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Topic: Fender PA100 w/reverb - Repair and Maintenance |
Aaron Jennings
From:
Montana, USA
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Posted 8 Jan 2015 8:27 am |
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Howdy Everyone!
Last night I snagged a 72 Fender PA100 (with reverb) and both speaker towers off craigslist at what I felt was a fair price ($300).
After firing it up, found a few small issues, and was hoping to get some advice. I have not worked on an amplifier before, but know just enough to be dangerous.
The reverb doesn't appear to function. If I crank it up, and listen closely - I can almost hear a 'phantom' reverb, like the reverb is happening but output is very low? What would cause something like that?
The speakers were attacked by a rabid two-year old, and most of them feature holes poked with a finger/pencil. Is it worthwhile to patch these, recone them, or should I just spring for replacements?
Should I just disconnect the damaged speakers?
I've been spending way too much on gear lately, and need to keep my costs low for now.
I still feel this was a good deal -- all channels work, all the tubes lit up, and it produces a clean hum-free sound. I'll post pictures tonight if anyone is interested. |
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Bill Hatcher
From:
Atlanta Ga. USA
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Posted 8 Jan 2015 8:40 am Re: Fender PA100 w/reverb - Repair and Maintenance
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| Aaron Jennings wrote: |
Howdy Everyone!
Last night I snagged a 72 Fender PA100 (with reverb) and both speaker towers off craigslist at what I felt was a fair price ($300).
fair.
After firing it up, found a few small issues, and was hoping to get some advice. I have not worked on an amplifier before, but know just enough to be dangerous.
if you have never worked on one before.......nuff said.
The reverb doesn't appear to function. If I crank it up, and listen closely - I can almost hear a 'phantom' reverb, like the reverb is happening but output is very low? What would cause something like that?
take out the reverb pan and look at the springs inside and also at the tiny wires that run from the rca connectors to the small reverb transformers and see if any are broken or if the springs are hooked un correctly....better still....swap that pan out in an amp with known good reverb and see if the pan works correctly.
The speakers were attacked by a rabid two-year old, and most of them feature holes poked with a finger/pencil. Is it worthwhile to patch these, recone them, or should I just spring for replacements?
on a budget.....just take some thin fabric type tape and put a very small piece on the back and the front of all the holes. as long as there is not a long torn place, you should be fine.
Should I just disconnect the damaged speakers?
no. this changes the impedance load that the output transformer wants to see.
I've been spending way too much on gear lately, and need to keep my costs low for now.
I still feel this was a good deal -- all channels work, all the tubes lit up, and it produces a clean hum-free sound. I'll post pictures tonight if anyone is interested.
most dont come with the original speaker columns. it all weighs a ton!!.....if that is not an issue, should be fun! |
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Mark Fowler
From:
Minnesota, USA
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Posted 8 Jan 2015 10:02 am
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Could be a few things wrong with reverb or with the amp period but first would be swapping preamp tubes out to rule out bad tubes.
Cleaning reverb RCA sockets.
Those speakers can be re-coned if their is a kit, but unless you did it yourself I find it very expense. Look for more ebay raw speaker replacements or organ pulls on clean up week can find descent speakers but you need to watch speaker impedances. |
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Aaron Jennings
From:
Montana, USA
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Posted 8 Jan 2015 12:42 pm
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Or....
The reverb is a push pull pot on the channel volume, and I should RTFM... I'll find out later tonight.
Thanks for the help. Gonna try some DIY repair on the speakers this weekend. |
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Len Amaral
From:
Rehoboth,MA 02769
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Posted 8 Jan 2015 1:29 pm
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| Are you going to use the Fender PA100 for guitar or as a PA? I have a PA 100 and a PA135. Very nice amp with the Sam power tube output as a Twin but the tone stack is different. |
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Mark Fowler
From:
Minnesota, USA
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Posted 8 Jan 2015 9:47 pm
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Since the PA100 has four separate channels I converted the 1-3 channels into Ampeg bass, Fender bass, hotter Fender guitar circuit and stock channel 4 for a local guy. He enjoys having all the options.
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Aaron Jennings
From:
Montana, USA
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Posted 9 Jan 2015 9:09 am
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So, later models have a push-pull pot on channel volume for reverb. This is an earlier model, so I'll troubleshoot reverb this weekend.
I think I'd like to (eventually) use this as a multi-purpose rig for recording and small gigs.
I really like what Mark has done: the idea of having a Bass channel, Guitar channel, 'Hot Guitar' and Stock Channel sound great to me. |
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Mark Fowler
From:
Minnesota, USA
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Posted 9 Jan 2015 8:42 pm
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| Aaron Jennings wrote: |
So, later models have a push-pull pot on channel volume for reverb. This is an earlier model, so I'll troubleshoot reverb this weekend.
I think I'd like to (eventually) use this as a multi-purpose rig for recording and small gigs.
I really like what Mark has done: the idea of having a Bass channel, Guitar channel, 'Hot Guitar' and Stock Channel sound great to me. |
Or Andy Fuchs converts them to overdrive special Dumble circuits 
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Len Amaral
From:
Rehoboth,MA 02769
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Posted 10 Jan 2015 2:35 am
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Mark:
Do you have any contact info for Andy Fuchs?
Thanks,
Lenny |
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Bill Hatcher
From:
Atlanta Ga. USA
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Jim Kennedy
From:
Brentwood California, USA
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Posted 10 Jan 2015 10:56 am
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If the holes in the speakers are small, a little tissue and rubber cement works pretty good to get you by until re-coning or replacement. be sure to use rubber cement. It stays flexible.
_________________
ShoBud Pro 1, 75 Tele, 85 Yamaha SA 2000, Fender Cybertwin, |
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Stephen Cowell
From:
Round Rock, Texas, USA
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Posted 10 Jan 2015 11:19 am
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| Jim Kennedy wrote: |
| If the holes in the speakers are small, a little tissue and rubber cement works pretty good to get you by until re-coning or replacement. be sure to use rubber cement. It stays flexible. |
If the tear is not in the accordion surround, I'd use Elmer's or another stiff glue... there's no reason to make the repair flexible otherwise. Think about it... the cone is a piston, you want it to move all together at once. The lightest, strongest repair possible is the best.
I use carpenter's glue (the tan stuff) and Yellow Pages paper... get the cone and patch wet with it, then remove excess and apply the patch. Smooth it out and leave the excess paper hanging. After 24hours you can tear off the excess paper, leaving an optimal patch. I do both sides of the cone if I can reach it. Try to remove drips from the back side if any.
For tears/holes in the surround I use Shoe Goo... a very strong, flexible glue. Again, use as little as possible, and try to get the patch to conform to the pleats of the surround. Again, doing both sides is best.
There's no reason not to repair the cone... you can paint the patch with flat black spray paint and nobody will be the wiser.
_________________
New FB Page: Lap Steel Licks And Stuff: https://www.facebook.com/groups/195394851800329 |
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Donny Hinson
From:
Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.
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Posted 10 Jan 2015 2:07 pm
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| Often, if the holes are small and have been punched through, you can carefully push the paper cone material back into place and just brush or dab on a little glue to hold it in place, and to keep the tears from spreading. |
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Len Amaral
From:
Rehoboth,MA 02769
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Posted 11 Jan 2015 8:32 am
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Thanks Bill,
I emailed Fuchs Audio and requested info on a conversion for my PA 135.
Lenny |
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Mark Fowler
From:
Minnesota, USA
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Posted 11 Jan 2015 11:27 am
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Yeah when the Fuch boys get done with the PA135 it will have a nice new board and components to play with.
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Matt Bush
From:
Portland, OR
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Posted 13 Jan 2015 12:33 am
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| I almost picked that amp up! Congrats on the nice score! I'm sure once you get that reverb sorted out and the speakers fixed up, it's going to sound awesome. |
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Aaron Jennings
From:
Montana, USA
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Posted 13 Jan 2015 8:43 am
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You guys are such a great help. I don't feel intimidated by speaker repair anymore.
I'll do some before and after shots on the speakers when I get to it -- that should provide some entertainment for everyone.
I think I'm going to have to break down and send it to Fuchs as well in a couple months, once I have the $$ saved up. Who knows how long they'll keep the 'donor' program running.
Matt -- I just couldn't resist, I think we've been on a similar hunt for a good 6-string/steel workhorse amp. I am also addicted to craigslist... |
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Len Amaral
From:
Rehoboth,MA 02769
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Posted 14 Jan 2015 3:56 am
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Mark:
The Fuchs conversion is a bit rich for me at $1,400.00 and not really looking for a Dumble sound with the PA 135 for steel. Your mod is more in line with my liking. |
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