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Topic: Fox Vintage Amp model 5D6B, tweed 4x10" amp in progres |
Ken Fox
From:
Nashville GA USA
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Posted 16 Aug 2009 11:41 am |
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We have finished the prototype and one chassis only for a forum member who will build his own cabinet!
Will post completed amp pictures ASAP.
After working on and listening to Albert Talley's 1954 Bassman (serial #0035), model 5D6 I had decided to build eleven of these. The dual 5Y3 rectifier in the 5D6 Bassman was only made for a very short period. The later 5D6A and 5E6 used dual 5U4GB rectifier tubes.
I found a nice piece of info at Wikipedia and it mentions Albert Talley's amp, serial #0035. I found that serial #0013 belonged to a guy with Canned Heat and did sell on Ebay recently!!
" The Bassman was designed for the first mass-production electric bass, the Fender Precision Bass. It was introduced in 1952 and discontinued in 1983. Up to until 1954, the Bassman amps had only 1 speaker (circuit 5B6), but it was the four 10" speaker combination (officially introduced in 1955 as model 5D6-A) that came to be the greatest and most sought after amplifiers in history. The first 4x10 Bassman amplifiers started with a batch of prototypes in November and December 1954, model 5D6. No schematic for the 5D6 circuit have ever been found, and only 5 of these early examples have been found to have survived. The earliest serial number known to still exist is 0013, but 0035, 0075, 0077, and 0780 are also known to exist. These rare few are known to sound better than the revered 1959 5F6-A circuit, and are fetching prices in excess of $15000 USD"
Features for our amp:
-Mallory 150 caps
-Sprague Atom filtering caps
-F&T bias cap
-JJ power tubes and 12AX7 tubes
-Electro Harmonix 12AY7 tubes
-NOS American 5Y3GT tubes!!!! (Sylvania and CBS)
-Mercury Magnetics for all transformers and chokes
-carbon comp resistors (except the 2 watt power -resistors, Metal oxide)
-Carling switches
-Switchcraft jacks and plugs
-CTS pots and 1 Alpha pot
-Jensen P10R speakers with bells for the lower 2 speakers
-cabinet with lacquer finish and a fine Tolex style
-2000 degree rated heat shield tape for the area behind the power tubes (old amps used asbestos)
-amp Tolex style dust cover
-Vintage cloth covered wire, like the originals
No devices, circuit board or tube sockets will be mounted with sheet metal screws! The circuit board is mounted to the 6/32" x 1/4" standoffs which is mounted to the chassis with a 6/32" locking nut with plastic insert. Tube sockets are mounted with 4-40" screws and lock nuts. Transformers will be mounted with 8/32" screws and lock nuts.
There are a few modern day adds to the amp for safety, efficiency and noise. The 6.3 volt heater circuit is fused at 6.3 amps and the B+ is fused at 12amps. There is an in rush current limiter on the 120 VAC line that helps protect the amp as it first comes on. Also a .1 type suppression cap across the hot and neutral for line noise rejection and a .01 suppression cap on the ground switch. The ground switch has a center off, like the more modern amps that still use a ground switch. Most of these ideas came from the new Fender Low Power Twin Tweed amp.
Slight mods to the original:
The original was a 2-hole chassis, single channel with 2 jacks. The one I am building will be schematically the same but with a second channel,
like the low power tweed Twin. The bias will also be adjustable. Also a grounded power cord will be used. Dark Brown chicken head knobs and an amber jewel.
Last edited by Ken Fox on 17 Aug 2009 6:01 pm; edited 7 times in total |
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Ken Fox
From:
Nashville GA USA
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Posted 16 Aug 2009 11:42 am Work in progress
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Ken Fox
From:
Nashville GA USA
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Posted 16 Aug 2009 11:48 am
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| Will post pricing info and such on the "For Sale" section of our Forum soon. |
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Ken Fox
From:
Nashville GA USA
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Posted 18 Aug 2009 2:02 pm
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Billy Tonnesen
From:
R.I.P., Buena Park, California
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Posted 19 Aug 2009 9:15 pm
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I had a Fender Bassman Amp in the late 50's. One of the best amps I ever used. I think it morphed into the "Concert Amp" where a Tremelo was added. Around the end of the 50's I was able to get a hold of the "Lab Model" of the Concert Amp
from Leo Fender. There were no numbers on the dials and the tubes were written down on the inside of the cabinet. It was a great Amp.
with four10" speakers. Over the years it disappeared out of my garage. Wish I had kept it, probably would be worth a few bucks. |
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Ken Fox
From:
Nashville GA USA
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Posted 24 Aug 2009 10:43 am
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We are getting closer! Finished the 1st chassis out of the last eleven I am building. Parts came in today for the last ten boards and we are back at work!
I have been in contact with the owner of serial #0013, the oldest of the 1954 Basmman 4x10 amps known to exist! We are exchanging pictures and such!
This is part of a response I got today:
""Dear Mr. Fox,
You have honored me and touched my soul in a way that I cannot really explain. I have never seen anyone other than me so interested in Leo's 1954 prototype 4x10 Bassman. I will send you photos as soon as possible, dear friend.
There's just something about steel guitar and their players, isn't there....? Nice folk. I had an opportunity a couple of years back where someone had a triple neck '53 Fender Stringmaster in walnut, but he never showed up that night; he wanted $1,800 ...... I never recovered from the dissapointment and as a result I am still steeless 
I have received your schematic, you are as serious as I am ( I get a lot of jokers out there wanting pics, I'm sure you can understand). And a 4-hole modification is a nice touch. How does it respond to the bias mod you made? My selenium rectified has a solid state diode attached to it, I guess because they are prone to failure (these are very toxic but I'm sure you know this & .
The dual-rectifier really is a big part of the secret here.... great for bell-like crystal-clear tones, hard to distort, à-la Ampeg/Standel style a bit, although they used 807's/7591A's which are rated for higher voltages, hence the lack of distortion among other things but anyways... """ |
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Ken Fox
From:
Nashville GA USA
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Posted 2 Sep 2009 5:56 am
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We now have the circuit boards all assembled. We have also tested one completed chassis with a Bassman cab loaded with the 4 x10" Jensen speakers. The amp has far exceeded my expectations for tone! The string separation is superb with rich and clear bass notes and warm treble tones. Little to no background noise in the amp as well, making it a perfect recording amp as well!
We will start final assembly of the amps when we get back from the St Louis Show and should be ready to ship by the last week of September! A total of 11 amps will be built on this first run of amps. |
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Ken Fox
From:
Nashville GA USA
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Posted 16 Sep 2009 4:28 pm
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Got our first one in the cab and tested today. Sounds great!! Been playing it out in the music room with my Sierra D10, a Tele and a Strat.
Jeff Saine is using #0002 in the studio for pedal steel and has told me it is becoming his main amp for steel! Hope to have some sound clips soon from him.
The amp also weighs a mere 45 pounds with the cover!!!
Will be back on the last ten chassis tomorrow. Had a lot of work from the St Louis Show to catch up on and a lot more coming. I will be working on the final soldering up of the boards into the last ten chassis as time permits.
Hope to be ready in a week or so!!! |
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Chris Caruso
From:
Merrimack, NH USA
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Ken Fox
From:
Nashville GA USA
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Posted 17 Sep 2009 4:05 pm
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For sure we will have one at Saluda. May also be at the Nashville Show this month!
Wish we could have had one ready for St Louis! Just too many irons in the fire |
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Ken Fox
From:
Nashville GA USA
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Posted 19 Sep 2009 4:57 pm
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We will be showing the amps at the Jacksonville show tomorrow. If all goes well we will be at the Nashville Show next weekend.
We took the 1st complete 4x10" combo out to a local jam for a fellow musician to try out last night! We had a great evening of music and serial #0003 never made it home! I just finished #0004 today and Ernie Cawby and I gave it a workout with his Williams D-10 and also did a shootout with the Steel King. The Steel King is loaded with a new 1501-4BW and a Neo magnet. It was a lot of fun and the Fox Vintage Amp was the tone king!!! The most fun was playing both at the same time! Huge tone!!!!!
Jerry Newman, my old friend and the new owner of the first Fox Vintage amp combo:
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Ernest Cawby
From:
Lake City, Florida, USA, R.I.P.
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Posted 21 Sep 2009 7:48 pm hi
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I played thru both the steel King and the Fox amp in stereo yesterday, could be some one will chime in and say what they heard, Chet Gibson said it was vey good.
I am thinking about selling my Weenick and buyiong one of these, they are that good.
ernie |
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Tommy Auldridge
From:
Maryland, USA
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Posted 23 Sep 2009 5:39 am Price Tag ?
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How Much Will One Of These Set Me Back?
Thanks, Tommy .......... NICE WORK! |
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Ken Fox
From:
Nashville GA USA
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b0b
From:
Cloverdale, CA, USA
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