PREMIER 88N early 1950's RARE COMBO TUBE AMPLIFIER 'LINK WRAY' 'RUMBLE' SERVICED PICKUP ONLY

*Here at Gordy's Music in Ferndale, Michigan, we are so proud and grateful to receive the REVERB TOP 300 SELLERS Certificate for the second year in a row! A real honor.

We want to start by thanking all of you, our customers, my partner wife Marcia, top notch crew, and Reverb.com. We have quite a team and will strive to get this certificate year after year.*

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Here we have a very 'rare' made by Multivox, 1949-early 1950's Premier 88N all tube combo amplifier. This is the first example of this amplifier we have ever had in 40 years of vintage business. The amp and cabinet have been nicely recovered in a very nice almost Vox fawn type period correct style tolex. So the amp has a very nice original look as it was recovered many decades ago and at first I actually thought the covering was the original.

If you noticed, the 1 picture has a Premier original 50's plastic logo from my vintage parts stash. I am throwing that in if you want it. It is not actually mounted but could very easily be attached. Also the leather handles appear to have been replaced with duplicates of the originals.

The all tube amplifier has been gone through from top to bottom by our amp technician of 38 years as he cleaned all the pots and input jacks etc. He had to replace the filter caps, 2 smaller caps in the main board, and 1 resisitor in the vibrato. Other then this mentioned work the rest of the amp is in fully original condition and has a clean bill of health. Everything works great and she even lights up.

Note: Our restoration team put a lot of blood sweat and tears into getting this historical amplifier into the condition it currently is in. Certain pieces just deserve the extra miles and it has been a labor of love for all of us. It sat neglected for decades in a vintage hoarder collector's estate of over 100 pieces which we picked up a few weeks ago.

Yes, that is a 1973 Model 400 Melotron w/factory cover on our list to be gone through & serviced.

Very soon we will have a video of this Premier 88N using a 1956' Gibson Goldtop and a Danelectro guitar with the same type lipstick pickups Link Wray used with his 'Longhorn Dano' electric. I read these were his 2 main guitars. Who knows for sure!? I also saw him using and SG with a vibrato arm. The video will be raw amplifier only with no effect pedals and NO we will 'not' use a pencil to puncture the speaker cone many times as he did to get that nasty distorted sound he more or less invented.
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Overview

The 1949 Premier 88N was a rare, high-wattage (25-watt) tube amplifier, notable for its distinctive two-part "suitcase" design with a separate head and speaker cabinet, unique organ-stop tone controls, colorful plastic knobs, and a rich, full sound often described as "jazzy" but capable of powerful overdrive. This early model, featuring an unusual arrangement of four 6V6 output tubes, was designed to amplify an entire band and is considered a flagship product of Premier, known for its distinctive look and sound, with some even linking it to the recording of Link Wray's "Rumble".
 Key Features & Characteristics

• Two-Part Design:The amp features a unique two-part "suitcase" design, with the amplifier "head" in one section and the speaker cabinet in another, connected by a cable. 
• Distinctive Aesthetics:It is recognizable by its period-correct cosmetics, including two-tone brown fabric covering, a Premier logo, and brightly colored plastic knobs for volume and tremolo, along with organ-style push-button tone controls. 
• Unique Tone Controls:The "tone selector" circuit acts like a band-pass filter, allowing players to dial in a wide range of sounds, from mellow mid-range tones to more aggressive overdrive. 
• High-Power Output:Producing around 25 watts, the 88N was a powerful amp for its time, designed to provide amplification for a small band, not just a single musician. 
• Rich Sound:It is praised for its deep, warm, and full sound, with good bass response and the ability to produce a desirable overdrive when cranked. 

Rarity and Legacy

• Under-appreciated Gem:The Premier 88N is a rare and often under-appreciated amplifier, but it has gained attention for its distinctive sound and features. 
• Link Wray Connection:
• There is a popular legend that the 88N amplifier was used to record Link Wray's iconic song "Rumble". 
• Flagship Model:
• The 88N was the flagship model of the Premier line and is considered by some to be the company's crowning achievement
• Based on guitar lore, Link Wray famously used a Premier 88-N amplifier to record his 1958 hit instrumental "Rumble," though different Premier models were also part of his arsenal. The amplifier's distinct features, combined with Wray's legendary technique of puncturing the speaker cone, created one of the first and most influential distorted guitar tones in rock history. The Premier 88-N amplifier
• Unique design: Produced by the Multivox Corporation in the 1950s, the Premier 88-N is known for its highly unusual suitcase design. The amplifier chassis and the speaker cabinet are two separate units connected by a cable, but they can be latched together for transport.

Link Wray's "Rumble" tone

• Intentional distortion: To achieve the dirty, aggressive sound of "Rumble," Wray famously experimented with his equipment. The most enduring story is that he intentionally sliced or poked holes in his amp's speaker cone with a pencil.
• Cranked volume: The practice of turning the amplifier's volume to its maximum was also critical in achieving distortion in the days before dedicated fuzz or overdrive pedals were available.
• Sound innovation: The groundbreaking combination of the Premier amp's overdriven tone and the damaged speaker cone produced a loud, snarling distortion. This technique was a crucial moment in music history, laying the foundation for modern rock, punk, and heavy metal. 
• The legacy

• Influence: "Rumble" was so powerful and visceral that it was banned in several cities for supposedly inciting juvenile delinquency. The song's revolutionary sound directly influenced generations of guitarists, including Pete Townshend and Jimmy Page, establishing Wray as a fearless innovator of the electric guitar.
• The Premier sound: Today, vintage Premier amps are highly sought after by collectors and musicians who prize their unique aesthetic and tone. The Premier 88-N remains an icon of early rock and roll innovation due to its association with Link Wray's legendary recording

• Tone controls: Instead of traditional tone knobs, the 88-N features a unique push-button EQ system, functioning like a band-pass filter to shape the guitar's frequency range.
• Tube circuitry: The amp is driven by a full tube chassis, often including multiple 6V6 or other power tubes, which gives it a rich, warm sound when played clean and a powerful overdrive when pushed.
• Other features: The model also includes a built-in tremolo effect, which adds to the signature "Rumble" sound. 

Ships fast and insured.

Any shipping overcharges are refunded at point of sale.

Amp weighs 54 lbs.

Amp dimensions: 25"x20"x9"

Shipping box is 32"x26"x16"

Shipping weight is 62 lbs.

Shop at our Reverb Store for a bunch of vintage and other products at:

https://reverb.com/shop/gordys-music

IN BUSINESS for 40 YEARS!!
50 YEARS of VINTAGE EXPERIENCE!
MICHIGAN GUITAR SHOW PROMOTORS Since 1989!
Brick and mortar to the end!

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Visit out website to see the long list of celebrity musicians and groups we have met and serviced in the past 40 years. 

NOTE: Too cool. We just shipped very recently in the last few months a 1967 MapleGlo Rickenbacker 6-12 Converter 'comb' guitar to Billy Corigan of Smashing Pumpkins! We also then shipped a vintage 50 watt Marshall head to L.A. studio-touring guitarist extraodinaire, Michael Landau, and 2 vintage guitars to Jack White's organization down in Nashville just a few days before his 50th. birthday! mmmnn? Add 'The Kentucky Head Hunters' to the list, just sold Greg a cool little 50's Valco tube combo amp!

Gordy's Music has become a Detroit institution! Our shop was used as a filming location for a few films like "Miracle in Motor City" a Christmas movie on Lifetime (featuring Smoky Robinson). We've supplied gear for movies including "Bill & Ted Face The Music" with Keanu Reeves. We've got decades of celebrity customers, including recent visits from Beck, Eric Johnson, and we recently sold Billy Joel's bassist a cool Gibson SG he is in love with. One day a while back Andre 3000 and his group stopped in to browse as they were playing Masonic Temple that night and right after that we sold an old oil can Morley Wah Vibrato pedal to Credence Clearwater Revival's thee John Fogerty!

We are having and have had a lot of fun here at Gordy's Music! I was just remembering about 35 years ago a tour bus pulled up to our little shop, and who rolls right in and hangs out for an hour? Lenny Kravitz and his entire group, right about the same time I was selling many guitars to and chauffeuring around Dee Dee Ramone who had an apartment a block down from my house.