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| This is a very rare vintage Australian valve amplifier, and interestingly just after purchasing this amp, I also found another similar (but not identical) head, which is also for sale (click here to see it). Thanks to Roly Roper's splendid website, http://ozvalveamps.elands.com, easily the best resource for information on classic Australian amplifiers, the following information on their origin is available (thanks to a contribution by Phil Allison). The Vedette was made by ZJM Products. ZJM were the initials of the proprietor, Zoltan Julian Mielnik, who was known by his middle name. Julian was Polish (formerly a Polish Army intelligence officer), who came to Australia after a stint in a POW camp in Siberia in WW2. He operated a small music shop (ZJM Music) in Oxford St, Bondi Junction, and the amps built there were sold as 'Vedette' or 'ZJM' amplifiers. The amp itself is very interesting. It is essentially a Fender Blackface (pre-reverb) copy, with a 'normal' and 'vibrato' channel and a blackface 'Presence' control, but with English-style EL-34 output stage. The tremolo (vibrato) is the vintage (pre opto-coupler) bias-oscillation type which I love so much, as it is organic and 'squishy' in the way it responds differently to various input levels. A truly GROUSE amp! This 1965 vintage amp has been extensively serviced, and has a new Sovtek 5AR4 rectifier and new Electro Harmonix EL34EH valves fitted. Output would be in the 35-40 watt region. The amp also had the presence circuit rewired to a blackface Fender Bassman circuit, and had the heater wiring changed to make the amp quieter in operation. It comes with what I believe to be the original 2x12 cabinet, which is fitted with speakers which I can't identify, but which sound fantastic! The cab is interesting in that it has of pressed metal construction (I kid you not!) with a particle-board front and back panel. This enables it to be quite compact for a 2x12. The combination sounds very good, and certainly looks great too. Just check out the size and quality of the power and output transformers in the 'more pictures' link below and you will see why it sounds so good! The tremolo is foot-switchable. The switch plugs into the octal connector on the amp's back panel, but I forgot to include it in the photographs (see all the detailed photos in the 'more pictures' link below). The speaker cabinet measures 67cm(W) x 38cm(H) x 27kg(D) and weighs 19kg, while the head is 58cm(W) x 23cm(H) x 21cm(D) and 14.5kg. Shipped dimensions and weight will be slightly higher. Click here for Australia-wide shipping quote - just add your postcode, select whether you want the security of signing for the delivery, and click the 'Calculate Postage' button! $1795AUD (plus shipping)
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