65 Black Face Twin ?

Len Amaral · From: Rehoboth,MA 02769

Tomorrow I pick up a 1965 Twin, I am told it is a one owner and been sitting doing nothing. I know it will need filter caps and maybe an upgrade on some components.

Any suggestions or ideas are appreciated. I figure I'll try it with the steel but it probably will be used with a Tele. Just looking at this amp tilting back on the chrome legs gives me shivers Very Happy

Lane Gray · From: Topeka, KS

I wish I could tell you what had been done to my 65 reissue. Sounds amazing
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Rich Hlaves · From: Wildomar, California, USA

I would make sure the filter caps and bias cap are replaced, heck they could be original. Then you will know what you have. If you plan to play it alot and gig with it, I would just go ahead and change the grid resistors and check the rest of the values of everything on the board. Test reverb and trem and repair as neccessary.

A grounded power cord would be in order if that has not been done already.

Tubes may be needed. Killer amp for bitey clean Tele.
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Robert Parent · From: Gillette, WY

Jay Ganz · From: Out Behind The Barn

Should be Fender label Jensen C12N's. That's what are in my old original '65.
Before changing a bunch of stuff, see what (if any) problems you have.
Mine still is factory stock (except for some NOS tubes)and it still works great.

Len Amaral · From: Rehoboth,MA 02769

I picked up the amp today and I was amazed to see a pair EV-12L speakers. The guy that owned this amp is a drummer and he said didn't realize the value of the amp until recently. The seller said he had the power cord changed to a 3 prong and it has new tubes. Will take the chassis out of the cab and have it retolexed in cream color and have grill cloth changed. Not that it needs it but I want to have it in tip top shape.

Gonna plug it in later today.

Lenny

Stephen Cowell · From: Round Rock, Texas, USA

Jay Ganz · From: Out Behind The Barn

Tim Marcus · From: San Francisco, CA

what you can also do is put the old cabinet in a closet and move the guts into a new one. That way you retain the value because you still have the original cabinet.

I have a spare cream tolex mojotone Twin cabinet in my shop - its got wheat grill cloth and a cutout for a 15" speaker. It can be yours if you are interested! I will sell it to you below cost Very Happy

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Tom Wolverton · From: Carpinteria, CA

If you want cream tolex, go buy a new cabinet with that on it and store the old one. Please, please, please don't change the tolex and grill cloth on the original cab. That's like adding a spoiler to the rear of an original 356 Porsche.
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Dave Hopping · From: Aurora, Colorado

Yup.BF Fender amps,and a lot of the silverfaces are getting old enough to where it makes sense to conserve the cosmetics if they're halfway decent and to restore to stock if they aren't.Like six-strings,old amps are following the classic car model,and survivors are getting some buzz.

EDIT:@ Tim.If I'd pulled the trigger on a new '65 TR Custom 15(instead of John Atencio jewelry for the Mrs' birthday last July)I'd be having a serious talk with you about that cab.As it is,you've given me a cool idea.Thanks! Cool

Stephen Cowell · From: Round Rock, Texas, USA

Len Amaral · From: Rehoboth,MA 02769

Thanks for the concern and advice on the twin cab. The fact is, this unit will never leave my home and I figured while the chassis is being serviced the cab can be serviced also. I don't want to put a mustash on the Mona Lisa but there is a guy that lives 1 mile from me that does great tolex work.

Johnny Thomasson · From: Texas, USA

I have a '65 Twin. Picked in up in 1977. Len, you're gonna like it, a lot! That amp and my old '51 Nocaster is a marriage made in heaven! That is exactly what a Tele is supposed to sound like. It's a great steel amp, too.

Enjoy!
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Jay Ganz · From: Out Behind The Barn

Dave Mudgett · From: Central Pennsylvania and Gallatin, Tennessee

Well, you are definitely putting a mustache on a Mona Lisa to re-tolex and re-grill perfectly good tolex and grill cloth on a nice old blackface Fender amp. It is so simple and inexpensive to get a repro cabinet the way you want it that it is very hard to understand why anybody would do this. With the repro cab, you have the cab the way you want it, and don't destroy the integrity and value of an original and very historic amp. Right now the only thing wrong with the amp is replaced speakers, originals of which are not that hard to find.

Remember - you can modify an amp from original like this any time you like. Once you modify it, you can never go back.

Len Amaral · From: Rehoboth,MA 02769

OK...I give in and I'll have a cab made. I got up at 6:00am and drove 75 miles in the rain so fatigue and lack of sleep has gotten to me. The seller was a very nice guy and put the amp in my car. That amp was on my bucket list Cool

Stephen Cowell · From: Round Rock, Texas, USA

Thanks for taking the cabinet suggestion... as a collector (and past butcherer of old Fenders) I can rest easy now. Google 'reproduction fender cabinets' and you'll find just how many folks are in that business... Mojotone has one for $260, and for $25 you can get whatever tolex, grill, and handle you want. Most folks (Mather, Armadillo, etc) are near this price point.

First things first... before you even put it in the car, you should have looked at the fuse. If it's not correct (meaning larger amperes than normal) then a big red flag should come up... *always* check the fuse on a used amp, larger sizes are a sign of amp abuse.

In fact, if you're not an expert, you should take it in and have a pro go through it, check all tranny codes, etc... you mentioned filter caps, so that would fit right in with a trip to the tech. These amps need a three-wire cord installed... also necessary is a full 'death cap' mod, which should include moving the fuse, switch, etc over to the hot (black) wire. If your tech is good they'll already know all of this, use this as a test.
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Donny Hinson · From: Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.

In excellent shape, this amp is only worth $2200-$2400. But if the tolex and grille cloth are not in good shape, you can knock $500-$700 off that, easily. In other words, if it's not really great shape, it's hardly a valuable collectible, so you can do with it as you will without losing tons of money. I wouldn't recover it in anything but black, though, because that amp ('65 TR) never came in any other color.

Of course, if it ever got stolen, cream tolex would make it really easy to identify!

Tim Whitlock · From: Colorado, USA

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