Fender Deluxe Reverb Reissue - So Is It Junk or What?
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- čas přidán 21. 04. 2021
- Some thoughts on the DR reissue, DRs in general, and Fender reissues in general. Real world stuff as I work.
For more info, Subscribe to this channel, join us at PsionicAudio, or email us at info@psionicaudio.com. - Hudba
The shielded wire goes to pin 7 of V2. In the video I said pin 2 because I was thinking V2. Sorry about that.
Thanks for your video. Could you suggest something on my problem - my DRRI 65 makes such vibration wheeze on certaine notes on 6 string, no matter the location of the amp in the room. I don't know how to identify this issue, probably it's just buzz from cabinet itself, or the speaker trouble, or whatever.
Finally I replaced Jensen C12K on my DRRI 65 with Jensen C12Q. Atomic amp, I like it for 1000%
I love the detailed information imparted in videos like this. It helped by making me aware of fundamental characteristics or specs for different levels of PCB build grades. With that knowledge I'd just gained, I immediately and quickly researched what spec or type of PCB is in my bass amp head; a Mesa Boogie. Cool stuff. Subbed.
Love watching your videos. I don't know why it's so fascinating watching an amp being repaired. You definitely know what you are talking about.
You are very calm and knowledgeable. Thank you for sharing your knowledge and wisdom. I really appreciate it. Don’t let the fools adversely affect you. The world is full of them. Please keep doing what you do.
BEAUTIFUL WORK!
Your videos are wonderful. Thanks for sharing this
this is strangely calming and satisfying to watch... sub'dya.
Thanks for for your thoughts and insights about this ddri as I want to be able to work on mine as needed.. Subbed!
Upvote. Thank you for your valued service.
Thank you!
You do great work
Mine served me quite well for dozens of indoor and outdoor gigs. I upgraded to a Swart Atomic Space Tone which is voiced differently than the scooped mids of a BF Fender.
I have a '77 Deluxe Reverb which I had the OT changed out to a smaller Blackface, and IT IS INCREDIBLE!! Handwired amps are worth the investment of a good repair tech.
I like mine…I put a Weber Grey Wolf speaker in it. Working on the upgrades in the chassis as per your suggestions.
The reissues are pretty much always around $1500 second hand in Australia. You can get Twin Reverbs of various eras for less most of the time.
I'm surprised more folks don't install a bypass switch for the bright cap instead of completely cutting it off. I have a push-pull treble pot on mine, which functions as a "pull bright" switch. Sometimes I want it on, sometimes not. Agree on the reissue speaker, swapped it for a greenback it it is quite a bit better. That said, top Nashville session man Tom Bukovac called out the stock reissue speaker as one that he likes. To each their own!
I got a 2019 mint used tweed SE for a grand- came with a cover and a G1265 - been a great amp so far, play on it all the time
Thank You for showing the inside of the Amp and you are correct that PCB is CHEAP...When I goto my local shop...Flashlight in hand to look what's under the hood (This will tell "me" what kind of Love or Bean Counter) got into this. As someone who "Slings Solder" with 70's Audio gear and DIY Kits (not that I need another project)....I am convinced to purchase a MojoTone ‘65 Blackface 22W D-Reverb Amp Kit and give this a Parts Upgrade it deserves!!!. Films, Caps, Resistors and Speaker. I do have on order an Rivera Stage IV 1x12" 25-watt Tube Combo Amp. One way to keep the economy running. Solder On!!!!
I have one of the older DRRIs which came with a totally cosmetic, non-functional ground switch. I guess it was there to make it look just like the original 65s. Anyway it was not wired from the factory but it is a real switch. I had my amp guy wire that switch so that it turned the bright cap off and on on the vibrato channel ( I don't think there is one on the Normal Channel). I always have it off which gets rid of some of the natural brittleness at low volumes. For what it's worth I've also put some old USA made GE 6V6s in, swapped the 12AX7 in the Vibrato channel for a 12AY7 which gets rid of some more brittleness (at the cost of a little power), and finally swapped the stock speaker for a Celestion Vintage 30. My amp has also over the years had the caps upgraded as the stock ones died. My amp is virtually silent when at rest, is warm sounding and has a smooth hi-end, probably the best sounding amp I've every had and I've had many amps, mostly hand-wired Fenders from the 60's and 70's. It is definitely NOT JUNK. I am an old guy, play mostly jazz, some oldies from 60s' and 70's, a little recording. Rarely do I play very loud, sometimes use a Tube Screamer for a little crunch. That said, this amp can get very loud with a nice breakup starting at 4 or 5. It's a very nice amp.
I might be crazy but I love the C12K... biggest improvement in tone for me was chasing down old US made preamp tubes and power tubes... huge boost in clarity. I was shocked at the audio difference between older tubes and the current productions.
C12K really opens up with a break in and a proper bias at 22 plenty of highs and lows
the blue alnico version of that speaker is way way better. 12q
Its a solid speaker. I much prefer the Jensen Alnico, but the C12k is a beautiful sounding speaker after break in, especially
Seems every time I have ever gotten a c12k properly broke
In , it blew not long after, so many much better choices today. The ceramic Alessandro sounds stellar out of the box. Screw long break in…. Not a fan of the c12k, and also think alnico is not a good match for deluxe or Princeton. The little
6v6s compress enough as is. Imo.
As of 3/1/2023 a '65 Deluxe Reverb Reissue sells new in the USA for $1,599.99 at all the online retailers. The special edition ones are even more expensive. A DRRi is not a cheap amp.
Well, I bought a Blues Deluxe Reissue 10 yrs (2012) ago for upper $500. After a month and playing loud I knew something was wrong…farty lows, ice pick highs and very loud on 3. Got a Weber Vintage speaker, replaced some parts and easily broken ribbon wire. Wow! Clean up to 7 then begins to break up and the Drive (dirt) channel is amazing. Less than $200 spent and yeah it’s more than worth the price and work.
Wish the current prices matched the prices mentioned in this video.
I like these cream colored early 90s fender circuit boards, I have a bunch of these in solid state that have performed great, a few Princeton chorus amps. Some of the resistors need re-soldering. Don’t know about C12k speakers. I just got a C12r from ‘63 that looks re-coned. And I think that speaker is phenomenal!
Thank you for your amazing videos and sharing the info! I have a Custom Deluxe Reverb 68 and there's crackling when it heats up. Can you please tell me what could be the problem? My amp guy is great and he helped a bit but there's still some crackling in the sound when the amp starts working and then it's mostly gone - it was completely opposite before the service. Thank you very much, your videos are a breath of fresh air!
I wouldn't say DRRIs and SFDRs are in the same price category anymore. SFDRs have skyrocketed in value. It's common to see them trading in the $1700 - $2200 price range nowadays. Drip edge SFDRs can go for even more.
My first '65 DRRI sounded like a blanket was thrown over it during A/B'ing it with an original 1964. Couldn't figure it out and then suspected the bright cap mod. Opened it up and yes, but luckily they cut the trace. I bridged the cut with a 100k resistor, and I think that was the sweet spot. The C12K speaker was acceptible for me, but the black frame Eminence is dull. Guitar players are weird, they complain about piercing highs but never, ever, use their tone and volume controls on their guitars. Always full on at 10.
Is it crap? Cut to the chase love it. I'm a guitar tech Amps are a foreign country ,learning a lot thank you.
On I side note as as Brit I've realized you can place a North American by how they pronounce Amp
i would have liked to hear the switching of the few different speakers you mentioned
Can you show how to replace the digital tremolo in the recent ones? Awesome vids, thanks!
Thank you for verifying that the modern PC versions of these amps are still very good. I have 2 reissues, a 68 Customer DLX, and a 68 Vibrolux.
As of right now, June, 2025, US price for '65 Deluxe Reverb $1700 shipping included.
Very good condition used versions are around $950-$1100.
Shipping can be high at $100 + for a used amp.
I bought a '68 Custom DLX Reverb in 2014 for $1000 new, shipping included. The 65 DLX Reverb was $1100 at the time.
I like the Custom more so as I like the more response feel of the Custom.
Around that same time I also bought a new 68 Custom Vibrolux for $900.
Fender doesn't make that amp now.
The price of DLX and Custom DLX is a $100 difference, more for the DLX.
The speakers, as you said, are not the best in modern Fender amps.
Yet still the sounds and tone are very good Fender amp sound. Put in better speaker/s and the overall tone can change dramatically.
One of the most reliable amps I have owned is an old pcb orange.
Brake cleaner is an excellent board/flux cleaner in most situations
Got a old mesa boogie subway rocket. It's a little tank 👍
I got mine for 900€ in mint condition off eBay, got it serviced by an amp guru in my province and equipped with Tung Sols and the amp sound really good. It’s a bit noisy tough in terms of recording floor noise but it’s not build with military grade components anyway. Rather than to let building it up from scratch handwired I ll save my money and order a handwired Ceriatone Dumble replica from Malaysia, made from top notch components and incredible sounding.
This amp should be dead quiet after the changes I show.
I disagree about the quality of Ceriatone, but that's for some future video.
@@PsionicAudio Thanks, I’ll forward your changes to my amp tech to take care of.
As far as construction of vintage verses new, I would say the vintage PTP construction will last long enough to make it worth the extra cost.
I purchased my first "real" amplifier back in 1976, I saved up and bought myself a brand new Fender Twin Reverb.
45 years later I am still using that very same amplifier! So robust is the PTP/Hand-Wired construction that my Fender Twin has survived my Teenage years of abuse, early adulthood years of neglect and the early years of my Son's use and abuse. I don't believe I personally own anything older that has been used so often. I paid $400 brand new when I purchased that amplifier, I can say it was a good investment and I'm still getting my money's worth.
Nothing against modern amplifiers like this Deluxe Reverb, I just can't imagine them fairing as well as my old Twin has.
Great content.
Can you still lift your twin, I'm sure they amplify gravity as well as guitars
@@capitanvonchickenpants8492 Oh you are not kidding. At 60 years old I can still lift it.
I remember when I took that amp home, I was only 15 years old and could not lift it into the trunk of my Dad's Grand Marquis, my Father had to load it! I've really gotten my $400 worth out off it!
No Fender amps are point to point construction. They are tag board. Point to point is a rats nest of wires.
@@DaveMcLain Very true, I used the wrong terminology in describing the Fender amplifiers.
I have a near mint condition 1947 MEC/Magnatone Troubadour model M-192-5 amplifier that is true PTP construction, and YES, it very much resembles a Rat’s Nest! 😉
PTP circuits can be terrible to work on and make reliable. I've got a 50's Gibson amp that's PTP just like that. @@hkguitar1984
When I get the Deluxe Reverb, I put in a Celestron vintage 30 speaker.
Did you like the vintage 30? I am the oddball that likes the old mid sixes Oxford but a Jensen c12q preferably vintage is a great choice as well.
Good idea to reduce noise by running that wire. :)
That video has been up for about a week now. I didn't have a Weber in at the time, though I've noticed a down turn in quality since Ted passed. I used to use them all the time but now I have reservations based on less than stellar results.
No, it's not junk. Is it a handwired boutique amp? No. Is it a good mass produced tube amp? Yes. And at $1399 new, it's not exactly cheap but definitely more affordable than the boutique amps.
If possible, it would be better as he says, to save and put more money on a Silverface.
Twice the cost of a 1973 SF twin I bought just last week that came with Jensen Alnicos and a cap job (required).
I'm sorry but.. no. Not even comparable.
@@cgavin1 until the wax on the board starts becoming an issue
@@archiedentone5950 Didn't start waxing until 74 iirc? Mine isn't waxed anyway (ooh err). Besides Lyle has demonstrated that all you need is a heat gun and some spare time to future proof things. :)
@@cgavin1 it depends on how hot the board has gotten. With heat that wax gets everywhere.
I have about a 2004 or 7 Fender Super Reverb that I bought used. When I turn the reverb up to 2 1/2 or more, the amp gets super distorted, breaks up bad, and volume goes down to barely anything. Any idea as to what would cause that?
When removing the bright cap: I see you de-soldered, then re-flowed solder into the holes, then cut the circuit trace. What are the merits of doing that vs. clipping the cap off (but leaving the legs intact) vs. de-soldering the cap and leaving the holes empty (no solder)?
Where are you finding used DR reissues for $400-$600? . . . and the days of inexpensive silverface DR's are gone, sadly.
They are about double those numbers new now.. real ones are seem to be starting around 3k.
..and in 5 years they may be 8k?
I can’t believe it either but I found a blonde 1994 ‘65 DRRI with a 2014 Weber 12F150 speaker for $600 on Craigslist, got it last week. I am the 3rd owner. Opened it up today after the Live Stream and am trying to determine if it’s stock. The filter caps certainly are. Amp sounds fantastic but I will replace the filter caps and I can tell that a couple resistors have been replaced but the values are as per the schematic. R11 looks funky tho.
New DRRI’s are $1500-1600. Used are anywhere between $800-1100 usually. They have increased massively in price in the past decade. Literally about doubled.
I did a speaker shootout with my 2002 board DRRI, and I was surprised, but I thought the stock 100 watt Italian Jensen was the best choice. If you know where there are $400-500 DRRI for sale, dude let me know. I will flip them and get rich. I have ripped the guts out of two of these and built up AB763 style full stop. I kept the stock Jensen in both times to rave reviews. I am also responsible for Hammond now having an upgrade drop in replacement PT for these. I have the first one made. Both of these sound as good as most 60's versions, and are quieter.
SF has gone way up, cheapest you going to find is about 1300 if your amazingly lucky, Mesa is known for double sided through hole but to me this looks easier to work on
When you mentioned the age of the Fender you were working on (1993), it suddenly clicked in my mind that my 1994 Peavey Classic 50 212 is a '94. I'm sure it could use a look, but have you ever had to deal with one of those? And if so, what are some issues you've come across? Great series, by the way. I just subbed. I enjoy your work.
You're right about the speaker. I recently tried my DRRI into a 2x12 with one G12H 75 and one Vintage 30 and it sounds so much better than the stock Jensen speaker. Before that, the Jensen sounded fine to me, but there's really no going back now.
Kind of off the topic, but what’s your opinion of the design and quality of the 2000-2003 “Pro Tube” series amps, the 112 Pro Reverb in particular?
i sprayed deoxit in a tube socket. I let it dry and the amp works fine. I thought it evaporates with no residue?
What?? Where'd you get the new price? I just got a new FDRRI and so far am loving it stock... I'm sure that in time I'll be doing mods 😉
Hi there. Love these videos on the DR 65 reissues. I have one from 1990. I changed the speaker (to a Weber150f) and installed NOS tubes and the improvement was HUGE. Recently it started to develop a bit more hiss than before. Any ideas what could be the issue ?
Thanks again for your great videos.
Hiss could be a number of things, but preamp tubes are the most likely cause and the easiest to rule out. Pull V4. Hiss gone? It's probably V4 or V2. Hiss still there? Pull V1. Still there? Swap V6 and V3. Still there? Not a tube, take to a tech.
@@PsionicAudio Thanks a lot for the suggestions. Will give them a try 👍
Just get the special edition with the p12 q jensen blue alnico. Its a great speaker. Have tried many speakers its one of the best. I did change the caps to high end caps and did the heater fix. Still one of my fave amps yo play on. I was thinking of coverting it to point to point and mercury magnetics transformers and chokes , but why bother. For the same price i can get a rivera amp
800 for a new 65 deluxe reverb ?.? .. best price i can find for a fender 65 deluxe is €1740
You mentioned that deoxit is bad for clean tube sockets. What do you recommend using to clean tube sockets?
Hi, those videos are really enjoyable! But one thing I wonder.. Do you use lead-free solder? Do Fender use lead-free solder? How do you know whether to use lead-free solder or lets say Sn60Pb40? Or do you simply remove all the previous solder before re-soldering? Because particularly in this video, it seems that you occasionally don't clean the solder points beforehand.
Thanks! And good question!
This was an older '90s RI where the still used leaded solder, so I didn't have to remove it to add more 60/40.
With newer lead-free amps I remove the existing lead-free solder and use Kester 60/40 leaded.
Awesome videos. Do you think I'm better off buying a 65 reissue and getting a tech to apply these mods rather than forking out for the 64 custom deluxe?
I'm all of a sudden getting distortion with the volume on 5. My tech says to switch to the factory tubes (Groove Tubes)? The existing tubes (JJ's) check good. The amp distorts the same through a different speaker. This amp has a clestion G70. Filter caps look ok. Thanks!
Switch to the groove tubes to see if one of the JJs isn't working. If it still breaks up to early, take it to your tech.
What do you think about ditching the pot board and rewiring the front panel old school?
So what should we buy instead?
My problem with Fender, especially the hot rods, is that if you spend a grand or more on the amp you have to decide, do I take the amp to a qualified tech and have the work done that will void the warranty in order to be something worthy of what I paid that will last longer than a couple years, or do I just play and rely on the warranty? My experience when my amp started its issues was, Fender sent it to two techs that were not qualified to do the work it needed. They then claimed there was nothing wrong with it and refused to honor said warranty since the techs couldn't fix what was very obviously wrong with it, (Deafening pop whenever you switch channels). So, in my experience your options are, have it fixed before it starts its problems, an additional 4 Benjamins easy, if you have all the subpar stuff fixed, and go on without any warranty. Or rely on the warranty and get shafted.
Gotta agree with the crex, I tried to like it, it’s just not a good match for a fender amp imo, that after about 40 hours of break in, the ceramic
Alessandro However, is much better, sounds like a well worn oxford. Yet does not have the new Jensen ice pick thing. Only have about 15 hours on that, already liking that speaker in deluxe or Princeton reverbs. Something about hemp cones I just don’t like. Especially in a mix.
Is the F2AL fuse in the back of the amp, just a Fast Blow 2a 6x30m ?
Hey Lyle, I've been watching all your videos on the reissues and appreciated your time! Can I ask your opinion for my use case? I'm interested in buying a Super Reverb. I have have a very clean 2004 Reissue at a fair price (
ramble on. 2 cents: it's hard for people to pickup on if your channel is a class, a hangout or a show. i like that key clues come out across videos.
The basic 68 and 65 Deluxe reverb reissues new are $1400 and $1600
Thanks for the great information. Do you have any recommendations for where to buy the electronic components in order to replace caps and service an amp?
I get the majority of my parts from Mouser and CE Distribution. TubeDepot carries almost everything most casual builders will need with an easy to navigate website. I use them as well.
I'm thinking of buying a Deluxe Reverb RI, I agree completely about the stock speaker. When speaker would you recommend for a replacement?
I have some speaker comparison videos up for DRs. Let your ears decide.
Do you have a list of all your recommended changes for a drri? I have a very noisy drri, and would love to be able to take mine to a local tech to have it improved. Thanks for your informative videos
No, because if I published a list people might try to do them themselves and mess up their amps. Someone qualified to do this wouldn't need my notes - they'd know what to do. Heaters. Screen grids. Non-fused bias. Filter caps. Solder joints on pots/jacks.
Just discovered your channel; great video. What brand of silicone do you use?
Thanks!
Whatever RTV non-reactive they have at whatever auto or hardware store I go to as needed. There's a GE version they have at Home Depot but the one at AutoZone has a better longer-lasting cap. ;)
So what is the ideal rocknroll speaker for this amp in your opinion ? I'm always interested in optimal speakers for silverfaces ....my 70 champ has an oxford.....not crazy about it
See the DR speaker comparison video for some good choices. "Rocknroll" is too broad a term. Do you want a big clean with chorus etc, a roll-back-the-volume-for-clean sounds thing, "jangle", etc?
I can usually pair a player with a speaker very well, but I need more tonal references. SRV wouldn't like Andy Summers' cleans, and Page wouldn't like Vai's. Peter Buck would be silly through Lukather's rig and vice versa.
Speakers are half the amp. It's too bad one doesn't have the capability to keep many different speakers on hand to determine which is best for each amp. Cheers
I'd rather wait and buy a CBS Princeton Reverb for $1200-$1400 used. $2K+ is the going rate now, but those $1200-$1400 deals are out there, and I have been blackening electrical outlets for over 50 years now. I still have most of my old Fender Marshall, Supro/Valco etc. amps. Some have been in the family forever (1940s) and I have rebuilt those 5 or 6x or maybe 7x by now. I sold a lot of amps that I wish I still had. The new Sica Jensens are not at all like the old ones.
A Foredom with a spiral bit will cut those 70s CBS baffles out post-haste. I am also NOT a fan of the hemp cones, which are quite dark sounding. Some high gain amps do tend to err towards the bright side, so a lot of them are toned down dark to cover that up and all the hissy noise that comes with higher gain in a preamp that is not very well executed.
Does the 68 deluxe reissue have that bright cap? Mine has always sounded too bright.
Yes
Are you aware of radio interference coming through the reverb? I just bought a new Deluxe Reverb and that's the problem. I returned it, they sent me another one, and it has the same problem. Nothing is plugged in.
My '68 DRRI worked fine for the first 18 months. It's now a paper weight- it's gotten to a point to where even my well respected amp tech has given up on it. Have a '65 PRRI also, again 18 months flawless then total recap and a several resistor changes. For two brand new amps that just sit in a studio 24/7 that's pretty much a shit-show for Fender. Avoid at all costs.
I learn so much from your videos! I didn’t know that Deoxit should not be used in tube sockets. Thankfully, I don’t think I ever have used it that way, but it’s good to know for the future.
I would be interested to see a review of the ‘64 Custom Deluxe Reverb! I have always wondered how the build quality compares to an original ‘64.
Thanks!
Sad to say it's nothing like a real DR. Bias wiggle trem, poor layout/lead dress, cheap film caps covered in blue plastic for an upcharge.
@@PsionicAudio Wow! Very interesting. At $2500 and coming from the custom shop, you'd hope for a better product. Sad, indeed.
So you need the amp plus exactly how much investment is needed please ?
The '65 reissue is $1399 new
1599
Price goes up like every 3 months 🤣 at lower prices I agree with Lyle, but Fender is pricing these “reissues” like premium amps which they are not. They require a lot of work to fix what they screwed up. I would be interested to know how Fenders $2,500 hand wire is quality wise.
Yes. Cheaply made. Best to get a clean amp with no reverb or tremolo onboard. Less hum and buzz issues this way. Grab some true bypass pedals for those things and be happier.
I had one for years. Uh. I've had issues...clean side not as loud ...still got it. Uh. It's ok. But for the money it's too costly ..
Sold my fender blues JR. Special design Jenson speaker. Wish I had not
Oh got a Swartz Atomic space tone
Mine is a late 90s
People who hate these amps don't understand what they're for or how to use them. Objective truth
The 68 Deluxe Reverb is awful in my opinion, these are OK. Do you have any opinion on the Supro reissues? I have 2 different models and absolutely love them, lots of character.
If GW can say "Nucyooler" instead of "Nuclear", you can say silicone any way you want to. I just found your site, as, at the age of 67, I am finally interested in getting my own amp. Previously, I always used whatever the house (or garage) had on hand. This is great stuff.
What do you use to clean tube sockets?
Usually iso. Sometimes a bit of deoxit on the pins of an old tube, in and out of the socket a few times, then flushing out any deoxit with iso.
For those trying this at home, amp unplugged, no power. Make sure all the isopropyl has evaporated before powering back up with tubes.
In 2022 DR's are $1600 new, they can be found for $900 used but $1000-$1200 used is more common. Not sure what a great tech costs but tubes are way more expensive now that the war started. With all that being said I have never heard these are junk as the tone of a well running DR is something to strive for.
65DRRI is $2100 in Canada. Just snagged a like new one for $1000.
In my mind,,, those just look like the classic amps. They do sound great though and are generally very reliable! As a hobbyist,, I prefer just building one just like they used to be built. Or getting a run out used reissue ,gut it and build it to 64' 65' spec. In my mind,,, tinned mil grade stranded wire equals solid core wire,,,, am I wrong??
Tinned stranded wire is great stuff, easier to work with than either solid wire or regular stranded wire. Vintage Japanese solid-state audio gear used lots of it, often wire-wrapped around square header pins instead of being soldered.
"....And lf someone spills a beer on it.".....although it's somewhat unlikely that the beer will get inside a Fender or other top-mounted combo amplifier, I can tell you from my experiences as a repair tech that beer, soda, and coffee are *extremely corrosive* to circuit boards; they'll start a corrosion process that eventually eats through copper foils. The copper foils can be repaired with jumpers, but as also happens with capacitor-leakage fluids, the corrosive liquid can seep into the tiny holes in the circuit board where the component legs pass through and get soldered, and can cause corrosion in-between the component lead and the solder joint, and actually disconnect the component from the circuit in a way you cannot see. And, if it's a double-sided board with plated-rivet thru-the-board connections, the "rivets" can corrode open where you can't see the damage; verifying the bad rivets (there's always more than just one) with an ohmmeter is a pain, and repairing those open connections is very difficult. I don't care that Marshall and other expensive, well thought of amplifiers use double sided boards; it's a bad idea reliability-wise for this type of professional application, and greatly increases the difficulty of troubleshooting and repairing such an amp.
My advice is, never pop open a soda or beer can, or drink coffee, within 6 feet of any electronic device with vent holes in it; and if someone asks you to fix a fancy kitchen radio, like a Bose, that appears to have even the slightest bit of what looks to be relatively "confined" corrosion from a few drops of something getting inside of the device, and especially if it has a double-sided PC board, SAY NO! Been there, done that....
FWIW, the "rivet" is called a "via".
@@wbfaulk , I am aware of the correct terminology, but I use "rivet" because layman likely wouldn't understand the term "via" in this particular technological context.
How much negative influence on tone does a printed circuit cause, if any, compared to point-to-point wiring?
None at all if the person doing the design knows what they are doing. Better a PCB designed by John Suhr than a handwired amp full of mistakes as is all too common.
BTW I need to do a video on what "point to point" means. Very few amps are point to point, and most of those that are tend to be junk. Eyelet board, turret board, terminal strips - these are not "point to point."
For now let me just say a good PCB locks in a well designed amp and makes it repeatable in large numbers while lowering the price point. There are things PCBs are excellent at and things to avoid (large currents and heat). The PCB of a '76 Marshall 1987 is no better built than the PCB in a Blues Junior. But the Marshall PCB has no high current or hot components on it.
Never mind, I listened further and heard the answer on the video.
Glad I bought all my guitars and Amps in 1970
how about your car, TV, smart phone and computer?
Lol. These amps are so simple it's really not bad. It's practically a turret board.
Why in the world does my 68 deluxe reissue make such a LOUD pop when I put it on standby? Nothing is plugged in and all the volumes are down'
Could be a few different reasons, but the good news is you absolutely don’t need to use standby on that amp. At all. Ever.
I had a one it was a piece of junk I got from GC. The best thing about it was the color.
Subs. request: (Providing you get one in)
Ampeg V-4B
They’re $1500 new now
Mine was from new
At the 15:00 mark you advise against using DeoxIT in tube sockets. I can understand why I'm just curious what should be used.
To be honest I'm pretty confused by most of the DeoxIT recommended applications as much of their literature seems to have marketing mixed in.
Any advice would be appreciated.
I'm a new subscriber, I received my electronics training in the Air Force back in the 1980s. I worked as an FAA Certified Instrument Repair Technician for many years as well. All of that is helpful however I'm not a current technician and lack re-world experience.
I can most certainly admit I don't know what I don't know. Add to that I usually don't know what I need to know until long after the time I needed to know it! Ugh, sorry for the poor articulation.
Great channel and your honest pragmatism is very much welcome.
Brake cleaner works pretty good! Then once tube sockets and vacuum tube pins are clean. I spray the pins of the vacuum tubes separately with DeOxit then work it in and out of the tube sockets a couple of times. Seems to work so far. But I am no expert
Ok here's from personal experience. Circuit boards. Predominantly those green ones do NOT take the voltage for 15 years. They burn out. And if you use it a lot then the die rate is quicker. Now that 70's fender? Er well it's already double that.. I have a 1976 twin and it's damn fine it's the ultra linear that everyone hates but er no... It's a fine amp. Now as you say PCB. Unfortunately you look at an old Marshall and then that and I'm sorry but they are utterly different things. As is that beige board... So please don't tell people that's the same as a vintage Marshall or vox or any such... That's daft. Look at the board on a Peavy classic 30.. my god what did they do!!!
The board on a '70s-'80s Marshall PCB is actually just as bad as this one - not very thick, single side, thin copper. Marshall just didn't have heaters, screen grid resistors, or any other high current stuff on their PCB.
Marshal only began to run into issues when they started putting pot and jacks on the PCB.
Heat and stress are the enemy.
Disagree on PCB's; my take is Single-Side is more survivable to owner eff-ups.
Every amp tech would agree that these Fender amps are ill right off the assembly line.
These amps will last longer than the Roland designs, but they won’t be the heirloom pieces that older hand wired designs have proven to be.