These classic Dynaco Mark III mono blocks belonged to Mark Ransom, the first musician to hire me and a mentor who shaped my career from the age of 13. Mark's recent passing was a profound loss, but his influence on my understanding of musical professionalism remains immeasurable. I acquired these amplifiers through a trade with Mark about a year ago, and today I begin their complete restoration so they can once again share music with the world—just as Mark always did. 

Fresh off the bench, this late 40s/early 50s Premier 88n suitcase guitar amp is one of the rarest and most characterful amplifiers I've had the privilege to restore. With its fat, warm clean tone and overdrive that rivals the best old Tweeds, plus a lovely tremolo circuit and organ-style push button controls, it's no wonder Premier was favored by legends like Link Wray, David Lindley, and Ry Cooder. This extremely rare model required a complete restoration—every capacitor replaced, out-of-spec resistors swapped, new tubes installed, and extensive circuit work—but the results speak for themselves. Now it's ready to make music again with its original 12" Rola field coil speaker and full complement of vintage-spec tubes. 

Some repair jobs are routine maintenance. Others are encounters with music history itself. A 1969 Marshall 1959 Super Lead arrived at the shop—not just any vintage amp, but one that once belonged to Ron Asheton, the legendary guitarist who helped define punk rock with The Stooges. Currently in the care of collector Urian Hackney, this piece of rock and roll heritage had been silent for nearly three decades.

After carefully bringing it up on a variac and checking the bias points, the moment of truth arrived. This Super Lead roared back to life with that unmistakable Marshall voice—aggressive, powerful, and utterly authentic. There's something magical about hearing an amplifier that shaped the sound of Raw Power and Fun House come alive again after 30 years of silence.