K&F Amplifier 8" Speaker

K&F Amplifier Background
The K&F amplifier was one of the earliest products of the partnership between Leo Fender and Clayton "Doc" Kauffman. This collaboration began in the early 1940s and was formalized with the creation of the K&F Manufacturing Corporation in 1945.

Key Features

• The K&F amplifiers were designed to complement their lap steel guitars, which were the primary instruments produced by the company.
• These amplifiers were among the first products that would eventually lead to the development of Fender's iconic guitar amplifiers.

Historical Significance

• The K&F amplifiers represent a crucial transitional period in Leo Fender's career, bridging his work in radio repair to his future as a pioneering guitar and amplifier manufacturer.
• These amplifiers are extremely rare, as K&F only operated for a short period (approximately 1945-1946) and produced limited quantities.

Technical Details

While specific technical details about the K&F amplifiers are scarce it is worth noting that:

• The amplifiers were likely designed to address the needs of lap steel guitarists, who required clean, powerful amplification.
• They would have incorporated the audio expertise that both Fender and Kauffman had developed in their previous work.

Design and Construction

• The K&F amplifiers had a simple, primitive circuit design compared to later Fender models.
• They were built using military surplus parts, giving them a unique industrial look.
• The amplifiers featured a hanging chassis and hanging tubes, which were innovative for the time.
• Construction was point-to-point, with no circuit board.

Speaker and Power

• K&F amplifiers used permanent-magnet speakers, unlike some later Fender models that used field-coil speakers.
• They came in different sizes, including 8-inch, 10-inch, and 15-inch speaker models.
• The 10-inch model, which is considered more desirable, had about 5-6 watts of power.

Controls and Features

• The simplest model (8-inch) had one volume knob and one or two inputs.
• The 10-inch model featured two inputs, one tone control, and either one or two volume controls.
• It had two channels, which was a novel feature at the time.
• These amplifiers lacked some common features of later amps, such as a pilot light or a fuse.

Historical Significance

• K&F amplifiers were among Leo Fender's very first amplifier designs.
• They were produced for only a short period in 1945, making them extremely rare.
• The K&F amplifiers served as precursors to later Fender designs, such as the Princeton.

Aesthetics

• Some early models had wooden sides and a grille cloth embroidered with "K&F" on the front.
• Later examples had a more utilitarian appearance, prioritizing function over form.

Collectability

Original K&F amplifiers are highly sought after by collectors due to their rarity and historical importance in the development of electric guitar technology.
They represent the earliest collaborative efforts of Leo Fender in guitar amplification, making them significant pieces for any music technology museum.

Here you find 50 models, 25 with images and 34 with schematics for wireless sets etc. In French: TSF for Télégraphie sans fil.
All listed radios etc. from Fender Electric Instrument Co.; Fullerton (CA)