deluxe reverb in-then back out- of da house

[hippietim]

I traded for an early 70's Deluxe Reverb and it showed up last night - it was late so I didn't get to plug it in yet -(I surprised that the FedEx guy came at 9:15pm).

I am very much looking forward to this. More to come!

Edit: per suggestion I've changed the thread title. Read on for the story.

[Cam]

I'm curious to hear your take on your new amp. I've been digging my DRRI since I put it back to spec. I'm looking for the real deal now.

[jjmantele]

Welcome the the club.

http://www.geocities.com/jjsant/SFDR.html

[hippietim]

Well I popped the tubes in it and fired it up this morning.

It sounds pretty darn good.

Plenty of reverb too - I don't need more than it being set on 2 or 3.

I have a Radial CabBone cabinet switcher and switched back and forth between some different speakers. It sounded best with a Weber BlueDog Ceramic. The Celestion Vintage 30 wasn't bad either.

The only problem is that the tremolo doesn't work. All I hear is an oscillating hum but no tremolo effect. Does anyone know of any obvious troubleshooting things to try?

[jjmantele]

Sounds like the "roach" could be bad, or part of it's circuit. Most of the trem circuit is to make a bulb blink. The balance is to send some of the guitar signal to ground thru a resistor that doesn't like darkness. The bulb blinks telling the resistor to ground out some pre-amp signal. Since you're hearing a pulse the oscillation part of the circuit is working. Could be weak though.

You could lower the chassis w/o removing it and look into the middle area of the circuit in the dark. With the Trem switched on you should see a dim light flashing. May need to pull the chassis to see it since the bulb faces the front. Of course electrocution is possible inside chasses.

If the bulb is flashing that limits the potential problems to the "other half" of the roach or it's wiring.

1st try switching in a good tube for #5 (from the right.) #2 is functioning properly since it's the pre-amp for the trem channel and the amp works. #1 or #4 are the same tube too. (12ax7a~=7025)

The roach is the black thing above the double blue cap near the middle of the chassis pic on my SFDR site link from the previous post.

[hippietim]

Thanks jjmantele, I'm gonna give that a try.

More info:

When I flip this thing up a little louder the bottom end gets all flubby - it's not the guitar or the speaker because I've switched those around. It starts to get flubby at around 5 or 6. The guy replaced the two power tubes but the rest are at least 15 or 20 years old.

There is a rattling tone as well when you push it a little. The two far right most preamp tubes are very microphonic - tapping them comes through loud and clear.

The power light doesn't come on - I'm hoping this is just a bulb.

[Wally]

Tim, congrats on the DR. The flubbiness could be one of several things. The amp is old enough to need a recap if it hasn't had one recently. The low end can get loose with weak filter caps. The speaker could be weak. Tubes could be a problem. You did not say how you were setting the controls. The rule to which I subscribe is to push tones up with low volumes and take the tone controls down when pushing volume. The bass can easily be put into some 'flubby' distortion at high volumes if the tones are run up high....Of course, the pickup has a part in this equation, also.
I always approach these old amps knowing that I am going to do a recap and asses the situation from that point on. Without fresh, strong caps, everything else about the amp is 'in the dark' so to speak. It is sort of like cylinder compression on an engine. If the compression is low, new plugs or anything else will not make the engine function up to spec.

[jjmantele]

I find I need to set the bass around 2-3max if the volume is set above 5 on my '71. This was not the case however when it had the stock Oxford. The Oxford wasn't really capable of producing much bass anyway.

A cap job is in order if not done in the last 10 years or so. You should take the cover off the cap house for a visual check of the main caps, at least for now. Mine had one cap replaced already when I got it. It had leaked previously as evident by the white burn marks on the speaker's frame from the dripping acid. Whoever replaced the one cap really should have done all 5 in the house. If one was old enough to leak the other 4 certainly were questionable.

Voltage can be present in the house with the amp off and unplugged. Safer way is to leave the standby switch in "play" mode and turn the amp off leaving the standby switch alone. That will drain all 5 instead of just 3 of the 5. Can be about 425volts in there when powered off with standby not on "play."

[trag-o-caster]

Same thing with both of my DR's. When the volume goes up, the bass MUST go down, or it'll mush out. Even with the Weber replacements, I still keep the bass at about 2 or less. I've heard that it's the nature of 6V6's being pushed hard - I dunno. I do know that it's one of the most beautiful output stage grind tones that you'll ever hear. Just get a speaker that'll tighten up the low end, without having to turn the bass up past 2. Also running it into a cab is a wonderful thing.

DR's are so much fun! It's become my favorite of all Fenders. :D

BTW - I highly recommend a Weber Cali ceramic 12 for the DR. I have the 12F150 in my other DR, and it's a little more grindy and honky sounding - which ain't bad, but I prefer the Cali.

[Wally]

I have a '76 DR with a ceramic Cali paper dome, and the speaker is a great compliment to round out the amp.

[zook]

Originally Posted by hippietim

The only problem is that the tremolo doesn't work. All I hear is an oscillating hum but no tremolo effect. Does anyone know of any obvious troubleshooting things to try?

Do you have the footswitch? the tremelo will not work without it. If you don't then get an rca plug and jump the hot and cold side. that will do what the switch does.

Winne

[hippietim]

Problem Solved!!!

I took the amp to a local tech that is very respected around here. He didn't think it'd be too much to fix it. I told him to go ahead and take care of the caps while he was at it.

Well I got to messing around with guitars in his shop. He had a sweet American Deluxe 3-pickup Tele with Lace Sensors in it. And an amazing feeling SRV Strat. Then I saw an awesome Gibson SG. As it turns out it is a fairly rare model - it's cherry, P-90's, TOM bridge, bound fretboard (over the frets - very nice), pearloid dots. I just sat and played this guitar for like 30 minutes without even plugging it in. It felt great. So I made an off the cuff comment and said "I'll trade ya the amp for the SG". He said sure. Now I own my first SG and he's got a very clean Deluxe to sell once he fixes the tremolo. I didn't need an amp anyhow :D

[trag-o-caster]

Someday you're gonna regret that y'know? Especially after hearing the rest of us DR owners rattling on and on and on....

All semi-kiddin' aside, enjoy your SG. I'm a closet SG fan myself. ESPECIALLY if there's P90's involved! :D

[Wally]

Hey, hippie, now you need to change the pots and caps in that Gibson to make it right! :D As Roseanne Rosannadana was wont to say; "If it ain't one thing, it's another."
Seriously enjoy the guitar and don't let the Dr come to mind...or else you will be cryin' in the future.

[hippietim]

Why do I need to change pots and caps? What's wrong with the ones that are in there?

As for missing the DR, I doubt it. It sounded really good but if the other DR and Vibrolux I listened to today were any indication, my Dr. Z Maz Sr. would still have won out. I don't think I've ever regretted selling an amp.

[Wally]

Originally Posted by hippietim

Why do I need to change pots and caps? What's wrong with the ones that are in there?

As for missing the DR, I doubt it. It sounded really good but if the other DR and Vibrolux I listened to today were any indication, my Dr. Z Maz Sr. would still have won out. I don't think I've ever regretted selling an amp.

Tim, I was just referencing the penchant for people to change these things on Gibsons....in addition to the pickups. You know, 500K pots, '57 wiring, bumblebee caps.....when can one be satisfied type of thing. Just trying to chuckle over the weekend. :D Nothing too serious intended.

[lenny]

you need to edit your topic to read: "deluxe reverb in-then back out- of da house"
;)

[hippietim]

Originally Posted by Wally

Tim, I was just referencing the penchant for people to change these things on Gibsons....in addition to the pickups. You know, 500K pots, '57 wiring, bumblebee caps.....when can one be satisfied type of thing.

Which of course never happens with Fenders - everyone keeps 'em stock

[hippietim]

Originally Posted by lenny

you need to edit your topic to read: "deluxe reverb in-then back out- of da house"
;)

Good idea. Done.

[hippietim]

BTW, here's pics of the SG:



A few more pics here:
http://hackolutions.com/gear/current...nsgclassic.htm

[lenny]

WOW looks great. my pal just got a (crud i forget exactly the year ) 64'ish sg with one p-90 and a wraparound bridge, and i played it unplugged it was nice, but he WILL NOT shut up about how great it sounds through his marshall 60 watt'er i think it's a vtm60. i say "i think" because he has a new baby and a 2 yr old and i can't get an appointment to crank up the guitar in the basement yet :P he normally loves telecasters and fender amps but lately he's sayin he is swearin off fenders.. he'll come around :)
sounds like you have plenty cool amps that sg looks sweet.. i gotta call my friend now and bother him :P

[Wally]

Originally Posted by hippietim

Which of course never happens with Fenders - everyone keeps 'em stock

That's what I'm talking about. 8)