Alamo Capri Tube Combo Amplifier, 1960s — San Antonio, Texas

A mid-1960s tube combo from Alamo Electronics Corp. of San Antonio, Texas — the Capri model, finished in the company's signature cream textured vinyl with black diamond-pattern grille cloth and a screwed-on chrome Alamo badge. The top-mounted control panel is straightforward: three instrument inputs, a single Volume knob and a single Tone knob, and the Alamo Electronics Corp. / San Antonio, Texas silk-screen. Rated at 40 watts on the chassis plate, the circuit runs a tube lineup of 12AU6, 50L6, and 35Z5 — a compact three-tube arrangement drawing on AT&T / Western Electric patent licenses, as noted on the original interior paper label. The speaker is a Utah "Application Engineered" unit with the original label intact on the basket; Tung-Sol tubes are present in the chassis. Cabinet construction is open-back, contributing to the bright, forward-projecting character these small Texas combos are known for.

Alamo Electronics built amplifiers in San Antonio from the late 1940s through the early 1980s, marketing affordable tube tone to working musicians across Texas and the broader region. The Capri occupied the entry-to-mid tier of the line — a practice and small-venue amp that moved through guitar shops, school music programs, and teenage bedrooms throughout the region. The Capri name appeared across several chassis iterations through the 1950s and into the mid-1960s; this example, with its three-input panel and 50L6/35Z5 output and rectifier pair, is consistent with the later production run. The dimensions of this cabinet — narrower and shallower than the larger Paragon or Fury models — place it squarely in the single-speaker Capri footprint documented in period Alamo catalogs. Their circuits are simple, serviceable, and increasingly appreciated by players who find the Alamo voice — raw, direct, and distinctly Texan — worth a recap and retube. Lot includes the amplifier, the original power cable (requires replacement — see Condition), and two instrument cables.

CONDITION

Good cosmetically with honest age-appropriate wear: scuffing and soiling to the cream tolex, edge wear at the corners, and light staining to the grille cloth. Powers on but smokes when energized — circuit service is required before further use; no additional testing was performed beyond power-on. The cloth-covered power cable is brittle with exposed conductors at the break point and must be replaced before any operation. Sold as-is for restoration.

DIMENSIONS / SPECIFICATIONS

• Overall: 13.75" x 15.75" x 7.75"
• Model: Capri Amplifier
• Serial No.: 62844
• Maker: Alamo Electronics Corporation, San Antonio, Texas
• Licensed under patents of Western Electric and American Telephone & Telegraph Co.
• Power: 110–115 Volts AC, 60 Cycles, 40 Watts
• Tube Lineup: 12AU6, 50L6, 35Z5
• Controls: Volume (0–10), Tone (0–10)
• Inputs: 3 × Instrument (1/4")
• Speaker: Utah "Application Engineered"
• Cabinet: Open-back combo
• Includes: Amplifier, original power cable (brittle — requires replacement before use), 2 instrument cables