Bargain Blackface purchase...a few quick questions.

[w302nv]

Just picked up a 1967 (QH) Super Reverb for a pretty decent price...its a mess, but it powered up and sound came out of the speakers along with tons of static when the knobs were tweaked...it has been in a damp basement for 25 years...it is not hacked (except for casters and the faceplate..some genius hacked the edges off so it would "fit" back in the cab..tolex musta been in the way :messedup ) and should make for an excellent players amp (which is what I wanted).

The only problem is a bit of mold and a musty odor...it has white mold on the bottom and even on the AC cord inside the chassis. What is the best way to get rid of this? I just have visions of the Corvette on Myth Busters with the dead pig and a smell that wont go away...its on a screened in porch and will be for the rest of the week airing out...I have read that dryer sheets and perhaps even charcoal and a big plastic bag may work..Damp-Rid..etc...any other tried and true methods?

All numbers and codes look great except for the power transformer.
I think the PT is the proper part (022798..mine is K022798) but the codes make me suspect it was replaced at some point...it is stamped 6060973....any idea what vintage the PT is and if it will possibly have a negative impact on tone?

The speakers are Univox 10" made by Rola and say Pro Mag Series..any hints of what I should expect from them?

I am thinking of sending the amp off to Tim Swartz in Lansing, MI as I have always enjoyed his helpful posts on Usenet and various other places over the years and if Elderly trusts him, he must be a pretty competent tech...before I send it off though...can anyone recommend a tech between Des Moines, IA and Chicago or as far north as Madison, WI so that I might be able to just drop it off..(I hate shipping this stuff)?
Thanks!

[itkindaworks]

Might be worth putting it in a new cabinet. Set the old one aside if you need to sell it or something.

[Jerry Glass]

Your power x-former is a 1973. It should work fine but the plate voltages will be a touch high unless you use a 5U4 rectifier tube.

The mold will take a little elbow grease to get rid of and the musty smell, if it is too severe for you to tolerate after a good cleaning, can be eliminated by taking the amp to a fire restoration service (like Steamatic) that has an ozone room. A week in the room and it will be practically odorless.

[Phishy4]

Ditto, I'd call JD Newell about building you a new cab. He builds nice cabs for really reasonable prices.

[w302nv]

Your power x-former is a 1973. It should work fine but the plate voltages will be a touch high unless you use a 5U4 rectifier tube.

The mold will take a little elbow grease to get rid of and the musty smell, if it is too severe for you to tolerate after a good cleaning, can be eliminated by taking the amp to a fire restoration service (like Steamatic) that has an ozone room. A week in the room and it will be practically odorless.

Cool we have a Servpro and a Steamatic in town I will give them a call and see about the ozone room for the cab...

I am not a huge fan of super clean and like early breakup....I am guessing that the extra 35 or so volts will make huge difference in that...will using the 5U4GB take it back down to 1967 B+ levels? Should I be looking at a MM or other replacement PT? Also a little worried that it might be too squishy with the 5U4GB. From what I understand, the GZ34 is the way to fly in these amps...

I was also looking at Rodgers Amplification for a cab...just dont want to dump a ton of money into this...looks like this might turn out to be a money pit.

Whats a 67 with the wrong PT, speakers, faceplate, and a few good tears in the grille cloth and tolex worth these days? ~$1000?

[Jerry Glass]

I am not a huge fan of super clean and like early breakup....I am guessing that the extra 35 or so volts will make huge difference in that...will using the 5U4GB take it back down to 1967 B+ levels? Should I be looking at a MM or other replacement PT? Also a little worried that it might be too squishy with the 5U4GB. From what I understand, the GZ34 is the way to fly in these amps...

Higher plate voltages will lend to a later breakup. Using a 5U4 will still yield higher voltages than the original x-former would have. I'd consider replacing it. I've had really great results using Magnetic Components x-formers; Triode Electronics sells them. The voltages are correct and construction is top notch. Prices are very reasonable and they are made in Chicago.

Definitely use a GZ34/5AR4 rectifier tube.

[smolder]

An early sf super in this area will fetch 6 - 750 on cl. With the mold, speakers, faceplate and pt in yours I would expect it to be in that range... Maybe a bit higher.

[w302nv]

Good to know...I paid considerably less for mine. It needs a total tuneup though....sounds like it was an ok deal...all of the stuff I have shopped for has been the 6V6 based Blackface stuff...this is my first 6L6 based Blackface so I am really looking forward to playing it.

Not to harp on the subject but can anyone recommend a good repair shop between Des Moines, IA and Chicago, IL or as far north as Madison, WI...I wish FT Wayne was a bit closer (thanks for the help Jerry!).

[Fishtale]

I'm probably off the subject but why would you reccomend a GZ34 rectifier over a 5U4? I am takeing my 72 SR in for a tune up and my tech raccomended the same thing. I hate to get to far from stock unless there are some real advantages.

[Jerry Glass]

I'm probably off the subject but why would you reccomend a GZ34 rectifier over a 5U4? I am takeing my 72 SR in for a tune up and my tech raccomended the same thing. I hate to get to far from stock unless there are some real advantages.

In a SF amp like your's, I would stick with the 5U4 that the amp was designed with. A GZ34/5AR4 will give the amp more punch but the higher plate voltages when used in a SF amp make it sound less like a SR. My recommendation to the OP was based on replacing the existing x-former with a proper replacement.

[phsyconoodler]

I would suggest measuring the voltages before doing anything.Compare them to blackface voltages and then make a decision.
Making all kinds of recommendations without checking first is kind of silly.
I bet wit some TLC it will be fine.New filter caps,cleaning pots and chassis innards would be par for the course.
It doesn't need to be a money pit if you use some elbow grease on the cabinet and remove the mold.

[Prairie Dawg]

Good to know...I paid considerably less for mine. It needs a total tuneup though....sounds like it was an ok deal...all of the stuff I have shopped for has been the 6V6 based Blackface stuff...this is my first 6L6 based Blackface so I am really looking forward to playing it.

Not to harp on the subject but can anyone recommend a good repair shop between Des Moines, IA and Chicago, IL or as far north as Madison, WI...I wish FT Wayne was a bit closer (thanks for the help Jerry!).

PM sent

[w302nv]

I would suggest measuring the voltages before doing anything.Compare them to blackface voltages and then make a decision.
Making all kinds of recommendations without checking first is kind of silly.
I bet wit some TLC it will be fine.New filter caps,cleaning pots and chassis innards would be par for the course.
It doesn't need to be a money pit if you use some elbow grease on the cabinet and remove the mold.

The thing probably hasn't been on in 25 years so even though it fired up the other night I am still a bit skittish. The chassis has a nice layer of yellowish funk on it...I know DeoxIT is a fantastic product to use on the pots, but what about the rest of the chassis? Is there a Gunk Foamy Engine Brite for amps that I can just hose the thing down with or does it require a bit more finesse?

I will try to post some pics tonight...before and after the initial cleaning. It is sitting in the sun on a screened in porch right now..hopefully that helps...Servpro wants $12 and hour for the ozone room...and Steamatic wants $50 for 24 hours..maybe I can talk them down a bit...assuming the stink sticks after a good cleaning.

[phsyconoodler]

Brake clean will kill the mold.And a hand brush with some lysol cleaner.Then dry it thoroughly.
So the ozone might be good after it's cleaned,but what good is it before the mold is cleaned off?
I wouldn't get too much water on the board if you can avoid it.At least brake clean evaporates quickly and doesn't contain water.


Who knows,maybe you should sell it to Banting & Best for new Penicillin strain.:crazyguy

[smolder]

Good to know...I paid considerably less for mine. It needs a total tuneup though....sounds like it was an ok deal...all of the stuff I have shopped for has been the 6V6 based Blackface stuff...this is my first 6L6 based Blackface so I am really looking forward to playing it.

Not to harp on the subject but can anyone recommend a good repair shop between Des Moines, IA and Chicago, IL or as far north as Madison, WI...I wish FT Wayne was a bit closer (thanks for the help Jerry!).

there is a place called MacTech (I believe) in Naperville. They specialize in rebuilds and rather intense blackfacing of fender amps. I have not used them but have heard very avid recommendations for them.

[smolder]

The thing probably hasn't been on in 25 years so even though it fired up the other night I am still a bit skittish. The chassis has a nice layer of yellowish funk on it...I know DeoxIT is a fantastic product to use on the pots, but what about the rest of the chassis? Is there a Gunk Foamy Engine Brite for amps that I can just hose the thing down with or does it require a bit more finesse?

I will try to post some pics tonight...before and after the initial cleaning. It is sitting in the sun on a screened in porch right now..hopefully that helps...Servpro wants $12 and hour for the ozone room...and Steamatic wants $50 for 24 hours..maybe I can talk them down a bit...assuming the stink sticks after a good cleaning.

Brasso and a shop rag works very well at cleaning the gunk off of old fender chassis and other metal parts. Please take it outside or get a large fan with open windows... it rough stuff to be breathing.

I did this to the aluminum tube cover in about 30 seconds:

http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/mm298/smolder47/restoreBFBMcovers.jpg

[Ronsonic]

I'd be terrified of what brake cleaner would do to anything not metal in there. Not saying it won't work but that's some gruesome chemical warfare shit in a can. I use an orange-scented citrus cleaner for mildew. It works well and is non-destructive.

Brasso and brushes will clean up a chassis well.

Murphy's oil soap and water is great for tolex. Use a brush to get into the grain. Compressed air is wonderful for digging the crud out of the grain.

DeOxIt D5 is the friend of everything electronic in there. Shoot the pots and exercise, repeat. Tube sockets, the same. I hose the board with the stuff, scrub with a cut down flux brush and blow it clean too.

There go 95% of your problems with simple cleaning and non-toxic supplies.

[w302nv]

I'd be terrified of what brake cleaner would do to anything not metal in there. Not saying it won't work but that's some gruesome chemical warfare shit in a can. I use an orange-scented citrus cleaner for mildew. It works well and is non-destructive.

Brasso and brushes will clean up a chassis well.

Murphy's oil soap and water is great for tolex. Use a brush to get into the grain. Compressed air is wonderful for digging the crud out of the grain.

DeOxIt D5 is the friend of everything electronic in there. Shoot the pots and exercise, repeat. Tube sockets, the same. I hose the board with the stuff, scrub with a cut down flux brush and blow it clean too.

There go 95% of your problems with simple cleaning and non-toxic supplies.

Great tips!
I used Zep Shower Tub and Tile on my other stuff with good success...but that was all in great "closet classic" shape....this might require a more aggressive approach. I will try the Oil Soap...I have never used that on an amp before. Just like detailing a car..use the lightest cut possible to achieve the results you want...just hope I dont have to soda blast the thing.
I will share before and after shots.

Thanks for all of the advice guys!

[phsyconoodler]

I've used brake clean on the inside of a chassis before and it doesn't hurt anything at all.It just cleaned the crap out.
Do it outside though,so you don't have to breathe the fumes.It evaporates so no residue is left behind.

[JJman]

"Electric Motor Cleaner" spray is similar to brake spray but doesn't have an odor after evaporating. And it's intended for applications involving wires and plastic and such. CRC makes both.

[Prairie Dawg]

The thing probably hasn't been on in 25 years so even though it fired up the other night I am still a bit skittish. The chassis has a nice layer of yellowish funk on it...I know DeoxIT is a fantastic product to use on the pots, but what about the rest of the chassis? Is there a Gunk Foamy Engine Brite for amps that I can just hose the thing down with or does it require a bit more finesse?

I will try to post some pics tonight...before and after the initial cleaning. It is sitting in the sun on a screened in porch right now..hopefully that helps...Servpro wants $12 and hour for the ozone room...and Steamatic wants $50 for 24 hours..maybe I can talk them down a bit...assuming the stink sticks after a good cleaning.

You did say it was sitting in a basement moldering? Absolutely the worst place to leave an amp is in a damp basement, of which we have plenty of here. The key will be driving the water out of the wood and the electrical components and then assessing the damage. Because there will be some. If your lady friend is amenable I would take the chassis and set my oven to about 130 degrees and bake it for a day or two. Then it's on to the cabinet. It needs to be in a dry atmosphere. If you lived in Arizona you could leave it out in the yard for a week or so. Sealing it up in plastic and dumping a bunch of silica gel in there will do, or you can get fancy and run a piece of Tygon hose to a dehydrator capsule and just keep changing the silica gel as it changes color.

I'm in Windsor Heights on high ground. We bought this place two years ago and after having our rental flooded out in Des Moines in 1997, the sine qua non was a dry basement. If it looked like there had ever been water in the basement it was a deal breaker. I've got my amp shop in one corner and I do not think there has ever been water in the neighborhood. A couple of people have had problems when the storage place on Hickman expanded and the runoff went their way, one house on Lincoln went from a dry basement to three sump pumps. Not a good thing.

[w302nv]

You did say it was sitting in a basement moldering? Absolutely the worst place to leave an amp is in a damp basement, of which we have plenty of here.

Yeah my wife is not too happy that there are 7 amps and a pile of guitars sitting in her dining room...hopefully that will drive her to see the prospect of a new house with a suitable man room my way....an amp in the oven might put her over the edge. She is cool...but not that cool. I am going to get a bunch of Damp-Rid or silica gel and seal it up in a bag for a week or two.

edit: I am not going to bother with Damp Rid...I am heading to the pool supply place to get some calcium chloride.....its the same darn thing.

[baxen]

http://www.mac4amps.com/ Give this guy a call, He is in Berwyn, just west of Chicago. I think this might be who Smolder is talking about. Maybe?

[davemccarthy707]

:worthless

[jcs]

Take the amp over to Prairie Dog, i am south of Des Moines in North Missouri, it is hard to find good techs in this area and like Prairie Dog mentioned, we have lots of humidity to deal with, but the good news is SR are well worth it and easier to refurb than lots of other amps.

[smolder]

http://www.mac4amps.com/ Give this guy a call, He is in Berwyn, just west of Chicago. I think this might be who Smolder is talking about. Maybe?

Yep - that's the guy I've heard about. I'm new to the are... haven't mastered the 300 or so 'burg names.

[w302nv]

:worthless

Took the speakers out today...are those Univox Super Mag speakers any good? Hope not they were pretty bad...

Anyone have 2 patina'd snowman knob, a pair of 19" legs, corners (what style is correct?), and a quad of 10" that they want to sell me...PM me please...looking for stuff in about the same shape as the rest of this beast. Its unlikely but I could use a face plate too....


http://lh4.ggpht.com/__NNz4APz8EE/S7frn9gZufI/AAAAAAAAAl8/VBX25GotNKg/s800/IMG_0375.JPG

http://lh4.ggpht.com/__NNz4APz8EE/S7froeIzYoI/AAAAAAAAAmA/dCdS8gxxMJE/s800/IMG_0376.JPG

http://lh4.ggpht.com/__NNz4APz8EE/S7frokpyJ0I/AAAAAAAAAmE/AL_7BQrctqk/s800/IMG_0377.JPG

http://lh5.ggpht.com/__NNz4APz8EE/S7frpB6Z1KI/AAAAAAAAAmI/suoWaAL3REY/s800/IMG_0378.JPG

http://lh6.ggpht.com/__NNz4APz8EE/S7fr2AriaAI/AAAAAAAAAmU/DdNU6AHY1JA/s800/IMG_0380.JPG

http://lh4.ggpht.com/__NNz4APz8EE/S7fr25EF5vI/AAAAAAAAAmY/CHUH61DaXEM/s800/IMG_0381.JPG

http://lh4.ggpht.com/__NNz4APz8EE/S7fr3JSAFMI/AAAAAAAAAmc/a1vn3iVyqbM/s800/IMG_0382.JPG

http://lh4.ggpht.com/__NNz4APz8EE/S7fr3j_2G9I/AAAAAAAAAmg/MtkLuSSqqzY/s800/IMG_0383.JPG

http://lh3.ggpht.com/__NNz4APz8EE/S7fr3xAY9pI/AAAAAAAAAmk/bO2OPSTo_nQ/s800/IMG_0384.JPG

[jcs]

Man, i would just clean up and do slight cosmetic repairs on the tolex and grill cloth, i like "real age and wear", i love an old worn looking Blackface Fender amp with some scars!

Spend the dough on the best speakers and getting it serviced (tubes etc), then enjoy!

[Ronsonic]

Start with cleaning. EVERYTHING.

What's it look like under the cap cover. Any obvious filter cap problems?

It may be that cleaning alone will make that playable. It is the first thing to be done anyway.

[smolder]

Great looking amp. I might clean the grill cloth but I sure wouldn't replace it.

The chassis needs some elbow grease. And I'd sure check the dog house (filter cap hood) to see what's there.

[Hulakatt]

try sticking the speakers in ziplock bags with a pack or two of silica gel to dry them out. It wil get them back to sounding their best and If you end up replacing them then no big deal, but it's amazing how much moisture those paper cones can suck up in a damp basement.

[w302nv]

try sticking the speakers in ziplock bags with a pack or two of silica gel to dry them out. It wil get them back to sounding their best and If you end up replacing them then no big deal, but it's amazing how much moisture those paper cones can suck up in a damp basement.

Thanks for the tip!
After some reading (on gun sites of all places) it seems that you can get silica gel pretty easily by stopping at PETCO (http://www.petco.com/product/107848/PETCO-Crystals-Cat-Litter.aspx?CoreCat=CatSFC_WOS)...PETCO Crystals Cat Litter is silica gel.....only difference is the bag. The bags for silica gel let moisture in but not out...helpful but not worth the trouble and expensive. Calcium chloride works well but is corrosive..

I was able to use up the rest of my Prestone Driveway Heat (CaCl2) and what was left of 2 Healthy Choice Fresh Mixers Rotini & Zesty Marinara Sauce containers...perfect for the job. I just punched some holes in the bottom of the sauce tray, covered them with napkins to prevent spills, stuck the green lid back on and stuck them in the amp which was put in contractors garbage bag and sealed up. I will report back with the results. Thanks again to everyone for the good advice.

[davemccarthy707]

Isopropyl alcohol will go a long way on that chassis. Next I would change the bias filter cap and the power caps under the doghouse. The 470 screen resistors would go next on the 6l6 tube sockets. Then I would use some tuner cleaner/lube on all the pots followed by excessive and rapid turning back and forth on each knob to "wipe" the traces clean.I would check the value on all the plate load resistors from each preamp and the Phase inverter tube and change as needed. Next I would retube/bias. 4 new weber sig alnicos. Hit the power switch (after I double checked the fuse 3 prong wiring) and enjoy!

[w302nv]

Great looking amp. I might clean the grill cloth but I sure wouldn't replace it.

The chassis needs some elbow grease. And I'd sure check the dog house (filter cap hood) to see what's there.

Round 1 with the grill(e) cloth...I hate that they used particle board...scares the hell out of me to get it wet...I am drying it out now and will have a go at it again tonight...results are ok I think..hopefully the next application gets more out...the folks at CAIG didn't want me to use DeoxIT D5...they directed me to D100S-2...I am about ready to just hose the entire chassis down with D5..but just want to confirm that it wont harm the wires, resistors, caps, or board...right?

http://lh4.ggpht.com/__NNz4APz8EE/S7oLSZowpxI/AAAAAAAAAnQ/Hlchl19BMLM/s800/IMG_1122.JPG

http://lh3.ggpht.com/__NNz4APz8EE/S7oLTKZ08qI/AAAAAAAAAnU/mmjiJxFeZ98/s800/IMG_1126.JPG

http://lh5.ggpht.com/__NNz4APz8EE/S7oLTk2cIzI/AAAAAAAAAnY/C4BE6DXtN7o/s800/IMG_1127.JPG

http://lh3.ggpht.com/__NNz4APz8EE/S7oM3r2WuSI/AAAAAAAAAns/FkujjOQd9CE/s800/IMG_1136.JPG

[BarryW]

a hearty endorsement for Mac - he's in Berwyn, IL. He's been saving and cleaning up old fenders since forever, he's done several of mine. He's the best.

[jrubakon]

I'll have to throw an endorsement to Dan Wallen of Vintage vibrations amplifiers. He recently got my all original 65' Vibriolux up and running and did only what he had to to get it up and running while keeping the authenticity all there. He is also VERY reasonable on his pricing. He is located in Antioch Il. 847-344-5034.