How to get valve chart off in one piece

[Trogdor69]

I have a ‘63 Super Reverb that I need some help with. The amp and chassis are in relatively good shape, but the cab is falling apart. The finger joints are deteriorated, the tolex is a mess, and the grille cloth is all torn up.

I bought a new cab from Mojotone and I’m getting ready to do a re-cap and cleanup inside, then swap everything over. The only thing I really want to save off the old cab is the tube chart - for history’s sake, you know? I mean, I know I can print off a new one, but this has all the dates and initials on it.

It looks like it was originally pasted there with some kind of spray adhesive that went onto the cab, and then the chart was slapped on over it. So what’s the best way to peel it off intact? Heat? Steam? Something else?

Thanks in advance!
-Trogs

 

[Peegoo]

@Trogdor69 Before you do anything, take some square-on HQ photos of the label. In the event you destroy it trying to remove it, you'll be able to have the photo printed in photo quality and it will look close to original.

Based on what I know about Fender's processes in the 60s, for the tube label they used either the brown mucilage glue with the rubber tip on the bottle--or hot hide glue. Both adhesives soften in warm water, so very gentle application of steam (a steam iron, a hose from the spout of a teapot) will soften the glue.

The downside is paper tends to become brittle with age due to acids in the paper breaking it down over time. You may or may not get it off in one piece.

There are vendors on fleabay that sell repros.

 

[Axis29]

I have a tweed Twin, I've been avoiding doing this to for a couple of years... Afraid I might ruin it.

The steam thing makes sense and is the one thing I am 'almost' willing to try.

I will keep an eye on this thread and hope you come up wiht an easy solution!

 

[King Fan]

Yeah, tough one. As @Peegoo says, the old labels (I had a '67) are super fragile and prone to crumble -- and I might worry steam would turn them back to pulp. A good photo, well lit, first of all. And a repro is a great idea; the repro (noted to be such) is honest in a repro cab, and the photo becomes your provenance and proof if removal goes wrong.

If you could somehow get the label out of there, sticking the remains in a new cab is gonna be extremely tricky too -- and isn't quite perfect from either the preservation point of view or labelling ethics (heh -- I doubt anyone could be fooled into thinking your new cab was old, but who knows in 50 years). So OK, if you *could* somehow conserve and remove the chart (a tricky combo), you slip the conserved label in an archival plastic sleeve and attach that to the inside of the cab.

For trying to preserve and protect it before removal, you might research book/paper conservation sites and sources. Heck, I might be tempted to use some archival sealant/adhesive/fixative to preserve it in place on the existing pine (some of these are water soluble and can be thinned with water to a sealant liquid -- I used this in a disposable sprayer, then with a brush, to seal and conserve my '67 tube chart in place). Then saber-saw that small chunk of surrounding pine out of the old cab to glue in the new? Honest *and* informative.

*If* the sealant step works....

 

[Wally]

I have never seen a ‘67 cab that could not be made solid and then recovered and regrilled. I would advise against moving…or trying to remove…that chart.

 

[JDRNoPro]

I have doubts about successful removal of such an old paper label but heat or steam are probably best bets. Agree with recommendation to carefully photograph the original and make a high quality repro label for the repro cab. As Wally said, that old cab may be repairable and be of some value. If an original cab was irreparably damaged or destroyed, I would probably at least try to save a section of it with the original label as a "piece of (the amp's) history"

Good luck!

 

[dogmeat]

the old cab is bad right? leave the paper alone and cut out the wood around it. there are several ways to re-attach it to the new box. simplest is to just glue the block on there. more trick would be to mill off about 3/4 the thickness of the wood (or more), leave the piece long until you have the right thickness, then get it square, then route and carve a hole in the new cab to set it in. done with care it would be almost undetectable.

 

[schmee]

I have never seen a ‘67 cab that could not be made solid and then recovered and regrilled. I would advise against moving…or trying to remove…that chart.

Totally agree.
I seriously doubt you'll get the chart off. Take a good pic, print it, you can make it look right. Or buy a copy. You dont need the old chart and are devaluing the cab, your amp will never be worth as much as with the old beat up cab.

 

[SoK66]

I'm with Wally on this. I'd leave everything as is with the cab and look for a shop that can restore it. '63 SR's are pretty rare, worth the investment to bring it back.

 

[lavrgs]

On Rob Robinette's web site there is a chart in document format that you can just print. The new cab isn't stock and all you really need is the tube info. I tried to attach the doc but it won't allow. I can send it if requested. I did upload a screen shot - all the info is editable

 

[schooold]

Place your old cabinet carefully in storage, and print off a new label for your replacement. Someone will cherish that old cab someday.

 

[Joeyboy951]

I have a ‘63 Super Reverb that I need some help with. The amp and chassis are in relatively good shape, but the cab is falling apart. The finger joints are deteriorated, the tolex is a mess, and the grille cloth is all torn up.

I bought a new cab from Mojotone and I’m getting ready to do a re-cap and cleanup inside, then swap everything over. The only thing I really want to save off the old cab is the tube chart - for history’s sake, you know? I mean, I know I can print off a new one, but this has all the dates and initials on it.

It looks like it was originally pasted there with some kind of spray adhesive that went onto the cab, and then the chart was slapped on over it. So what’s the best way to peel it off intact? Heat? Steam? Something else?

Thanks in advance!
-Trogs

A heat gun would be a good way and as the glue softens use a metal scraper. Harbor freight is a good source for a heat gun.

 

[cap47]

I would just photo copy a new one! Steam may ruin the old one, a hot iron would maybe work but, for what, an old Label! The old one isn't worth the effort.
I would take the old side panel apart then copy or take a straight on photo of the tube chart.

 

[Mr Mojo 54]

I have a ‘63 Super Reverb that I need some help with. The amp and chassis are in relatively good shape, but the cab is falling apart. The finger joints are deteriorated, the tolex is a mess, and the grille cloth is all torn up.

I bought a new cab from Mojotone and I’m getting ready to do a re-cap and cleanup inside, then swap everything over. The only thing I really want to save off the old cab is the tube chart - for history’s sake, you know? I mean, I know I can print off a new one, but this has all the dates and initials on it.

It looks like it was originally pasted there with some kind of spray adhesive that went onto the cab, and then the chart was slapped on over it. So what’s the best way to peel it off intact? Heat? Steam? Something else?

Thanks in advance!
-Trogs

I'd ask Uncle Doug. He seems to be very good at preserving and restoring precious old components.

 

[cap47]

I have never seen a ‘67 cab that could not be made solid and then recovered and regrilled. I would advise against moving…or trying to remove…that chart.

Why save old useless crap? Leads to the clutter syndrome that will later find a bonfire!

 

[cap47]

Place your old cabinet carefully in storage, and print off a new label for your replacement. Someone will cherish that old cab someday.

I doubt that! Burn it!

 

[NikkiM]

Try a hair dryer..before using a heat gun..

 

[Kurbmaster]

I'd consult a book-binder/restoration guy. They deal with old paper every day all day.

 

[Volcanicash01]

I have a ‘63 Super Reverb that I need some help with. The amp and chassis are in relatively good shape, but the cab is falling apart. The finger joints are deteriorated, the tolex is a mess, and the grille cloth is all torn up.

I bought a new cab from Mojotone and I’m getting ready to do a re-cap and cleanup inside, then swap everything over. The only thing I really want to save off the old cab is the tube chart - for history’s sake, you know? I mean, I know I can print off a new one, but this has all the dates and initials on it.

It looks like it was originally pasted there with some kind of spray adhesive that went onto the cab, and then the chart was slapped on over it. So what’s the best way to peel it off intact? Heat? Steam? Something else?

Thanks in advance!
-Trogs

Yep. Those Fender cabs were not built to last!! Only 59 years!