Brown Super update

Rob (PA) · November 24th, 2003, 09:51 PM

Well I brought it home and played through it for a little while and proceeded to make one of the speakers get really noisy. DOH! Real shame cause they are P-10 Jensens. I took the grille out and removed the speakers carefully, one is ripped pretty bad on the little paper part in the center.

The amp reeked of cat urine so I pulled the entire thing apart and scrubbed the grille and the back pieces with Simple Green and a brush and gave 'em a good rinse in the ol' laundry room sink... The grille turned the water a nasty shade of yellow/brown. Should I do the same thing to the rest of the box? Is there a better way of cleaning tolex? The tolex is in very good shape (no rips or unglued spots), but is really really stinky and dirty.

It is dated JD, April of '60. Looks like I'm gonna have to order up a full set of caps after all... it's full of all original Astron stuff, a melt down waiting to happen with 43 year old caps...

I'm open for suggestions on what to do for speakers, also I'm open to suggestions for what to do in the cap and tube department (lets think clean and bulletproof on both issues)

Thnaks a million in advance folks. I can't wait to get this thing zipped back together and make some noise with it again.

Big Cookie · November 25th, 2003, 12:12 AM

Simple Green will clean the tolex well without harming it. A little Armour All after it is dry. As to the filters, Sprague Atoms are the best way to go. The same for the bias filters and the cathode bypass caps. Any tone caps that need to be replaced in Brownfaces, I usually replace with Mallory 150 Series instead of Orange Drops. The Oranges are too bright for my taste in comparison.
Congrats on a GREAT amp.

Dave Harmon · November 26th, 2003, 12:55 PM

Rob.....I used Windex and a toothbrush to get all the dirt out of the texture of the Tolex on my Brown Bandmaster. The Windex is somewhat more agressive and the crud just jumps off that Tolex. I removed the speakers and the 'grille' (cant remember the correct name) and used a sponge and dishsoap to clean the plastic Oxblood 'grillecloth', then blew out the water with compressed air.
I bought it new back in Feb of 60' and I cleaned it this way for the first time last year.
It didn't look dirty but it sure was.....now, the correct pink hue shows up and it looks like it just came out of the box.
I paid $323 for it back then....that inflates to $1920 in todays money. I have no idea what it's really worth.
Regards
Dave

Wally · November 26th, 2003, 01:01 PM

Rob, what Super is that one...6G4 or 6G4A? Does the treble pot have the 70K tap? I am curious about this tapped pot and am hoping that someone responds to my query about 'what it does'.
Wally

mark norwine · November 26th, 2003, 01:49 PM

Quote:

A little Armour All after it is dry

Len, armour all has silicates in it....silacates destroy vinyl. don't use it on a vintage amp.

November 24th, 2003, 09:51 PM	#1 (permalink)
Rob (PA) TDPRI Member Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Embreeville PA (West of Philadelphia) Posts: 10	Brown Super update Well I brought it home and played through it for a little while and proceeded to make one of the speakers get really noisy. DOH! Real shame cause they are P-10 Jensens. I took the grille out and removed the speakers carefully, one is ripped pretty bad on the little paper part in the center. The amp reeked of cat urine so I pulled the entire thing apart and scrubbed the grille and the back pieces with Simple Green and a brush and gave 'em a good rinse in the ol' laundry room sink... The grille turned the water a nasty shade of yellow/brown. Should I do the same thing to the rest of the box? Is there a better way of cleaning tolex? The tolex is in very good shape (no rips or unglued spots), but is really really stinky and dirty. It is dated JD, April of '60. Looks like I'm gonna have to order up a full set of caps after all... it's full of all original Astron stuff, a melt down waiting to happen with 43 year old caps... I'm open for suggestions on what to do for speakers, also I'm open to suggestions for what to do in the cap and tube department (lets think clean and bulletproof on both issues) Thnaks a million in advance folks. I can't wait to get this thing zipped back together and make some noise with it again.

November 25th, 2003, 12:12 AM	#2 (permalink)
Big Cookie Banned Tele-Holic Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Ennis, Texas Posts: 693	Super Simple Green will clean the tolex well without harming it. A little Armour All after it is dry. As to the filters, Sprague Atoms are the best way to go. The same for the bias filters and the cathode bypass caps. Any tone caps that need to be replaced in Brownfaces, I usually replace with Mallory 150 Series instead of Orange Drops. The Oranges are too bright for my taste in comparison. Congrats on a GREAT amp.

November 26th, 2003, 12:55 PM	#3 (permalink)
Dave Harmon TDPRI Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Posts: 23	Super Rob.....I used Windex and a toothbrush to get all the dirt out of the texture of the Tolex on my Brown Bandmaster. The Windex is somewhat more agressive and the crud just jumps off that Tolex. I removed the speakers and the 'grille' (cant remember the correct name) and used a sponge and dishsoap to clean the plastic Oxblood 'grillecloth', then blew out the water with compressed air. I bought it new back in Feb of 60' and I cleaned it this way for the first time last year. It didn't look dirty but it sure was.....now, the correct pink hue shows up and it looks like it just came out of the box. I paid $323 for it back then....that inflates to $1920 in todays money. I have no idea what it's really worth. Regards Dave

November 26th, 2003, 01:01 PM	#4 (permalink)
Wally Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Lubbock, TX Posts: 3,769	Congratulations, Rob. Rob, what Super is that one...6G4 or 6G4A? Does the treble pot have the 70K tap? I am curious about this tapped pot and am hoping that someone responds to my query about 'what it does'. Wally