Bird 1961 Talisman Vintage British Guitar Amp Excellent

No sales tax for US customers outside California.

Here is one amp I had never seen before!  It didn't work well when I first encountered it, but the look got me so I grabbed it.  With the help of my friend and longtime amp tech, Pat, it has been restored and is sounding great. 

Pat changed out a few resistors and capacitors.  The amp requires a step down transformer for use in the US.  He installed a power outlet in the cabinet and a standard, detachable power cable connection on the chassis so it is easy to plug into your wall outlet.  

The Bird Talisman is a 6-watt EL84-powered combo.  It is obviously built to favor chime and harmonic complexity over brute output. The EF86 preamp tube and EZ81 rectifier — a high-gain pentode — gives this amp classic British character, distinct from the more common 12AX7-based designs of its era. The oval Elac 510C speaker — a 10x6-inch elliptical driver — contributes its own coloration; elliptical speakers in small-cabinet amps tend to produce a focused, present midrange. They are also found in some of the most beloved Valco amps of the same period.  Overall condition is excellent and all major components original.

Bird Sound Ltd. operated out of London from the late 1950s through the 1960s, producing a range of tube amps that competed in the same market as early Vox and Selmer designs. Check ou tthe knobs - they are the same as early Vox AC amps (and they're really rare and hard to find!). The Talisman was among their combo offerings aimed at working guitarists who needed something portable. These amps have remained obscure outside the UK and serious vintage amp circles, which means they tend to be undervalued relative to their circuit quality. Original surviving examples with intact transformers, original covering, and original speakers are increasingly difficult to find.

The chassis, grille, baffle, knobs, handle, potentiometers, and speaker are all original with no repairs or modifications. The grille cloth is a wire mesh style, peeking through the slotted baffle.  The pinstripe covering across the front is a classic 60s British look. Power and output transformers (model codes 32011 and 32012) are original. Current tubes are a Mullard EZ81 rectifier, ARS EL84 power tube, and Mullard EF86 preamp tube.  All tubes have been tested to make sure they're good to go. 

SPECIFICATIONS

• Weight: 17lbs 3.5oz
• Dimensions: 18-1/2" w x 17-1/2" h x 6-5/8" d
• Watts: 6
• Case/Cover: none
• Covering Material: vinyl
• Covering Color: white and green
• Covering Original: yes
• Cabinet Condition: very good
• Cabinet Repairs/Changes: none
• Cabinet Original: yes
• Grille Style: wire mesh
• Grille Condition: good
• Grille Original: yes
• Baffle Condition: good
• Baffle Original: yes
• Baffle Repairs/Changes: none
• Chassis Material: metal
• Chassis Condition: very good
• Chassis Original: yes
• Chassis Repairs/Changes: none
• Knobs Original: yes
• Handle Material: rubber
• Handle Original: yes
• Speaker 1 Brand: Elac 510C
• Speaker 1 Size: 10 x 6
• Speaker 1 Cone Code: 81, 1481
• Speaker 1 Cone Original: yes
• Speaker 1 Condition: good
• Power Transformer Original: yes
• Output Transformer Original: yes
• Reverb Onboard: none
• Tremolo Or Vibrato Onboard: none
• Pedal Included: no
• Rectifier Tube: EZ81
• Rectifier Tube Brand: Mullard
• Power Tubes: EL84
• Power Tube Brand: ARS
• Preamp Tubes: EF86
• Preamp Tube Brand: Mullard
• Potentiometers Original: yes
• Filter Caps: original
• Internal Repairs: none
• Power Cable: included
• Accessories Included: none
• Documentation: none
• Smells: none
• Speaker 1 Original: yes
• Power Transformer Model Code: 32012
• Output Transformer Model Code: 32011
  
  

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Shipping Policy
By completing your purchase you are agreeing to this shipping policy. Shipments require signature on delivery, no exceptions. Less than 1% of our shipments are damaged in transit, and we are committed to making sure your item arrives safely. If there is damage, retain all packing materials intact, photograph them immediately, and send the photos to sales@maharsvintageguitars.com.

Amplifiers: We take additional precautions to prevent common shipping damage. Depending on the amp, this may include removing tubes, pulling the chassis from the cabinet if heavy transformers present a drop risk, or removing heavy speakers that could crack baffles in transit. Reassembly is required on delivery — we label everything clearly. These measures add to shipping costs but reflect hard-won experience. Vintage amplifiers (20 years or older) are sold as-is — all amps are tested in our shop upon intake and again before shipping. We cover shipping damage but cannot be responsible for the failure of vintage components in instruments that are 20 to 50-plus years old.