Regarding square drive screw found in Fender amp

slack · September 29th, 2003, 04:37 AM

I was wandering if anyone has encountered a square drive screw in any Fender amps. It may have been put in at any time, but I know Fender has used the occassional odd part/hardware. I have not encountered this before. It is in the cabinet of a Brownface Princeton.

Pic of square drive screw. 1024x768
Pic of other screws in same cab. 1024x768

Bill Ashton · September 29th, 2003, 05:03 AM

Though rounded head, same thing...there must be a hundred of 'em in my son's YSC-610 cab...not quite as many in the YBA-1...

eryque · September 29th, 2003, 08:40 AM

Not that I know everything, but I've never seen a screw like that on a Fender product. It looks like a galvanized screw, while everything else is stainless. I'm pretty sure that some do-it-yourselfer used that screw to replace one that was missing or corroded or something.

Anonymous · September 29th, 2003, 11:06 AM

Looks like your amp may have been in Canada at one time. Thats a Robertson head screw, used up here a lot. Traynors will have them because of their Canadian birth.

Bob Mc · September 29th, 2003, 11:22 AM

Hmm?

mark norwine · September 29th, 2003, 12:34 PM

neither screw looks original. i think this amp has been worked over...

and ampegs gon't use square head, they use clutch head

LPBlue · September 29th, 2003, 05:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by oldtelehacker

Looks like your amp may have been in Canada at one time. Thats a Robertson head screw, used up here a lot. Traynors will have them because of their Canadian birth.

You beat me to it on the Robbie screws. They have been showing up in the US over the past 10 years as "square drive". I think they were introduced there to prevent Bob Vila from hurting himself when he tries to help with the work. They are actually square tapering toward the point. A good old Canadian invention, like the Traynor amp!
J.R.

slack · September 29th, 2003, 05:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mark norwine

neither screw looks original. i think this amp has been worked over...

The other screw looks like ones in other early 60s Princetons. Here's a pic elsewhere on the net:
Another amp.

And here's my pic again:
This amp.

Nonetheless, one can not conclude from my two pics that the amp has been "worked over".

eryque · September 30th, 2003, 10:36 AM

[quote="slackNonetheless, one can not conclude from my two pics that the amp has been "worked over".[/quote]

Maybe Mark saying "worked over" implies a little more work having been done, but the screws aren't original. That much we can conclude :-)

Having said that, I think it's kind of rare for an amp to have just a couple of screws replaced and not had other work done too.

slack · September 30th, 2003, 03:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eryque

Maybe Mark saying "worked over" implies a little more work having been done, but the screws aren't original. That much we can conclude :-)

Having said that, I think it's kind of rare for an amp to have just a couple of screws replaced and not had other work done too.

This is a 1962 Princeton.

Okay, here's the findings. Non-original parts are that one screw, the replacement leather handle, three capacitors (neccessary maintenence), and a three prong power cord. Chassis, tube chart, transformers, speaker, and all pots correspond. I was a bit suspect that the grille cloth was original because it is so clean, but it does not appear to have been replaced.

Some chassis wiring pics:
Chassis bottom. 640x480
Internal wiring 1. 640x480
Internal wiring 2. 640x480
Power cable wiring. 640x480

September 29th, 2003, 04:37 AM	#1 (permalink)
slack Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Hollywood, CA Posts: 1,915	Regarding square drive screw found in Fender amp I was wandering if anyone has encountered a square drive screw in any Fender amps. It may have been put in at any time, but I know Fender has used the occassional odd part/hardware. I have not encountered this before. It is in the cabinet of a Brownface Princeton. Pic of square drive screw. 1024x768 Pic of other screws in same cab. 1024x768

September 29th, 2003, 05:03 AM	#2 (permalink)
Bill Ashton Tele-Meister Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Central Massachusetts Posts: 475	I've got a Traynor thats full of 'em Though rounded head, same thing...there must be a hundred of 'em in my son's YSC-610 cab...not quite as many in the YBA-1...

September 29th, 2003, 11:06 AM	#4 (permalink)
Anonymous Join Date: Mar 2003 Posts: 0	Robertson head screw Looks like your amp may have been in Canada at one time. Thats a Robertson head screw, used up here a lot. Traynors will have them because of their Canadian birth.

September 29th, 2003, 11:22 AM	#5 (permalink)
Bob Mc Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Mo'town NJ Posts: 1,590	Is that the same as in old Ampegs? Hmm? __________________ All of us contain Music & Truth, but most of us can't get it out. Mark Twain

September 29th, 2003, 12:34 PM	#6 (permalink)
mark norwine Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: New Jersey Age: 50 Posts: 1,376	neither screw looks original. i think this amp has been worked over... and ampegs gon't use square head, they use clutch head __________________ "Progress is not possible without deviation from the norm." Frank Zappa

September 29th, 2003, 08:40 AM	#3 (permalink)
eryque Poster Extraordinaire Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: albany, ny [not chicago] Posts: 6,993 44 Photos	Not that I know everything, but I've never seen a screw like that on a Fender product. It looks like a galvanized screw, while everything else is stainless. I'm pretty sure that some do-it-yourselfer used that screw to replace one that was missing or corroded or something.

September 30th, 2003, 10:36 AM	#9 (permalink)
eryque Poster Extraordinaire Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: albany, ny [not chicago] Posts: 6,993 44 Photos	[quote="slackNonetheless, one can not conclude from my two pics that the amp has been "worked over".[/quote] Maybe Mark saying "worked over" implies a little more work having been done, but the screws aren't original. That much we can conclude :-) Having said that, I think it's kind of rare for an amp to have just a couple of screws replaced and not had other work done too.