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Post subject: Re: 1966 DeLuxe Reverb
Posted: Thu Jun 05, 2014 5:32 pm
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I have mixed feelings about maintenance/modifications done on this amp. It looked like a museum quality specimen that maybe should have been preserved.

I'm usually from the "Amps were made to be played" school of thought but there are exceptions to every rule. That amp may have been an exception because it was so pristine.

Oh well. Too late now. I know it's going to provide a generation of great service and it's hard to be opposed to that.

Cheers,

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In my opinion Leo Fender had essentially perfected the guitar amplifier by 1964.


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Post subject: Re: 1966 DeLuxe Reverb
Posted: Fri Jun 06, 2014 1:52 am
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mhowell,

I had the same thoughts when I bought this beauty late last year. Someone kept it in a closet for decades. Everything was original to the amp however it lacked power and was extremely quiet. (Minimal hum/hiss as I have never heard in any tube amp before).

I badly wanted to restore it to its original glory, and it was pretty easy - new caps, a few new tubes, PT, and that was it.

Now, with my other BF amps I have learned the lesson with the original speakers (all came to me with Oxfords somehow). Whilst the Oxfords sounded fine, the replacements sounded even better.

I believe that the speaker manufacturers in the 60's were not even close to match the tone qualities offered by Leo, thus all BF amps I have tested and owned sounded much better with the modern speakers.

The Oxford from this amp stays in the house for safe keeping.

I just want to see if and how much I can tonally benefit from something different: JBL (not very new :shock: :lol: ), Weber, WGS, etc.

:D


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Post subject: Re: 1966 DeLuxe Reverb
Posted: Fri Jun 06, 2014 5:51 am
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mhowell wrote:
I have mixed feelings about maintenance/modifications done on this amp. It looked like a museum quality specimen that maybe should have been preserved.

I'm usually from the "Amps were made to be played" school of thought but there are exceptions to every rule. That amp may have been an exception because it was so pristine.

Cheers,


mhowell, play the amp. The electrolytic caps will be much happier. If you put any 'lytic cap into storage for more than a year, you need to re-form the caps. Or risk failure.

http://music-electronics-forum.com/t2127/


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Post subject: Re: 1966 DeLuxe Reverb
Posted: Sat Jun 07, 2014 3:50 pm
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BMW2002Ti wrote:
mhowell wrote:
I have mixed feelings about maintenance/modifications done on this amp. It looked like a museum quality specimen that maybe should have been preserved.

I'm usually from the "Amps were made to be played" school of thought but there are exceptions to every rule. That amp may have been an exception because it was so pristine.

Cheers,


mhowell, play the amp. The electrolytic caps will be much happier. If you put any 'lytic cap into storage for more than a year, you need to re-form the caps. Or risk failure.

http://music-electronics-forum.com/t2127/

I understand the practical need and I know we're not museums. I also know we're not chopping the top on a mint model A so I'm not loosing any sleep.

The amp still has Leo's soul in there. And I know Mr. Fender wouldn't hesitate to make it playable.

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Post subject: Re: 1966 DeLuxe Reverb Amp
Posted: Thu Jun 12, 2014 2:40 pm
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Tubes, resistors, and caps are "consumables" -- much like the tires, belts, and hoses of an automobile. Sooner or later, they all wear out. No exceptions. Thus, it's perfectly acceptable to replace components in an amp to keep it "roadworthy" and safe. The line between puristry and prudence is crossed if/when the more substantial parts of an otherwise-original vintage piece of gear are supplanted. That it may have been necessary for operational purposes mitigates the fact but regardless, the amp's value may suffer (as well as its tone). Personally, I maintain my collection as closely to original factory specs as I can but logistical concerns and safety considerations generally take precedence over the dogma of chastity.

Arjay

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"Here's why reliability is job one: A great sounding amp that breaks down goes from being a favorite piece of gear to a useless piece of crap in less time than it takes to read this sentence." -- BRUCE ZINKY


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Post subject: Re: 1966 DeLuxe Reverb Amp
Posted: Thu Jun 12, 2014 7:15 pm
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I don't remember where it was - I think it was an article from Torres Engineering. They gutted the original caps on an old fender, put the new caps inside the hollowed out originals, carefully put the ends of the originals back on, and re-installed the "original" caps. Since the new 'modern' caps were smaller it worked like a charm. It was a lot of work but the end result was cool.

I've also seen a guy use adapters so as not to remove original two prong power chords. He would plug the two conductor amp plug into the adapter. He then used a wire with an alligator clip on one end and a banana plug on the other end to complete the ground connection. The alligator clip was attached to the chassis bolt hanging underneath and the banana plug would be plugged straight into the adapter. Looked kind of risky to me but it worked as long as that alligator clip didn't slip off..

At the other extreme I once replaced a two prong chord on a later model Music Man amp. I am not kidding. Someone had previously replaced the three prong chord with a two prong chord. I'm guessing it was somebody that lived in an old house that only had two prong outlets. (Us 50+ year old pickers are lucky to be alive)

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Post subject: Re: 1966 DeLuxe Reverb Amp
Posted: Thu Jun 12, 2014 9:33 pm
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I have a ton of old Mallory, GE Alumalytic, and Astron Minimite electrolytic caps that I removed from countless Fender amps over the years -- prolly worth a king's ransom on Ebay to someone who "recycles" the old hulls.

Arjay

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"Here's why reliability is job one: A great sounding amp that breaks down goes from being a favorite piece of gear to a useless piece of crap in less time than it takes to read this sentence." -- BRUCE ZINKY


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Post subject: Re: 1966 DeLuxe Reverb Amp
Posted: Sat Jun 14, 2014 1:27 am
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:wink:

:shock:

Let the shoot-out begin ..

(I'm not saying the original Oxford sounded bad, but pretty sure there are better options nowadays than back in the sixties .. 8) )

I'll play this old guy for a week or so :mrgreen:


Image


Last edited by Nikola Tesla on Sat Jun 14, 2014 1:57 am, edited 1 time in total.

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Post subject: Re: 1966 DeLuxe Reverb Amp
Posted: Sat Jun 14, 2014 1:38 am
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Boy, that JBL is in great condition! Bet the amp is going to sound really good. Vintage clean 6V6GT tones. You play slide or pedal steel?


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Post subject: Re: 1966 DeLuxe Reverb Amp
Posted: Sat Jun 14, 2014 1:41 am
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I don't play play slide or pedal steel.

I'm all over my old Gibson guitars these days.

Not a bad guitars for testing I guess :wink:


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Post subject: Re: 1966 DeLuxe Reverb Amp
Posted: Sat Jun 14, 2014 4:50 am
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BMW2002Ti wrote:
Boy, that JBL is in great condition!


Indeed!

Very clean. The "baby brother" to what I have in my silverface Spankmaster Reverb.

Arjay

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Post subject: Re: 1966 DeLuxe Reverb Amp
Posted: Sat Jun 14, 2014 5:17 am
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Looks like it has been re-coned at some stage. It came to me from UK recently .. 8)

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Post subject: Re: 1966 DeLuxe Reverb Amp
Posted: Sat Jun 14, 2014 6:58 am
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Very nice!!!! I had an orange basket D120F in my '68 DR...

Image

I could never get along with JBLs when playing at home at lower volumes, but as soon as you cranked it up it was one sweet amp!!! But where this speaker belongs is on stage, that's when everything comes together. I found that I prefer the D series JBL with humbuckers, my Strats sounded kinda thin. Eventually I settled on an original Jensen C12N and it's been in my '75 DR for a couple years now.

But yesterday this showed up, so I'll be playing through this speaker for the next few days to see how I like it

Image

I've been really enjoying the WGS speakers in my Vibrolux Reverb, so I had to try one of their 12" speakers. :D

Good luck mounting that JBL in the DR! Hope your mounting screws are long enough... IIRC I couldn't get all the nuts on.


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Post subject: Re: 1966 DeLuxe Reverb Amp
Posted: Sat Jun 14, 2014 7:44 am
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:)

cedarblues, the c & c/s are on my watching list too.

I would like to hear your feedback on the c after you give him a good crank :lol:


ps. no problems with mounting the D, the mounting screws were long enough.

It's 1.00am here .. a bit late to test the speaker.... ...

... but tomorrow ... :twisted: :evil: :twisted:


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Post subject: Re: 1966 DeLuxe Reverb Amp
Posted: Sat Jun 14, 2014 10:42 am
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Nikola Tesla wrote:
Looks like it has been re-coned at some stage.


A D120F cone, if original, will be marked "21032" on the back side in white ink.

Arjay

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