Elgen

The company was started in approx 1965 by a couple of mates from High Wycombe in Bucks UK.

The main brains was a guy called Tony Merrell who was a local bass man of some distinction. The second guy was a drummer who everyone knew as Bonzo, who always seemed to be the expert on cabinets. They made the amps in a variety of colours and if I remember rightly they did a combo as well. Their amps were very well built and were based on Fenders 59 Bassman one of which they stripped completely. However they did introduce ideas of their own.

They would always make you a " 1 off" if reqd and they made me a 100 watt head + a 4 x 12 cab in blue To my knowledge the only one.

Their speaker drive units were actually made for them by Fane but were labelled ELGEN.

In approx 1970 they ventured into the Solid State area and I had the first Elgen Solid State 100 watt PA supplied with 2 off 2 X 12 cabinets This unit was used very heavily from 1972 until I sold it in 1984 and it NEVER went wrong, absolute reliability .

I think the company folded around mid 70s. A large proportion of their production went to the USA so they may be easier to find there than here.

Peter Frampton from Humble Pie played