Used Fender "The Twin" for $200

[The New Steve H]

Someone else is selling a Bassman Reissue for $675. I wonder if there is room in there to gut it and put in real components instead of Chinese whatzits.

[sonicmojo]

I bought a red knob Super 60 in excellent shape compared to that one and actually worked for $200 recently (but didn't sound too good). Unfortunately it was not fixable, too many solid state components tied in that are very hard to debug. I did gut it and feel like I still haven't lost anything much for a new custom project.

I would pass on that one for sure at that price.

[The New Steve H]

I found the schematic. I see a couple of op amps in there, plus a couple of weird symbols I don't understand.

[Reeltarded]

Oh no! My favorite Fender! What a great amp... before it was caught in.. looks like hurricane Andrew. Ampocalypse!

[The New Steve H]

I'm having second thoughts. I don't know if I want to put several hundred bucks in an amp for which I have no plans. Anyway, thanks for the help.

[Reeltarded]

No. Don't. It's a tragic mess. In great shape I sound like a lesser god through a pair of those. Been itching for one lately.

Last time I saw Robin Trower he was using a pair of those too. I love those amps.

[Structo]

That thing looks like it's been in a bog.

If you can see it in person make sure the chassis isn't full of mud.

If it is then the trannys are junk.

[Kazooman]

I bought a red knob Dual Showman Reverb head off ebay a while back as a project. This head has basically the same circuit as the red knob Twin (the "Evil Twin"). As I suspected, the PT had a problem and the head was for sale because you just can't find a replacement anywhere. Fortunately, Heyboer was able to repair it for about $75 and the amp came to life. I agree with those who say these are not the most "playable" amps. They are just DAMN loud! I use mine with a 2 V 12 (celestion vintage 30's) cabinet I built as my pedal testing amp.

It would be good to know that the PT in the amp you are looking at is OK. You might not be able to replace it at a resonable price.

[The New Steve H]

I should buy the Bassman instead. I saw where he's advertising it for $600. One nice thing about building amps is that you can turn a "reissue" into the real thing!

[Reeltarded]

So you'd pay $600 for a bad chassis, and a headbox?

Would you like to buy a real one for a couple bucks more? I am sure I could work that out. Don't say yes, and don't buy that amp, please.

[David Root]

If the PT and OT are still good, and that's a big if based on what the amp looks like, they would be good for a 150W SSS's iron. $100 max in my book.

[Gibsonman63]

I should buy the Bassman instead. I saw where he's advertising it for $600. One nice thing about building amps is that you can turn a "reissue" into the real thing!

Reeltarded has a point. Not to keep bursting your bubble because I do believe that we should encourage each other, but by the time you get done, you could be into it for enough money to start from scratch with top of the line componants.

I was looking at doing the same thing with a Deluxe Reverb re-issue a while back. I started looking into it and figured out that I would want to replace the transformers and hand-wire it like an original AB763. That also means that you have to replace all of the PCB mounted pots, switches and jacks with the good stuff, so basically you are using just the chassis and faceplates. Taking it a step further, there is the speaker to think of (four with the bassman), then after doing all that work, you would want to replace the cabinet with something made of finger-jointed pine. After all that contemplation, I decided that it would be better to buy a kit and start fresh or wait until a basket case blackface or silverface came around.

I guess I am still waiting for that to happen.

[The New Steve H]

I am not enough of a cork-sniffer to replace a perfectly good cabinet. I've never listened to Stevie Ray Vaughan and said, "Man, I'm glad that cabinet is finger-jointed."

I was figuring $600 for the amp, and then a hundred bucks or so for a new turret board and components. I assumed the transformers and speakers would be salvaged. It's not an old amp.

Seven hundred bucks. Fun project. Improved amp. Stick it on Ebay and move on to something else. Any way you slice it, $600 is a low figure for a barely-used amp with a $1400 street price.

Obviously, I would have to look at it first, to see whether the existing chassis can be saved. I know they like to put these Chinese things together so they're hard to modify.

I'm not actually planning to do it, but that's the way I saw it.

I ordered a pile of stuff for the new 6BM8 amp, so I guess I have enough to keep me busy.

[Phil_S]

Consider just how addictive this is as a hobby. For some of us, the draw is so strong, we can temporarily lose perspective. One thing we do here for each other is to help maintain perspective.

Hey, Steve, should I pick you up on the way to the next ampaholics meeting?

Phil

[Gibsonman63]

I am not trying to discourage. Here's the link that got me thinking about all the little details in fixing the re-issue amplifiers.

http://aga.rru.com/Events/MM-DRRI-rebuild/