A fascinating piece of late-1960s American solid-state audio engineering, this Vintage Heathkit TA-17 Solid-State Combo Amplifier Head is a multi-instrument powerhouse built by the Heath Company in Benton Harbor, Michigan. Heathkit originally designated this flagship model a "Combo" because it combined three completely independent, dedicated instrument preamplifiers into a single 120-watt chassis.
The front control panel is divided into three distinct input sections:
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Guitar Channel: Features controls for Volume, Bass, Treble, Tremolo (Rate and Depth), and built-in analog Spring Reverb. Underneath, rocker switches engage Brightness boost, H-M (harmonic drive/distortion), and Bass Boost, alongside a 1/4" instrument input and Footswitch jack.
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Mic / Phono Channel: Features independent Volume, Bass, and Treble controls, accepting a 1/4" high-impedance microphone input and a dedicated RCA Phono input for turntables or line sources.
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Bass Channel: Features a specialized rotary Tone control (dialing between Bass Cut and Treble Cut), master Bass Volume, and dedicated 1/4" Bass input.
Powered by heavy-duty chassis-mounted power transistors delivering up to 120 watts RMS into 4 ohms (or 90 watts into 8 ohms), the rear panel includes dual speaker output jacks, a push-to-reset circuit breaker, a switchable 115V/230V mains voltage selector, and a blue/silver factory model badge.
Cosmetic & Functional Condition Note:
This vintage head is in good, player-grade cosmetic condition. The original control faceplate, blue jewel pilot light, rocker switches, and fluted knobs are intact. The vintage black vinyl cabinet tolex shows honest road wear, edge rubbing, and some fraying/separation along the lower rear corners. All channels, pots, rocker switches, and spring reverb have been flushed and bench-tested for operational integrity.
SPECIFICATIONS: • Brand: Heathkit (Heath Company) • Model: TA-17 Solid-State Combo Amplifier (Head Unit) • Era: Circa 1968–1971 • Origin: Benton Harbor, Michigan, USA • Amplifier Type: Solid-State Multi-Instrument Head • Power Output: 120 Watts RMS @ 4 Ohms / 90 Watts RMS @ 8 Ohms (180W Peak) • Channels: 3 Independent Discrete Channels (Guitar, Mic/Phono, Bass) • Onboard Effects: True Analog Spring Reverb Tank, Optical Tremolo (Rate & Depth) • Front Controls (Guitar): Volume, Bass, Treble, Tremolo Rate, Tremolo Depth, Reverb • Front Switches (Guitar): Brightness, H-M (Harmonic/Fuzz), Bass Boost • Front Controls (Mic-Phono): Volume, Bass, Treble • Front Controls (Bass): Tone (Bass Cut / Treble Cut), Volume • Rear Panel: Dual Speaker Outputs, Push-to-Reset Circuit Breaker, 115V/230V Voltage Selector • Power Indicator: Faceted Blue Jewel Pilot Lamp • Cabinet: Wood Enclosure with Black Levant Vinyl Tolex Covering • Condition: Good / Player-Grade Vintage Condition (Bench-tested, clean electronics, fully operational, honest tolex edge wear)
