I bought one of those new (in '76). I was working 6 nights a week in a night club in L.A. (CA). I must have gotten a lemon, it broke down at least twice a month. There was a music store in Burbank called ABC Music, they had techs working all night, you could bring your amp around to the back door at 3 or 4 in the morning and pay $20.00 extra for priority service and pick it up on the way to the gig the next night. I was complaining to another guitar player about this and he said "you should get yourself a late 50's Bassman, you'll dig it". Within a few days I bought a Recycler advertiser paper and there was one in there for $100.00, so I bought it. I found out later that it's a 1958. It needed the speakers re-coned and I took it to ABC for whatever it might need, they replaced the filter caps and said everything checks out, tubes and all, good to go. I remember the guy also said "I guess we won't be seeing you again". I still have it, I don't how many 1,000 hours I've put on it, it was my main gigging amp for decades, and I gigged every week, no time off, (I still take it out). I played it a few weeks ago, and it sounds fine but I've decided to R&R it (you're videos are inspiring, and great, thank you). It's on my bench right now and thinking about it I realize that it has never broke down on me, they are no repairs. Aside from filter caps in the dog house dating from '88, every thing in that amp is original. All the Astrons and resistors (except the negative feedback) are on spec. I know, Astrons leak, i'll check. Of course the electrolytic caps were way out of spec (the Mini Mights), they'll get replaced too. But aside from needing serious cleaning, some reflowing, and tightening up, this one will be easy. It's hard to read the masking tape signature, but I think "Lucy" wired it. She wired my '56 Deluxe too. And I never did go back to ABC Music again. And I never bought a post CBS Fender again, even though there are great post CBS amps out there. I was just lucky to be living in L.A. at a time when you could find pre CBS Fender amps and guitars for under $300.00. Thanks again for the great videos.
Right on. I didn't really want to make a thing of the good deals we got back then, I've noticed that it kind of pisses off the younger guys (I did get a few, like a '53 Telecaster for $400.00, I still use it). But I didn't know that old stuff was going to go through the roof. If I had known I'd have a storage shed full of it. I just wanted gear that wouldn't break down half way through the night (5 sets in those days, remember?). The bonus was that it did actually sounded better than the new stuff, at least back then, now you can get great copies that are just as good if not better. I did pick up a few for variety. I've now at this time have finished going through all my amps and I did what I see this guy do (Psionic) and they're all sounding like they should. I found a lot of incorrect repairs in some of my other amps that amp techs had done over the years (I guess if it's close enough and it's working they felt that was good enough). It was a lot of work/time, not hard though, but they really sound right now. Now I need more gigs so I can use them for what they're intended to be used for. I don't want to go into biz as an amp tech, I just wanted to fix mine myself (you know the old saying). I've been fixing and building guitars too. Just to do it, but I have a few parts caster strats I'll try to sell, social security isn't quite enough. Have fun, later, R. @@Jason1fromNYC
After watching you for however long it’s been; I find myself talking to myself just as you talk to us on your vids. I find that I think better when I am talking to myself through a problem. Thanks!
Hi, I'm in the process of repairing mine (not a lot of techs around my neck of the woods unfortunately but I've repaired a few synths), I have ordered capacitors from Tube Amp Doctor and I had questions about the cathode bypass caps included in their capacitor kit. I've noticed all the 25uf included in their blackface/silverface kits are bipolar caps whereas the circuit diagram shows polarized caps. I'm so far hesitant to replace those with the ones from the kit as I'm not sure why they've chosen to do this, but maybe it's a tech thing for those in the know? Anyway, would love to have your opinion, been binging your videos and absolutely love you content! keep it up!
I prefer simple amps without effects. I'm getting ready to put together a miniature tube 5C1 Champ clone in a little First Act bass amp cabinet. It will have a jack for an external speaker and I may put in a Baxandall tone stack and a presence control.
Personally, I don't mind the Silverface cosmetics at all. When you revert all the bad changes to '63 specs, you get a great sounding amp for a reasonable cost. The painted front panel made me giggle. I imagined a possibly hilarious scenario... Customer: "Could you Blackface my Twin, please?" Rookie amp tech: "I'd be glad to." (weeks later, customer returns to collect the amp) Customer: "Did you document all the circuit changes?" Rookie amp tech: "Circuit changes? You asked me to Blackface your amp. The face is black now!" Customer: " whatisthisidonteven "
I bought one of those new (in '76). I was working 6 nights a week in a night club in L.A. (CA). I must have gotten a lemon, it broke down at least twice a month. There was a music store in Burbank called ABC Music, they had techs working all night, you could bring your amp around to the back door at 3 or 4 in the morning and pay $20.00 extra for priority service and pick it up on the way to the gig the next night. I was complaining to another guitar player about this and he said "you should get yourself a late 50's Bassman, you'll dig it". Within a few days I bought a Recycler advertiser paper and there was one in there for $100.00, so I bought it. I found out later that it's a 1958. It needed the speakers re-coned and I took it to ABC for whatever it might need, they replaced the filter caps and said everything checks out, tubes and all, good to go. I remember the guy also said "I guess we won't be seeing you again". I still have it, I don't how many 1,000 hours I've put on it, it was my main gigging amp for decades, and I gigged every week, no time off, (I still take it out). I played it a few weeks ago, and it sounds fine but I've decided to R&R it (you're videos are inspiring, and great, thank you). It's on my bench right now and thinking about it I realize that it has never broke down on me, they are no repairs. Aside from filter caps in the dog house dating from '88, every thing in that amp is original. All the Astrons and resistors (except the negative feedback) are on spec. I know, Astrons leak, i'll check. Of course the electrolytic caps were way out of spec (the Mini Mights), they'll get replaced too. But aside from needing serious cleaning, some reflowing, and tightening up, this one will be easy. It's hard to read the masking tape signature, but I think "Lucy" wired it. She wired my '56 Deluxe too. And I never did go back to ABC Music again. And I never bought a post CBS Fender again, even though there are great post CBS amps out there. I was just lucky to be living in L.A. at a time when you could find pre CBS Fender amps and guitars for under $300.00. Thanks again for the great videos.
What a great story Randy. Take care!
Right on. I didn't really want to make a thing of the good deals we got back then, I've noticed that it kind of pisses off the younger guys (I did get a few, like a '53 Telecaster for $400.00, I still use it). But I didn't know that old stuff was going to go through the roof. If I had known I'd have a storage shed full of it. I just wanted gear that wouldn't break down half way through the night (5 sets in those days, remember?). The bonus was that it did actually sounded better than the new stuff, at least back then, now you can get great copies that are just as good if not better. I did pick up a few for variety. I've now at this time have finished going through all my amps and I did what I see this guy do (Psionic) and they're all sounding like they should. I found a lot of incorrect repairs in some of my other amps that amp techs had done over the years (I guess if it's close enough and it's working they felt that was good enough). It was a lot of work/time, not hard though, but they really sound right now. Now I need more gigs so I can use them for what they're intended to be used for. I don't want to go into biz as an amp tech, I just wanted to fix mine myself (you know the old saying). I've been fixing and building guitars too. Just to do it, but I have a few parts caster strats I'll try to sell, social security isn't quite enough. Have fun, later, R. @@Jason1fromNYC
After watching you for however long it’s been; I find myself talking to myself just as you talk to us on your vids. I find that I think better when I am talking to myself through a problem. Thanks!
You need some higher-quality multimeter leads. Sharp ones can poke right through that oxidation.
These are new Fluke leads. What an extreme nit to pick.
@@PsionicAudio Welcome to the peanut gallery :)
Hi, I'm in the process of repairing mine (not a lot of techs around my neck of the woods unfortunately but I've repaired a few synths), I have ordered capacitors from Tube Amp Doctor and I had questions about the cathode bypass caps included in their capacitor kit. I've noticed all the 25uf included in their blackface/silverface kits are bipolar caps whereas the circuit diagram shows polarized caps. I'm so far hesitant to replace those with the ones from the kit as I'm not sure why they've chosen to do this, but maybe it's a tech thing for those in the know? Anyway, would love to have your opinion, been binging your videos and absolutely love you content! keep it up!
You can use bipolar though it’s odd they send those. Maybe they got tired of kil assemblers blowing polarized caps and wanting free replacements.
Strange. TH-cam says "No stream Tap to retry". I like your videos and would like to watch this one.
Weird. It plays fine on my phone and my laptop.
@@PsionicAudio the video works fine in the Motor City, too.
@@PsionicAudio fine even in Scotland
I prefer simple amps without effects. I'm getting ready to put together a miniature tube 5C1 Champ clone in a little First Act bass amp cabinet. It will have a jack for an external speaker and I may put in a Baxandall tone stack and a presence control.
++They Might Be Giants reference.
Personally, I don't mind the Silverface cosmetics at all. When you revert all the bad changes to '63 specs, you get a great sounding amp for a reasonable cost. The painted front panel made me giggle. I imagined a possibly hilarious scenario...
Customer: "Could you Blackface my Twin, please?"
Rookie amp tech: "I'd be glad to."
(weeks later, customer returns to collect the amp)
Customer: "Did you document all the circuit changes?"
Rookie amp tech: "Circuit changes? You asked me to Blackface your amp. The face is black now!"
Customer: " whatisthisidonteven "
That would be known as the “Al Jolson mod”.
Wouldn't it had been a good idea to go ahead and change the electrolytic capacitors before you powered the amp on?
What did you see me do? What did I say I was doing when first powering on?
I'd stop paraphrasing old Cure songs... someone might ding you for a copyright hit.... ;-)