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Laurie
Double Platinum Member
Canada
4854 Posts |
 Posted - 04/07/2010 : 14:50:37
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OK. So I'm jinxed I'm sure.
I've had tube amps for YEARS... and I know how to care for and feed them. My vintage marshalls and vintage Fender have never had a days problem in their lives. Recently I've been trying to buy something new, and here is my tale...
Fender Pro Junior - bought from the store used. Massively noisy. Took it back to the shop, they fixed the noise. Then it overheated almost to the point of smoke coming out. Returned.
Fender Vibrolux reissue. Bought used privately. Worked for 2 years then traded at the local store. The store advised me that when they sold it, the reverb had failed (it worked when I tested it before trading). The store fixed it, but no one can understand why it failed.
Fender Twin II. Bought used at the store. Had the wrong speakers and needed a "tidy up" after 25 years of hard use. Pulled it apart and found several wires had been arcing through. Needed most HV wiring replaced. Took it back to the store rather than do the work.
Fender 65 Twin reissue. Bought new. Massively noisy. Fixed. Then overheated and melted the power transformer. Returned to store.
Mesa rect-o-verb. Bought used at the store for a friend. Sat on the bench getting noisier and noisier over a couple of weeks. The store gave me some spare 12AX7's. When I swapped tubes trying to find which one had failed, the V4 socket failed. Amp is completely dead now and has to go back.
I'm starting to feel like I'm the amp angel of death............. If I didn't have a couple of Marshall amps I've been using for years with NO issue, I'd think I had passion fingers.
The common denominator seems to be two things:
1) Fender amp build quality
2) Cheap tubes and sockets
I'm going to have the Mesa fixed. It should be OK.
I'm going to try one last Fender (a replacement 65 Twin reissue) and then give up on Fender.
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Edited by - Laurie on 04/07/2010 14:53:44 |
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FRANZONI
Double Platinum Member
Ireland
3543 Posts |
Posted - 04/07/2010 : 15:06:28
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Yep..i been there and got that T-Shirt with tube amps bro'... as you know all my amps are pretty old so i was looking for something decent as the volume of gigs i do i need to have something thats not going to crap out on me halfway through but that can happen to ANY tube amp all i can say is i have as Selmer tube amp here thats nearly 50 years old and apart from the occasional tube that goes pop it's still going strong and works 100%..my Marshall is still working great since i stopped leaving it in the van and thats mid 70's.. ...personally my take on this is some of the mid priced mass produced amps are not robust enough to take the massive heat build up that valves produce and the technology in building quality valve amps on a cost effective basis has been lost to greed.... ..thats why i have been very cagey in buying a new amp..the only way i can see is if i win the lotto or get a buyer for the bike and get the cash for something like a DR Z,Victoria,etc...as all the amps i've checked out not just Fenders seem to have QC issues these days....
or check out this geezer....
http://www.ceriatone.com/index.htm
his build quality and reviews seem to be prety good....if i had the cash i reckon i would take a chance on his Overdrive special amp..... |
Edited by - FRANZONI on 04/07/2010 15:10:47 |
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Disco Stu
Silver Member
USA
303 Posts |
Posted - 04/07/2010 : 17:07:02
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Look into the "Classic Preamp" from Sarno Music Solutions. The guy and his wife build them by hand out in St. Louis. Apparently people have been raving about them.
It's supposed to be an artisanal clone of the preamp section of a 60's Fender Twin Reverb. You'll still need a power amp and cabinet, but I guess you can use the effects send on one of your Marshalls.
No, I have no affiliation but I'm saving for one. |
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Ollie
Gold Member
United Kingdom
729 Posts |
Posted - 04/07/2010 : 17:50:36
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That's a shame
What other companys are you looking at? |
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Pedal Dan
Silver Member
USA
419 Posts |
Posted - 04/07/2010 : 18:23:10
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Didn't the Dr. Z pan out Laurie? I only know a few guys that own 'em, but they havn't had any issues that I've heard of. |
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Laurie
Double Platinum Member
Canada
4854 Posts |
Posted - 04/07/2010 : 19:03:32
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quote:
Originally posted by Pedal Dan
Didn't the Dr. Z pan out Laurie? I only know a few guys that own 'em, but they havn't had any issues that I've heard of.
Still working on the Dr. Z deal. Even if it comes off for the right price (fingers crossed) the Route 66 is a head only which will be great addition to the Marshall-esque herd.
But I'm looking for a combo... and more importantly I'm really addicted to Fender tone so I guess I'm kinda in a corner
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Witloofboer
Gold Member
Belgium
513 Posts |
Posted - 04/07/2010 : 19:28:48
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Sad story. Most of my amps are from 60's - 70's & still work today.
Have you ever tried Hook amps? They sound good & are very versatile, but I don't know whether you can buy them in USA/Canada.
As I mentioned earlier: why don't you build an amp yourself? You certainly have the skills to build one! You could build it the way you want, using components you chose.
Edit: Here's a video of Gregor Hilden using a Hook amp. |
Edited by - Witloofboer on 04/07/2010 19:30:07 |
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Laurie
Double Platinum Member
Canada
4854 Posts |
Posted - 04/07/2010 : 19:59:34
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quote:
Originally posted by Witloofboer
As I mentioned earlier: why don't you build an amp yourself? You certainly have the skills to build one! You could build it the way you want, using components you chose.
Thanks for the vote of confidence! Just not my "thing" though. Rather be building pedals  |
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Pedalhead
Silver Member
USA
245 Posts |
Posted - 04/07/2010 : 20:36:01
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| Ever thought of picking up a '70S Silverface Fender? |
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Laurie
Double Platinum Member
Canada
4854 Posts |
Posted - 04/07/2010 : 21:39:09
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quote:
Originally posted by Pedalhead
Ever thought of picking up a '70S Silverface Fender?
The fender that I own that does work is a mid-70's silver-face Bassman 100 head. Great amp, but no reverb or vibe.
Good 70's Fenders are thin on the ground here. If one came up I'd give it serious consideration...
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Pedalhead
Silver Member
USA
245 Posts |
Posted - 04/07/2010 : 21:53:14
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| Silverface Twin Reverb, Quad Reverb, Super Six. My rule of thumb is STAY THE FUCK AWAY FROM NEW FENDER STUFF. Just my humble opinion. |
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FRANZONI
Double Platinum Member
Ireland
3543 Posts |
Posted - 04/08/2010 : 02:14:16
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70's Silverface twins are dropping in price here..i've seen two recently for sale..one started at �950 and dropped to 750 before dropping off the radar..the other was at 1100 and dropped to 950..i remember when you could pick them up for 350/450..no one wanted anything to do with 70's CBS era Fender gear plus the weight was horrendous especially if it had the JBL speakers..that why i bought the Musicman combo from advice from the oldtimers i was playing with but the weight of that wasn't much better.. . the 70's Fender stuff had such a bad rep especially the strats...funny isn't it...30 odd years later and were having the same conversation about Fender gear but now were saying the 70's stuff wasn't that bad at all...i'll say one thing for 70's twins i've never heard of the problems with them you had with the reissue...heard of some 70's Marshalls going on fire so thats why i was wary of marshalls for years until i got my superbass 100..for 100 quid i knew i had little to lose..best 100 i ever spent.... ... |
Edited by - FRANZONI on 04/08/2010 02:20:20 |
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zerksies
Double Platinum Member
USA
3406 Posts |
Posted - 04/08/2010 : 02:43:03
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| It's really time to start picking up on 80's gear. I have seen a few JCM800's recently. OK priced, not dirt cheap |
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Laurie
Double Platinum Member
Canada
4854 Posts |
Posted - 04/08/2010 : 02:45:35
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quote:
Originally posted by zerksies
It's really time to start picking up on 80's gear. I have seen a few JCM800's recently. OK priced, not dirt cheap
My Marshalls are JCM600's. Very nice... |
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Dr. Bob
Moderator
Australia
6593 Posts |
Posted - 04/08/2010 : 12:37:28
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quote:
Originally posted by Laurie
OK. So I'm jinxed I'm sure.
--- Edited ---
Hi Laurie
Perhaps your house is built on an Old Indian Burial Ground?
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Laurie
Double Platinum Member
Canada
4854 Posts |
Posted - 04/10/2010 : 21:19:17
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I think I have a solution... picked this up for $300 today. Mid '70s silver face twin reverb.
It has been rehoused sometime in the past into a home-made (VERY home-made) combo enclosure and has the wrong speaker, but I bought it for the amp chassis and I'll rehouse it. Works a treat - still going striong after 35 years... It has 70's Ameircan preamp tubes still working fine. And for $300 you can't beat the price...
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Topic |
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Tube amps - an ongoing tale of woe
