Ho un twin reverb silverface ultralinear , 1978, come posso modificarlo per poter regolare il bias , posso avere un schema con le cose da togliere e le cose da aggiungere. Il "tube balance" non serve a molto, visto che compriamo le valvole già mached. Grazie!
You have a beautiful amp. You must be young. One day you will be married and you and your wife will be very similar in the early days of marriage, or a “matched pair”. But over the years you may slowly drift apart. Hopefully, it won’t happen to you ... as it did for me. When this happened, I wish we had a Balance Pot to help bring our marriage back together. We only had a bias pot to make us both hot or cold but we continued to drift apart. The best solution is to have BOTH a BIAS and BALANCE pot. It is easy to do. Rob Robinette describes it well: robrobinette.com/Silverface_Amp_Mods.htm#Convert_Bias_Balance
Thanks for another great video, back in the day I was using a Quad reverb of the same era. Never used the master volume, just my strat into an mxr distortion +, Vox wah wah and a rotek version of a univibe. Master volume on 10 reverb channel on 10. My hearings not too great now, severe tinnitus! Still they were great sounds. I didn't know about your daughter and I my sincerest wishes for her. Best wishes from Scotland and who knows Lyle might give us a live chat tomorrow.
OMG! A Quad Reverb! I wish I could write louder for you. What a glorious way to go deaf. I am grateful that we go to play music at a time in history when we could crank our Twins, Quads and Marshalls. I like listening to Lyle’s chats while I’m working. I’ve spoken to him on the phone a few times. He’s a lovely man. I don’t know a more solitary business than amp repairs, so being able to interact with people like you is very important to me.
Just subscribed, Howdy from Texas! I recently bought a 1980 Vibrolux Reverb non-linear, non-master volume with the pull-boost switch on the vibrato volume knob, and a footswitch jack on the back panel for the boost function. It looks like they implemented the pull-boost circuit similar to the amp you worked on, with some different values. I could not find any schematics online for my VR, but a person on the Telecaster Guitar Forum (tdpri) used to be a Fender dealer and had the correct schematic and posted a pdf for me. The VR amp I bought was missing a reverb tank (along with some other parts), so when I ordered replacement electrolytics, I also bought the correct MOD tank, and thankfully the reverb transformer was still working. I also ordered a second identical MOD tank for my 1977 Deluxe Reverb, which had the incorrect 4BB 150 ohm input impedance tank. I guess someone just slapped it in there. The reverb worked, but was pretty weak, now it's great.
Hi Michael. I'm not sure where in Texas you are. I have been lucky enough to work in Dallas, Houston, and Austin. It was after a show in Dallas that I went to a club in Deep Ellum where I first saw a Texan native, Hamilton Loomis. He is fantastic live. If you catch him at a gig, say Hi from his biggest Aussie fan.
Great Ultralinear mini-series, thanks! I have a 1978 Twin Reverb ultralinear and have owned it since I was 18, so that's 40 years now. I had a company in Edinburgh called Time Travel Audio do a complete resoration on it and put EVM 12L speakers in to replace the weak originals. It's really a fantastic sound. There is nothing like it actually. Huge fat clear sound but it has a certain transient edgae that other amps can't get and a thump from the massive transformers that is satisfying! Thanks for the videos!
Thanks Gringo! I have one of those amazing '80s EVM12Ls in my 1x12 orange cab. Brilliant sound. My back is twinging just thinking of the weight of those 2 massive magnets in the back of your Twin!! But the sound......
It's great to hear about your daughter's recovery. The mother of my son is currently experiencing palliative care for colorectal cancer, which she's battled for 5 or 6 years. A recent operation (stoma/ colostomy bag) has bought her time and she's home with family over Christmas. I feel blessed to have the opportunity to be her primary care giver and also have done some praying . Merry Xmas big fellla.
That's heartbreaking, my friend. What's her name? I will be praying for her. It sounds like she may be past healing but I will be asking Christ to help her through the door with a warm embrace for her. How old is your son?
@theguitaramptech Our son, Indy, is 21 and a fine lad. Sandra is doing quite well atm. She also has a daughter, Manon, who is 8yo. Having children is a strong medicine.
Hey Chris, Part 2, just as interesting, I'm trying to follow on and some of the info is a bit beyond me, but I'll go back a few times and watch the vid and get a handle on the superb info..! Great sound by the way and your riffs, really cool..Rock on Chris..! Happy Xmas by the way, and good health to all..Ed..UK..
Part TWO was definitely worth waiting for. I'd love to see how you test for leakage in coupling capacitors. That's wonderful news about your daughter. The power of prayer...and medication. Is that you playing during the video close? Great sound. What gear did you use?
Thank you, Les. It's great to hear from you again. No prob. I’ll do a review of the leakage tester in an upcoming video. Maybe all my little homemade tools. Thank you for your wishes and prayers for my daughter, Les. As I keep telling her the 3rd of May was the happiest day in my life…even happier than the day she was born! It was over 20 years ago when I recorded that track. I know it was my R6 Les Paul. It sounds like it was my 1963 Fender Concert.
It'a hard to read, but its a "B". When you can't read a letter referenced this way, look at another similar amp schematic that is more legible. In this case the "B" connection goes to the 220K mixing resistor (near the Master Volume pot) as it does in other large Fender amps. Tanks for the question, John.
Hello Chris, I am very happy to hear the good news of your daughter and thank you for this video. I will soon start working on a '79 UL Silverface Twin Reverb, which is very similar to this pro reverb. As the speakers are broken and not original, what speaker would you recommend as a replacement for this amp? Best regards, William
Thank you so much William. I am a total Weber fan, but I am sure you will find some excellent options with Eminence and WGS. For Webers, I would look at either the Cali 12F which is Weber's take on the JBL D120, or the Chicago 12F. The Cali 12, like the JBL is very clean, loud and bright...it may be too much for your UL Twin, but it depends on taste. Please let me know what you decide on William. I keep a record of people's taste that I respect.
Thank you for the Weber tip. But I am afraid that due to the stupid European Custom rules, it will not be easy as a private individual to order outside the EU without being punished. Last month I ordered a book in England for 17€ and I had to pay 7-€ shipping costs + 23-€ import taxes… I think our European politicians have not digested Brexit yet. Anyway, I contacted Weber to see what is possible. Any suggestions of the here more accessible brands: WGS, Celestion, Jensen? My first Idea was WGS G12C or ET90
At least we don't get clobbered by Australian Customs until we hit AUD1K (incl shipping) but shipping costs always slug us hard. I don't know much about the high power end of town for these other makes. I have a friend, Ignazio, who is a Jensen Italy. I have sent him a message and will get back to you ASAP.
Hi William. I received a very comprehensive reply from Ignazio of Jensen. I am leaning towards the Tornado 100 Here is Ignazio's reply: Hey Chris! No prob, always happy to chat about tech stuff. Here's my thoughts. As far as I remember, those amps can be very bright and have huge (maybe even too much) power. So you need some powerful speakers to avoid too much dynamic compression and unwanted breakup. In other words, I believe you don't want the speakers to be the headroom limiters of the whole "system". These are the speakers that may fit, from the darkest to the brightest. All are 100W, 2" Voice Coil. I would not settle for anything less powerful, considering the output power of that beast of an amp. 1) C12K - this is the stock speaker that Fender is using since nearly 2 decades for all their Twins. It's somehow tailored for bright electronics. Has a quite smooth top end, maybe a tad dark with non overly bright circuits. It rolls off quite fast above 4kHz. Ceramic Magnet, about 9,5 lbs weight. www.jensentone.com/vintage-ceramic/c12k 2) C12K2 - this is an evolution of the C12K. It's tighter in the bottom end, more open and crisp in the top end, nice and articulate. Still not an "aggressive" speaker. I installed quite some of those in some friends Fender amps, like Hot Rods etc. and never had a complain. It might seem a big thing to say, but it shifts a little the amp in a loosely Dumble-esque territory. Takes high gain pedals really well, fuller and less spikey than a V30, to give you a reference. My favorite of the two. Ceramic Magnet, 9,5 lbs. www.jensentone.com/vintage-ceramic/c12k-2 3) Tornado 100 - This is our best selling Neo speaker. Very similar to the C12K2, a tad more transparent in the lower midrange, even if you don't see it in the frequency curve. Open but not too bright. Overall just a little clearer than the C12K2. Fender uses it in the George Benson Signature Twin Rev. Neo magnet, 4,9 lbs. Very light! www.jensentone.com/jet-series/12-tornado-classic-100 www.jensentone.com/jet-series/12-tornado-stealth-100 Here the three frequency response curves compared: You'll clearly see how similar the C12K2 and the Tornado 100 are, and how much the C12K will be softer on the top end and heavier in the bass range. FYI, our friend David has a 1x12 open back with a Tornado 100, if I remember correctly. Maybe he could chime in and share his thoughts... or you guys could just talk / test it etc. Last detail, there is no tech difference between a Tornado 100 Classic and a Tornado 100 Stealth. The Stealth version features a back bell as a magnet cover, for pure aesthetic reasons. Usually the customer who wants them for open back cabs/combos takes the Stealth version. Those who install them in closed back cabs, take the Classic version that's a little more affordable and a little lighter too. Hope all this will help! Let me know if you need any more info or details! Cheers!
Thank you for teaching us. First timer here. I am trying to find out what year my Fender Pro reverb was made. Serial # F088854 ( 1890 black stamped) Fender blue speaker 005379/C1098102 - Tube Chart 013905 CBS period. Fender website does not seem to have the answer. Thanks in advance. Info if possible. THANK YOU! (Silver face push pull master volume.)
Ho un twin reverb silverface ultralinear , 1978,
come posso modificarlo per poter regolare il bias , posso avere un schema con le cose da togliere e le cose da aggiungere.
Il "tube balance" non serve a molto, visto che compriamo le valvole già mached.
Grazie!
You have a beautiful amp.
You must be young. One day you will be married and you and your wife will be very similar in the early days of marriage, or a “matched pair”. But over the years you may slowly drift apart. Hopefully, it won’t happen to you ... as it did for me. When this happened, I wish we had a Balance Pot to help bring our marriage back together. We only had a bias pot to make us both hot or cold but we continued to drift apart. The best solution is to have BOTH a BIAS and BALANCE pot. It is easy to do. Rob Robinette describes it well: robrobinette.com/Silverface_Amp_Mods.htm#Convert_Bias_Balance
@@theguitaramptech I'm only 75 Yeats old.Thank you
@@mataka28 Fantastic!
Thanks for another great video, back in the day I was using a Quad reverb of the same era. Never used the master volume, just my strat into an mxr distortion +, Vox wah wah and a rotek version of a univibe. Master volume on 10 reverb channel on 10. My hearings not too great now, severe tinnitus! Still they were great sounds. I didn't know about your daughter and I my sincerest wishes for her. Best wishes from Scotland and who knows Lyle might give us a live chat tomorrow.
OMG! A Quad Reverb! I wish I could write louder for you. What a glorious way to go deaf. I am grateful that we go to play music at a time in history when we could crank our Twins, Quads and Marshalls.
I like listening to Lyle’s chats while I’m working. I’ve spoken to him on the phone a few times. He’s a lovely man. I don’t know a more solitary business than amp repairs, so being able to interact with people like you is very important to me.
Very impressed with the 'ultra linear' It seems to work well with a cool bias, easy on the output valves. Good to hear your daughter is in the clear.
Thanks, Steve. I hope the sound came through OK. I will pass on your wishes to my daughter. Thank you!
All of those Ultra Linear Fenders are hidden gems imho. Great job Chris.
Thanks mate. Yep. Hidden gems.
Just subscribed, Howdy from Texas!
I recently bought a 1980 Vibrolux Reverb non-linear, non-master volume with the pull-boost switch on the vibrato volume knob, and a footswitch jack on the back panel for the boost function. It looks like they implemented the pull-boost circuit similar to the amp you worked on, with some different values. I could not find any schematics online for my VR, but a person on the Telecaster Guitar Forum (tdpri) used to be a Fender dealer and had the correct schematic and posted a pdf for me.
The VR amp I bought was missing a reverb tank (along with some other parts), so when I ordered replacement electrolytics, I also bought the correct MOD tank, and thankfully the reverb transformer was still working. I also ordered a second identical MOD tank for my 1977 Deluxe Reverb, which had the incorrect 4BB 150 ohm input impedance tank. I guess someone just slapped it in there. The reverb worked, but was pretty weak, now it's great.
Wow! What a great amp the VR is. I am very happy that my video helped you bring it back.
Hi Michael. I'm not sure where in Texas you are. I have been lucky enough to work in Dallas, Houston, and Austin. It was after a show in Dallas that I went to a club in Deep Ellum where I first saw a Texan native, Hamilton Loomis. He is fantastic live. If you catch him at a gig, say Hi from his biggest Aussie fan.
Great Ultralinear mini-series, thanks! I have a 1978 Twin Reverb ultralinear and have owned it since I was 18, so that's 40 years now. I had a company in Edinburgh called Time Travel Audio do a complete resoration on it and put EVM 12L speakers in to replace the weak originals. It's really a fantastic sound. There is nothing like it actually. Huge fat clear sound but it has a certain transient edgae that other amps can't get and a thump from the massive transformers that is satisfying! Thanks for the videos!
Thanks Gringo! I have one of those amazing '80s EVM12Ls in my 1x12 orange cab. Brilliant sound. My back is twinging just thinking of the weight of those 2 massive magnets in the back of your Twin!! But the sound......
@@theguitaramptech it's pretty heavy. Unusable for gigging really but I wanted to give it the best!
I have the 1969 Pro Reverb and its one of my all time favorites.
Very cool!
Congrats on your daughter's recovery! So happy for her and for you, man.
Thank you Daz! I very much appreciate your kind words. Have a great Christmas. oooo
It's great to hear about your daughter's recovery. The mother of my son is currently experiencing palliative care for colorectal cancer, which she's battled for 5 or 6 years. A recent operation (stoma/ colostomy bag) has bought her time and she's home with family over Christmas. I feel blessed to have the opportunity to be her primary care giver and also have done some praying . Merry Xmas big fellla.
That's heartbreaking, my friend. What's her name? I will be praying for her. It sounds like she may be past healing but I will be asking Christ to help her through the door with a warm embrace for her. How old is your son?
@theguitaramptech Our son, Indy, is 21 and a fine lad. Sandra is doing quite well atm. She also has a daughter, Manon, who is 8yo. Having children is a strong medicine.
Another very cool video, Chris! Could not wait too see the second part! All the best from Austria!❤
Thank you, Philip! I hope you like the way the amp sounded.
Hey Chris, Part 2, just as interesting, I'm trying to follow on and some of the info is a bit beyond me, but I'll go back a few times and watch the vid and get a handle on the superb info..! Great sound by the way and your riffs, really cool..Rock on Chris..! Happy Xmas by the way, and good health to all..Ed..UK..
Very nice work, well explained. Thank you.
Thank you, Bladder. I always appreciate your comments.
Part TWO was definitely worth waiting for. I'd love to see how you test for leakage in coupling capacitors.
That's wonderful news about your daughter. The power of prayer...and medication.
Is that you playing during the video close? Great sound. What gear did you use?
Thank you, Les. It's great to hear from you again. No prob. I’ll do a review of the leakage tester in an upcoming video. Maybe all my little homemade tools.
Thank you for your wishes and prayers for my daughter, Les. As I keep telling her the 3rd of May was the happiest day in my life…even happier than the day she was born!
It was over 20 years ago when I recorded that track. I know it was my R6 Les Paul. It sounds like it was my 1963 Fender Concert.
On the Schematic, the vibrato potentiometer leg terminates at (U) where is that?
It'a hard to read, but its a "B". When you can't read a letter referenced this way, look at another similar amp schematic that is more legible. In this case the "B" connection goes to the 220K mixing resistor (near the Master Volume pot) as it does in other large Fender amps. Tanks for the question, John.
I have a 78 bassman tht has an ultraliner ot . I had to dime it a few times and it will almost start to breakup . Thts ok , thts why i got it .
That sounds perfect!
I like it pretty good , also with an ac-10 wet/dry 2/12s each amp .
Hello Chris, I am very happy to hear the good news of your daughter and thank you for this video. I will soon start working on a '79 UL Silverface Twin Reverb, which is very similar to this pro reverb. As the speakers are broken and not original, what speaker would you recommend as a replacement for this amp? Best regards, William
Thank you so much William.
I am a total Weber fan, but I am sure you will find some excellent options with Eminence and WGS. For Webers, I would look at either the Cali 12F which is Weber's take on the JBL D120, or the Chicago 12F. The Cali 12, like the JBL is very clean, loud and bright...it may be too much for your UL Twin, but it depends on taste. Please let me know what you decide on William. I keep a record of people's taste that I respect.
Thank you for the Weber tip. But I am afraid that due to the stupid European Custom rules, it will not be easy as a private individual to order outside the EU without being punished. Last month I ordered a book in England for 17€ and I had to pay 7-€ shipping costs + 23-€ import taxes… I think our European politicians have not digested Brexit yet. Anyway, I contacted Weber to see what is possible. Any suggestions of the here more accessible brands: WGS, Celestion, Jensen? My first Idea was WGS G12C or ET90
At least we don't get clobbered by Australian Customs until we hit AUD1K (incl shipping) but shipping costs always slug us hard. I don't know much about the high power end of town for these other makes. I have a friend, Ignazio, who is a Jensen Italy. I have sent him a message and will get back to you ASAP.
Hi William. I received a very comprehensive reply from Ignazio of Jensen. I am leaning towards the Tornado 100 Here is Ignazio's reply:
Hey Chris! No prob, always happy to chat about tech stuff.
Here's my thoughts. As far as I remember, those amps can be very bright and have huge (maybe even too much) power. So you need some powerful speakers to avoid too much dynamic compression and unwanted breakup. In other words, I believe you don't want the speakers to be the headroom limiters of the whole "system".
These are the speakers that may fit, from the darkest to the brightest. All are 100W, 2" Voice Coil. I would not settle for anything less powerful, considering the output power of that beast of an amp.
1) C12K - this is the stock speaker that Fender is using since nearly 2 decades for all their Twins. It's somehow tailored for bright electronics. Has a quite smooth top end, maybe a tad dark with non overly bright circuits. It rolls off quite fast above 4kHz. Ceramic Magnet, about 9,5 lbs weight.
www.jensentone.com/vintage-ceramic/c12k
2) C12K2 - this is an evolution of the C12K. It's tighter in the bottom end, more open and crisp in the top end, nice and articulate. Still not an "aggressive" speaker. I installed quite some of those in some friends Fender amps, like Hot Rods etc. and never had a complain. It might seem a big thing to say, but it shifts a little the amp in a loosely Dumble-esque territory. Takes high gain pedals really well, fuller and less spikey than a V30, to give you a reference. My favorite of the two. Ceramic Magnet, 9,5 lbs.
www.jensentone.com/vintage-ceramic/c12k-2
3) Tornado 100 - This is our best selling Neo speaker. Very similar to the C12K2, a tad more transparent in the lower midrange, even if you don't see it in the frequency curve. Open but not too bright. Overall just a little clearer than the C12K2. Fender uses it in the George Benson Signature Twin Rev. Neo magnet, 4,9 lbs. Very light!
www.jensentone.com/jet-series/12-tornado-classic-100
www.jensentone.com/jet-series/12-tornado-stealth-100
Here the three frequency response curves compared: You'll clearly see how similar the C12K2 and the Tornado 100 are, and how much the C12K will be softer on the top end and heavier in the bass range.
FYI, our friend David has a 1x12 open back with a Tornado 100, if I remember correctly. Maybe he could chime in and share his thoughts... or you guys could just talk / test it etc.
Last detail, there is no tech difference between a Tornado 100 Classic and a Tornado 100 Stealth. The Stealth version features a back bell as a magnet cover, for pure aesthetic reasons. Usually the customer who wants them for open back cabs/combos takes the Stealth version. Those who install them in closed back cabs, take the Classic version that's a little more affordable and a little lighter too.
Hope all this will help! Let me know if you need any more info or details!
Cheers!
Thanks Chris and also thanks to Ignazio for this info
Thank you for teaching us. First timer here. I am trying to find out what year my Fender Pro reverb was made. Serial # F088854 ( 1890 black stamped) Fender blue speaker 005379/C1098102 - Tube Chart 013905 CBS period. Fender website does not seem to have the answer. Thanks in advance. Info if possible. THANK YOU! (Silver face push pull master volume.)
Can you see the code on the transformers? That's generally what I use to date an amp, Miguel.
RS component's sell switch like that
Thanks Ian. I looked at RS as well. I couldn't find anything with the profile of the original.