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Post subject: 1966 Twin Reverb blackface tube question
Posted: Tue Mar 27, 2012 6:45 pm
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Hey guys... I have a very CHERRY Twin Reverb from 1966 will post a pic in a bit. I'm having a couple of issues that I think are probably somewhat normal for an amp of this age... sometimes the tone controls will cut out and the sound gets very "tinny" and the tone knobs make no difference then it will randomly kick back in and sound full and normal... lately i've noticed a little bit more "white noise" coming through the amp when keeping the strings still and not playing any music and I've also noticed a "crashing" sound when the tubes are cold... are these signs of a possible bad tube or two? From what I can tell, it has the original RCA power tubes. If I need to replace them, i'd like opinions on the best replacement tubes. See pix to see how pretty and clean and all original this baby is!
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Post subject: Re: 1966 Twin Reverb blackface tube question
Posted: Tue Mar 27, 2012 7:02 pm
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Shutterbug...First off, that is not just clean, heck it looks new! Nice. As for problems, this amp is WAY overdue for a Cap Job and all new tubes. Take it to an amp tech you trust and have them go through it and make sure they return all the parts they replace to you and have them change only what needs to be changed. I would recommend F&T's or Spragues.

As for tube suggestions, you could go with New Old Stock (NOS) RCA tubes, but they ain't cheap. As far as newly made tubes, I would suggest Tube Amp Doctor 6L6's for power tubes. As for the pre-amp tubes I would suggest you go NOS JAN tubes (military spec tubes) and can be had for not too much. Here is a place I have used for both new and NOS tubes: http://www.kcanostubes.com/

HTH

T2

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Post subject: Re: 1966 Twin Reverb blackface tube question
Posted: Tue Mar 27, 2012 7:06 pm
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Thanks... a buddy of mine and I re-capped it with some Mallory caps about 3 months ago but i think the tubes need to be changed now i think. Thanks for the heads up. Since she's collectible and in such great shape, i'll probably buck up and buy NOS RCA tubes... know where I can find them?


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Post subject: Re: 1966 Twin Reverb blackface tube question
Posted: Tue Mar 27, 2012 7:22 pm
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Great, glad you got it recapped! You might call the place and see if they have any quads they can hook you up with. Here is a couple more...

http://tubedepot.com/

http://www.dougstubes.com/

Can always try E-Bay too.

There may be some others than come along and have some more sources.

T2

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Post subject: Re: 1966 Twin Reverb blackface tube question
Posted: Tue Mar 27, 2012 7:28 pm
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I got my caps from http://www.tubesandmore.com they have some tube sets and a large selection of tubes. You weren't joking... those NOS RCA are $200 each!!! good gosh! :shock:


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Post subject: Re: 1966 Twin Reverb blackface tube question
Posted: Tue Mar 27, 2012 8:52 pm
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Man! what a beautiful amp!...I take it from your user name you are a photographer,those are great pics. :D
That amp looks to be in museum quality.


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Post subject: Re: 1966 Twin Reverb blackface tube question
Posted: Tue Mar 27, 2012 9:02 pm
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yeah... it's pretty much perfect... one little scratch on the black face and that's about it!!! Best part is, i got in in trade for photographing a collector's vintage banjos from the 1880s. I have done a ton of work for him and last year i did a couple of different jobs for him where I got paid with that amp and then with a '52 reissue Telecaster :) gotta love clients like that... i mean, i LOVE my photography and I LOVE instruments... so you're gonna PAY me with instruments to spend a couple of days photographing instruments!!??? Okay.. I'm in!!! :)

you can see a few of the instruments i've done for him on my website.

http://www.jasonburtphoto.com

the mandolin is my favorite... 1924 "The Loar", 1 of 5 hand built and signed by designer Lloyd Loar


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Post subject: Re: 1966 Twin Reverb blackface tube question
Posted: Tue Mar 27, 2012 9:52 pm
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She just had a birthday last month -- 46 years young.

With Chicago-made OEM C12N's no less!

What a beaut.

Rawk on!

8)

Arjay

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Post subject: Re: 1966 Twin Reverb blackface tube question
Posted: Wed Mar 28, 2012 12:09 am
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Shutter, if you're interested in excellent tubes, I can recommend Gregg Levy. He is very communicative, but will want plate voltages. His site: http://www.hitestguitars.com. You'll probably want to consider a new phase inverter tube. HTH Art

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Post subject: Re: 1966 Twin Reverb blackface tube question
Posted: Wed Mar 28, 2012 6:26 am
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aclempoppi wrote:
Shutter, if you're interested in excellent tubes, I can recommend Gregg Levy. He is very communicative, but will want plate voltages. His site: http://www.hitestguitars.com. You'll probably want to consider a new phase inverter tube. HTH Art

I agree with Art,I've bought tubes from Gregg for years whenever I want pristine NOS tubes in the original boxes....he spends time to talk to you and he knows his tubes!
You can get decent tubes from other places,but Gregg worked with Ken Fischer and supplied tubes for his amps,Ken is written about on Gregg's site...he's an amp builder of the highest order.
The tubes are not cheap by any means,but for an amp like you have,they are the only choice,inmho.


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Post subject: Re: 1966 Twin Reverb blackface tube question
Posted: Wed Mar 28, 2012 7:04 am
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Though the B+ at 465VDC is a bit high for them, this amp might be a good candidate for Svetlana winged C's. No -- they're not blackplate RCA's, the holy grail of 6L6GC's. But they perform well and are significantly cheaper than vintage glass from "His Master's Voice".

Arjay

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Post subject: Re: 1966 Twin Reverb blackface tube question
Posted: Wed Mar 28, 2012 10:00 am
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Shooo.... Saw this ad on EBay. This quad maybe a nice deal. Pretty tight tolerance mil spec Philips ECG mil spec 7581A. I'm running a set in my TRRI right now. Good for high B+ (like 475+ VDC on the plates). And hefty idle current (mine is at around 23 watts dissipation per tube---Class AB1, fixed bias). So around 90 watt for the amp. With two pretty efficient JBL K120 speakers. Cuts through the mud quite nicely. Even two time zones over.

:lol:


http://www.ebay.com/itm/Quad-4x-7581A-P ... 460239ff8e


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Post subject: Re: 1966 Twin Reverb blackface tube question
Posted: Wed Mar 28, 2012 11:32 am
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Retroverbial wrote:
Though the B+ at 465VDC is a bit high for them, this amp might be a good candidate for Svetlana winged C's. No -- they're not blackplate RCA's, the holy grail of 6L6GC's. But they perform well and are significantly cheaper than vintage glass from "His Master's Voice".

Arjay

The winged C's are great tubes...and like Arjay says...cheaper by a long shot!
If I don't have NOS RCAs,GEs,or Sylvania 6L6GCs in an amp,then it gets the Winged Cs.


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Post subject: Re: 1966 Twin Reverb blackface tube question
Posted: Wed Mar 28, 2012 1:57 pm
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A pity that winged C's have now joined Element 115 (ie: "unobtainium") as nebulous esoterica since production was recently halted.

:(

Arjay

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