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Post subject: Fender The Twin red knob 1990 biasing
Posted: Sat Oct 17, 2009 6:50 pm
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I popped some tubes into my Fender the Twin and tried to bias it. I am supposed to bias it to 40 mV with four tubes. I am only running two tubes as the manual says I can do this and run it at lower power- also saves money on tubes. I don't need the extra volume. Anyway, I read somewhere online that I should only run two tubes at 20mV. The problem was this, even after I cranked the biasing screw all the way clockwise, it only registered 12 mV. I am not worrying about hurting the amp, but I want to get more than that. I want a hotter sound. Why is this happening? Would I have to take the amp to a tech and have something replaced?


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Posted: Sun Nov 01, 2009 7:08 pm
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I have the same amp, and have been running it the same way up until about a few weeks ago. I had the same problem as well and found that different tubes will get you even more screwy readings some better some worst but no where near the correct voltage which should be 20mV. Ive since started running the amp with all 4 tubes at full power and my bias readings are perfect at 40mV with the balance at 0. I cant tell you how much better the amp sounds after running it at (half-ass) for nearly a whole year. Ive owned the amp since I bought it new in 1991, and going back to full power output has made made me fall in love with the amps sound all over again. I really think that you wont be able to get the ideal readings you want running it with only 2 output tubes in there, I tried everything. Running the amp at low output and all four tubes in there sucks all the tone out of it, and theres an even greater difference in volume between the 2 channels at low output. just to give you an idea of how the amp can run that way but prefers not to. Hope this helps as Ive been there, so I know what your concerns are.


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Post subject: The Twin biasing
Posted: Sun Nov 01, 2009 7:50 pm
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Actually, I have been feeling the opposite. I dig the 15 watt setting so far. I think the first reason is that I had mismathed tubes. One pair was 3 years old and barely used and the other pair was 20 years old and heavily used. I pulled the old pair and run it with one two tubes and the sound improved. Also, I run it with with a Tom Sholz Powersoak to attenuate it and I use it in the house to practice and my 11 month old baby is crawling around and I don't want him to go deaf. I crank it up to 3 or 4 and attenuate the $@!& out of it. I dig the tone.

Granted, my band has been on hiatus for a few months and the amp could be a whole different animal when I get back with them. I dig it as a studio volume amp now though.

I might add that I replaced the speakers with Warehouse TE65 speakers which are Celestion g1265h clones that sell for 1/3 the price. I got them because this is supposedly what Robben Ford uses- the real ones- and red knob Twins- and he is some sort of tone guru. I knew little about him, but I read online about his red knob Twin love and how he is a tone guru and thought I'd check it out. I dig them. The breakup of these speakers is what I like compared to the harsh twangy honky tonk sound of the original speakers. I find these much better suited to classic rock and blues than the stock speakers. They reminded me of country and that's it. Harsh and ice picky are terms that come to mind.

Anyway, the amp seems to be working properly and sounds a little more charged now that the bias knob is cranked as high as it will go.

Incidentally, I've been running an MXR flanger through the loop recently. I got it used from some guy for $90. I dig it. Awesome Police- "Message In a Bottle", "Under the Bridge" (He uses a chorus live, but this does it well) and "Ten Years Gone" by Zeppelin. I believe Jimmy uses a phaser live, but this sounds even better- I have the MXR phaser, too. Total tangent here, but I just wanted to let it all out. I've had a couple other flangers and this is the only one that really does it for me.


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Posted: Mon Nov 02, 2009 2:44 am
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well youve got a good reason to keep it quiet there then. Im in a giging band and the full wattage works best, I plug straight in. Its not easy to transport though and I did think that I could get by with a smaller amp, theres somthing about my twin that inspires me to play better. it really tracks my playing well and works great with most delays in the fxloop. I have a soldano that also has anfxloop and the moment you plug anything into it the tone gets attenuated. My twin doesnt have red knobs, they are black but the tolex is red lizard skin, which was the thing that really made me want to buy it. Yes Ive been following Robben Ford for years. Good luck with your twin.


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