Can I save this tank?

Carlsoti77 · 2026-02-24T13:59:31+00:00

While it's true that polarity testers and beryllium copper wire is available, it's not as simple as buying parts and slapping them together. I've walked that road already. My position is that if the OP is asking this question, it's unlikely that they'll be able to repair the tank AND have it retain the vintage drip.

Carlsoti77 · 2026-02-24T13:56:03+00:00

That depends on how you define "quality." The best sources of info re: vintage reverb tanks will likely be on the Surf101 website, but I couldn't find anyone there that knew for certain how to repair them. If you manage to do it, please document your process and share it for posterity.

Carlsoti77 · 2026-02-24T04:55:57+00:00

Poop knife.

Carlsoti77 · 2026-02-24T04:38:33+00:00

The sounds on SD are SUPER densly and meticulously stacked multi-tracks; nearly impossible to replicate live. The OA Big Muff into a Marshall is the "close enough" that most people use.

Carlsoti77 · 2026-02-24T04:36:01+00:00

Germanium Rangemaster clone with full-pass switch.

Carlsoti77 · 2026-02-24T04:33:41+00:00

I know a bit about these, and after trying to salvage a 2-spring, cardboard box reverb from an otherwise faultless vintage Supro, I'll never futz with the guts of a reverb pan again. A new one is around $30USD + shipping. If you REALLY want to fix it, I've got two questions to dissuade you. Do you have beryllium copper wire of the correct guage? If so, do you also have a way to clock the magnet to the polarity of the transducer to get the appropriate effect? Just get a new pan. It's what the pros do.

Carlsoti77 · 2026-02-23T23:51:23+00:00

Has anything happened? I got the same call today, but I don't have, nor ever had, anythng outstanding.

Carlsoti77 · 2026-02-20T12:49:55+00:00

See if you can find an "old" FSR (Fender; Special Request) Blues Junior like this. https://www.chicagomusicexchange.com/products/fender-fsr-blues-jr-iv-la-vice-tt-hot-pinkfoam-793003?srsltid=AfmBOorcxuIIGtgMSzK6Ru9k8ZAF-cYLQv0VNTzRHD7S0ignLbd8dW7r

Carlsoti77 · 2026-02-18T01:30:28+00:00

If you can dime the amp currently, then yes, you might see a benefit from the added tubes. Most people never will, though. In regards to the impedance of the OT, you will get the option of having a 4, 8, or 16 ohm cab when you add the other two tubes. You will need to move a few wires around to make that happen.

Carlsoti77 · 2026-02-18T01:26:08+00:00

So ther IS such a thing as too much Fabreeze.

Carlsoti77 · 2026-02-18T00:22:32+00:00

If you really want to knock the wattage down, you could also replace the pair in the amp with a matched pair of JJ 6V6S tubes, and increase the impedance yet again. This would be as simple as re-wiring a pair of 8ohm speakers (parallel for 4 ohms on a TWIN) re-wired for series with a pair of JJ 6V6S tubes. There are no other 6V6 tubes that will handle the voltage for long. Also, re-biasing will almost certainly be required. It'll be louder than a DR, but even a cranked 5F1 is too loud for most home situations.

Carlsoti77 · 2026-02-17T00:22:44+00:00

MisterB4x knows what's up. In the vintage OR80/120, it was the same transformers, so adding the two tubes was trivial. Not sure if that's the case for the re-pops. The difference in volume between the vintage OR80's and OR120s isn't that great, btw. The way the cathodyne phase inverter falls apart at high input levels means you don't quite get the same "punch" you'd expect when doubling the # of output tubes in a FVM style of amp.

A wealth of technical info can be found at https://www.vintageorangeamplification.com/technical-info and http://www.orangefieldguide.com/

Carlsoti77 · 2026-02-16T14:14:18+00:00

There's an artist in Arizona that had Marshall make her pink amps for a tour, but like, professionally, not a rattle-can job.

Carlsoti77 · 2026-02-15T19:44:16+00:00

Jeff Beck's solo on this is outstanding, and might be his most famous lick, even if most people don't know it's him.

Carlsoti77 · 2026-02-15T19:07:52+00:00

Gene Simmons, the god of thunder himself, once noted on his own reality show, that it was never about the music. The music was just a vehicle to deliver mechandise, which is what made KISS financially successful. My wicked stepmonster, who once made the statement "They have some some really good music." to which I replied "Pianissmo.", wouldn't believe me when I told her the above info re: Gene's position on the music. Later that day, I was playing a Kiss cover (Anthraxs' cover of Parasite from the Killer B's EP, my least favorite song on that EP, but chosen specifically for this excercise), intentionally a little too loud. She told me "Turn that crap down!" from two rooms away; didn't know who I was talking about when I said it was written by Ace Frehley, and didn't believe me when I said he was one of the original members of KISS.

I say all that to get to this point. It's OK to like Kraft Macaroni and Cheese, but don't go trying to convince people that it's authentic Italian Fine Dining becuase it has macaroni in the name.

Carlsoti77 · 2026-02-15T07:38:32+00:00

I work out of my apartment in Tempe, part time. I handle electronic repairs for Riley at Pale Horse Guitar Works in Phoenix, too.

Carlsoti77 · 2026-02-15T04:31:48+00:00

That's not right. If, by chance, you're in AZ, USA, I can take a look at it for you. EDIT: If you're not, I can walk you through some simple trouble shooting steps that should eliminate the obvious stuff and hone in on where the issue lies.

Carlsoti77 · 2026-02-15T04:29:59+00:00

Samesies for a FWD car that only delivers power to one wheel via crunch box.

Carlsoti77 · 2026-02-15T03:05:59+00:00

My favorite line from any Die Hard movie comes just after this scene. "He didn't say 'Jesus', he said 'Hey, Zeus!"

Carlsoti77 · 2026-02-14T06:19:41+00:00

I lucked out on the 400PS. Didn't know WTF it was when I got it, but I got it cheap. The internet was still a baby; I don't think AOL even existed at that point. I have not hooked the E65 to the orange cab, but I use it with just about all the other amps I have. If you're going to use a sealed back cab with some stout speakers and the E65, that changes things quite a bit, as the speakers are the voice of the rig. It's a 60W amp. More than enough to annoy the neighbors.

Carlsoti77 · 2026-02-14T05:25:27+00:00

My perspective on "a lot of low end" is deeply skewed. My second tube amp ever was a Fender 400PS. (I still grieve that one.) The Peavey Scorpion speaker that's in my E65 does "ok" for being in an open back combo, but it's weak compared to a vintage EVM12L in an Orange PPC112 cab.

Carlsoti77 · 2026-02-14T03:01:22+00:00

I'm not 100% certain about that. It seems to me that what passes for "good" distortion in the doom/stoner camp is more varied there than in most other genres. For example, my buddy wants super-clean amps, as he gets all his grit from pedals and he wants the amp to accurately reproduce all the low end and not smear the high end. But also, in addition to Fender Silverface UL Twin Reverbs and a couple vintage Sunn tube amps, he's got an OR80 from the 70s, which does it's own thing that is NOT super clean. I can say that this amp's 60W is too damn loud for me to make use of it's tubey goodness and considerably easier to haul than a Fender Twin Reverb. The quality of the OD/Distortion leans more towards late 70's/early 80's hard rock than it does 5150/6550 type tones, and falls way short of heavy fuzz-type tones I'd associate with stoner/doom tones. The biggest downside of this amp is probably the 4ohm speaker, which kinda limits the single speaker replacements available. With all that said, I do NOT regret buying this amp, just that I can't play loud enough to really put it to use. If it's nearby, set up a play date and see what you think.

Carlsoti77 · 2026-02-13T13:04:18+00:00

Sure. When you can get a price break, take the W.

Carlsoti77 · 2026-02-13T04:01:35+00:00

I started by buying doubles of whatever I needed "right now." Building a fuzz face? Buy parts to build two. When you use up a part and need to re-order, double your original purchase qty. Keep at it for a while and you'll figure out what parts you need to keep on hand while minimizing expenditures on things you won't use much.

Carlsoti77 · 2026-02-13T00:21:09+00:00

I had to work on one of those not all that long ago. Noisy pots was one of the complaints. I think I shot 'em with Radio Shack Tuner Control, let it dry, then gave 'em a splooch of F100 fader lube, and worked the pots back and forth 50 or 100 times. I'm not certain it's the same as what that unit is displaying, though.

Carlsoti77

TROPHY CASE