Virgin 1959 Fender Deluxe Authentication And Documentation

[thegeezer]

Just my 2 cents worth but...a Deluxe just doesn't sound like a Deluxe without the old Jensen P series speaker. It's a big part of the tone, to my ear.

My all time favorite amp is my '54 5d3 Deluxe with the smooth cone P12R. I've jacked a variety of other speakers through it...not even close.

I also have a schematically correct and NOS tubed 5e3 clone with a Weber 12a125a in it. It's the fourth speaker I've had in it...nah, doesn't really get close to my buddy's '56 Deluxe with it's original P12R.

Great amp find...I like the direction you're headed. Keep 'em as close to original as possible and use them as Leo intended. I take mine out and let it do its thing most weekends.

 

[keithb7]

The Canadian laws must have specified asbestos on the back panel. You can see it here. I have seen asbestos on an early 60's Silvertone amp too that I serviced. Same idea, to absorb heat I suppose. Anyone in the USA see asbestos on a domestic market 5E3 from the era? This amp was bought in Canada in 1959. Seller confirmed.

 

[JDRNoPro]

Saw the other thread - congrats on this 59 Deluxe. Looking forward to seeing/hearing more!

 

[keithb7]

I took a damp cloth with some mild soap to the faceplate chrome. Most of the crap on there was just dirt. Rust spots are still there, I think I have done all I want to that faceplate. The rugged authentic look is fine with me. Earlier photo was too dirty looking for my tastes. I pulled off the nuts and washers that had lots of rust and cleaned them up with a wire brush.

 

[BopT]

Asbestos was standard I believe on tweed amps of this era. I encapsulated mine instead of removing.

 

[Wally]

Keith, regarding that rust....what you did looks pretty good. You could try a little hot sauce,believe it or not. The acid in the peppers works on the rust. I use GHS Guitar Gloss for that kind of thing, too. Or...Simichrome metal polish.

 

[mozzman]

Put a good coat of car wax over the rust, it will seal it off and shouldn't get any worse.

Are you going to use the variac all the time? If so, i would check the voltage and filaments, you'll slowly cook the tubes.

You can also rebuild those coupling caps if there is some way to open or split them.

 

[charlie chitlin]

I tape off the tweed and hit the asbestos with some spray BBQ paint to encapsulate.
You will have that back panel on and off a few times and one little speck of that stuff in your lungs can kill you down the road.

 

[keithb7]

Thanks Wally. I may try a little hot sauce on a Q-Tip maybe. I am scared crapless to put anything on the white lettering. In my mind, those letters HAVE to stay on there for some reason. I reassembled and hooked the amp up to a variac set at 110V AC. The amp is still stock with the 2 prong cord. I had mentioned earlier that the amp was very quiet. It is at idle with nothing plugged in, with/or without the variac. However once a guitar is plugged in with single coils, standard or noiseless pups, there is some ground buzzing going on. I suspect this will be fixed once a proper grounded plug is installed. Touching parts of the chassis or even guitar bridge yields a crackle, or changes the tone/intensity of the buzzing noise. I'll get around to that when the new parts for a service show up.

In the mean time here are next set of photos. The guts.

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[keithb7]

Some more:

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[R. Stratenstein]

Like being in a time machine. . . Just amazing!

 

[keithb7]

A few of those gut picks, you'd swear they were taken in 1959. Inside the chassis had some really clean areas.
Finally tonight, the signature of the builder. I am leaning toward Lupe Lopez. It's hard to verify. I have looked at it in different light, at various angles with a magnifying glass. I just can't get it clear. The old pencil has faded. I want it to be Lupe for some reason. Here is my 1959 signature.

Here are other clear Lupe signatures in other Fender amps:

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Here is Lupe Lopez in the 50's assembling Fender amps in the factory.

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[Understateduncool]

After cleaning with the hot sauce, I'd give it a light buffing with some lps or another light oil.

 

[engineer]

Thanks for posting both threads which I have been following intensely.

It's interesting to know more about the names on the tape. Couldn't Fender help with that? I mean, how often do even Fender come across an original '59 product? Maybe they can help settle it by knowing which other names are possibilities at that time? Maybe they have the information connected to the serial numbers?

 

[zook]

I would leave the Astrons alone. They are sealed and not electrolytic. They are essential to the original tone. I have the Astrons in my original '57 5E3and there's no problem. All the electrolytics have been replaced. I do a little more than put the new ones in the cardboard tubes, I gut the old metal and put the new ones inside the meta, and the cardboard' I'm missing one Astron .02 and am waiting for a reasonable priced one to come along.

 

[Mr Ridesglide]

Tips on carefully taking this rust off are welcome. I don't want to damage the white letters any more if possible.
I think I'll just unscrew the input jacks and clean the nuts up handily with a wire brush or similar. The chrome chassis
needs a delicate approach I think.

I'd wait for more people to respond in case someone has THE answer for this...but... after you take off a pot or two - jack, what have you... there is likely to be a spot of rust there too that you could try first where it's not so noticable - I personally would try a light abrasive cleaner - such as toothpaste or a light metal polisher like that reddish stuff we use on polishing motorcycle parts - I think Wizard sells it -http://wizardsproducts.com/motorcycle-metal-polish-3-oz/
we used to call it "cotton candy" because that's what it looks like - and you just take a smidgeon of it and lightly make little circles on metal to polish - then we'd lightly wax afterwards to hope that the oxidation wouldn't return...
Heck that amp is so cool - PM me your address and i'll send you some -
but no matter what you decide to do - i'd do it in the least likely spot to notice it of course ...

 

[Wally]

Keith, I have used Simichrome with no bad effect on that lettering...same with GHS Guitar Gloss, which is a great cleaner for any smooth surface, I've. That is Lupe on that tape...no doubt.
Man, that chassis is clean inside. +1 with zoom on the coupling and tone caps. A little bit of white wood glue on that loose tweed and the cosmetics are good.

 

[keithb7]

So glad you checked in Wally. With 21,000 + posts, I have yet to read of any bad advice. I have some white water based LePage contact cement I was thinking of using on the loose tweed in the a few corners and bottom. No good? Just use the white wood glue? I have some of that too, just never thought of it as a tweed adhesive. Thanks for confirming Lupe. Man I am really happy about that.

Tonight our regional Fender Factory Rep is in town at the local Fender Dealer. He is hosting an evening "Tube Amp Info & Maintenance" course. I am going to go to rub shoulders and network with some locals. You never know. I may get a lead on my next big amp find. I may also toss out to the Fender rep that I am looking for a buyer for an original 1959 Twin. I have also considered bringing this '59 Deluxe along. I wonder if this is the kind of crap that drives Fender Reps nuts these days? The old amps probably outsell the new amps sometimes. The vintage legacy won't go away. Maybe I'd just piss him off bringing a virgin '59 Deluxe. If I ask him about the '59 Twin maybe his inner voice is saying he wants to punch me. It does nothing to improve his sales.
Maybe I will call the store manager today and probe him in advance. Not very often do Fender tube amp fanatics get to view something like this in person.

Here's a cool old sticker on the Deluxe's 1958 52nd week dated P12R speaker:

 

[DannyJustQuit]

I love the documenting you are doing and putting it up here for us to follow - truly intriguing!
Awesome find - and kudos for keeping it as original as possible

 

[Wally]

That Lepage stuff should do the job, I guess. I always have some wood glue around, so that is what I use. You want it to dry clear. And....that number of posts does not guarantee infallibility. I am here to learn.