Questions about a Twin Reverb......

[sambencuda]

A very good friend of mine just scored an early 70s silverface Twin Reverb. He says it's in really good shape and sounds decent, but he's pretty sure the tubes are original or old and one speaker has been replaced (with a Sunn) and the original Fender (Utah?) speaker is ripped, but repaired. He knows nothing about amps so I stepped in to help him out (I know next to nothing! [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img])

I thought for the tubes I would order a complete retube kit from Bob at Eurotubes. It comes with a matched quad of JJ 6L6GC's, 4 JJ ECC83S's & 2 JJ ECC81's and one balanced for the phase inverter.

Thoughts or other recomondations? Do you think I will need to have the amp biased?

As far as the speakers, what should I look for? He's not concerned with originality. He just wants the classic Twin sound. Should I be looking for Fender speakers or something else that will do just as well?

Keep in mind, he is not a gear head like most of us. It took him 4 years to find an amp and he just wants to get it cleaned up and plug in and play. he's not a tweaker. I actually suggested a Vetta to him figuring that he would have a lot of options with that amp. His answer? "What the hell do I need all that crap for!" putting my personal feelings aside, I think he made the right choice. I like em all! [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

BTW, he scored it for 400 bucks. I think that was a pretty good deal.

[442w30]

Re: Questions about a Twin Reverb......

That seems like a great deal. I have a good friend with a 1970 or 71 that had been cut down to a head. He thinks it'll cost him a ton to put it back together. I would LOVE to get it from him for nothing - cause he just sees what it'd cost to put back together. I just see a clean channel for my Marshall 1987x [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

CLASSIC amp there, it is worth $400 easy IMO - what would you replace it with?

[El_Kabong]

Re: Questions about a Twin Reverb......

On an old amp, it needs to go to a tech to get checked. Old filter caps go bad.
On an amp of that age, if it was well used, all the caps wiill need replacing.
They will need to check for dirty connections, possibly change input jacks and clean or replace pots.

Tubewise, I recommend Sylvania and RCA blackplates or grey bottles from the 60's for pre-amp tubes. If he doesn't play at loud volumes, Chinese Boogie tubes wil be fine, if the sets can be scoped first at the shop. (I have an expensive Victoria Deluxe and at home volumes, NOS output tubes would be a waste of cash as my home volume is never above 9 o'clock). If he isn't a tone snob and he doesn't sound like one, the kit from Eurotubes you suggested sound like a great 'middle of the road' choice, for someone who plays at home and out equally.( I would have a tech install them and bias when the amp is checked over).

By popular opinion, Utahs were the worst speakers that Fender ever used pre-1980's. For a high volume amp like that, the Eminence Tonkers, Red White and Blues, Texas Heat or Swamp Thangs are the ticket and won't burn his budget. The Patriot/ Red Coat series are amzingly good speakers for a super reasonable price.

The Red Fang from the series, (which I use), is so good, that it has caused Celestion to drastically drop it's price on the venerable Blue in order to compete.

http://editweb.iglou.com/eminence/em...edcoatmain.htm

I hope this helps.

[jimbilly]

Re: Questions about a Twin Reverb......

I've got a '70s twin head (in dual showman box), it's pretty cool! Have him check to see if it has the 'pull' on the master volume (if it has a master vol).
If I were him, I'd just run it if it sounds good (but clean the pots and the tube sockets). I just bought a '68 bassmand head, it looks to be original (rca's) and it sounds great as is. My twin was running great, but I thought I should do some preventive maintenance on it (tubes and caps), but now I think it probably didn't need it. I also had a '68 Bandmaster, it was original when I got it about 15 years ago, and I put 10 years of easy use on it w/ no trouble whatsoever. -Those old tubes can be pretty tough, and last longer than you might think.

[thebisch]

Re: Questions about a Twin Reverb......

I would NEVER think of replacing old US tubes, unless they were bad or sounding bad or showing signs of dying.

[Cleveland Metal]

Re: Questions about a Twin Reverb......

My first real amp was a 1973 Silver faced twin reverb I bought used for $300 in the late 70s.

I bought it cuz I saw David Gilmour playing one in the Darkside of the Moon clips from the Live at Pompei movie.

[jimbilly]

Re: Questions about a Twin Reverb......

For testing the preamp tubes, get a Tube Works distortion pedal (the bk butler built ones w/ the single 12ax7), and use that as your tube tester, -if it sounds good and doesn't make a lot of noise it's a good tube. Plus, those are good sounding pedals.
I'm really wishing I'd kept that Bandmaster now, stupid-stupid-stupid...