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Topic: New (old) twin reverb |
Bob Sehy
From:
New York, USA
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Posted 30 Apr 2016 8:19 am |
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I just picked up this 69-71?? twin reverb and am pretty excited. Its a non master volume (possible-label says) ab763 circuit amp with stock jbld120f speakers. Im thinking that this amp, with my 1970 emmons push-pull will be "it".
I do want to clean the grill cloth (and the rest of it) but do any of you know if this model has the removable grill (ie. velco from the front)?
Also, any gushing comments will be appreciated!
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Edward Rhea
From:
Medford Oklahoma, USA
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Posted 30 Apr 2016 9:19 am
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Great find there, Bob! Very similar to mine. I can't speak for yours, but the grill(edited a 2nd time, to eliminate confusion) on my amp, is removable by Velcro. That could've been added by the previous owner, I'm not sure? I'll add that when you pry it off, don't pry against the faceplate...mine had some spots along the bottom, where someone had.
Correction: Velcro on the backer board or grill frame. Thanks Jack & Paul!
Last edited by Edward Rhea on 30 Apr 2016 2:51 pm; edited 2 times in total |
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Jack Stoner
From:
Kansas City, MO
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Posted 30 Apr 2016 9:57 am
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I had a twin, bought new in 71. It was an AB768 chassis. The speaker baffle was screwed to the amp cabinet. Later twins have the baffle glued to the amp.
The twin, I had, worked OK with the JBL D120F's but it was even better for steel after I replaced the 120F's with one 15" JBL K130.
I worked on a lot twin's in the early 70's when I worked as an amp tech in Nashville. I never came across one that had the speaker baffle mounted with Velcro. |
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Bob Sehy
From:
New York, USA
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Posted 30 Apr 2016 12:40 pm
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| Thanks, I don't see any screws in the cabinet frame that I assume would be holding the grill/frame in place (like a 68 bandmaster that I have). Ive seen some that pull off from the front with velcro but, Im not too sure if the earlier ones did. Id hate to try and pry it off, and crack the frame. |
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Paul Sutherland
From:
Placerville, California
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Posted 30 Apr 2016 1:19 pm
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I have a similar era Twin and the grill is velcro'd on. The baffle, however is glued in. The grill and the baffle are not the same thing, at least not on the silver face era Twins.
_________________
It don't mean a thing if it ain't got that swing. |
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Don Mogle
From:
Round Rock, TX, USA
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Posted 30 Apr 2016 2:29 pm Tr
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Hi Bob,
You might want to check out my post "Pawn Shop FInd" here on the Forum for what I did and used to clean up a TR.
Looks like a great amp! I wish mine had JBLs in it.
Congrats!
Don |
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Clinton Zimmerman
From:
Memphis,Mo
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Posted 30 Apr 2016 7:21 pm
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| I have a silver face twin that is velcro'd on I believe it is a 73 model. |
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Tony Prior
From:
Charlotte NC
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Posted 1 May 2016 1:10 am
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Nice amp ! 1970 , Twin Reverb on nameplate with AMP underneath. Should have velcro for speaker grill as the 71 did not, the baffle was screwed on from the inside of the cab. MV started in 72...
Circuit should be something like AC568 in that neighborhood. 68's and 69's had the aluminum edge ( drip edge ) around the grill cloth.
Bought one of these new in 70, used it for almost 25 years non stop!
_________________
Emmons L-II , Fender Telecasters, B-Benders , Eastman Mandolin ,
Pro Tools 12 on WIN 7 !
jobless- but not homeless- now retired 9 years
CURRENT MUSIC TRACKS AT > https://tprior2241.wixsite.com/website |
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Bill Terry
From:
Bastrop, TX
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Posted 1 May 2016 6:00 am
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I've owned several Twins of that era (non-master vol, tail-logo, pre-71 or so I guess?) about 5 best I can remember including a '69 drip edge that I own now. They all had a single baffle/grill that was mounted to cheek blocks inside the cab with wood screws as Jack described. Take out the four screws and the whole baffle comes out as a grill/speaker assembly.
But it sounds like on this thread that that wasn't always the way it was done? Curious... Something to do with the JBLs maybe? Or maybe that amp is a bit later? Mine all had Eminence or whatever the standard speaker was.
_________________
Lost Pines Studio
"I'm nuts about bolts" |
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Bob Sehy
From:
New York, USA
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Posted 1 May 2016 6:34 am
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So Im guessing that screws inside the cabinet frame corners indicate a grill that is not held on by velcro and removed from the front?
I just don't want to try to remove it from the front and cause any damage. |
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ajm
From:
Los Angeles
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Posted 1 May 2016 6:49 am
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Confusion........
The OP wants to remove the grille cloth/frame and clean it.
He does not want to remove the speakers.
He does not want to replace the 2x12 board with a 1x15 or whatever.
That said, is the grille/frame attached to the board with velcro?
Have there been versions of this amp where you need to remove the speakers and/or baffle board in order to remove the grille/frame?
If so, then how do/did you separate the board from the grille/frame? |
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Jack Stoner
From:
Kansas City, MO
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Posted 1 May 2016 7:17 am
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| On my 71 (AB768 chassis) the grille cloth was stapled to the speaker baffle. |
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Bill Terry
From:
Bastrop, TX
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Posted 1 May 2016 9:11 am
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Mine (all mentioned above) were like Jack described; it's one baffle, that also serves as the grill frame. Taking the grill cloth off to clean it is not a trivial task, or I should say getting it back on straight is not trivial, not to mention the grill can fray. It could end up a mess..
I've had fair success cleaning without removing the grill by using a spray cleaner (like 409 or some such thing) "VERY" lightly on the grill from the outside, so as not to spray through to the speaker cones, but enough to get it good and damp, and then blotting or rubbing gently with paper towels. It can take several passes to get an improvement, but if it's the usual bar grime, at least some of it will come out. I've also heard of folks using carpet cleaning foam instead of a spray cleaner, but I've never tried it.
_________________
Lost Pines Studio
"I'm nuts about bolts" |
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Bob Sehy
From:
New York, USA
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Posted 1 May 2016 9:59 am
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From searching around the web, I see both types of grill clothe/baffle arrangement specifically on Non-master volume silver face twins that do say twin reverb "amp" on the face plate.
The best way to find out is to get out a flashlight and inspection mirror and start looking. If its velcro, its easy, if its stapled then Ill probably pull the speakers, clean it, and the put them back in.
Thanks for all the comments. |
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Bob Sehy
From:
New York, USA
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Posted 1 May 2016 10:01 am
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| Tony, do you think then its a 1970? I know the chassis number should give a definite year, still have to do that. |
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Jim Sliff
From:
Lawndale California, USA
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Posted 1 May 2016 1:36 pm
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Need the serial number (and preferably the transformer codes as well) to verify the year.
As someone involved in the sales of vintage guitars and amps, I recommend that you leave the grill cloth alone! It's easily damaged or discolored by cleaning which will devalue the amp. Use a vacuum only.
Did the seller verify that it has been serviced (filter caps and bias caps replaced and other parts/voltages checked)? If not, PLEASE don''t turn it on until it's serviced. I have seen too many blown transformers due to old, bad filter caps - and a replacement transformer seriously devalues the amp.
Also, I recommend the JBL's be removed, kept in case of future sale, and speakers installed that will handle the amp's power. Those JBL's were originally produced with deceptive literature implying they were 100 watt speakers - and they are NOT.
When new they could handle 60 watts, and as they have aged they have lost 35-33% of their *clean* power handling (and far less if tones are distorted). At this point they will be right on the edge if the amp is cranked up. Much better to play it safe and store them, install a pair of Weber Californias or something 60+ watts from Warehouse guitar speakers and not worry.
Hope that helps.
_________________
No chops, but great tone
1930's/40's Rickenbacher/Rickenbacker 6&8 string lap steels
1921 Weissenborn Style 2; Hilo&Schireson hollownecks
Appalachian, Regal & Dobro squarenecks
1959 Fender 400 9+2 B6;1960's Fender 800 3+3+2; 1948 Fender Dual-8 Professional |
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Bob Sehy
From:
New York, USA
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Posted 1 May 2016 3:33 pm
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| Thanks, but I kind of want to use the JBLS, but I do have 2 Jupiter 12" ceramics I can put in it. I plan on having it checked out also. I may just leave it as is though, Its a heavy beast, so it will find a permanent home in my music room and not be moved. So, it will never go beyond 4 on the volume knob, and the speakers should be happy! |
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Tony Prior
From:
Charlotte NC
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Posted 2 May 2016 10:56 am
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| Bob Sehy wrote: |
| Tony, do you think then its a 1970? I know the chassis number should give a definite year, still have to do that. |
Its a 70 based on the name on the FACE Plate logo and lack of drip edge.
68 and 69 had the aluminum drip edge around the grill cloth edge, 71 did not have the word AMP on the face plate , 72 forward has a Master Volume.
That leaves 1970 ! Which of course had the Twin Reverb logo with the word AMP underneath...
I bought one brand spankin' new in 70 and played it for almost 25 years. recently I sold my 71 which I had for about 10 years.
Plus, some google research will describe the different face plate logo's for the different years.
Chassis S/N's around this time can overlap (not by much) as well but not the sales marketing cosmetics. The logo on the face plate as well as the lack of drip edge of the amp in the photo is 1970, it's possible the chassis could date late 1969 but the amp was sold new as a 1970 amp.
remember, 68/69 had the same face plate as 70 but had the aluminum drip edge around the speaker grill, , 71 had no AMP word...chassis dating can be off by a few months either direction. From 72 on was real easy..they all had Master Volume knobs !
This period, 68 thru 71 is excellent...
_________________
Emmons L-II , Fender Telecasters, B-Benders , Eastman Mandolin ,
Pro Tools 12 on WIN 7 !
jobless- but not homeless- now retired 9 years
CURRENT MUSIC TRACKS AT > https://tprior2241.wixsite.com/website |
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Bob Sehy
From:
New York, USA
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Posted 7 May 2016 3:31 am
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An Update... Well, between the poor packing job done by the seller (Guitar Center) and the Monkeys at UPS the amp arrived in rough shape. It was packed loosely in an oversized box, and (get this) the power tubes were removed, wrapped in bubble wrap and placed NEXT to the loosely packed amp in the box! The result? Vintage RCA 6L6 tubes smashed beyond recognition, and a speaker baffle which tore partly out of the cabinet, causing 1 original JBL to be ripped and the other dimpled.
To their credit, Guitar center was very apologetic and after some emails and photos we arrived at a fair price reduction allowing for the cost of repairs. It will need a new baffle/grill, some tubes, and hopefully a repair to the 1 JBL and not a re-cone. I don't mind taking on the the project, but would have much preferred the amp as it was before the shipping mess. It was "all there"
The moral? I don't know.....buy local if you can. |
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Bob Sehy
From:
New York, USA
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Posted 7 May 2016 3:33 am
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| Oh, and the speaker baffle has the grill cloth attached to it, No Velcro, and chassis/transformer numbers that date to early 1970. |
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Rich Upright
From:
Florida, USA
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Posted 11 May 2016 3:42 pm
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I ALWAYS buy equipment locally...sometimes you hafta wait for something, but it avoids all the hassles with shipping & something being mis-represented.
_________________
A couple D-10s,some vintage guitars & amps, & lotsa junk in the gig bag. |
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Bob Sehy
From:
New York, USA
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Posted 12 May 2016 2:39 pm
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If I could find any pedal steel things here in Long Island, NY I would buy local! Heres a few pics of the amp "in progress", all electronics/tubes taken care of by my tech, any cracks in the blocks glued and screwed, rolex repaired, glued down, and cleaned. And, waiting on a replacement birch plywood baffle. You can tell from the pics just how clean the inside of this thing was!
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Dave Hopping
From:
Aurora, Colorado
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Posted 14 May 2016 2:23 pm
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Nobody ever told me I couldn't, so I cleaned grillcloth on 2 old Music Mans(men?) and a '62 Concert by removing the speakers and logos, then demounting the screwed on baffleboard, sponging on the grillcloth with a mixture of hot water and Woolite until it was all sudsy, and rinsed with hot water in the shower. When all the nicotine stain was out, I toweled off the baffleboard remounted it in the cab,screwed it tight so it wouldn't warp and let dry for a day. Then I put the speakers back in.I did the MM210 in 1988,the 212 in 2002.Not something you want to do often,but you shouldn't have to.
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