No other channel, text book or online course covers tube amp design, construction, repair and renovation more completely than you do. For 5 years, I've gained invaluable knowledge and experience from your videos. I'm a professional electrical engineer who's probably paid $100K for my education, trade shows, conferences and seminars over the years. Quality content comes at a cost. For me, your content is well-worth paying for. I always pick up 1 or 2 tips from each video that easily justifies my monthly Patreon contribution. Thank you Doug.
Craig H is absolutely right on all points. You are a great teacher and your videos are entertaining as well as educational. I became a patreon today long overdue I must say. I also have learned so much from you that the monetary value can never be covered by my newly created patreon subscription to you - Thank you so much !
Craig, I absolutely agree! I went to electronics school in 1983 for a certificate course. It was on the cusp of analogue/digital. The previous year, they tought radio and television repair. The year I went, they started teaching digital circuits. This really worked in my favor. I got a job with Wang Labs working on Mini Computers. From there, I learned LANs and networking. Today, I protect our country from our electronic enemies. It's been a cool ride! What keeps me sane (and I use the term loosely) has been playing guitar. And part of playing guitar is amps. Tube amps are so part of electric guitar. Doug shares his collection, and the collections of others, of amps I've never heard of, but were our history! And what amazing sound! What I wouldn't do to hang out with Doug for a few days to really experience his amps and play with the cats! (Doug, I'm a really good cook as well!) What I really appreciate about You Tube is there are people sharing their knowledge about things that aren't being tought any more. Jim Lindenas repairs tube radios in Canada. While I have AM, FM, and Satellite in the truck, and cable and Internet at home (and 120 gig of music on my phone), I still appreciate tube radios! I grew up with them. I remember pulling the tubes from my TV when I was 8 years old and testing them at Radio Shack. And fixing my and my parents TVs. Admittedly by then (late 60s), all of our radios were transistor. But I've always had a fascination with tubes. I want a tube amp for my stereo. Not because it's better (I have really good chip amps) but because they're really cool. Thanks Doug! Reminding us that technology isn't always better!
@@UncleDoug Thanks! The fellow in my profile picture is Loki - he adopted me. My mom found him in her garage after a bad storm and she thought he was a rat or a dirty tennis ball. I love him. He is my best mate and sidekick. Loves rock n roll, and tolerates my bad singing and guitar playing. The best!
I just got my '64 Super Reverb back from my techie guy. The amp was working but did not have any sparkle to it, and the reverb really vacuumed. A tech or two from years past had installed some junk tone and coupling capacitors. I asked him to install blue SoZos in place of the brown and orange uglies, which he did. He also rebuilt the vibrato circuit (WOW!) and changed out a capacitor and a few other parts in the reverb circuit. I also asked him to install and bias two Tung-Sol 5881 power tubes, replacing a couple of WInged C 6L6GC's. I asked him to install SoZo silver micas for the treble caps. I also installed a big rectifier tube (sorry, cannot remember what that was, but it's a big coke bottle), to limit output a bit and headroom. I have some new vintage style reverb cables on the way! All I can say is, WOW! What an amp! After many decades I can once again say that I love my Super Reverb!
Thanks, Uncle! Got the reverb cables today and played the dickens getting them installed (working on the floor, which is tough when you're 76 years old!), but I got the tank (all cleaned up!) and the cables secured down at the bottom, and the wrong length cables safely secured to the side of the cabinet. WHAT A SOUND! I highly recommend the 5881's and SoZos!@@UncleDoug
...and to think I considered the idea that I was the only person who ...er... might... know, what such a place can entail... (so to speak).... As you were lads.... as you were...
Hands down, Uncle Doug is THEE best amp repairman on TH-cam. He KNOWS what he’s doing. No guessing. No pontificating about “what if” or “maybe one time”. He just builds up a surgical diagnostic path, and follows it. No ‘shotgunning’ parts at it, until it works, like another popular TH-cam channel... Thank you, Uncle Doug, for all the helpful info, from an aspiring vintage amp tech.
Me, Myself and I I concur so I guess that counts as 4 votes. When you see someone address the problem with science (math, logic, etc) you're in the middle of a teaching moment..
I am such a junky for the Fender reverb amps of this time period. It is always a treat to see and hear them in their glory. Excellent work as usual, exactly what is needed, properly diagnosed and perfectly executed. My blackface Vibrolux Reverb is still bone stock, still running after almost 53 years of my ownership.. 2nd owner. One of these days I need to go through it in exactly the same manner as illustrated here, to freshen up the 'lytic caps, and check the rest for spec. Bravo Doug, great job well done.
Uncle Doug I APPRECIATE that you are teaching so much and so well. True some others of us are well experienced in the analog arts, but it takes a special person to actually illustrate the craft. You are leaving a great legacy that will teach a new generation for decades and decades.
I'll add a comment that your client for this one has impeccable cursive handwriting, an art becoming increasingly rare. Though I went through all the "training" back in elementary school in the 1960's, my handwriting has devolved into a level of chicken scratch that I often can't read myself. But I learned typing as a defense, and usually use non-cursive, printed letters when I need to jot a note to my wife (otherwise, she would probably not be able to decipher it.)
My training as an Army linguist ruined my abilities to use cursive for English. Whenever I ty to write in cursive, it results in a mix of English and Russian characters, muscle memory being what it is. So I “write” in Russian and “print” in English.
Good looking cursive is always nice! One thing that my grandma used to always say is that “it must be practiced consistently through life instead of learned once then forgotten” same goes for “life lessons” and other things you learn as a kid like not being afraid to be wrong or honesty.
I had to pause - I laughed so loud at, "bondage and discipline night at the prom..." My wife, "are you ok in there?" Doug - you remind me of my electronics teacher in high school in Marietta, GA in 1981 - Mr. Skinner. He was a great man that, as a general rule, held impeccable composure; but - for those of us that took a real interest in everything he did, once he got to know us and felt he could trust us, the crass humor came out. It must be a thing for electronic wizards like yourself. God bless you Sir - thanks for the wit. You put me in a time machine today with that line. I went on to have an electronic related career in the Air Force working on communications "stuff" for the Minuteman ICBM system. Now I'm just dangerous enough to build an amp from a kit. I've built 3 so far that are fabulous. I may not be able to tell anyone exactly what each components' role is, but the dress and lead would pass Mr. Skinners' scrutiny and the attention to detail and following the build instructions have made it pleasurable and I have some very nice amps!
Thanks, as always UD. You've touched a lot of people, just by being yourself, and I'm lucky to be one of them. We live in challenging and amazing times. -RF
Thanks so much, RF. It's true, but you can't let the craziness get you down......keep doing what you're good at, and the world will finally catch up :)
How many more of these amps are still out there? Just when you think they are gone, Bam! here's another one! Truly a work of art. Uncle Leo really did a bang up job building what seems a never dying amp! Of course the person who sent this to you knew where to send it for THE best service and repair........Uncle Doug! Great new video! What, no hot rod? Oh well, I'll take what I can get! Love from NW Colorado. Thanxz
I owned a 1968 Fender Bassman amp bought new that year with money I earned from gigs-upgraded from something else I don’t remember. Kept it through the 70’s and 80’s-at some point I had to store it at my dad’s house. He had no appreciation of what it was and used it from time to time at parties he went to as a PA system (!). Unbeknownst to me, he sold it to somebody. Awhile later, I went to see him to recover the amp and some other property. Needless to say, I was furious. I made him buy me a new Fender amp and a guitar to boot, but it was the 90’s by then (1996, I think) and Fender amps were not the same.
Uncle Doug is a class by himself. Such class, such perfection, such a real man in a world of almost no real men. And he has that perfect voice on top of it all. He is like the "Jim Nantz" of electronics dealing with vintage guitar amplifiers. Thank you Uncle Doug for your great videos, and for everything else.
A fine example of a great amp and the best place to send it. Uncle Doug is the most though and best at showing and teaching us the right way to refurbished a classic amp.
"Prom night at the bondage and discipline center..." hahaha The mind boggles at its own mental imagery. -Tone at 43:25 is so nice Edit: Was that a Cicada killer wasp? I have them in my yard nearly every year, usually only the one, though. I assume they're generational and come back to the same yard they were born in to build nests. Been at least 10 years now. They;ve all been very docile, even when I ran the weed trimmer over what I though was an ant hill only to have her come out of the hole she was digging, hover right in my face for a second and then just fly away. I did apologize profusely as I was headed inside for fresh pants.
Glad you liked the spontaneous quip, J. It could well have been a cicada-killer. Every summer we are "blessed" with hundreds of cicadas droning away in the trees. It would make sense that a predator would also flourish in such an environment. Loved the "fresh pants" comment :)
That tone at 43:25 I agree and wonder how much of the signal is due to the pickups/ the string vibrations /the tubes/the speaker cone?It is such a nice combo in the end!
I am sitting here staring at my 1965 Blackface Super Reverb. There a few if no places I can play it at the volume to get the goods. Too loud....but what a sound. I built several Super Reverbs and many Deluxe reverbs. My 6L6 Fender Deluxe 1x12 combo I built is the only amp I need. I have so many others but that Deluxe is outstanding. Great vid. Long live the SuperReverb.
It would be great if Ollie and Jack could do a full episode quarantine concert of all their greatest hits....and maybe they could throw in a special tribute to Rusty. Great videos usual, Uncle Doug!
@@miguelherrera4994 Although I appreciate your concern, Miguel, Jack and Ollie squander so much of our revenue on boutique catnip, that I will probably never be able to retire ;)
Thanks Uncle Doug. You are making so many people happy. My wife isn't upset if she knows that it's your video I'm watching. The telephone co I was working with in late 70's had me doing Principles of Electronics but I left the co and never finished all the courses. You are now inspiring me to continue now that I'm retired. Let me know how I can help .I have four 6L6 GC was to send to you but one got broken. don't know if you will be still interested.. (They were for the 68 Fender Bassman that was stolen when I sold my house many years ago) Thanks.
We're glad the videos are helpful and inspirational, Sylvester. We'd love to receive some GC's. Please message me on my FB page: Uncle Doug's Vintage Amps to make arrangements.
Congrats on the new channel. Never to old to start something new. On my way to second channel to check it out. Thanks again for your time you share with us.
I remember finding this channel two months ago in recommendations after watching Mr Carlson and Shango for years and having zero interest or knowledge on vintage amps. When Doug revealed the inside of the chassis I'm sitting there critiquing like 'wow that's some top class work' 🤣. What a fascinating and entertaining two months it's been. Thanks to you Doug and quite possibly the best community on TH-cam 👍
Wow !!! Thanks so much for the very favorable review K2. It's great to hear that the videos are interesting and informative. No doubt about it......our viewing "family" is the nicest and best on all of FB :)
Yet another fantastic video Uncle Doug. With the amount of love, care and attention you pay to doing your repairs it is so easy to see why people entrust their valuable amplifiers to you. I know that if I lived in the USA (I live in UK) and I owned a precious amplifier I would have absolutely no doubts whatsoever about giving it to you to work your “magic” upon it. The boys certainly seem to be enjoying their time with that lovely amp. I don’t know if you are anywhere near the bad weather that Texas is suffering from at the present time, but stay safe. Please keep the videos coming.
Hey Doug, love your work. I've had several Fenders in this orig condition (59 deluxe, '66 Super Reverb, 64 Princeton) and while it's absolutely necessary to do the recapping, I always feel like the guy who clubbed the last Dodo. There's no going back. Have you ever re-sleeved new caps in the old covers or made repro sleeves? I know it's probably silly but I'd love my amps to look original when I peel them open. Best wishes from Australia.
I understand completely and for years advocated keeping as many original components as possible.....which is fine for my own amps, since I can re-repair them quickly.....but for customer amps, considering the effort and cost of shipping, I just can't justify it.
Doug buddy working on that amp is an incredible honor! A few years ago I was engaged to clone a 1964 AB763 that was in very good condition but not as clean as this one. I didn’t have access long enough to fully blueprint the amp but a lot of the carbon comp resistors had drifted significantly. The amp sounded GLORIOUS! It belonged to a college professor who played guitar and harmonica through it, but his father was the one who hired me to make the clone ... his son wanted his amp back. Trying to make a long story short, my build was almost stock for the Vibrato channel. The major exception was bias vary tremolo from a Brown Vibrolux (6G-11) instead of the optical roach. The Normal channel was anything but. It has reverb and tremolo. The tone circuit is Brownface Vibroverb (6G-16) with that weird tap on the Treble pot. I turned the Bright switch into a guitar/harmonica switch with different cathode resistance and frequency cutoff. And I used plate resistor values close to the old amp - they were much higher than 100K. To say that the amp is loud is a gross understatement. 😎 One question: when you are doing a major overhaul like this, do you go through a step-by-step startup procedure first with rectifier tube only, then power tubes, then everything, with a light bulb limiter in line in case something BAD starts to happen? I’m pretty sure I saw a light bulb limiter in the background there ...
I don't do a step-by-step start up. As in the video, I replace all the faulty components, then install the tubes, plug into a current limiter (always), and turn it on.
Fantastic video! I've owned a number of Blackface Super Reverbs over the years, but at 70 years old, they're just too loud and heavy for me now. They are without a doubt one of, if not the best amp Fender ever made. Thanks for all you do!
I just finished a Stromberg-Carlson p-p 6L6 Model 20/207 amp and couldn't for the life of me get anywhere near plate current balance no matter how many different pairs I tried. Since the amp is cathode biased with a shared resistor and cap, the only other possible cause for the imbalance was the output transformer primary winding which measured at 34.2 ohms and 37.2 ohms respectively, which accounts for the disparate Ip idle values.....It sounds great.....!!! Keep up the great handiwork and the ice-cold humor Uncle Doug...!!!
“Prom night at the bondage and discipline center” 🤣 What an impeccable specimen! Wish I had one!! Uncle Doug you are a champion. I love watching your repair videos. Above your amazing skill and work ethic- Your dialogue is a cut above the rest! Thank your for sharing your craft with us, good sir.
This may be the nicest sounding "refurb" that you've ever demo'ed. I would be jumping out of my skin in anticipation if I owned this and to listened to you while waiting to get it back into my cabinet.
Hi Mr. Doug, 30 years ago I was a radio repairer in the army. I’m really happy I ran across your channel tonight, you certainly have earned my subscription and my Molly Joanne who’s featured in my photo sends her best to you and yours.
As ever a real treat and thanks so much for sharing. My cat is getting withdrawal symptoms for screen time of yours doing the box inspections and sniff tests, but she digs that 60s guitar groove! Keep up the great work and stay well. Paul in the UK
Few things more I love than valve amps, cats, a man with a deep appreciation for valve amps and admiring electronics.... and coffee! Uncle Doug you’re the best! I love watching your videos and not to mention you’re a great teacher, thank you 🙏
Many have said that along with the 1960's Blackface Twin, the Deluxe Reverb and Super Reverb the was Fender's finest ... Having watched you thoughtful, considerate and expert service of this fine example of the later, I have to concur with the many ... Apologies for not making a comment on your last presentation, but I was restricted in both time and privacy with the wife's 96 year old mother visiting. I did however, manage to get a representative photo of her which has pride of place on the mantelpiece, and will successfully keep the grandchildren away from the fire. Oddly, all the mice disappeared as well during the 'red carpet' visit.. (We don't have any cats !) ..Off to Uncle Doug's Hot Rods now...
By coincidence, a Blackface Fender Twin Reverb will be featured in the near future, Pete. I loved your tongue-in-cheek description of the MIL visit. I think we've all been through similar "joyous" interludes. Mine came to visit many years ago with her oxygen tank (emphysema) and then proceeded to light up a cigarette in my 2-year-old daughter's bedroom. Let's just say that her visit was short......and memorable.
The condition of this 66' is without equal. This particular circuit has always impressed me. My first taste of the power and clarity imparted by the Super Reverb was listening to lots of Albert Collins. This 410 combo was thick, and had a raw aggressiveness when coaxes properly. This Fender is a staple of all players; irrespective of the genre. It is this versatility that raises this amp to the pinnacle of the holy grail pantheon of amplifiers. Those embroidered shirts are massive cool! I would wear them proudly if I were in your shoes. It is an affirmation of your kind, and humble nature, dear Uncle. If more channel hosts were like this, there would be no acrimony in the You Tube world. Thank you for posting this informative, and necessary episode to us all. Stay safe and healthy- and extend this blanket of safety over all who reside in your home.
What a kind and nicely worded comment, Alex. Thanks so much. You epitomize the type of viewer we seek and appreciate on this channel. Our very best to you and yours.
I have the EXACT same amp. Never serviced. Its absolutely perfectly original. You may have inspired me to recap and cord it, never considered the polarity to NFB switch, so thanks for that too. Mine also stopped regular working status (in a country band) in the 80s. The collection of tubes that came with it makes me smile.
I don't think I've commented on many of your videos but thanks for these gems; it's really valuable for someone of your knowledge & experience to present it like this
I loved the intro on your demo. 1-4-5 rock-n-roll on a black face Fender is about as good as it gets...! I was really impressed with the crisp, almost shimmering highs that the amp produces. At times the Super Reverb made your guitar almost sound like a Rickenbacker.
Yay! Another Uncle Doug, Jack, Ollie & KC video! Just when I was getting totally bored on a Monday morning, this pops up. Also, again your attention to meticulous detail in the way the electrolytic capacitors are replaced; highlighting your excellent craftsmanship and skills.
Hi Uncle Doug, TH-cam would be nothing, without anyone adding his 2 cents to every video out there. So here are mine: I was tought, that the green earth wire must be the longest wire inside the chassis. If someone rips the mainscable accidentally out, it should be the last wire to become lose. So it can still protect the user and the aparatus from shock. Even if someone pulls on the mainscable, the earthwire shall never become lose under any circumstances. Also, it is always a good idea to bolt or solder the earthwire separately to the chassis. Thereby it can´t become lose and forgotten to get reattached if some part of the amp is demounted. So one should never use the OT bolts or some other bolts and screws which are used to hold various equipment to the chassis. Greetings from Germany, i learned a lot through the years by enjoying your videos!
@@UncleDoug forgot to mention, that draining the caps like you do is a very important part of any repairjob. I it the very first thing i do in an amp. I dont see it often done here in yt. Maybe you could do an extra video about it with explanation and measurements?
Beautiful amp Uncle Doug. My main amp is a 1968 black line Super Reverb AB763. I love it & totally agree on four 10’s being Fender’s best speaker configuration. I also agree they are a pain to lug around. I call it the “Super bear hug” because bear hugging a Super reverb is the only way to move one. If you use the amp handle you end up setting it down every few feet due to hand pain. But the tone is worth it. As there’s nothing better than leaning the Ol’ Super back on it’s tilt back legs, rolling the volume up to about 6, plugging in your Strat and striking up the band.
I do so enjoy your channel, Doug. Clear concise descriptions in proper English, no constant repetition. My only real problem is that most of the time I've no clue what you are on about in the tech stuff, but thanks to your channel, I am learning. I successfully moded my trusty Hot-Rod DeVille with a Fromel master kit and look forward to more risky business!
@@UncleDoug Doug, thanks for the kind words but I am 70 years old and have neither time nor patience on my side; I just don't know how to live without learning. Thanks for making the journey a bit smoother but honestly I'll probably drop dead quite happily with my tools in one hand and some tech manual in the other. Thanks again. www.AtelierDesignOne.com
The masterclass in amp repair, Uncle Doug does it again. I had a blackface Super Reverb back in 1969. What a great amp. 4 inputs, and we used them all, 2 guitars, bass and microphone. Also used it for a PA at block parties, jacked in a turntable and rocked out. What a great amp, but heavy as it gets. I had to get one after seeing Taj Mahal at the Electric Factory in Philly. Jesse Edwin Davis was playing his tele thru a stack of 4 Supers.
Hard to imagine what 4 Supers sounded like, especially with Jesse Edwin Davis' doing the "driving"; that guy could have made musical magic with a flea-powered series-string AC/DC "widowmaker" amp. As Jackson Browne said, " when he played, it was like the sky cracked open". He died the same year as Roy Buchanan.
@@UncleDoug ,years ago I saw Lucinda Williams play in a medium sized club (opening, unannounced, for Los Lobos). I was right up against the stage, and her guitarist (and significant other at that time) Gurf Morlix was playing through a pair of black faced Twin Reverbs about 8 feet away from me, level with my ears. I might have lost some hearing that night but it was worth it; Morlix is a master of taste, touch and tone, perfect for framing and fleshing out the songs. Tab Benoit plays through a pair of Category 5 amps, one purportedly based on a Super and the other a little smaller and more like a Deluxe (he doesn't use reverb, dunno if the amps even have it). Killer tone, and a smoking-hot player! Definitely loud, but not as loud as hearing David Lindley playing lap steel through a Dumble and a 4x12 cab, from 8 feet away!
Currently building a Blackvibe which is amp only and this video helps a lot. Nearly the same tube compliment without vibrato and without reverb BUT adding a Wah circuit before the preamp with potted foot pedal. Thank you.
Many thanks for another jewel of the 60's joined by the usual skillful job and helpful hints and also with your refined humor.....bondage prom... Those desert flowers are awsome! I have to say that Brad the Guitologist has a video where he dismantle the ol'days cheap tube theory showing a price table from the 60's. He recalculated those prices to 2020 and they are pricisely the same. If we have in to account that a lot of less production/demand happens now, it very impressive that the prices have not risen since then...Cheers!
I have the exact amp but mine had the speakers replaced in the mid 70s. Recapped, new trem bug, cleaning. My favorite amp. Best Fender ever, maybe tied with the Blonde Bassman.
Thanks so much for taking the time to make the videos, Doug. As a guitarist and someone fascinated by electronics your channel is gold. Your wonderful sense of humour, obvious human decency and soothing voice is an enormous bonus.
Beautiful job Uncle Doug..!! I just purchased a 1973 Super Reverb amp out of San Francisco ($500). It was serviced in New York state 10 years ago. There are upgraded caps, resistors and a distortion mod with a pot installed in the 2nd Normal input jack location. All it needed was Deoxit pot cleaning and 4 matching CTS Alnico 10" speakers.. It has lots of Mesa tubes and a few Electro Harmonix.. Sounds Superb now..!! Hey Uncle Doug... did you ever see the fantastic Brizio Hot Rod Shop in South San Francisco?? They are currently building a rod for Eric Clapton
@@UncleDoug Brizio Street Rods are just so beautiful and well engineered. I have watched their work for over 35 years. Check out their website... great pictures.!! Thanks Uncle Doug.!
Thanks in a large part to your videos I completely rebuilt my much abused 68 Super Reverb and it works! Quite well. I've done some minor repairs in the past but this was a huge undertaking for me. Thanks for sharing all your knowledge!
The beauty of these vintage masterpieces is that if a fella had the mind to, one could actually reproduce this amp. No easy task, but not impossible. But the modern stuff is definitely out of my capabilities to DIY. Thanks again UD! Always a pleasure!... That reminds me... I'm out of Cool Whip!
Quite true, FW, just like the old cars I like.......they're easy to work on. My overriding fear is that in this uncertain age we live in, Walmart will run out of Cool Whip :)
After watching this video I now feel confident to start build this amp from scratch by myself!!! Especially the modern changes necessary from the original schematic. Ialso get a lot out of your Vibrochamp videos for my Vibrochamp build! It is dead quiet and sounds awesome!! There are a few sources for tube amps that are good but you are by far the most understandable and most educating of all! Thank you!
Wow! You just nailed my favorite amp of all time! My main rig for doing shows for the better part of twenty years was just what you have here, 1966 Super Reverb ( modified and signed by Red Rhodes) and a 1965 Pro Reverb. That tone was gravy of the Gods! My guitars are a 1970 sunburst Les Paul and a 63 Strat. Now my rig in terms of amp's are a Tone King Imperial Mark 1 and a Dr Z Maz 18 jr. The Tone King Imperial sounds incredibly close to my 65 Pro Reverb which was really a pleasant surprise! Thanks so much for the post!
Same here icedog. I should be down in my shop doing repairs and here I am coffee cup in hand watching Uncle Doug. And what kind of ridged sphincter people give him a thumbs down?
I can’t be the only one chirping at my phone to add another resistor to slow down that tremolo even more. And when UD saw that ground switch, ‘yeah, that needs to be a NFB.’ Uncle Doug is becoming a national treasure.
Love the shirts. Well deserved gift. You are the best thing on u tube. I watch lots of other tube amp videos by the other very good amp techs. None of them even come close to the teaching ability that you have. Putting together a gift packfor you. But it could never be enough. Thank you so much Uncle Doug.
I sure do remember that sound - the guitar player in my High School / College band used a Super Reverb. When you started to play through it, I really went back in time. Thanks for another great explanation or your thought process and repair steps.
I've bread boarded circuits and made basic distortion pedals, but have always stayed away from the internals of my amps. I watch your videos with fascination and often wonder if I'm learning anything. Well, I am and this video answered a burning question: how does one discharge a capacitor? I'm not going to try it, but my question has been answered. Thanks Uncle Doug! Knowing how things work improves my life and your show is an important part of that process.
UNCLE DOUG - What a great video. Chock full of tips along with instructions for making the cap discharge tool. Just the ticket for me whereas I own a 1964 Super and I will be attempting to give it a much needed makeover exactly as done in this video. Thanks so much.
I am blessed to still have the 1964 Super Reverb that I bought brand new, somewhere around April or May of '64. I also have -- at great cost -- my late brother's 1966 Super Reverb, that had a 1X12 orange frame JBL in it. I converted that over to a 1X15. Both amps need work. As does my lower back, from "lugging" around that 4X10 for many, many years (not kidding)! Love your comparison between the DR and the SR ... I had no idea they were that close. I also have a '77 DR (not close to either) with a variable lower mid range adjustment, and that amp should be in prison because it is just killer. You need to be selling all those shirts!! I remember reading some info on those mismatched power tubes, by one of the guys at Mercury Magnetics, who said pretty much the same thing you said. I like that trem slow down thingie ... I enjoyed this one, especially. Thanks.
You have some wonderful equipment, TT. Sorry about your brother. I've considered pedaling merchandise, but the (unavailable) time required makes it unlikely. Glad you enjoyed the video.
@@UncleDoug Thank you, to all. Yes, I understand the time thing. If you ever get a chance, check out Simon Jarrett's site, KingsleyAmplification.com ... talk about a busy man! He has an amp I want (the "Bailey") ... I have been on the waiting list for a good two years, and still have five years to go! Not sure I will be here, by that time! Thanks again for this great video ... I will watch every single Fender amp video you put up ... as long as they are hand wired versions!
Hello Uncle Doug, I can't help but think that you know Fender amps better than 'Ol Leo himself. Another awesome repair by the master of tube amps. I really like how you go into detail and explain everything so well that a novice could probably do it. The Vox AC 30 and probably the AC 15 had no negative feedback for some nice creamy breakup at higher volumes. The Hot Rod Garage must be why the recent Rod videos were removed by the uploader, I can't wait to subcribe. It's been hovering right around 100 degrees the last couple days, now cooling to low 80's and 70's. Glad your doing well. Thank you Uncle Doug for sharing your knowledge and experience. All the best from Oregon, Cass.
Thanks so much, Cass. There are just so many Fender amps in my area, and apparently in the whole country, that I am able to gain more experience with them. They are easy to work on and respond well to minor modification. The video removals were my fault......until you're accustomed to two channels, it's easy to upload to the wrong one ;)
For the viewer who complained about having to listen to test tones: maybe they should watch something else than an amp repair video. But that's just my logic that an amp repair video might include test tones. I wanted to savour this new video with an afternoon coffee mug, but I was too excited to watch so I'm watching it at 2 am. Can't help it, especially these jewel amp videos are too exciting. Great tips as always, some of these are life savers like your DIY capacitor drainer.
Another informative and entertaining video, and so well edited. My friends think I'm crazy when I wax rhapsodic. Kenrad, Mullard tubes "for a dollar.." I resumed groaning after the smelling salts were applied.
I got a 64 Black Faced Twin with an "Up with People" stick on it. hahaha. It is by far the best sounding Twin I have heard. Super clean, and it has a deep color to it. Hard to describe. It sounds perfect. ...assuming you don't feed it horrible club power with lots of neon signs. Some clubs have horrible electricity. There is so much junk in the power line that it affects the twin a lot. My Rivera can deal with it better, but it aint the same.
You do really nice circuit building. I first lifted one of those amps in 1966 as a roadie for my shipmates' band. and if my memory serves it has been a good fifty years since I read a schematic but it flooded back in and I could read the darn thing. so now i'm another devoted fan just for the memory lane stuff. I'm going to be restoring a Fender amp and guitar next month so get ready for questions. PS I built my first tube radio in 1954...
Another good one, I'm finally up to date-- been busy working on some gear. The band actually managed to gig at a wedding reception. Fifty attendees (that's a Covid max here) that were aghast with the hard rock we provided.
Doug I have the same amp 66 super reverb with jbl speakers I'm the 3rd owner of the amp the original owner worked at fender building these amps he upgraded the amp with the jbl d110's love it.
Like many, I love these vids. Thank you to the people who send your precious amps in for repair/service, and provide the medium for this Wizard of Wiring to unleash his magic mixed with mirth - even those quiet asides, eg 9.46 can only come from one person. I hear them and know I have an wonderful hour or so in front of me. Thank you, UD.
I had a Super Reverb that was lost in a burglary in 1987. Couldn't find a suitable replacement at the time and wound up with a Peavy that had no good tones. Seeing this one brought back some good memories of how good that sounded but also how heavy it was. Like the small tube amps now. I was wondering if Jack and Ollie need guitar picks because they do have claws. You should have a video of them playing.
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No other channel, text book or online course covers tube amp design, construction, repair and renovation more completely than you do. For 5 years, I've gained invaluable knowledge and experience from your videos. I'm a professional electrical engineer who's probably paid $100K for my education, trade shows, conferences and seminars over the years. Quality content comes at a cost. For me, your content is well-worth paying for. I always pick up 1 or 2 tips from each video that easily justifies my monthly Patreon contribution. Thank you Doug.
Wow, Craig, coming from an individual with your credentials and knowledge that is high praise indeed. Thank you so, so much.
Craig H is absolutely right on all points. You are a great teacher and your videos are entertaining as well as educational. I became a patreon today long overdue I must say. I also have learned so much from you that the monetary value can never be covered by my newly created patreon subscription to you - Thank you so much !
Hard to state the facts with more eloquence. You know what Craig, You guys keep all of us learners going. You rock!
Hello Craig! Love you man!
Craig, I absolutely agree!
I went to electronics school in 1983 for a certificate course. It was on the cusp of analogue/digital. The previous year, they tought radio and television repair. The year I went, they started teaching digital circuits. This really worked in my favor. I got a job with Wang Labs working on Mini Computers. From there, I learned LANs and networking. Today, I protect our country from our electronic enemies. It's been a cool ride!
What keeps me sane (and I use the term loosely) has been playing guitar. And part of playing guitar is amps. Tube amps are so part of electric guitar. Doug shares his collection, and the collections of others, of amps I've never heard of, but were our history! And what amazing sound! What I wouldn't do to hang out with Doug for a few days to really experience his amps and play with the cats! (Doug, I'm a really good cook as well!)
What I really appreciate about You Tube is there are people sharing their knowledge about things that aren't being tought any more. Jim Lindenas repairs tube radios in Canada. While I have AM, FM, and Satellite in the truck, and cable and Internet at home (and 120 gig of music on my phone), I still appreciate tube radios! I grew up with them. I remember pulling the tubes from my TV when I was 8 years old and testing them at Radio Shack. And fixing my and my parents TVs. Admittedly by then (late 60s), all of our radios were transistor. But I've always had a fascination with tubes. I want a tube amp for my stereo. Not because it's better (I have really good chip amps) but because they're really cool.
Thanks Doug! Reminding us that technology isn't always better!
“Prom night at the bondage and discipline center”-the most original description of a fully functioning reverb circuit I’ve ever heard in my life...
I don't know where these sayings come from, Peter, but thanks :)
Yeah! I spat out my coffee at that one! lol!
Didn’t expect that comment Uncle Doug. Are you sure that catnip wasn’t meant for you?
Peter Espada That was hilarious!!
Classic Doug..😂
That amp is a priceless treasure - mostly because Uncle Doug now had his skills involved.
Wow, thanks, Loki. Regards to that very furry kitty in your pic.
@@UncleDoug Thanks! The fellow in my profile picture is Loki - he adopted me. My mom found him in her garage after a bad storm and she thought he was a rat or a dirty tennis ball. I love him. He is my best mate and sidekick. Loves rock n roll, and tolerates my bad singing and guitar playing. The best!
I just got my '64 Super Reverb back from my techie guy. The amp was working but did not have any sparkle to it, and the reverb really vacuumed. A tech or two from years past had installed some junk tone and coupling capacitors. I asked him to install blue SoZos in place of the brown and orange uglies, which he did. He also rebuilt the vibrato circuit (WOW!) and changed out a capacitor and a few other parts in the reverb circuit. I also asked him to install and bias two Tung-Sol 5881 power tubes, replacing a couple of WInged C 6L6GC's. I asked him to install SoZo silver micas for the treble caps. I also installed a big rectifier tube (sorry, cannot remember what that was, but it's a big coke bottle), to limit output a bit and headroom. I have some new vintage style reverb cables on the way! All I can say is, WOW! What an amp! After many decades I can once again say that I love my Super Reverb!
I hope it serves you well for many years to come, TT.
Thanks, Uncle! Got the reverb cables today and played the dickens getting them installed (working on the floor, which is tough when you're 76 years old!), but I got the tank (all cleaned up!) and the cables secured down at the bottom, and the wrong length cables safely secured to the side of the cabinet. WHAT A SOUND! I highly recommend the 5881's and SoZos!@@UncleDoug
@@Tonetwisters Thanks for the update, TT. Glad it went well.
"Sounds like prom night at the bondage & discipline center." This is an instant Uncle Doug classic.
Thanks, Stephen. You missed a great party ;)
I couldn’t make it....had a beak full of Strontium after a trip north :)
@@v12dot A flimsy excuse, but you're still on the guest list, Stewart.
...and to think I considered the idea that I was the only person who ...er... might... know, what such a place can entail... (so to speak).... As you were lads.... as you were...
Joe Walsh of The James Gang used to play a bar in Revenna, OH; played through two blackface Super Reverbs dimed- the tone was glorious!
I'll bet it was quite an experience for those in the front row, Ms.
Hands down, Uncle Doug is THEE best amp repairman on TH-cam. He KNOWS what he’s doing. No guessing. No pontificating about “what if” or “maybe one time”.
He just builds up a surgical diagnostic path, and follows it.
No ‘shotgunning’ parts at it, until it works, like another popular TH-cam channel...
Thank you, Uncle Doug, for all the helpful info, from an aspiring vintage amp tech.
Wow.....thanks so much, MMI. We really appreciate your very kind words :)
Me, Myself and I
I concur so I guess that counts as 4 votes. When you see someone address the problem with science (math, logic, etc) you're in the middle of a teaching moment..
I am such a junky for the Fender reverb amps of this time period. It is always a treat to see and hear them in their glory. Excellent work as usual, exactly what is needed, properly diagnosed and perfectly executed. My blackface Vibrolux Reverb is still bone stock, still running after almost 53 years of my ownership.. 2nd owner. One of these days I need to go through it in exactly the same manner as illustrated here, to freshen up the 'lytic caps, and check the rest for spec. Bravo Doug, great job well done.
Thanks so much, Jennifer. I value and appreciate your knowledgeable input.
Uncle Doug I APPRECIATE that you are teaching so much and so well. True some others of us are well experienced in the analog arts, but it takes a special person to actually illustrate the craft. You are leaving a great legacy that will teach a new generation for decades and decades.
These are wonderful amps, if you have room to open them up (around 5-7) and let them run ... and your ears can tolerate that kind of volume!
I'll add a comment that your client for this one has impeccable cursive handwriting, an art becoming increasingly rare. Though I went through all the "training" back in elementary school in the 1960's, my handwriting has devolved into a level of chicken scratch that I often can't read myself. But I learned typing as a defense, and usually use non-cursive, printed letters when I need to jot a note to my wife (otherwise, she would probably not be able to decipher it.)
I agree completely, Ken. He could teach handwriting to calligraphers :) and he's a super nice guy to boot :)
My training as an Army linguist ruined my abilities to use cursive for English. Whenever I ty to write in cursive, it results in a mix of English and Russian characters, muscle memory being what it is. So I “write” in Russian and “print” in English.
I just complimented a guy at the hospital for his beautiful handwriting. You just don't see it enough.
For some people (grey heads) even neatly executed cursive is as good as encryption for written communication. The young'ns just never learned it.
Good looking cursive is always nice! One thing that my grandma used to always say is that “it must be practiced consistently through life instead of learned once then forgotten” same goes for “life lessons” and other things you learn as a kid like not being afraid to be wrong or honesty.
I had to pause - I laughed so loud at, "bondage and discipline night at the prom..." My wife, "are you ok in there?" Doug - you remind me of my electronics teacher in high school in Marietta, GA in 1981 - Mr. Skinner. He was a great man that, as a general rule, held impeccable composure; but - for those of us that took a real interest in everything he did, once he got to know us and felt he could trust us, the crass humor came out. It must be a thing for electronic wizards like yourself. God bless you Sir - thanks for the wit. You put me in a time machine today with that line. I went on to have an electronic related career in the Air Force working on communications "stuff" for the Minuteman ICBM system. Now I'm just dangerous enough to build an amp from a kit. I've built 3 so far that are fabulous. I may not be able to tell anyone exactly what each components' role is, but the dress and lead would pass Mr. Skinners' scrutiny and the attention to detail and following the build instructions have made it pleasurable and I have some very nice amps!
It's great to hear that our video brought you some good laughs and recollections, Chad. Best of luck with all your projects.
Sounds fantastic after its 40 year slumber, and your magic touch of re-awaking its wonderful rich tones. Great video, thanks for posting.
Glad you enjoyed it, IMA. Thanks !!
Thanks, as always UD. You've touched a lot of people, just by being yourself, and I'm lucky to be one of them. We live in challenging and amazing times. -RF
Thanks so much, RF. It's true, but you can't let the craziness get you down......keep doing what you're good at, and the world will finally catch up :)
How many more of these amps are still out there? Just when you think they are gone, Bam! here's another one! Truly a work of art. Uncle Leo really did a bang up job building what seems a never dying amp! Of course the person who sent this to you knew where to send it for THE best service and repair........Uncle Doug! Great new video! What, no hot rod? Oh well, I'll take what I can get! Love from NW Colorado. Thanxz
Agreed, ATL. Thanks so much. No hotrod......but a whole new channel full of hotrods. Please check it out.
I have a ‘66 Super Reverb that hasn’t been plugged in since about ‘90, this was exceptionally interesting to me
I owned a 1968 Fender Bassman amp bought new that year with money I earned from gigs-upgraded from something else I don’t remember. Kept it through the 70’s and 80’s-at some point I had to store it at my dad’s house. He had no appreciation of what it was and used it from time to time at parties he went to as a PA system (!). Unbeknownst to me, he sold it to somebody. Awhile later, I went to see him to recover the amp and some other property. Needless to say, I was furious. I made him buy me a new Fender amp and a guitar to boot, but it was the 90’s by then (1996, I think) and Fender amps were not the same.
Uncle Doug is a class by himself. Such class, such perfection, such a real man in a world of almost no real men. And he has that perfect voice on top of it all. He is like the "Jim Nantz" of electronics dealing with vintage guitar amplifiers. Thank you Uncle Doug for your great videos, and for everything else.
Wow, thanks for all the very nice comments, Jeff. We really appreciate them :)
@@UncleDoug Be honest. It was the comparison to Jim Nance that got you, huh?
I think I'll just delay my morning bike ride, refill the coffee cup and enjoy.
High praise indeed, Ice. I hope you enjoy it :)
A fine example of a great amp and the best place to send it. Uncle Doug is the most though and best at showing and teaching us the right way to refurbished a classic amp.
Thanks so much, Larry. We appreciate your kind words :)
"Prom night at the bondage and discipline center..." hahaha
The mind boggles at its own mental imagery.
-Tone at 43:25 is so nice
Edit: Was that a Cicada killer wasp? I have them in my yard nearly every year, usually only the one, though. I assume they're generational and come back to the same yard they were born in to build nests. Been at least 10 years now. They;ve all been very docile, even when I ran the weed trimmer over what I though was an ant hill only to have her come out of the hole she was digging, hover right in my face for a second and then just fly away. I did apologize profusely as I was headed inside for fresh pants.
I concur
Glad you liked the spontaneous quip, J. It could well have been a cicada-killer. Every summer we are "blessed" with hundreds of cicadas droning away in the trees. It would make sense that a predator would also flourish in such an environment. Loved the "fresh pants" comment :)
"Prom night at the bondage and discipline center..."
But, how does Uncle Doug know ??
That tone at 43:25 I agree and wonder how much of the signal is due to the pickups/ the string vibrations /the tubes/the speaker cone?It is such a nice combo in the end!
I am sitting here staring at my 1965 Blackface Super Reverb. There a few if no places I can play it at the volume to get the goods. Too loud....but what a sound. I built several Super Reverbs and many Deluxe reverbs. My 6L6 Fender Deluxe 1x12 combo I built is the only amp I need. I have so many others but that Deluxe is outstanding. Great vid. Long live the SuperReverb.
Thanks for sharing, Ireland.
It would be great if Ollie and Jack could do a full episode quarantine concert of all their greatest hits....and maybe they could throw in a special tribute to Rusty. Great videos usual, Uncle Doug!
Great idea, DK......maybe a CD of amp demos :) Thanks !!!
@@miguelherrera4994 Although I appreciate your concern, Miguel, Jack and Ollie squander so much of our revenue on boutique catnip, that I will probably never be able to retire ;)
Thanks Uncle Doug. You are making so many people happy. My wife isn't upset if she knows that it's your video I'm watching. The telephone co I was working with in late 70's had me doing Principles of Electronics but I left the co and never finished all the courses. You are now inspiring me to continue now that I'm retired. Let me know how I can help .I have four 6L6 GC was to send to you but one got broken. don't know if you will be still interested.. (They were for the 68 Fender Bassman that was stolen when I sold my house many years ago) Thanks.
We're glad the videos are helpful and inspirational, Sylvester. We'd love to receive some GC's. Please message me on my FB page: Uncle Doug's Vintage Amps to make arrangements.
Congrats on the new channel. Never to old to start something new. On my way to second channel to check it out. Thanks again for your time you share with us.
Thanks, OG. I hope you like it :)
I remember finding this channel two months ago in recommendations after watching Mr Carlson and Shango for years and having zero interest or knowledge on vintage amps. When Doug revealed the inside of the chassis I'm sitting there critiquing like 'wow that's some top class work' 🤣. What a fascinating and entertaining two months it's been. Thanks to you Doug and quite possibly the best community on TH-cam 👍
Wow !!! Thanks so much for the very favorable review K2. It's great to hear that the videos are interesting and informative. No doubt about it......our viewing "family" is the nicest and best on all of FB :)
Love these vids. I pretend that I actually understand everything and it makes me feel good. :)
I'm glad you enjoy our videos, Peter. Thanks :)
Yet another fantastic video Uncle Doug. With the amount of love, care and attention you pay to doing your repairs it is so easy to see why people entrust their valuable amplifiers to you. I know that if I lived in the USA (I live in UK) and I owned a precious amplifier I would have absolutely no doubts whatsoever about giving it to you to work your “magic” upon it. The boys certainly seem to be enjoying their time with that lovely amp. I don’t know if you are anywhere near the bad weather that Texas is suffering from at the present time, but stay safe. Please keep the videos coming.
Thanks for all your very nice comments, Robin. In my area, far west Texas, it's been really (hot but) nice :)
Hey Doug, love your work. I've had several Fenders in this orig condition (59 deluxe, '66 Super Reverb, 64 Princeton) and while it's absolutely necessary to do the recapping, I always feel like the guy who clubbed the last Dodo. There's no going back. Have you ever re-sleeved new caps in the old covers or made repro sleeves? I know it's probably silly but I'd love my amps to look original when I peel them open. Best wishes from Australia.
I understand completely and for years advocated keeping as many original components as possible.....which is fine for my own amps, since I can re-repair them quickly.....but for customer amps, considering the effort and cost of shipping, I just can't justify it.
Doug buddy working on that amp is an incredible honor!
A few years ago I was engaged to clone a 1964 AB763 that was in very good condition but not as clean as this one. I didn’t have access long enough to fully blueprint the amp but a lot of the carbon comp resistors had drifted significantly. The amp sounded GLORIOUS! It belonged to a college professor who played guitar and harmonica through it, but his father was the one who hired me to make the clone ... his son wanted his amp back.
Trying to make a long story short, my build was almost stock for the Vibrato channel. The major exception was bias vary tremolo from a Brown Vibrolux (6G-11) instead of the optical roach. The Normal channel was anything but. It has reverb and tremolo. The tone circuit is Brownface Vibroverb (6G-16) with that weird tap on the Treble pot. I turned the Bright switch into a guitar/harmonica switch with different cathode resistance and frequency cutoff. And I used plate resistor values close to the old amp - they were much higher than 100K.
To say that the amp is loud is a gross understatement. 😎
One question: when you are doing a major overhaul like this, do you go through a step-by-step startup procedure first with rectifier tube only, then power tubes, then everything, with a light bulb limiter in line in case something BAD starts to happen? I’m pretty sure I saw a light bulb limiter in the background there ...
I don't do a step-by-step start up. As in the video, I replace all the faulty components, then install the tubes, plug into a current limiter (always), and turn it on.
Almost choked on my coffee.....prom night XD
It seemed like a good analogy at the time ;)
Fantastic video! I've owned a number of Blackface Super Reverbs over the years, but at 70 years old, they're just too loud and heavy for me now. They are without a doubt one of, if not the best amp Fender ever made. Thanks for all you do!
Thanks, Billy. I agree about the fabulousness of the SR......one of Fender's best :)
Those felines have really improved their chops over the years. Must be the catnip, I'll go try some...
I've been guzzling catnip for just that reason, Luiz, and it only seems to work on cats :(
I just finished a Stromberg-Carlson p-p 6L6 Model 20/207 amp and couldn't for the life of me get anywhere near plate current balance no matter how many different pairs I tried. Since the amp is cathode biased with a shared resistor and cap, the only other possible cause for the imbalance was the output transformer primary winding which measured at 34.2 ohms and 37.2 ohms respectively, which accounts for the disparate Ip idle values.....It sounds great.....!!!
Keep up the great handiwork and the ice-cold humor Uncle Doug...!!!
Thanks !! Will do, Jordan :)
“Prom night at the bondage and discipline center” 🤣
What an impeccable specimen! Wish I had one!!
Uncle Doug you are a champion. I love watching your repair videos.
Above your amazing skill and work ethic- Your dialogue is a cut above the rest! Thank your for sharing your craft with us, good sir.
Glad you enjoyed it, MD :) Thanks !!
This may be the nicest sounding "refurb" that you've ever demo'ed. I would be jumping out of my skin in anticipation if I owned this and to listened to you while waiting to get it back into my cabinet.
Thanks so much, Tele. From what I gather, the owner is quite pleased :)
Hi Mr. Doug, 30 years ago I was a radio repairer in the army. I’m really happy I ran across your channel tonight, you certainly have earned my subscription and my Molly Joanne who’s featured in my photo sends her best to you and yours.
Greetings, Richard, and welcome to our channel. Jack sends his regards to Molly :)
As ever a real treat and thanks so much for sharing. My cat is getting withdrawal symptoms for screen time of yours doing the box inspections and sniff tests, but she digs that 60s guitar groove! Keep up the great work and stay well. Paul in the UK
I'll get Jack & KC to involve themselves more in future productions, Paul. Meanwhile, thanks.....and regards to your kitty.
Few things more I love than valve amps, cats, a man with a deep appreciation for valve amps and admiring electronics.... and coffee! Uncle Doug you’re the best! I love watching your videos and not to mention you’re a great teacher, thank you 🙏
Wow.....we're birds of a feather, WM. You're quite welcome :)
Many have said that along with the 1960's Blackface Twin, the Deluxe Reverb and Super Reverb the was Fender's finest ... Having watched you thoughtful, considerate and expert service of this fine example of the later, I have to concur with the many ... Apologies for not making a comment on your last presentation, but I was restricted in both time and privacy with the wife's 96 year old mother visiting. I did however, manage to get a representative photo of her which has pride of place on the mantelpiece, and will successfully keep the grandchildren away from the fire. Oddly, all the mice disappeared as well during the 'red carpet' visit.. (We don't have any cats !) ..Off to Uncle Doug's Hot Rods now...
By coincidence, a Blackface Fender Twin Reverb will be featured in the near future, Pete. I loved your tongue-in-cheek description of the MIL visit. I think we've all been through similar "joyous" interludes. Mine came to visit many years ago with her oxygen tank (emphysema) and then proceeded to light up a cigarette in my 2-year-old daughter's bedroom. Let's just say that her visit was short......and memorable.
The condition of this 66' is without equal. This particular circuit has always impressed me. My first taste of the power and clarity imparted by the Super Reverb was listening to lots of Albert Collins. This 410 combo was thick, and had a raw aggressiveness when coaxes properly. This Fender is a staple of all players; irrespective of the genre. It is this versatility that raises this amp to the pinnacle of the holy grail pantheon of amplifiers. Those embroidered shirts are massive cool! I would wear them proudly if I were in your shoes. It is an affirmation of your kind, and humble nature, dear Uncle. If more channel hosts were like this, there would be no acrimony in the You Tube world. Thank you for posting this informative, and necessary episode to us all. Stay safe and healthy- and extend this blanket of safety over all who reside in your home.
What a kind and nicely worded comment, Alex. Thanks so much. You epitomize the type of viewer we seek and appreciate on this channel. Our very best to you and yours.
I have the EXACT same amp. Never serviced. Its absolutely perfectly original. You may have inspired me to recap and cord it, never considered the polarity to NFB switch, so thanks for that too. Mine also stopped regular working status (in a country band) in the 80s. The collection of tubes that came with it makes me smile.
You are a lucky guy, Otter. By all means fix up the old gem and put her on display.
I don't think I've commented on many of your videos but thanks for these gems; it's really valuable for someone of your knowledge & experience to present it like this
Thanks, JT. We hope the videos are helpful and informative.
I loved the intro on your demo. 1-4-5 rock-n-roll on a black face Fender is about as good as it gets...! I was really impressed with the crisp, almost shimmering highs that the amp produces. At times the Super Reverb made your guitar almost sound like a Rickenbacker.
Wow.....thanks so much, John :) So glad you enjoyed it.
Yay! Another Uncle Doug, Jack, Ollie & KC video! Just when I was getting totally bored on a Monday morning, this pops up.
Also, again your attention to meticulous detail in the way the electrolytic capacitors are replaced; highlighting your excellent craftsmanship and skills.
Wow, thanks so much, Jeff :)
I know absolutely ZERO about electronics and amp repair, but this was fascinating! :)
That's great to hear, Michael. Keep watching and learning.
Hi Uncle Doug, TH-cam would be nothing, without anyone adding his 2 cents to every video out there. So here are mine:
I was tought, that the green earth wire must be the longest wire inside the chassis. If someone rips the mainscable accidentally out, it should be the last wire to become lose. So it can still protect the user and the aparatus from shock. Even if someone pulls on the mainscable, the earthwire shall never become lose under any circumstances.
Also, it is always a good idea to bolt or solder the earthwire separately to the chassis. Thereby it can´t become lose and forgotten to get reattached if some part of the amp is demounted. So one should never use the OT bolts or some other bolts and screws which are used to hold various equipment to the chassis.
Greetings from Germany, i learned a lot through the years by enjoying your videos!
Thanks for your input, B. I'm glad the videos are helpful.
@@UncleDoug forgot to mention, that draining the caps like you do is a very important part of any repairjob. I it the very first thing i do in an amp. I dont see it often done here in yt. Maybe you could do an extra video about it with explanation and measurements?
@@Gwamperter_Hund I will keep your suggestion in mind, B.
The myth...the legend...greatest teacher by far...UNCLE DOUG
Wow....thanks, MV :)
My coworker just inherited his great grandfather's Super reverb amp. I'll get him to watch this. Valuable information Uncle Doug. Thank you!
Why can't you and I be so lucky, Phil. All I ever inherited was a funeral bill :) Thanks !!!
Beautiful amp Uncle Doug. My main amp is a 1968 black line Super Reverb AB763. I love it & totally agree on four 10’s being Fender’s best speaker configuration. I also agree they are a pain to lug around. I call it the “Super bear hug” because bear hugging a Super reverb is the only way to move one. If you use the amp handle you end up setting it down every few feet due to hand pain. But the tone is worth it. As there’s nothing better than leaning the Ol’ Super back on it’s tilt back legs, rolling the volume up to about 6, plugging in your Strat and striking up the band.
Thanks, Vaden. Your description of both sides of owning a SR is right on the money. Perfection doesn't come without some pain ;)
I do so enjoy your channel, Doug. Clear concise descriptions in proper English, no constant repetition. My only real problem is that most of the time I've no clue what you are on about in the tech stuff, but thanks to your channel, I am learning. I successfully moded my trusty Hot-Rod DeVille with a Fromel master kit and look forward to more risky business!
That's great to hear, Eric. Learning takes time and patience. It sounds like you're making good progress.
@@UncleDoug Doug, thanks for the kind words but I am 70 years old and have neither time nor patience on my side; I just don't know how to live without learning. Thanks for making the journey a bit smoother but honestly I'll probably drop dead quite happily with my tools in one hand and some tech manual in the other. Thanks again. www.AtelierDesignOne.com
My 64 Super is head in for this treatment soon.thanks for the tour Doug &Rusty
Our pleasure, Patrick.
Wow! The Demo! What an amplifier, A beautiful time capsule chassis to boot. The owner should be over the moon.
He's a really nice guy......who deserves to own it, Jake. Thanks so much !!!
The masterclass in amp repair, Uncle Doug does it again. I had a blackface Super Reverb back in 1969.
What a great amp. 4 inputs, and we used them all, 2 guitars, bass and microphone. Also used it for a PA at block parties, jacked in a turntable and rocked out. What a great amp, but heavy as it gets. I had to get one after seeing Taj Mahal at the Electric Factory in Philly. Jesse Edwin Davis was playing his tele thru a stack of 4 Supers.
Thanks so much, Mike. Wow !! FOUR Super Reverbs......the axis of the Earth might be affected ;)
Hard to imagine what 4 Supers sounded like, especially with Jesse Edwin Davis' doing the "driving"; that guy could have made musical magic with a flea-powered series-string AC/DC "widowmaker" amp. As Jackson Browne said, " when he played, it was like the sky cracked open". He died the same year as Roy Buchanan.
@@goodun2974 Although I shudder at the hearing loss incurred by experiencing him up close.....it would have probably been worth it.
@@UncleDoug ,years ago I saw Lucinda Williams play in a medium sized club (opening, unannounced, for Los Lobos). I was right up against the stage, and her guitarist (and significant other at that time) Gurf Morlix was playing through a pair of black faced Twin Reverbs about 8 feet away from me, level with my ears. I might have lost some hearing that night but it was worth it; Morlix is a master of taste, touch and tone, perfect for framing and fleshing out the songs.
Tab Benoit plays through a pair of Category 5 amps, one purportedly based on a Super and the other a little smaller and more like a Deluxe (he doesn't use reverb, dunno if the amps even have it). Killer tone, and a smoking-hot player! Definitely loud, but not as loud as hearing David Lindley playing lap steel through a Dumble and a 4x12 cab, from 8 feet away!
Currently building a Blackvibe which is amp only and this video helps a lot. Nearly the same tube compliment without vibrato and without reverb BUT adding a Wah circuit before the preamp with potted foot pedal. Thank you.
Best of luck with your project, Bob. Thanks :)
Many thanks for another jewel of the 60's joined by the usual skillful job and helpful hints and also with your refined humor.....bondage prom... Those desert flowers are awsome! I have to say that Brad the Guitologist has a video where he dismantle the ol'days cheap tube theory showing a price table from the 60's. He recalculated those prices to 2020 and they are pricisely the same. If we have in to account that a lot of less production/demand happens now, it very impressive that the prices have not risen since then...Cheers!
You're quite welcome, AC. That's a good point about the price of tubes. Thanks !!
I have the exact amp but mine had the speakers replaced in the mid 70s. Recapped, new trem bug, cleaning. My favorite amp. Best Fender ever, maybe tied with the Blonde Bassman.
I believe it, Kaare. The SR is a masterpiece.
Thanks so much for taking the time to make the videos, Doug. As a guitarist and someone fascinated by electronics your channel is gold. Your wonderful sense of humour, obvious human decency and soothing voice is an enormous bonus.
We appreciate your kind words, SM, and wish you the very best.
What is really fun is watching your videos while strumming a strat. And for that, we thank you!
The pleasure is ours, FW.
Beautiful job Uncle Doug..!! I just purchased a 1973 Super Reverb amp out of San Francisco ($500). It was serviced in New York state 10 years ago. There are upgraded caps, resistors and a distortion mod with a pot installed in the 2nd Normal input jack location. All it needed was Deoxit pot cleaning and 4 matching CTS Alnico 10" speakers.. It has lots of Mesa tubes and a few Electro Harmonix.. Sounds Superb now..!!
Hey Uncle Doug... did you ever see the fantastic Brizio Hot Rod Shop in South San Francisco?? They are currently building a rod for Eric Clapton
Sounds like a great amp, Mr. G. I am familiar with their work, but have never visited their facility. I'll bet it was quite an experience.
@@UncleDoug Brizio Street Rods are just so beautiful and well engineered. I have watched their work for over 35 years. Check out their website... great pictures.!! Thanks Uncle Doug.!
@@MrGTO-ze7vb Agreed, Mr. G. They are world famous for their creations. Sadly, they are way too expensive for "normal" folks :(
Thanks in a large part to your videos I completely rebuilt my much abused 68 Super Reverb and it works! Quite well. I've done some minor repairs in the past but this was a huge undertaking for me. Thanks for sharing all your knowledge!
You're welcome, Bill. It's great to hear that the videos are helpful :)
The beauty of these vintage masterpieces is that if a fella had the mind to, one could actually reproduce this amp. No easy task, but not impossible. But the modern stuff is definitely out of my capabilities to DIY. Thanks again UD! Always a pleasure!... That reminds me... I'm out of Cool Whip!
Quite true, FW, just like the old cars I like.......they're easy to work on. My overriding fear is that in this uncertain age we live in, Walmart will run out of Cool Whip :)
After watching this video I now feel confident to start build this amp from scratch by myself!!! Especially the modern changes necessary from the original schematic. Ialso get a lot out of your Vibrochamp videos for my Vibrochamp build! It is dead quiet and sounds awesome!! There are a few sources for tube amps that are good but you are by far the most understandable and most educating of all! Thank you!
Thanks so much for your kind words, FE. We appreciate them :)
Wow! You just nailed my favorite amp of all time! My main rig for doing shows for the better part of twenty years was just what you have here, 1966 Super Reverb ( modified and signed by Red Rhodes) and a 1965 Pro Reverb. That tone was gravy of the Gods! My guitars are a 1970 sunburst Les Paul and a 63 Strat. Now my rig in terms of amp's are a Tone King Imperial Mark 1 and a Dr Z Maz 18 jr. The Tone King Imperial sounds incredibly close to my 65 Pro Reverb which was really a pleasant surprise! Thanks so much for the post!
You're quite welcome, J. Thanks for your input.
Great sounding amplifier now that Uncle Doug worked his magic on. Thanks for sharing your knowledge with us.
Thanks, Michel. The pleasure was all ours :)
Same here icedog. I should be down in my shop doing repairs and here I am coffee cup in hand watching Uncle Doug. And what kind of ridged sphincter people give him a thumbs down?
Get back to work, Martin, and leave those sphincters to me ;)
I can’t be the only one chirping at my phone to add another resistor to slow down that tremolo even more. And when UD saw that ground switch, ‘yeah, that needs to be a NFB.’ Uncle Doug is becoming a national treasure.
We definitely think alike, Geoff. Thanks !!
Totally agree with the 4 "10 speaker set up. the best
Thank you (from Dallas) for your shows, U.Doug.
Thanks for watching, Frank :)
These are the best videos ever. Thank you, Uncle Doug!
Wow.....thanks, Mark !!
Love the shirts. Well deserved gift. You are the best thing on u tube. I watch lots of other tube amp videos by the other very good amp techs. None of them even come close to the teaching ability that you have. Putting together a gift packfor you. But it could never be enough. Thank you so much Uncle Doug.
Wow, thanks, Jeff. We have the best viewers on all of TH-cam.
Not sure if I ever mentioned that your videos are greatly enjoyed here. Wishing you the best, Uncle Doug.
Thank you kindly, M :) Likewise on the good wishes.
Uncle Doug iv always been a Fender man guitars and amps you cant beat them no other amp will ever come close
I tend to agree with you, Ed :)
I sure do remember that sound - the guitar player in my High School / College band used a Super Reverb. When you started to play through it, I really went back in time. Thanks for another great explanation or your thought process and repair steps.
You're quite welcome, John. It's strange how powerful certain sounds are at conjuring up long-lost memories.
I've bread boarded circuits and made basic distortion pedals, but have always stayed away from the internals of my amps. I watch your videos with fascination and often wonder if I'm learning anything. Well, I am and this video answered a burning question: how does one discharge a capacitor? I'm not going to try it, but my question has been answered. Thanks Uncle Doug! Knowing how things work improves my life and your show is an important part of that process.
That's great to hear, Robert. We're glad the videos have enabled you to answer questions and increase your understanding of tube circuits.
UNCLE DOUG - What a great video. Chock full of tips along with instructions for making the cap discharge tool. Just the ticket for me whereas I own a 1964 Super and I will be attempting to give it a much needed makeover exactly as done in this video. Thanks so much.
You're welcome, BA. Good luck with your project.
sounds like you one of the last tube guys. apprentice now doug! teach them so they can teach youngsters. keep us alive man.
Several youngsters are appearing on the scene, Skip, and I feel more confident that our arcane hobby will persist for at least another generation.
Fender has the greatest schematics of any manufacture of any product and I work on a lot of electrical stuff.
I agree, Hoppy. Readily available and easy to read.
I am blessed to still have the 1964 Super Reverb that I bought brand new, somewhere around April or May of '64. I also have -- at great cost -- my late brother's 1966 Super Reverb, that had a 1X12 orange frame JBL in it. I converted that over to a 1X15. Both amps need work. As does my lower back, from "lugging" around that 4X10 for many, many years (not kidding)!
Love your comparison between the DR and the SR ... I had no idea they were that close. I also have a '77 DR (not close to either) with a variable lower mid range adjustment, and that amp should be in prison because it is just killer.
You need to be selling all those shirts!!
I remember reading some info on those mismatched power tubes, by one of the guys at Mercury Magnetics, who said pretty much the same thing you said.
I like that trem slow down thingie ...
I enjoyed this one, especially. Thanks.
You have some wonderful equipment, TT. Sorry about your brother. I've considered pedaling merchandise, but the (unavailable) time required makes it unlikely. Glad you enjoyed the video.
@@UncleDoug Thank you, to all. Yes, I understand the time thing. If you ever get a chance, check out Simon Jarrett's site, KingsleyAmplification.com ... talk about a busy man! He has an amp I want (the "Bailey") ... I have been on the waiting list for a good two years, and still have five years to go! Not sure I will be here, by that time! Thanks again for this great video ... I will watch every single Fender amp video you put up ... as long as they are hand wired versions!
Crimson and Clover, over and over! Thanks again Unc!
Our pleasure, 682.
Man......tis was fantastic.
Thanks for sharing your knowledge, capabilities and the sounds of that amazing amplifier.
Glad you liked it, Lamar. It was our pleasure.
Good one unkie Doug... you've taught me everything I know about vintage fender amps. You're a great resource,truly. Thank you.
My pleasure, GG. Glad the videos are helpful.
Hello Uncle Doug, I can't help but think that you know Fender amps better than 'Ol Leo himself. Another awesome repair by the master of tube amps. I really like how you go into detail and explain everything so well that a novice could probably do it. The Vox AC 30 and probably the AC 15 had no negative feedback for some nice creamy breakup at higher volumes. The Hot Rod Garage must be why the recent Rod videos were removed by the uploader, I can't wait to subcribe. It's been hovering right around 100 degrees the last couple days, now cooling to low 80's and 70's. Glad your doing well. Thank you Uncle Doug for sharing your knowledge and experience. All the best from Oregon, Cass.
Thanks so much, Cass. There are just so many Fender amps in my area, and apparently in the whole country, that I am able to gain more experience with them. They are easy to work on and respond well to minor modification. The video removals were my fault......until you're accustomed to two channels, it's easy to upload to the wrong one ;)
I have this same Amp that hasn’t been plugged in since about 1990, so this video was exceptionally interesting to me, thanks
Glad it was helpful, Jerry. You're welcome.
Once again Uncle Doug a premium guitar amp video! Love it!
Thanks, Alex :)
For the viewer who complained about having to listen to test tones: maybe they should watch something else than an amp repair video. But that's just my logic that an amp repair video might include test tones.
I wanted to savour this new video with an afternoon coffee mug, but I was too excited to watch so I'm watching it at 2 am. Can't help it, especially these jewel amp videos are too exciting. Great tips as always, some of these are life savers like your DIY capacitor drainer.
Thanks for all your comments, Yup. We're glad the vids are helpful :)
Well well well well done Uncle Doug !!!! That is a beauty and a classic and you've done it major justice. BRAVO
Thanks so much, Ron :)
Another informative and entertaining video, and so well edited. My friends think I'm crazy when I wax rhapsodic. Kenrad, Mullard tubes "for a dollar.." I resumed groaning after the smelling salts were applied.
Thanks, Mark. Those were the days :)
I remember going to the drug store with my dad to test radio and TV tubes, when smacking the side of the appliance ceased to have the desired effect.
I got a 64 Black Faced Twin with an "Up with People" stick on it. hahaha. It is by far the best sounding Twin I have heard. Super clean, and it has a deep color to it. Hard to describe. It sounds perfect. ...assuming you don't feed it horrible club power with lots of neon signs. Some clubs have horrible electricity. There is so much junk in the power line that it affects the twin a lot. My Rivera can deal with it better, but it aint the same.
Thanks for sharing, Jeff :)
OMG!! UD Another fabulous Video, Probably greatest Sounding Amp Ive Ever Heard, Thank You So Much!!
Wow, thanks, Dale. In person, it was an almost "religious" experience.
You do really nice circuit building. I first lifted one of those amps in 1966 as a roadie for my shipmates' band. and if my memory serves it has been a good fifty years since I read a schematic but it flooded back in and I could read the darn thing. so now i'm another devoted fan just for the memory lane stuff. I'm going to be restoring a Fender amp and guitar next month so get ready for questions. PS I built my first tube radio in 1954...
Thanks so much, John. Best of luck with your projects.
Another good one, I'm finally up to date-- been busy working on some gear. The band actually managed to gig at a wedding reception. Fifty attendees (that's a Covid max here) that were aghast with the hard rock we provided.
It's good to see that hard rock is still alive and well, Mr. CC, and still horrifying the uninitiated.
Another fantastic episode of goodness by Uncle Doug! THANK YOU! You tell the best stories and I can't wait for your next video!
Thanks !! Glad you enjoyed the video, BIC :)
Doug I have the same amp 66 super reverb with jbl speakers I'm the 3rd owner of the amp the original owner worked at fender building these amps he upgraded the amp with the jbl d110's love it.
Wow.....that would be a hard combination to beat, Nigel :)
Like many, I love these vids. Thank you to the people who send your precious amps in for repair/service, and provide the medium for this Wizard of Wiring to unleash his magic mixed with mirth - even those quiet asides, eg 9.46 can only come from one person. I hear them and know I have an wonderful hour or so in front of me. Thank you, UD.
Wow, very nice comments indeed, Cass. Thanks so much :)
Great video. You are welcome to the mic stand Doug, I have quite a few. I didn't realise I'd accidentally included the SM57🙄 could you send that back.
Thanks so much, Andy. We really appreciate it !! The SM57 is in the mail :)
annnd Uncle Doug shoots his time cannon and blast us all back to the wonderful 60's...bravo!
Those were the days, Ted :)
I got very excited when I happened upon this channel and the beautiful Blackface amp, holy smoke what a treasure!
Welcome to our channel, Bob. We agree :)
I had a Super Reverb that was lost in a burglary in 1987. Couldn't find a suitable replacement at the time and wound up with a Peavy that had no good tones. Seeing this one brought back some good memories of how good that sounded but also how heavy it was. Like the small tube amps now. I was wondering if Jack and Ollie need guitar picks because they do have claws. You should have a video of them playing.
Sorry for your loss, David. Ollie & Jack specify in their contracts that no playing can be shown, for fear of spawning other feline imitators.
This is simply an amazing example, wow.
Thank You for this content, we all appreciate what you do.
Glad you enjoyed it, HK. Thanks so much !!
PROM NIGHT!!!! GOD I miss ya Uncle Doug!!! Glad I tuned in~as always! You sound great Sir! Cheers and God Bless!
Thanks for listening and posting such nice comments, WTD :)
I also have this exact amp. Mine is a silverface---black face on the back! I bought it from the original owner/touring musician.
You're a lucky guy, CD :)
Legendary sound from a museum grade legendary amp. Legendary UD video, one for the ages. Thanks UD!!
Wow, thanks so much, K :)
Nice sounds UD, thanks very much
Glad you liked it, James :)