HIRE GEAR - 1964 Selmer Zodiac 30

Think you've never heard a Selmer ? Well, if you're familiar with the immortal guitar riff forming the mainstay of The Animals' "House of the Rising Sun" then you probably have.
The Selmer Company was a manufacturer of musical instruments started in Paris, France in the early 1900s. Selmer was known for its high-quality woodwind and brass instruments, especially saxophones clarinets and trumpets. A semi-independent branch of Selmer for the United Kingdom was created in 1928 under the leadership of two brothers, Ben and Lew Davis. They concentrated primarily on licensing, importing and distribution rather than manufacturing, and by 1939 had grown to become the largest company in the British musical instrument industry. With the growth of skiffle music and the arrival of rock and roll in the mid-1950s, Selmer UK began producing guitar and bass amplifiers. In the early 1960s, despite Selmer's apparent market domination, The Shadows' and The Beatles' endorsement of Vox amplifiers relegated Selmer guitar amplifiers to a distant second place in sales. The management of the company made various luke warm attempts to gain endorsement from aspiring musicians but became increasingly distant from the developments in pop culture from the mid 1960s considering that its role was to support "real" or established professional musicians and not the headliners of the pop industry. This was the beginning of the end for Selmer UK.

The Zodiac Twin 30. Four inputs - Two channels. Built-in Tremelo with speed & depth controls and foot-operated switch. Selectortone push-button controls. Very low noise and hum level. Fitted with socket for extension speaker.
Here at last is a new amplifier with built-in tone colours. By simply operating the exclusive push-button controls you are able to vary the degrees of response from High Treble to Contra Bass, thereby obtaining an infinite variety of tone colours. The new Zodiac Twin 30 is a two-channel amplifier. Channel 1 acts as a conventional amplifier with normal controls for volume and tone. Channel 2 is controlled by the unique Selectortone push-button controls. This design enables you to use one channel for a microphone without cross channel interaction, leaving the other channel free for guitar and other musical instrument amplification.

Each channel has two high impedance inputs - giving you a total of four inputs which can be used simultaneously. Built-in tremelo on Channel 2 is instantly switched on or off by the footswitch provided. Speed and depth of tremelo are adjustable over wide limits by variable control knobs. Exclusive Selmer "Blinking Eye" (Patent applied for) gives visual indication of tremelo speed. The Zodiac 30 is fitted with two 12" loudspeakers and all controls are housed in a recessed panel. A pilot lamp is fitted.
Attractively finished in two-tone crocodile leatherene with modern styling. AC mains only, 200/250 volts, 50/60 cycles. Valve complement EF86 (2), ECC83 (3), EL34 (2), GZ34 (1). Output ratings British 30 watts, American 60 watts. Dimensions height 20", width 29", depth 10". 85 gns, including attractive waterproof cover.

We currently have 2 of these VERY rare amps for hire at Tym guitars. Check out our HIRE list or cantact the shop for more details.