I've learned more about the Super Twin combo and the related Studio Bass. Both combos were so top-heavy they were somewhat unsafe to wheel around on their removable wheels.
Got the new cabinet to convert it into a head instead of combo. I have various grille cloths, tolex, and knobs. So I have to decide on a visual theme. And get some rubber feet that will let air enter the cabinet from underneath. I'm adding a ventilation grill to the bottom of the cabinet. But I'm still debating whether to add some kind of ventilation for inside the metal chassis. I see that even Fender now makes a big tube bass amp with a right-side-up "foundation" chassis instead of hanging it upside-down. I think it's sold as both a SUNN 300T and also as a Fender Bassman 300, with 6 6550's. But I see Fender also just introduced a 300-watt tube bass head in their traditional upside-down config. These all look like real competition to SVT for powerful tube bass.
So my converted super-twin at "only" 180 watts is the competent 'lower-power' alternative.
Now I need to choose speakers and I'd like to make a deep cabinet or two with width that matches the head.
Got the new cabinet to convert it into a head instead of combo. I have various grille cloths, tolex, and knobs. So I have to decide on a visual theme. And get some rubber feet that will let air enter the cabinet from underneath. I'm adding a ventilation grill to the bottom of the cabinet. But I'm still debating whether to add some kind of ventilation for inside the metal chassis. I see that even Fender now makes a big tube bass amp with a right-side-up "foundation" chassis instead of hanging it upside-down. I think it's sold as both a SUNN 300T and also as a Fender Bassman 300, with 6 6550's. But I see Fender also just introduced a 300-watt tube bass head in their traditional upside-down config. These all look like real competition to SVT for powerful tube bass.
So my converted super-twin at "only" 180 watts is the competent 'lower-power' alternative.
Now I need to choose speakers and I'd like to make a deep cabinet or two with width that matches the head.
I need to find a source for:
- a new red jewel for the pilot light
- a new square 110VAC convenience power outlet that pops into the rear panel with springy retainers.
They both look like common parts, but if anyone knows a good supplier it would save me hours shopping on the web. And it's got a 3-prong plug with the ground pin typically broken off, so I'll replace that tonight.
It looks like these Super Twin combos were indeed top-heavy and tipsy. This one's steel chassis is bent a bit in the front, and a spot-welded corner seam broken a bit, and several knobs broken. It appears that it fell on its face on the knobs. The red jewel in the pilot light is beat to heck so it looks like it was moving when it fell over. All very easily fixed. Yet it didn't hurt the pots. Which is good, because replacements for the center-tapped pots for the rotary-graphic EQ controls may be unobtainable.
I got one of the last 2 new Super Twin faceplates in known existence. Fits perfect, looks perfect.
It looks good with the black top-hat knobs with numbered skirts (and would look great with black tolex and traditional Fender black/white grille), and it also looks good with the round fluted cream radio knobs (which wold look great with blonde or tan tolex). My white levant tolex arirved and it is whiter than I expected.
- a new red jewel for the pilot light
- a new square 110VAC convenience power outlet that pops into the rear panel with springy retainers.
They both look like common parts, but if anyone knows a good supplier it would save me hours shopping on the web. And it's got a 3-prong plug with the ground pin typically broken off, so I'll replace that tonight.
It looks like these Super Twin combos were indeed top-heavy and tipsy. This one's steel chassis is bent a bit in the front, and a spot-welded corner seam broken a bit, and several knobs broken. It appears that it fell on its face on the knobs. The red jewel in the pilot light is beat to heck so it looks like it was moving when it fell over. All very easily fixed. Yet it didn't hurt the pots. Which is good, because replacements for the center-tapped pots for the rotary-graphic EQ controls may be unobtainable.
I got one of the last 2 new Super Twin faceplates in known existence. Fits perfect, looks perfect.
It looks good with the black top-hat knobs with numbered skirts (and would look great with black tolex and traditional Fender black/white grille), and it also looks good with the round fluted cream radio knobs (which wold look great with blonde or tan tolex). My white levant tolex arirved and it is whiter than I expected.
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Thanks!
Got the pilotlight jewel ordered; will have to see if it fits. Looked like the correct old type.
I should be able to find the snap-in 110v outlet. If I get desperate, I have an outlet strip that uses them, and I could scrap that for the outlet.
My mind is still not made up about the cosmetics. But I only have white tolex...that fact might make the decision for me. But it's actually whiter than I wanted.
Black deerskin would be perfect.
Got the pilotlight jewel ordered; will have to see if it fits. Looked like the correct old type.
I should be able to find the snap-in 110v outlet. If I get desperate, I have an outlet strip that uses them, and I could scrap that for the outlet.
My mind is still not made up about the cosmetics. But I only have white tolex...that fact might make the decision for me. But it's actually whiter than I wanted.
Black deerskin would be perfect.
Hmmmm I thought deer were red
sum pics of your progress would be cool, I just ordered 3 yards of Marshall Red elephant for my new harmonica amp I,m building, got the chassis made up at the local sheet metal bender. asked for 2 mm alloy got 2 mm stainless its a bit hard gettin the chassis punches thru but i think it'll be ok its nice an ridged wont bend under the weight of the trannys.
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Deerskin is just wonderfully stretchy and flexible. I'll definitely put up some pics when it starts getting picturesque so to speak. There was some kind of Marshall combo anniversary model that had gold-plated chassis and all gold hardware, white glove leather covering (instead of tolex) by Jaguar, with their automobile emblem. They had a contest to win the right to buy one, and I couldn't afford it when I was one of many winners. But the white leather proably looks cool now after aging many years.
The retired guy next door to me was a stainless welder for all his career, making custom restaurant kitchen sinks and counters etc. A real artist with the huge TIG in his garage. I've got an air nibbler, but I doubt it would handle stainless that thick. Must be a bit heavy, but not bad since it's not enormous. Still nearly ideal if you're willing to work the stainless; it certainly won't ever rust or oxidize. Bending aluminum that tight in a brake can be difficult unless you anneal it as you go and then you need to temper it back. The stainless is classy. It you lived closer I'd buff it for you. Some stainless will shine up like a mirror. Like stainless mirrors in prison. When it's all punched, insead of powder coating or something, just ask around at your local motorcycle shop for somebody in your neighborhood with a big 3-phase polisher and he'll probably shine it up for a few bucs.
The retired guy next door to me was a stainless welder for all his career, making custom restaurant kitchen sinks and counters etc. A real artist with the huge TIG in his garage. I've got an air nibbler, but I doubt it would handle stainless that thick. Must be a bit heavy, but not bad since it's not enormous. Still nearly ideal if you're willing to work the stainless; it certainly won't ever rust or oxidize. Bending aluminum that tight in a brake can be difficult unless you anneal it as you go and then you need to temper it back. The stainless is classy. It you lived closer I'd buff it for you. Some stainless will shine up like a mirror. Like stainless mirrors in prison. When it's all punched, insead of powder coating or something, just ask around at your local motorcycle shop for somebody in your neighborhood with a big 3-phase polisher and he'll probably shine it up for a few bucs.
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AES hav sets of samples for tolex and grill cloth, i bought the samples and yes they are quite different to the pictures.
I bought the real original Fender part number tolex for early '60's blonde. So it should be correct. But I'm making mongrel anyway, I jsut want an OK color. Then I went looking for a handle...yikes, pistures of white ones in listings for a black or brown, cream that looks bright yellow. The real Fender blondes came with black handles, same as black ones. I got a vinyl cream-colored handle, but I'm giong to add an aluminum mounting plate at each end, otherwise I'm afraid it won't handle the weight of this big amp.
BTW, I have 4 output 6L6s of one brand, and 2 of another. I didn't even figure out which sockets are push and which are pull, or which are paired yet. It came with 4 of one kind (RUBY I think) in the sataggered sockets, then the other 2 (Groove Tubes I think) in the last 2 inline sockets. Chances are that placement is incorrect, but at least I didn't get it with all empty sockets.
I owned and restored 2 x 12" speaker a combo version. I was amazed to find that I measured a genuine 180W RMS pure sine wave into a dummy load when testing after the restore. A "friend" decided to use it for bass with it turned to 10 one night, set fire to the little flex wires which connect the speaker coils to the connections on the speaker frame, yep real flames, burned out both speakers. Had the speakers reconed and the thing fired straight up again. Got rid of it in the end, too bloody loud and too bloody heavy. Sold it to a young guy who wanted something to blow away his brothers 100W Marshall Head + 2 x Quad Boxes Stack, it did that without strain.
Cheers,
Ian
Cheers,
Ian
Of my 6 6L5GC, 4 are RUBY and 2 are Groove Tubes. So, which of the 6 sockets are push or pull? I guess I should look at the wiring; the schematic doesn't even show all 6.
I was thinking that this big honkin' clean machine would be great for baritone guitar; never tired one but I sure would like to, like some big Gretsch or a baritone tele.
I was thinking that this big honkin' clean machine would be great for baritone guitar; never tired one but I sure would like to, like some big Gretsch or a baritone tele.
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