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Post subject: Just bought a Fender Showman to rehabilitate
Posted: Wed Jul 13, 2011 9:28 am
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Just bought a blackface Showman off of ebay. Will definitely need some work as someone modded it and tossed the tremolo circuit and added a line out (?) instead. Will be restoring it back to health. Regulars apply - power cable & circuit change, electrolytics inspected and replaced, circuit back to spec.

I know this amp is known for clean sound, so not looking to mod it beyond recognition, but interested in a few things and wanted folks comments:

Half-power - since I'll be rewiring the power cord to be up to today's standards, I could use the Ground switch location for a Half-Full power switch instead of pulling tubes. Have others done this, and if so how?

Normal vs. Vibrato channels - what, if anything have folks done to the normal channel to make it a bit different from the Vibrato channel

Bold/Spongy - I thought I remember reading that Mesa added "sag" to their SS-rectified amps with a switchable circuit, allowing sag with more than 40 watts and without a rectifier tube. Any thoughts?

Any other thoughts to make it serviceable.

Separately, will start looking for a 1x15 or 2x15 cab or may make my own.

thanks!

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Post subject: Re: Just bought a Fender Showman to rehabilitate
Posted: Wed Jul 13, 2011 11:06 am
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I think it's possible to convert the polarity switch to function as an interruptor for the B+ supply on one pair of output tubes. Be sure to use the right pair -- say, V5 and V8 or V6 and V7. This will produce an impedance mismatch to the output tranny's primary but if the iron is in otherwise good shape it shouldn't pose any problem.

Arjay

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Post subject: Re: Just bought a Fender Showman to rehabilitate
Posted: Wed Jul 13, 2011 11:44 am
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Thanks Arjay - definitely something to look into. Amp getting shipped out today, so should have next week and will post "before" pictures as well as date codes, etc.

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'59? Bogen Challenger CHA-33, '65 Bandmaster, '65 Tremolux, 65 Showman;
'74 SF Princeton; '77 SF Princeton Reverb; Dr. Z Mini Z

Our band: http://www.facebook.com/thetoysband


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Post subject: Re: Just bought a Fender Showman to rehabilitate
Posted: Wed Jul 13, 2011 11:47 am
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Is the amp a Showman or a Dual Showman?

The principal difference lies with the secondary impedance of the output tranny.

For a Showman (8Ω) the P/N will be 125A30A (FEIC) or 022897 (FMI).

The Dual Showman (4Ω) uses P/N 125A29A (FEIC) or 022889 (FMI)

HTH

Arjay

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Post subject: Re: Just bought a Fender Showman to rehabilitate
Posted: Wed Jul 13, 2011 2:43 pm
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Faceplate says Showman so I'm fairly sure it is, but won't know until I unbox it and suss it out.

Seller shipped it today from Brooklyn, so estimating early next week.

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'59? Bogen Challenger CHA-33, '65 Bandmaster, '65 Tremolux, 65 Showman;
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Post subject: Re: Just bought a Fender Showman to rehabilitate
Posted: Wed Jul 13, 2011 4:16 pm
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Don't bet the ranch on what the faceplate reads -- prior to late '66 the Dual Showman did not say "DUAL" on it though in fact it was. The Fender P/N on the output tranny is the only method of differentiating between the two amps.

Arjay

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Post subject: Re: Just bought a Fender Showman to rehabilitate
Posted: Wed Jul 13, 2011 5:15 pm
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So besides the output tranny having a different output impedance, is this the only change?


Another topic - tone ring 1x15 or no tone ring? Cab would be used for both guitar and bass.

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'59? Bogen Challenger CHA-33, '65 Bandmaster, '65 Tremolux, 65 Showman;
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Post subject: Re: Just bought a Fender Showman to rehabilitate
Posted: Wed Jul 13, 2011 6:23 pm
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On the single-speaker Showman (8Ω) a 47Ω resistor ties the NFL to ground at the phase-inverter stage. On the Dual Showman, this resistor is 100Ω.

For a dual-duty cab (guitar and bass) with a single driver, I'd be inclined to favor a conventionally-ported cab (no tone ring) for its superior damping factor when reproducing LF bass notes. If a standard-sized Showman cab is envisioned (24" x 36" x 11.5") the port should have an area of approximately 9.62 inches -- either circular (three inch diameter) or rectangular (4" x 2.4"). This will yield a resonant frequency of roughly 62Hz.

HTH

Arjay

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Post subject: Re: Just bought a Fender Showman to rehabilitate
Posted: Wed Jul 13, 2011 8:56 pm
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I like it when y'all get serious for the job at hand.... :wink:
Looking forward to some pics,nedorama...have fun!


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Post subject: Re: Just bought a Fender Showman to rehabilitate
Posted: Wed Jul 13, 2011 10:35 pm
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Rebelsoul wrote:
I like it when y'all get serious for the job at hand.... :wink:
Looking forward to some pics,nedorama...have fun!


Oh yeah......we'll need pics, of course!

8)

Arjay

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Post subject: Re: Just bought a Fender Showman to rehabilitate
Posted: Wed Jul 13, 2011 11:06 pm
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But of course. If you saw my before and after pics of my 65 Bandmaster, http://gallery.me.com/nedorama#100188&bgcolor=black&view=grid you know that I usually buy the Mutts - the ones that have been abused, modded, and bring them back to life. This one won't be any different.

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'59? Bogen Challenger CHA-33, '65 Bandmaster, '65 Tremolux, 65 Showman;
'74 SF Princeton; '77 SF Princeton Reverb; Dr. Z Mini Z

Our band: http://www.facebook.com/thetoysband


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Post subject: Re: Just bought a Fender Showman to rehabilitate
Posted: Wed Jul 13, 2011 11:16 pm
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Here's a few from the auction - no I don't have the amp yet so this is all the photos I have to go on. Clearly an abused old amp.

Front
Image
Image

Back
Image
Image
Image

Inside
Image
Image

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'59? Bogen Challenger CHA-33, '65 Bandmaster, '65 Tremolux, 65 Showman;
'74 SF Princeton; '77 SF Princeton Reverb; Dr. Z Mini Z

Our band: http://www.facebook.com/thetoysband


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Post subject: Re: Just bought a Fender Showman to rehabilitate
Posted: Wed Jul 13, 2011 11:35 pm
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I've seen worse -- much worse.

Your "middle" and "speed" control knobs are replacements.

The grille cloth dates to the 67-68 silverface era.

You could prolly use this......

Image

Nice score overall -- should be a fun summer project.

Arjay

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Post subject: Re: Just bought a Fender Showman to rehabilitate
Posted: Thu Jul 14, 2011 5:43 am
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What's that stuff oozing out of the tranny?

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Post subject: Re: Just bought a Fender Showman to rehabilitate
Posted: Thu Jul 14, 2011 8:01 am
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tone?

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'59? Bogen Challenger CHA-33, '65 Bandmaster, '65 Tremolux, 65 Showman;
'74 SF Princeton; '77 SF Princeton Reverb; Dr. Z Mini Z

Our band: http://www.facebook.com/thetoysband


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