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Author Topic: The Fender amplifier wars - Everyone is welcome..  (Read 38183 times)

Bob Leonard

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Re: The Fender amplifier wars - Everyone is welcome..
« Reply #110 on: August 29, 2014, 09:35:45 PM »

Luke,
I wish I could say detailing, repairing, and blue printing vintage Fender amplifiers is a hobby to me, but it isn't, it's something I've done since the 60's. My work is done on request, I don't advertise, and I am particular about the amplifiers I rebuild and who I rebuild them for.

My statement concerning JJ tubes is based on a large number of instances, not just those I mentioned above. I'm also very aware of commodity manufacturers and their practices, the differences between the Chinese and Russian tubes, etc.. You need to be aware though that many of the rebranded tubes being sold are STR types from specific manufacturers using specific material and specific manufacturing processes required to meet the customers demands.

For instance, the GT 6L6 GE was manufactured here in the USA by Groove tubes until recently using the original tooling and OEM materials still available and purchased from GE. In other words, it's an American tube. However, the process and tooling may have been moved over seas, I'm not sure. At any rate there are vast differences in tube types, even from the same manufacturer, depending on who they are making those tubes for. Re-labeling tubes is not new, and is a practice dating back to the late 30's.

I keep no fewer than 50-75 tubes of every commonly used type on the bench at all times. Those range from black plate RCA, Sylvania, GE and Mullard to Groove tube, EH, Svetlana, SED, or almost every Chinese and Russian type available. I do this because in my world it becomes critical that I have a reference back to some of the greatest and best performing tubes ever manufactured, up through the most commonly used tubes from todays manufacturers. Substituting tubes is part of the lengthy process I go through to voice each and every amplifier I rebuild.

To me this makes a difference, and in the end I hope the extra effort required to select just the right components for that specific rebuild makes a difference to those who have trusted me with their amplifiers.

So this was no fluke, and I run into bad JJ's all the time, more so than any other brand I've seen. The motor boating? Not a chance that it was a capacitor as the amp had just been rebuilt and it was into it's second hour of testing using the tubes the customer sent me before the failure occurred.  Take it for what it's worth, and if JJ's float your boat who am I to say they shouldn't. For my money, or for that person who expects the best, there are many other tube types I'll use first.
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Luke Geis

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Re: The Fender amplifier wars - Everyone is welcome..
« Reply #111 on: August 30, 2014, 11:43:58 PM »

A labor of love :)  Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying JJ's are the bee's knee's. I have had a couple go on me as well. I have also had premature failure in one form or another from just about every maker I have purchased from. I've had a Svetlana EL34 and several other preamp tubes from many makers that were microphonic upon delivery! No doubt a great tube is a great tube. But you don't know if it's good until you plug it in and use it. I suspect what makes the NOS tube market so strong is that the majority of those tubes that have lasted this long were made well enough to last that long. Stands to reason it should perform well?

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Ned Ward

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Re: The Fender amplifier wars - Everyone is welcome..
« Reply #112 on: September 01, 2014, 06:27:45 PM »

NOS tubes were made when the military, television and radio industries (among others) needed them in mass quantities. With mass production, you can eliminate issues in short runs and iron out quirks, etc. JAN (Joint Army Navy) NOS tubes underwent more rigorous testing and seem to last longer.

I'm a firm believer in the tonal difference between NOS and new tubes; I know that when I swapped a JAN Philips NOS preamp tube in my Bandmaster for the JJ in it, the tone improved.

For Fender amps, one that's worth trying in the phase inverter circuit is a Mullard CV4024 - sounds great. I was turned on to this by Mike Kropotkin of KCA NOS Tubes, which is where I buy all of my tubes. Mike is great to deal with and incredibly knowledgeable.
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Ned Ward

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Re: The Fender amplifier wars - Everyone is welcome..
« Reply #113 on: September 01, 2014, 06:35:53 PM »

Come on now, somebody buy this!

http://milwaukee.craigslist.org/msg/4581166252.html

FENDER BASEMAN 1962 AMP W/BOTTOM 6G6-B According to the transformer # dating from Fender's website, This is a late 1961 transformer which means the amp was probably made in mid 1962.
 Tolex and Grills have been replaced. Amp serviced to specs(cap job etc...) with few hours play time. 2-16ohm (each) Celestion Alnico Blues put in new maybe 10 years ago(light use) wired for 8ohms (head is 4ohms) and ran 2-8ohm cabinets in the past. Open back added for sound but original back included with screws. $1350


That is insanely cheap for a 6G6-B Bassman. The Celestion Blues would be worth over $500 by themselves and should be taken out - they're not rated for enough wattage to handle the power from the amp. Better to replace with some Kendrick Black Frames or Warehouse G12C or G12C/S that won't be destroyed the first time the amp is taken above 3 or 4....


I'm good for now, but the Schumacher tranny codes in the photos do check out for type and dates for '62. Chassis stamp dates to 1962 as well. It's missing the tube chart, but that's the least reliable way to date a Fender amp anyway.


Could be a great amp for someone... I think the spelling mistake in the title could be the reason buyers could score a deal here.
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Bob Leonard

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Re: The Fender amplifier wars - Everyone is welcome..
« Reply #114 on: September 01, 2014, 07:25:39 PM »

Ned, you should buy it for me because I'm a nice guy.
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BOSTON STRONG........
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Ned Ward

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Re: The Fender amplifier wars - Everyone is welcome..
« Reply #115 on: September 02, 2014, 01:31:56 AM »

Best reason I know of.
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Rob Spence

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Re: The Fender amplifier wars - Everyone is welcome..
« Reply #116 on: September 02, 2014, 10:04:14 PM »

So, I have a '68 Bassman with the dual 12 cabinet. I bought them at different times.  The head hasn't visited Bob yet. I believe the speakers were replaced by the previous owner of the cabinet.

What speakers would be good to put in to do justice to head rebuild?


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD
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Ned Ward

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Re: The Fender amplifier wars - Everyone is welcome..
« Reply #117 on: September 02, 2014, 11:21:37 PM »

Rob - I have replaced the 12's in my Bandmaster closed 2x12 with Warehouse Speakers G12C's and in my open 2x12 Bandmaster combo I went with the Warehouse Speakers G12C/S - I like the sound very much. Warehouse has several different models with different tonal options.

Kendrick Black Frames would be great, but are twice the cost; they are good, but not sure they're twice as good. I did just put a 10" Kendrick Black Frame in my Princeton Reverb and love the sound...
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Jeff Bankston

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Re: The Fender amplifier wars - Everyone is welcome..
« Reply #118 on: November 09, 2014, 10:50:32 PM »

A couple of days agoI bought this Fender Bullet for $29.00 used. OMG its loud and sounds awsome ! 15 watts , 8" speaker and 13"x13" in size. It has a normal channel and a gain channel. The gain channel has crunch and sustain. My strat and it are the bomb ! This might  be a great amp to record with. so much for just a little home practice amp. Man its awsome !
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Steve M Smith

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Re: The Fender amplifier wars - Everyone is welcome..
« Reply #119 on: November 10, 2014, 02:42:17 AM »

My daughter has something similar to that as a practice amp.  I borrowed it a couple of weeks ago for a band practice and I was surprised at how good it was.


Steve.
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Re: The Fender amplifier wars - Everyone is welcome..
« Reply #119 on: November 10, 2014, 02:42:17 AM »


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