremolo if it sounded like a Leslie...

robgilmo

ICBM said:

robgilmo said:

No, the controls were at the top top, not the top of the front, it was very basic like that one though.

Ah, I misunderstood you. So we're looking for a tall, narrow combo with the controls on top and a silver control panel, but possibly with a true vibrato not tremolo if it sounded like a Leslie...

Thats the one, and pre 80's tube amp the inside of which looked like some dangerous russian tech from the 20's.
Just to add, at the time I had no idea what a leslie was or sounded like, I remember the effect being very spacey and trippy when on full tilt.

photek

Some of the Teisco amps has controls on the top, does that name ring any bells?

Edit: looks like Guyatone did as well, worth searching through google images with those 2 names and seeing if you get lucky.

robgilmo

photek said:

Some of the Teisco amps has controls on the top, does that name ring any bells?

Teisco doesnt ring any bells, Silvertone though does,  but I am still leaning towards the WEM, I guess it really could have been anything as my sketchy memory isnt helping any. The amp in question was a loaner and I only had it for a short while and being in my mid teens all I knew was it didnt look as cool as a Fender twin!

ecc83

Charlie Watkins, founder of WEM Ltd was known AFAICS for producing very short run, virtually 'experimental' amplifiers and it is quite possible that the subject of this thread is one such, maybe one of less than ten or so that made it into the wild?

I have the top, amp half of a Mersey Super 15 that someone sawed off from the speaker cab decades ago. Had I the complete combo in decent nick it would I am told be worth an awful lot of money!

Dave.