New amp!

MattK · Post by **MattK** » Thu Apr 21, 2011 11:12 pm

Just the "plain" master vol, no push-pull - I think it might be the 100W version but it's actually not insanely loud. It's got four 6L6s in it but I can play quite comfortably with the master and channel volumes on about 5 each. I can bear 10 on MV with about 3-4 on the channel volume. Does that mean I have some kind of power or bias issue I should look into? Or does the power pile on at the top of the dial for all of these guys? I live in a residential area so I haven't been game to turn it up.

Ankhanu · Post by **Ankhanu** » Fri Apr 22, 2011 12:37 am

That's the same '72 I have; there weren't all that many made, apparently. Fairly early in the year they switch to the push/pull Master that was found on the rest of the line through later years.
IIRC, these are still 85W amps... but I could be mixing things up and they're at 100W. I'll have to check into it again.

Your volume does seem kinda low. I tend to jam with my band with the pre-volume at around 8 to try and coax a little growl out of the pre gain stage, and the master somewhere near 4ish. I doubt that the issue is biasing, but probably just old power tubes. I have a feeling mine should be louder too, but I've had it for six years and still have the same power tubes it came with when I got it... so I have no idea how old they are

The odd time I have cranked it up to 10 it's been pretty loud though.

I find that my Master doesn't really give me anything until somewhere around the 2 mark, does yours work right?

hotrodperlmutter · Post by **hotrodperlmutter** » Fri Apr 22, 2011 12:55 am

a silverface that i used to play at my favorite local shop always sounded really fucking good with my bbe green machine. almost an OD type fuzz at it's lowest setting, and really allowed the rest of my pedals to sound really great.

MattK · Post by **MattK** » Fri Apr 22, 2011 4:19 am

Thanks for the tip, hotrod, I will look around for one of those to try out.

Ankhanu wrote:That's the same '72 I have; there weren't all that many made, apparently. Fairly early in the year they switch to the push/pull Master that was found on the rest of the line through later years.
IIRC, these are still 85W amps... but I could be mixing things up and they're at 100W. I'll have to check into it again.

Your volume does seem kinda low. I tend to jam with my band with the pre-volume at around 8 to try and coax a little growl out of the pre gain stage, and the master somewhere near 4ish. I doubt that the issue is biasing, but probably just old power tubes. I have a feeling mine should be louder too, but I've had it for six years and still have the same power tubes it came with when I got it... so I have no idea how old they are The odd time I have cranked it up to 10 it's been pretty loud though.

I find that my Master doesn't really give me anything until somewhere around the 2 mark, does yours work right?

Mine's silent before 2 as well. Maybe it's a linear pot, nothing nothing little little HERE IT COMES.
Tubes in mine look most like Sylvanias - I haven't pulled any yet because I'm a little wary of messing with it. They may be years and years old for all I know. The volume is plenty for my current needs so I won't be changing them any time soon.
Cool if it's a rarer model, since mine has the international voltage selector it must be rarer still! Unless nobody wanted them in the States and they sent them all away. Funny to think of it leaving the Fender workshop and sitting on a container ship for a 10 000 mile trip to Tasmania.

MattK · Post by **MattK** » Fri Apr 22, 2011 4:48 am

Meant to add, I was working with a jackhammer today busting concrete, and the jackhammer was LIGHTER THAN THE TWIN REVERB. Louder, too.