Pawnshop prize.(Newcomb H-25)

Newcomb's tube-powered public-address systems were as common a fixture as the water cooler in offices and factories during the '50s and '60s. And though it's hard to guess how many HLP-14 (14 watt) and H-25 (25 watt) amps (as well as other models) were produced before the Hollywood-based company laid down its soldering guns in 1982, judging by the extremely low prices these units have traditionally commanded at local ham-radio fests--we're talking as little as $20 a pop--Newcomb and crew must have cranked out quite a few.

The H-25 shown here is one of the many now being offered to guitar players for prices starting around $200. It has been retrofitted with 1/4" jacks for the three channel inputs and the speaker output, and the original jumper-style impedance selector can accommodate common 4 [ohm], 8 [ohm], and 16 [ohm] loads.

In classic hi-fi fashion, the H-25 features a point-to-point-wired circuit that uses no boards or terminal strips. Its tube complement consists of two 6L6s, a 5U4G rectifier, and a bevy of vintage, octal-based preamp tubes: three metal-can 6SF5 hi-mu triodes, a 6SN7 dual triode, and a 6S17 pentode.

With its twin pilot lights, louvered metal hood, curved handles leach with ...