Original Dallas Rangemaster NOS Mint
| Start Price |
GBP 2,750.00 |
| Current Price |
GBP 2,750.00 |
| Time Left |
- |
| Bid Count |
0 |
| Buy It Now Price |
- |
| Reserve Price |
- |
| Start Time |
Tuesday, August 26, 2008 |
| End Time |
Friday, September 05, 2008 |
| Location |
Doncaster, South Yorkshire |
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See more about 'Original Dallas Rangemaster NOS Mint'
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Description
When I think of how much trouble I went through to track this beast down, I wonder if I'm doing the right thing, as this has to be a contender for the most complete, unadulterated and mint original Dallas Rangemaster on the planet. I was years finding my first one, and to find one in this sort of condition was, quite frankly unbelievable. Their values will only ever escalate, and pretty much bomb-proof as far as an investment goes! Why am I selling it? - well, several reasons:*I am never going to gig this one!*I am fortunate enough to own another Rangemaster so I don't need two. It doesn't have as much 'thump' as this one, is not quite in the same condition, but it provides a very hollow/scooped tone - which is not to everyones ears, but I like it!*Madam wants a new lounge and dining room! I have purposely taken a host of new photographs with my ebay name on them, as I have seen two or three 'dodgy' eBay listings for Dallas Rangemasters this last year or so, and if you are bidding on an item of this sort of value, then you need to be absolutely certain that it actually exists! I've tried to show the unit and its' contents in some detail, but If anyone requires any specific photo's, please let me know. The hardware:*Everything on this Rangemaster is original, and apart from the modern battery clips, nothing has been changed. Essentially what we have here is a NOS unit, it clearly has to be listed as 'used', but consider it in the same light as a dealer pre-registered demonstrator car with 50 miles on the clock!*All the screws are tight and true and have not been cross-threaded or over-tightened.*To find a unit which still has all its' feet and the metalised trim on the front in itself is rare. *Unbelievably, the original Vidor battery clips are still in the box!*The pot is very tight and true, and offers 'resistance' when turned as the unit has obviously never been used much in 40+ years.*The jack socket is equally tight and solid. *The jack plug and cable are original and in great shape.*The slide switch feels brand new, and is very positive and solid and 'clicks' into place with some certainty. The unit tends to be left on when in use, and so the switch will not have seen much use anyway.*The casing is totally unmarked and looks brand new.*The front panel is completely mint and unmarked. It is also mint around the edges; I point this out because the plastic used on these things was quite thin and prone to damage if care is not taken when removing the guts from the case.*All the components and soldering are original with the obvious exception of the modern battery clips.*The feet are in outstanding condition. These rubber feet are prone to drying out and cracking. Clearly this unit has been VERY well cared for over the years in the right conditions.*The guts casing is a very tight fit inside the outer casing, which just adds to the general solid feel of the unit. *Rangemasters came in at least two font styles; this one has the 'broader' font, my other has the narrower type.*Overall everything about this piece feels new, rock-solid and 'ex-factory'. The 'Case Candy'For the purist collector, the following is the icing on the cake, as so often these bits have disappeared without trace.*As you can see it comes with the original box, and I'm pleased that its' original owner opened it on the non-labelled side, leaving the branded label intact.*It also has the original guarantee and instructions leaflet. The unit, box and the instructions are all serial # matched with the same type of adhesive silver stickers. *There is also a slip of paper describing how to remove the outer casing and solder on the 'RE-AN' jack plug! I'm not even sure this is a 'RE-AN jack plug; anyway it came with this, so I'm including it! The ToneTone is of course very subjective and personal, so my opinions are purely that - mine. However, I shall try to be as objective as I possibly can.First up, It's all well and good having a Rangemaster which is cosmetically perfect, but really a waste of time if it sounds poor........I will state at the outset, that I have never heard any modern clone (and I've bought and sampled many in my personal tone quest!) which in my opinion sounds as good as an original Rangemaster (though there are some good ones out there which come fairly close), and that includes versions which contain original NOS Mullard OC44 and 71's. Why this should be I am not entirely sure. It could be simply down to slight modifications in the signal process caused by the other original components. I had an expert check out this unit. He 'metered' all the components which he could in situ, clearly there are some which couldn't be checked as that would have meant dismantling the unit - err, No! I don't think so! Everything he could check was handling the 'values' which they should be. Clearly, any components over 40 years old can degrade, but it would appear that everything in this unit is still doing its' job, and doing it very well. This unit has got more 'oomph' and gain than the one which I'm keeping. One of the differences I have found between all the modern clones and this piece, is that none of the modern stuff which I have played through has got as much bottom end and guts as this; but it's not a 'bassy' bottom-end, it's very well-balanced, tight and has got such a 'thump' whilst at the same time delivering shimmering highs on solos - you know, the kind of sound which makes us guitarists grin! This unit contains a Mullard OC71. I think the OC71's have more 'character' than OC44's as the tone is more scooped; I think they sound fantastic. When it is used to tighten up distortion, it turns a fuzzy/buzzy tone into a very 'taught' crunch with some authority. Now to give you some idea of what I am talking about, I use two amps an HH IC100 and a Vampower MK1, and for those of you who are already one step ahead of me - my favourite all time tone is that of Marc Bolan c.72/73. The distortion channel on the IC100 is quite muddy and bassy on its' own. If you can get hold of a copy of T Rex's 'The Groover', you will hear an awesome crunch right from the start of the recording on the rhythm track - that is the sound of an IC100 with an OC71 Rangemaster in front of it - it brings it to life with such a kick. Also '20th Century Boy' is the same tone, but is not quite as discernable as that on 'The Groover'. For anyone who has never stuck a good treble booster in front of their amp will never understand what a MASSIVE difference it makes - it's not just about treble which implies a thin, harsh sound (which it categorically IS NOT!), its about rich harmonics, separation and sonic heaven. The IC100 is a solid state amp. The Vampower is a valve amp and it works like a dream with both. The keen-eyed amongst you will notice that the serial # on the unit differs from that on the box and papers; clearly they got transposed in the shop! Now, I'm not desperate to sell this piece and therefore am not open to silly offers; if it doesn't sell, I won't lose any sleep, because it will some day. I realise that it's not cheap, but it It is clear that given the incredible desirabilty of the Dallas Rangemaster, it is an investment which will only increase in value over the next decade. It will probably become the first $10k vintage effect. It would equally be a shame for it to be treated purely as a museum piece. If I only had this one, I would disguise it within a plain, foam-lined wooden or metal housing and include it - VERY firmly screwed into my pedal board. When I bought this it cost me over $4k, and the bottom line is that this is quite possibly the finest surviving example on Earth. Postage: I'll liaise with the winner to see which postal service is available, and/or preferred. Packaging: I will not skimp on packaging just to try and save a few pence. This will be VERY well packed; bubble-wrapped and double-boxed.....and well sealed. Also, it will be VERY clearly addressed; I'm constantly amazed at how some parcels ever reach their intended destinations as the writing is so poor. Anyone with negative, or less than 10 feedback. I realise we all have to start somewhere, but please contact me before bidding.
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