When should you check an old amp?

[Subvamp]

Hi Folks,
I've been kicking around playing some Surf music lately, so I bought an old Twin Reverb. ('cause apparantly, if you're not playing through a Fender, you ain't Surf. [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img])
Now, it sounds pretty good to me...tubes all light up consistetly, and I just put some nice new speakers in, etc. But, I was talking with a buddy of mine who's more into older amps than I am, and he suggested that I should have it serviced. He said that the old Fender amps (as well as some other older amps) tone degrades over time...caps dry out, tube sockets get dirty, etc. So now I'm wondering if it sounds good to me now, will it sound great after I have it serviced? Or should I just go with "if it ain't broke, don't fix it"?

[markD]

Re: When should you check an old amp?

tony, i play surf with a 63 tremolux that still has all original caps, etc...the only repairs have been tubes. if it sounds good, and you like what you hear leave it alone. sometimes when you have an amp serviced it comes back sounding different than it was before. i did tht with a 62 bassman. it went from magical to craptacular it 3 days (the length of time for the service). if it starts doing weird things THEN have it serviced.

[Twisteramps]

Re: When should you check an old amp?

Have it checked out. If a filter cap blows, not only could it damage your amp but the fluid that they leak can damage the amp further.

I wouldn't wait until it does weird things to have it checked out. a *good* tech won't affect the tone of the amp with maintenance issues. MD - I'm betting that 62 bassman had some components that drifted value wise and the 'new' components were in spec, but not the same.

A forty-plus year old amp with stock electrolytic caps is a time bomb imho. There are guys here who work in the electronics parts industry (JGCable among them) - ask them what lifespan of an electrolytic cap is, especially one that gets as hot or runs as many volts as a guitar amp does.

If you had a car with a timing belt that when it broke, busted the engine, like a Honda - would you wait until it broke to get it changed?

Pete

[Shawn Lutz]

Re: When should you check an old amp?

it wouldn't hurt to have it checked out and given the run through. They can tell you if there any problems and ask you if you want the parts that wearing out replaced. I'm the same way in if it in't broke don't fix it theory but often times its a slow degrade in tone that you might not really notice.

Caps in amps folks say should be changed in abot 10 years, I'm thinking about having them changed on my 83 2203 which is stock.

[Dreamland_Rebel]

Re: When should you check an old amp?

preamp tubes either get microphonic or blow. but do not degrade in tone over time. but powertubes do degrade tone over time. so as long as there isn't a problem keep the pre's if you like the tone and change the powertubes to bring new life to an old amp. and have a good tech do it and bais it correctly.

[Subvamp]

Re: When should you check an old amp?

[ QUOTE ]
sometimes when you have an amp serviced it comes back sounding different than it was before. i did tht with a 62 bassman. it went from magical to craptacular it 3 days

[/ QUOTE ]


I remember you telling me that, that's why I was afraid to get it done! [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

Here's the UPDATE:

I started asking around who was a good amp tech. Not just here, but in the general Mid-Atlantic region. One guys' name kept coming up: Pete Cage.
So I checked his site: www.AudioCage.com and he's got favorable reviews on his custom built amps. I call the guy, and he's very cool.."Bring it up and we'll take a look".
Well, turns out my "modded" amp was done poorly at best by the previous owner. [img]/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img] I ask Pete for a price breakdown on fixing it. He tells me that the mods were done to make the amp (old Fender Twin) into a high gain amp. He tells me he can replace the junky mod parts with decent parts, clean up the bad soldering, etc. That would be "Price A".
Then, he asks me what type of music I use it for. "Surf" I say. "OH! Then you don't want these high gain mods. I can restore it to factory Fender blackface specs, just the way Leo intended, and you'll get a great surf tone".

The price for that? LESS than "Price A".

You gotta dig a guy who will opt to give you the cheaper fix (less money to him) than the more expensive fix just to make a dime. [img]/images/graemlins/toast.gif[/img]
And the amp sounds spectacular!!!! [img]/images/graemlins/headbang.gif[/img]

Looks like I gots me a new Amp Guru! [img]/images/graemlins/cool.gif[/img]

[markD]

Re: When should you check an old amp?

killer!!!! it is always great when you get a deal...even better when you find a killer tech!! i have mine and nobody else touches my amps except him.

[DonP]

Re: When should you check an old amp?

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
sometimes when you have an amp serviced it comes back sounding different than it was before. i did tht with a 62 bassman. it went from magical to craptacular it 3 days

[/ QUOTE ]


I remember you telling me that, that's why I was afraid to get it done! [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

Here's the UPDATE:

I started asking around who was a good amp tech. Not just here, but in the general Mid-Atlantic region. One guys' name kept coming up: Pete Cage.
So I checked his site: www.AudioCage.com and he's got favorable reviews on his custom built amps. I call the guy, and he's very cool.."Bring it up and we'll take a look".
Well, turns out my "modded" amp was done poorly at best by the previous owner. [img]/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img] I ask Pete for a price breakdown on fixing it. He tells me that the mods were done to make the amp (old Fender Twin) into a high gain amp. He tells me he can replace the junky mod parts with decent parts, clean up the bad soldering, etc. That would be "Price A".
Then, he asks me what type of music I use it for. "Surf" I say. "OH! Then you don't want these high gain mods. I can restore it to factory Fender blackface specs, just the way Leo intended, and you'll get a great surf tone".

The price for that? LESS than "Price A".

You gotta dig a guy who will opt to give you the cheaper fix (less money to him) than the more expensive fix just to make a dime. [img]/images/graemlins/toast.gif[/img]
And the amp sounds spectacular!!!! [img]/images/graemlins/headbang.gif[/img]

Looks like I gots me a new Amp Guru! [img]/images/graemlins/cool.gif[/img]

[/ QUOTE ]

BUT: Do you like the way it sounds now? What if you don't like the sound of a stock Fender Blackface, but you do like the sound of this mod'd amp?

You might want to find an "untouched" one and see if it's something you would want to have done. My local GC has like 30 old Fenders (like the world is coming to an end LOL!).

[Subvamp]

Re: When should you check an old amp?

Oh yeah, I LOVE the sound of the amp now! Before, it was very shrill on the high end...couldn't use the bridge pickup on a Strat without it sounding like nails on a chalkboard. That's why I thought it might have needed to be looked at...just thought it was old and needed to be serviced.
Now, it's very well balanced, warm, and has a nice "pop" to it. I'm only pissed that I waited so long to get it done! [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

[mm2002]

Re: When should you check an old amp?

But I thought you said it sounded good to you before? [img]/images/graemlins/poke.gif[/img]

[Subvamp]

Re: When should you check an old amp?

[ QUOTE ]
But I thought you said it sounded good to you before? [img]/images/graemlins/poke.gif[/img]

[/ QUOTE ]

I thought it sounded pretty good...just thought I was gonna have to take out those stock Strat pickups. [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]
But now comparitively, I didn't know how bad I had it! [img]/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img]