HNAD - Blackface Tremolux & Bassman Cab

[brianh]

I recently bought a really beat up 60's blackface Tremolux head (missing facelplate) and what I now believe to be a Bassman 2x12 cabinet. I was told it was a Showman cab, but I don't think so, the bolts that attach the head are too close together. The whole mess was so fugly I could barely look at it, but I knew that it had good bones. I had a local tube tech replace some caps and clean up the pots, but he wasn't able to repair the trem circuit, he's not really a guitar amp guy, mainly works on radio and HiFi gear. That'll have to wait I guess.

 

In any case, I spent the weekend cleaning and rebuilding the cabinets. Built a new baffle board (the old one was trashed under the cloth), installed and rewired with Celestion G12-75 I got off Craiglist ($75 the pair - I know, I know, Chinese made and not traditional, but they were better than the mismatched non-original drivers in there) and installed new tilt-back legs (one was missing). The new baffle board is made from ¾” oak plywood, so it should never need replacing again. Also used T-nuts to clamp the speakers down, no more bolts twisting in the particleboard behind the grill. Also cleaned and re-glued the tolex and installed new grill cloth all around.

 

Repainting the faceplate was a special challenge, and I will probably do it over at some point, but it still turned out OK. A previous owner had painted the chassis flat black and didn’t mask off the pots, so the nuts were glued on by the paint. I stupidly twisted one tone control pot so much trying to remove it that it severed the wire and broke a ceramic disc cap. I got a new cap and rewired it yesterday and put it all back together proper. You can't buy used or new replacement Tremolux faceplates for love or money - there were only 400 made (I am told), and Fender will sue your a$$ off if you make a copy. Even that guy in Florida won't make them. In any case, I was pretty skeptical, but I must admit it now looks pretty dang nice. And it sounds absolutely spectacular. I really don't even miss reverb that much - when it's cranked a little the overtones and harmonics are quite amazing. It's one of those rigs that just makes you want to play all day:

 

 

 

So, um, does anyone have any advice on how to get that Trem circuit fixed? It seems like it's a bit of really obscure wizardry.

 

Thanks,

[m-theory]

There are places that make various Fender faceplates. You see them listed on ebay all the time. I'd check with them. I'm certain that if you can get a Bassman, Twin Reverb, Deluxe Reverb, etc faceplate, you can get a tremolux, even if they have to custom make it for you.

 

I believe that the trem circuit has an optocoupler, and that sometimes craps out, as I recall. I'm not sure of the part number, but am quite sure that it's available. If you can't find the part #, send me an email, and I'll find out for you.

 

You could check Antique Electronic Supply, for starters. Mojotone might have it as well, and they might actually be able to do the faceplate for you, too, now that I think about it. You really HAVE to get a faceplate for it, man. That just doesn't look right at all. If nothing else, find a good silkscreener, take him your faceplate and a good photo of the real deal, and have him work his magic.

 

If you keep your eyes peeled, you should be able to find a proper cabinet for it, too, though it may require some patience. Otherwise, mojotone and others have them. It should have 2x10 Oxfords, but ceramic Jensen or Weber knock-offs would be excellent as well.

 

Looks real nice overall. It's a great amp, and one of the unsung heroes of fender lore. You don't need no stinking reverb.

[brianh]

Thanks M, I knew you'd have some good advice.

 

So far I've been told that unless you have the original faceplate rebuilt or are willing to let it be destroyed for a new replacement, you can't buy a new one. Fender's legal department has gotten quite aggressive about this lately due to all the look-alike kits out available now I guess. I've been watching eBay closely (so had the former owner), and Tremolux heads are rare enough that used faceplates just don't come up. A period correct cabinet will be a bit easier, I've been looking at Lopo, Geezer (the closest to the original design I think) and Avatar. Also for an original cab, but they're usually paired up with a head. There's a set on eBay now with a BIN price of $1,500. - Yikes!

 

I will check into the optocoupler, I think the part my guy had trouble with was the timing. Ah - found it at Antique Electronic Supply, just like you said, thanks!

 

[m-theory]

So far I've been told that unless you have the original faceplate rebuilt or are willing to let it be destroyed for a new replacement, you can't buy a new one.

I don't buy that. Replacement faceplates are readily available for other Fender amps. There's no particular reason why they'd single out the Tremolux to "ban." I'd check with mojotone, among others.

 

I've been looking at Lopo, Geezer (the closest to the original design I think) and Avatar.

None of those have the real deal, from what I can see. Mojotone has it...probably someone else as well, but for sure Mojotone. There's no sense in replacing one incorrect cabinet with another. If you're gonna spend the dough to get another cabinet, it might as well be the right one.

 

Also for an original cab, but they're usually paired up with a head.

I've seen many sales with cabinets only or heads only. I don't know why, but people split these up for some reason. Just be patient, if you're shopping for used, and you'll find one.

 

There's a set on eBay now with a BIN price of $1,500. - Yikes!

Do you have any idea what a new, handwired, 35 watt tube amp head w/a closed 2x10 cabinet would run, if you were to have someone build it for you? At least twice that BIN price. $1500 is incredibly reasonable, as is the case with most of those piggyback amps. It's not hard at all to find a nice BF Bassman, Bandmaster, or Tremolux for $1200-$1500.

 

Yes, that's the optocoupler you need. I'm just guessing that this is the problem, so you'd probably be wise to remove yours and test it first, but I do seem to recall that being a fairly common failure in Fender amps that utilized it.

[brianh]

I don't buy that. Replacement faceplates are readily available for other Fender amps. There's no particular reason why they'd single out the Tremolux to "ban." I'd check with mojotone' date=' among others. [/quote'] The dude in Florida who makes all those replacement panels says there's just not enough call for Tremolux to make a template.

 

None of those have the real deal' date=' from what I can see. Mojotone has it...probably someone else as well, but for sure Mojotone. There's no sense in replacing one incorrect cabinet with another. If you're gonna spend the dough to get another cabinet, it might as well be the right one. [/quote'] Agreed.

 

I've seen many sales with cabinets only or heads only. I don't know why' date=' but people split these up for some reason. Just be patient, if you're shopping for used, and you'll find one. [/quote'] Let me know if you run across one.

 

Do you have any idea what a new' date=' handwired, 35 watt tube amp head w/a closed 2x10 cabinet would run, if you were to have someone build it for you? At least twice that BIN price. $1500 is incredibly reasonable, as is the case with most of those piggyback amps. It's not hard at all to find a nice BF Bassman, Bandmaster, or Tremolux for $1200-$1500. [/quote'] No doubt. But a new unit doesn't have hundreds of dollars of electronic and cosmetic repair work needed either. But I'm with you, the old stuff just has that mojo about it.

[m-theory]

The dude in Florida who makes all those replacement panels says there's just not enough call for Tremolux to make a template.

That just means that it'll cost you a few bucks more, because it'll be a one-off custom screening. Somebody would be willing to do it, for the right motivation. If it was my amp, I wouldn't even hesitate on this. YMMV, of course!

 

Let me know if you run across one.

You're more apt to find one than I am! I have no particular reason to go looking. Just poke around on ebay once in a while, and you should be able to come across one eventually.

 

But a new unit doesn't have hundreds of dollars of electronic and cosmetic repair work needed either.

That $1200-$1500 price range is generally only reserved for cosmetically clean representatives of this amp. The road dogs, when you find them, go for less.

 

I bought a '66 Bassman that was completely gone through, electronically, but had been stripped of all tolex, for $425 with both head and cab., a few years back. Granted, that was a fantastic deal, but I bought it at Guitar Center, and it'd been sitting there ignored for over 2 years when I found it. I also bought another '66 Bassman head only off ebay that was a complete scab cosmetically and wasn't electronically sound, for $250. That one became the platform for the plexi-modded big stage amp that holds top position in my stable.

 

The key is, you have to be patient. If you just want to rush out and buy the first one you find, you'd only get a great deal by pure luck.

 

With many of the older Fenders, you can scour local music stores, pawn shops, etc., and find whatever you might be looking for, but with something like a Tremolux, which was only produced for a limited time, and in limited numbers, you'll have to be a bit more patient and diligent.

 

That said, I think a brand new mojotone reproduction would only cost you a few hundred bucks, and it's not likely you'd find a used one for a great deal less than that, to be honest, although the used one would presumably come with speaks.

 

Anyway, congrats on the amp, and enjoy. I love old Fenders, and wouldn't pass by an opportunity to snag a cheap Tremolux if opportunity came at the right time.

[twanger]

Here's a couple of useful linkies:

http://www.ampwares.com/amp.asp?id=108

http://www.harpamps.com/micKfender/Faceplate-Restoration.html