*UPDATE* NVOAD 1969/70 Fender Super Reverb 4X10

jpfamps

57Deluxe said:

All the Supers are extremely sensitive to a poor or low grade valve in the tremolo position which can give all sorts of noise in the open circuit. Try swapping that first.

??

Do you mean the tremolo oscillator?

koneguitarist

jpfamps said:

57Deluxe said:

All the Supers are extremely sensitive to a poor or low grade valve in the tremolo position which can give all sorts of noise in the open circuit. Try swapping that first.

??

Do you mean the tremolo oscillator?

I have always found with any old fenders get a good preamp valve, but for most of the other preamp valves phase inverter, reverb etc a working valve was fine.

57Deluxe

jpfamps said:

57Deluxe said:

All the Supers are extremely sensitive to a poor or low grade valve in the tremolo position which can give all sorts of noise in the open circuit. Try swapping that first.

??

Do you mean the tremolo oscillator?

no - I mean the valve...

jpfamps

57Deluxe said:

jpfamps said:

57Deluxe said:

All the Supers are extremely sensitive to a poor or low grade valve in the tremolo position which can give all sorts of noise in the open circuit. Try swapping that first.

??

Do you mean the tremolo oscillator?

no - I mean the valve...

The tremolo oscillator is a valve.

Travisthedog

Update

So it's been at my tech for a week or so and he phoned me for a brief update yesterday

The transformers work but are rusty and nasty on the outside, valves all seem ok but they haven't been individually tested yet

It's been partially recapped a very long time ago but with the wrong value (400 instead of 500??) so he's suggested that he recaps it properly with something age appropriate. There was something else and I can't remember !!

Plate and screen grid resistors too

The drivers are old and tired but functional but he is of the train of thought to take them out and stick some Jensen reissues in until such time as I wish to sell it. He said he wouldn't normally recommend that but because of the age and if I were to gig it regularly one could give up

So all in about £130-160 to get it up to speed bar any hidden surprises

bigfuzz

@travisthedog sounds reasonable to me. still awaiting some clips of this.. missed out on a RI on the bay last week

ICBM

Travisthedog said:

It's been partially recapped a very long time ago but with the wrong value (400 instead of 500??) so he's suggested that he recaps it properly with something age appropriate.

I *strongly* suggest that he does not re-cap it with something age-appropriate! Old electrolytics should never be used - not even NOS ones, since they degrade in storage. New ones are the only sensible choice unless you want to risk it blowing up, which defeats the whole point.

koneguitarist

ICBM said:

Travisthedog said:

It's been partially recapped a very long time ago but with the wrong value (400 instead of 500??) so he's suggested that he recaps it properly with something age appropriate.

I *strongly* suggest that he does not re-cap it with something age-appropriate! Old electrolytics should never be used - not even NOS ones, since they degrade in storage. New ones are the only sensible choice unless you want to risk it blowing up, which defeats the whole point.

I agree, get new modern caps from TAD or other suppliers, it's not a difficult job, but definitely worth doing, also the resistors above power valves (forgot name) which often deteriorate due to heat, I have always gone upto a 1/2 or 1 w here.

Too often people buy vintage amps without realising how much work they can be, but get a good one and the rewards can be great as well. 

ICBM

koneguitarist said:

I agree, get new modern caps from TAD or other suppliers, it's not a difficult job, but definitely worth doing, also the resistors above power valves (forgot name) which often deteriorate due to heat, I have always gone upto a 1/2 or 1 w here.

I always replace the typical 2W carbon screen resistors with 3W or 5W (if there's room) wirewounds - they tolerate overloading if a valve shorts much better, usually long enough for the fuse to blow even if there is no HT fuse. Actually fitting an HT fuse is a very good idea too. You can use the ground switch hole if you want it accessible but not to drill a new hole.

Grid stopper resistors don't need to be increased in power rating - 1/2W is plenty - but carbon film or metal film are better since they don't suffer from heat cracking like the original carbon-comps do, which can leave the valve with no bias.

I do think there are places in the amp where using the original-type components matters for tone reasons (plate resistors are one), but by and large it's better to use more robust modern ones. It doesn't affect the tone but it does improve reliability.

Travisthedog

@icbm

He means new caps -just good ones mate

I wouldn't want old shit in there!

jpfamps

I personally wouldn't change the speakers unless they were damaged.

They are good quality units, and I've seen plenty of Supers of this vintage and earlier with the drivers still going strong.

However, if you do change them, I would avoid the Jensen RIs, as, in my opinion, they don't sound very good.

ICBM

jpfamps said:

I personally wouldn't change the speakers unless they were damaged.

They are good quality units, and I've seen plenty of Supers of this vintage and earlier with the drivers still going strong.

Nor me. They're made to be used. It doesn't do any good to "preserve" the originals if you're not getting the benefit of them. The amp is already not in collector condition anyway, so if at some point one of them does blow, cross that bridge when you come to it.

Travisthedog

Yeah - fair points all

57Deluxe

...did you tell us how much you paid for it in the deal???

Travisthedog

Nope!

citizen68

Beautiful amp - the sound Matt Schofield gets out of his '64 Super on his first album 'The Trio Live' is just beyond words.

Best of luck with it!