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zerksies
Double Platinum Member
    
USA
3406 Posts |
Posted - 02/25/2010 : 15:22:13
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Well I finally decided i needed to start biasing my own amps so i bought a bias kit and put in new output tubes,All i can say is it was easy as hell
 The Bias kit which i got for $35
 They are sounding better and better after each hour that it is broken in |
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FRANZONI
Double Platinum Member
    
Ireland
3543 Posts |
Posted - 02/25/2010 : 16:14:04
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..i'm thinking of getting one of those biasing kits as well...JJ's are pretty good sounding tubes as well i have them in two of my amps... you just have to be careful as i had a couple bad out of the box...not that the tube was bad as such but that the socket base came away and the base itself was a bit brittle especially after they been in the amp for a while....  |
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Pedal Dan
Silver Member
 
USA
419 Posts |
Posted - 02/25/2010 : 19:52:29
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quote: Originally posted by zerksies
Well I finally decided i needed to start biasing my own amps so i bought a bias kit and put in new output tubes,All i can say is it was easy as hell
 The Bias kit which i got for $35
 They are sounding better and better after each hour that it is broken in
Hey Zerks, is the kit w the meter? I already have a couple of VOM's and all I'd need is the adaptor. |
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Laurie
Double Platinum Member
    
Canada
4854 Posts |
Posted - 02/25/2010 : 20:46:10
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I'm going to order two bias adapters tonight... looks all good to me.
Hey Zerk, how do you like the 65 Twin? Been eyeing one off at the local music store. |
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zerksies
Double Platinum Member
    
USA
3406 Posts |
Posted - 02/25/2010 : 21:22:33
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Well to answer both questions. Pedal Dan the adapter does not come with the meter. I bought that separately for $10.At WWW.eurotubes.com It's a very nice meter.I got the meter cause he said it was digital and all i have been using for years is an analog meter.I never needed exact measurements till recently i just needed to know if there was voltage.They were more then helpful with emails explaining everything to me to give me the confidence to make the job easier Laurie I love the Twin just that perfect fender 6l6 sound. I never really need much in an amp, just a good clean sound with Reverb and the pedals can do the rest.Sometimes it's a little loud but screw the neighbors.So far i am pretty happy with my first amp bias, i might have to check the bias after a few more playing hours to see if it drifted any
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Pedal Dan
Silver Member
 
USA
419 Posts |
Posted - 02/25/2010 : 21:39:27
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Thanks! I have both meters also. I agree the digi gives an accurate #, but I gotta say I still like my analog just to see the needle twitch to know I don't have a short. Kinda like the old 12v bulb when checking car wiring! |
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FRANZONI
Double Platinum Member
    
Ireland
3543 Posts |
Posted - 02/25/2010 : 22:07:43
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quote: Originally posted by zerksies
Laurie I love the Twin just that perfect fender 6l6 sound. I never really need much in an amp, just a good clean sound with Reverb and the pedals can do the rest.Sometimes it's a little loud but screw the neighbors.
Thats me as well bro'..i just need a good clean sound with an amp and that twin looks sweet...also i've been told by my kids that their friends have told them i can be heard at the end of the road when i have the house to myself.... ..i'm using the Marshall fulltime on the gigs and the Musicman is at home fulltime now and it's rated at 130 watts..bit like a 70's silverface twin...  |
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zerksies
Double Platinum Member
    
USA
3406 Posts |
Posted - 02/25/2010 : 22:47:53
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| from what i am getting from fender this is one of the first reissue amps that they did.I go buy date coding and this amp was made in march of 1990. But how i am finding it funny is that the reissues came out in 92. I hope someone can shed some light on this.I love this thing i really don't need another amp well maybe a deluxe reverb or a Princeton. but i wanna pick that up used some where. |
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FRANZONI
Double Platinum Member
    
Ireland
3543 Posts |
Posted - 02/26/2010 : 00:11:41
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quote: Originally posted by zerksies
from what i am getting from fender this is one of the first reissue amps that they did.I go buy date coding and this amp was made in march of 1990. But how i am finding it funny is that the reissues came out in 92. I hope someone can shed some light on this.I love this thing i really don't need another amp well maybe a deluxe reverb or a Princeton. but i wanna pick that up used some where.
Maybe it was one of the first they put out there to see what the feedback would be like,i think they moved their amp production to mexico a while back and i can see yours is U.S production...worth keeping so.... 
As i'm writing this i'm watching Elvis Costello in concert and he's using what looks like two deluxe reverbs and a smaller early 50's Fender..i've noticed him doing this before ..i think it's a kind of wet/dry/wet rig lke mine..he also seems to have a good sized pedalboard...  |
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MervsMods
Bronze Member

USA
133 Posts |
Posted - 02/26/2010 : 04:00:39
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| Hey Zerksies... hate to break it to you man, but I picked up a meter JUST LIKE THAT ONE for $2.99, brand spankin new at Harbor Freight. I also have the bias kit, and you're right, it's super easy! |
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Pedal Dan
Silver Member
 
USA
419 Posts |
Posted - 02/26/2010 : 04:13:51
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I don't know how they can make those DVM's so inexpensive! And Zerksies has a great point, has there ever been a better combo amp than the infamous Fender Twin Reverb? It's certainly one of the most copied. Leo unleashed many icons upon us. We're lucky! |
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zerksies
Double Platinum Member
    
USA
3406 Posts |
Posted - 02/26/2010 : 04:36:41
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quote: Originally posted by Pedal Dan
I don't know how they can make those DVM's so inexpensive! And Zerksies has a great point, has there ever been a better combo amp than the infamous Fender Twin Reverb? It's certainly one of the most copied. Leo unleashed many icons upon us. We're lucky!
So true,even marshall copied leo's design |
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zerksies
Double Platinum Member
    
USA
3406 Posts |
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Pedal Dan
Silver Member
 
USA
419 Posts |
Posted - 02/26/2010 : 04:49:48
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quote: Originally posted by zerksies
quote: Originally posted by Pedal Dan
I don't know how they can make those DVM's so inexpensive! And Zerksies has a great point, has there ever been a better combo amp than the infamous Fender Twin Reverb? It's certainly one of the most copied. Leo unleashed many icons upon us. We're lucky!
So true,even marshall copied leo's design
Yup, an unabashed copy, Jim freely admits this. Leo did use a modified version of a tube audio amp from the 1938 RCA tube radio manual, but as much as I Love and respect The Radio Corporation of America, they didn't build us guitar amps. They invented some pretty damn cool tubes though, the 6L6 and 12AX7 came from their R and D! Nipper Lives!!! |
Edited by - Pedal Dan on 02/26/2010 04:54:40 |
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Laurie
Double Platinum Member
    
Canada
4854 Posts |
Posted - 02/26/2010 : 05:08:35
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quote: Originally posted by Pedal Dan
I don't know how they can make those DVM's so inexpensive! And Zerksies has a great point, has there ever been a better combo amp than the infamous Fender Twin Reverb? It's certainly one of the most copied. Leo unleashed many icons upon us. We're lucky!
Slight hijack...
I have a Fender Twin Reverb II that i picked up "cheap". It is from the "Rivera era" at Fender. It came with the Celestion Seventy-80 speakers I've got for sale in the FS forum and it sounds "blah" - whoever put the Celestions in (they aren't stock, of course) was trying to make it sound like a Marshall.
I've ordered a pair of Jensen C12K's, and I'll give it a check-out plus order a bias probe to check the bias <back> to topic... |
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Pedal Dan
Silver Member
 
USA
419 Posts |
Posted - 02/26/2010 : 05:22:36
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I hear ya Laurie, hey every bunch of grapes has it's brown turd! Seriuosly, I've heard they ran higher plate voltage on these models to try and be louder(The Bloody Who!), they ended up losing some of that crystaline headroom. An easy check is to run a variac at appox. 95 to 100VAC. Randall Smith adds this feature to alot of his Mesa amps. |
Edited by - Pedal Dan on 02/26/2010 05:32:53 |
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