/ Register

  1. Win a Broadcaster or one of 3 Teles! The annual Supporting Member Giveaway is on. To enter Click Here. To see all the prizes and full details Click Here. To view the thread about the giveaway Click Here.

DC Area Amp Tech to Install Billm Mods

Discussion in 'Amp Central Station' started by JazzTwanger, Mar 1, 2014.

  1. Mar 1, 2014 #1
    JazzTwanger

    JazzTwanger Tele-Meister

    Posts:
    110
    Joined:
    Dec 25, 2004
    Location:
    Washington, DC
    I'm looking to have a couple Billm mods installed in my Blues Jr, and was wondering if someone can recommend a good tech in the DC area. I haven't been in the area long, so any help is much appreciated

    (Not sure if this is better posted in the tech forum -- so mods feel free to move
    it over if more appropriate)
     
  2. Mar 1, 2014 #2
    Axis29

    Axis29 Poster Extraordinaire Ad Free Member

    Posts:
    6,775
    Joined:
    Jan 2, 2007
    Location:
    Beaumont, CA
    What part of the DC area? There's a lot of good guys around.
     
  3. Mar 1, 2014 #3
    Lance

    Lance Friend of Leo's

    Posts:
    3,397
    Joined:
    Mar 17, 2003
    Location:
    Charlottesville, VA
    Erick Viking - http://vikingamps.com/

    You can also try Action Guitars in Falls Church.

    BTW - just wondering why you don't try to do the installs yourself. Bill's mods are *supposedly* pretty easy to install. Which mod kits did you get?
     
  4. Mar 1, 2014 #4
    muchxs

    muchxs Doctor of Teleocity

    Posts:
    13,171
    Joined:
    Aug 14, 2004
    Location:
    New England
    Why not just send it to BillM?! D.C. to Jersey is easy low buck shipping.
     
  5. Mar 1, 2014 #5
    Lance

    Lance Friend of Leo's

    Posts:
    3,397
    Joined:
    Mar 17, 2003
    Location:
    Charlottesville, VA
    Muchxs has a point. You can even save on the shipping by just sending Bill the chassis rather than the entire amp.
     
  6. Mar 1, 2014 #6
    JazzTwanger

    JazzTwanger Tele-Meister

    Posts:
    110
    Joined:
    Dec 25, 2004
    Location:
    Washington, DC
    Bill has a pretty heavy backlog usually, so I figured I would try local first. The mods do seem fairly simple, but I'm admittedly a little wary about poking around inside high voltage circuits. The bias mod in particular seems a little tricky.
     
  7. Mar 1, 2014 #7
    JazzTwanger

    JazzTwanger Tele-Meister

    Posts:
    110
    Joined:
    Dec 25, 2004
    Location:
    Washington, DC
    I'm in northwest, just a couple miles south of Silver Spring.

    Thanks for the suggestions -- Action came to mind as I've been to their shop a few times and it seems like a really solid establishment.
     
  8. Mar 1, 2014 #8
    hardhead

    hardhead TDPRI Member

    Posts:
    76
    Joined:
    Oct 1, 2011
    Location:
    annandale va
    The bias board is actually easier to do than the bias pot install ...are you sticking with the el84's...or going octal?
     
  9. Mar 1, 2014 #9
    adjason

    adjason Poster Extraordinaire Silver Supporter

    Posts:
    5,347
    Joined:
    Jan 9, 2010
    Location:
    virginia
    I have had Eric (the Viking amps guy) work on several of my vintage Fender amps over the years. He's a great guy, very knowledgeable, works out of his house on amps and is near Warrenton Va. I have no experience with any other techs in the area
     
  10. Mar 1, 2014 #10
    JazzTwanger

    JazzTwanger Tele-Meister

    Posts:
    110
    Joined:
    Dec 25, 2004
    Location:
    Washington, DC
    I'm staying with the EL84s for now. I'm doing the basic mods + presence control.
     
  11. Mar 1, 2014 #11
    hardhead

    hardhead TDPRI Member

    Posts:
    76
    Joined:
    Oct 1, 2011
    Location:
    annandale va
    Basic kit is very straightforward....drilling one hole in the board for the bias pot,not too difficult. The presence pot hole is drilled through the chassis it is semi hard steel and the hole must be well spotted
     
  12. Mar 1, 2014 #12
    hardhead

    hardhead TDPRI Member

    Posts:
    76
    Joined:
    Oct 1, 2011
    Location:
    annandale va
    Both mods very effective btw
     
  13. Mar 1, 2014 #13
    JazzTwanger

    JazzTwanger Tele-Meister

    Posts:
    110
    Joined:
    Dec 25, 2004
    Location:
    Washington, DC
    So the holes seem straightforward enough -- how much difficulty was there in actually setting the bias level? That's the part where Bill's site says you really need to be careful about stray voltage -- it has to be done with the amp running, correct?
     
  14. Mar 1, 2014 #14
    hardhead

    hardhead TDPRI Member

    Posts:
    76
    Joined:
    Oct 1, 2011
    Location:
    annandale va
    Pot comes to you set at center sweep iirc bill says to ck voltage at top of r 31/2 ....if you are careful the actual connections can be made before you put power to the amp re: red to brown/ blue ....... if you don,t know about residual voltage you can always ck the positive lead on the first cap.....carefully with the meter set for DC ....in appropriate range........
     
IMPORTANT: Treat everyone here with respect, no matter how difficult!
No sex, drug, political, religion or hate discussion permitted here.