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Post subject: 65 DRRI Conversion PTP hand-wired ala Murphy
Posted: Tue Mar 15, 2016 6:00 pm
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Slightly misleading title nonetheless. Apologies for the long post, too.
So lately I start looking for a project maybe an Amp or maybe a pedal or a guitar.
Enter Murphy's shadow.....
So, I'm changing strings over the weekend after having conducted the elusive tuning stability w/ the floating bridge that Leo started out w/ and adopting many years ago; after a few short months of trials, I openly admit my failure again. So I re-decked the bridge again and even cut, sanded a poplar block this time. Ok good everything seems to be going well setup fine, intonated staying in tune like it used to.
So what does this have to do with Amps, well the next day yesterday I start getting a speaker warble on the F note at the 13th fret and on the sharp D at the 6th, weird. Start trouble shooting, clean up my signal path, check other inputs, go through all the pots, recheck the guitar and cable. Dunno, maybe just my playing, sleep on it. Try w/ a fresh nights sleep and two or three cups of coffee. Wow, sounds kinda terrible everywhere now, lots of string oscillations sustaining more than normal....Murphy never sleeps, doesn't need his meds or drink coffee, he is a PITA. So, I decide its gotta be my output tubes. A little over 3 years old, yeah gotta be.
Enter my project.

I decided that my 1st project should be to convert my DRRI, to a real blackface no PCB for me(point to point hand-wired)...Its probably a good economically speaking decision, maybe I've been lucky w/ the one I have, no real failures. So, I'm a complete newb w/ no specific tools for the job. At least I have a very reliable acoustic to play in the absence of amplification, some soldering experience and I'm an excellent wire cutter/demo guy.

Search here has not yielded what I hoped for; someone else's experience. I have a few questions regarding the undertaking and have found a few answers on the web already; Is there a thread I should read here that you could point me to? Understanding that I'm restrained by budget and vision(literally and figuratively).
What essential tools will I need?
DMM, Bias tester, solder station, safety device's, etc. I have all the smaller hand tools.
I will probably use the Mojotone small kit for the conversion(the only place I found); are there any issues that you would change w/in that product that would give better results?
Are there any books I should read before I get started?

I'm kind of surprised I couldn't find a thread on this topic.
I will blame it on naming conventions.....It's kinda the Fender world I know.
Please feel free to offer any comments, suggestions, advice or experience good bad or otherwise.
I expect this project to be a summer of love...or maybe last into the fall.
Or is it just Murphy in my head?

If you read all this thanks'

Eric


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Post subject: Re: 65 DRRI Conversion PTP hand-wired ala Murphy
Posted: Tue Mar 15, 2016 6:18 pm
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I have a '94 (first year of issue) DRRI and aside from some tube rolling, re-capping it with F&T's, a new custom-built cab and larger speaker, I have never given a single solitary thought to converting it to a hand-wired chassis.

Yeah, it sounds that good.

I seriously doubt that your "tone warble" issue is amp-related. Check your pickup height.

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: 65 DRRI Conversion PTP hand-wired ala Murphy
Posted: Wed Mar 16, 2016 7:29 am
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Does sound like an intonation problem. Harmonics thing. Bet the guitar sounds odd on other amps, too.

As for that DRRI... ever thought about building your own DIY? Like a 5F1 Champ or 5A3 Deluxe? Quite a few nice kits on the Net. Sure would be easier than doing major surgery on that DRRI.

Or find a SF Deluxe Reverb or Princeton Reverb that needs restoration.

Just a thought. :)


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Post subject: Re: 65 DRRI Conversion PTP hand-wired ala Murphy
Posted: Wed Mar 16, 2016 9:08 pm
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Thanks for the reply's and opinions, guys.
Quote:
Yeah, it sounds that good.

Yeah, mine has pleased me as well after some tubes and a speaker swap. I will re-look my setup Thursday, fresh.
As Pink say's,"I had a Shite day" today.
Quote:
Or find a SF Deluxe Reverb or Princeton Reverb that needs restoration.

I've been looking every where for a restore project, CL/estate sales/garage sales/auctions...I think I'm looking for either a PR or a 30-40W amp. There is an auction later in the month that I'll be following a few items from one large collector that didn't really do much with the overload he had(might have been his intention just to hoard/sell later). Some of the pre-pricing is outta whack, but will have to wait and see what his reserves are.
I'm not in a big hurry to do a resto, but I am ready to start piecing together some tools to maintain.
Quote:
Bet the guitar sounds odd on other amps, too.

The DRRI is my only amp, but I will plug it into a ME70 to headphones and check it there after re-checking the setup.


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Post subject: Re: 65 DRRI Conversion PTP hand-wired ala Murphy
Posted: Thu Mar 17, 2016 2:05 am
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IMO point to point with the same transformers don't bring a better sounding amp

Don't loose your money in mods if you are not sure if it is the issue.


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Post subject: Re: 65 DRRI Conversion PTP hand-wired ala Murphy
Posted: Thu Mar 17, 2016 12:10 pm
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Quote:
point to point with the same transformers don't bring a better sounding amp

thanks, that was kinda the info I was looking for. I wasn't sure there would be a significant improvement in tone given the current components but thought in the long run it may be easier to maintain.


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Post subject: Re: 65 DRRI Conversion PTP hand-wired ala Murphy
Posted: Thu Mar 17, 2016 3:54 pm
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From printed circuit convert to point to point it is too expensive if you can't do the job yourself.

Better to invest in a vintage Blackface.


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Post subject: Re: 65 DRRI Conversion PTP hand-wired ala Murphy
Posted: Thu Mar 17, 2016 4:13 pm
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stratele52 wrote:
From printed circuit convert to point to point it is too expensive if you can't do the job yourself.

Better to invest in a vintage Blackface.


+1

Or an original silverface.

Arjay

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Post subject: Re: 65 DRRI Conversion PTP hand-wired ala Murphy
Posted: Thu Mar 17, 2016 4:18 pm
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Retroverbial wrote:


Or an original silverface.

Arjay



+1


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Post subject: Re: 65 DRRI Conversion PTP hand-wired ala Murphy
Posted: Thu Mar 17, 2016 6:16 pm
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Well, re setup the guitar today. Embarrassing to say the least, Arjay/BMW were both right....Operator headspace and timing was a bit off...

Quote:
From printed circuit convert to point to point it is too expensive if you can't do the job yourself.
I assumed it would be less expensive- cab,speaker,chassis,reverb most of the pots,switches,inputs,PT,OT, etc are already there. I'm thinking under $200 for parts if I do the work. Of course I haven't opened the chassis, so I could be mistaken as to how much of what would transfer over.

But you got me earlier with it not being much of an improvement.

I have to buy some tools now anyway, so that when the right opportunity for me comes along I don't have to think about it. I don't ever plan on paying someone else to fix my gear, if I cant learn to fix it I'll sell it.


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Post subject: Re: 65 DRRI Conversion PTP hand-wired ala Murphy
Posted: Thu Mar 17, 2016 6:18 pm
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Silverface Princeton and Deluxe Reverbs (along with Champs and Vibro-Champs) have the least amount of circuit change between blackface and silverface era. Those are the amps I'd look to restore. A nice drip-edge SF is a good looking amp. IMHO.

:)


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Post subject: Re: 65 DRRI Conversion PTP hand-wired ala Murphy
Posted: Thu Mar 17, 2016 6:35 pm
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BMW2002Ti wrote:
Silverface Princeton and Deluxe Reverbs (along with Champs and Vibro-Champs) have the least amount of circuit change between blackface and silverface era. Those are the amps I'd look to restore. A nice drip-edge SF is a good looking amp. IMHO.


Indeed!

Image

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: 65 DRRI Conversion PTP hand-wired ala Murphy
Posted: Thu Mar 17, 2016 7:07 pm
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I got to say all of those are great amps and all well outta my budget. It would take me about a year to save enough to buy most of what you suggest to start with....provided I found one at a great price.


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Post subject: Re: 65 DRRI Conversion PTP hand-wired ala Murphy
Posted: Thu Mar 17, 2016 7:27 pm
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Nice amps Arjay,,,,,,thats just nice,,,,, and even a Pro-Reverb.

I'd be happy if I even owned a DRRI. That might be my next amp to buy.

And sfceric64, Eric,,,,, thats a good idea, save your DRRI and just buy another Fender amp.
Keep looking, how about something new?


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Post subject: Re: 65 DRRI Conversion PTP hand-wired ala Murphy
Posted: Fri Mar 18, 2016 12:38 am
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sfceric64 wrote:
I got to say all of those are great amps and all well outta my budget. It would take me about a year to save enough to buy most of what you suggest to start with....provided I found one at a great price.


Yes they are most expensive than your mod to PTP but you will have better tone and sound for your money.
The $200 for your mod is a lost money.
If you have no experience in soldering don't start with that project.


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