1979 Fender Twin (very slow) restoration

[laurie]

I'll be doing this restoration slowly over the fall/winter.

These are the pre-resto pics. The photos do not convey the smell. This amp has been in a LOT of smoky bars.
.

79 twin 01.jpg (288.61 KiB) Viewed 11561 times

.

79 twin 02.jpg (139.24 KiB) Viewed 11561 times

[laurie]

First step in the resto - I ordered a vintage spec footswitch on Amazon. Should be here this week.

I have most of the capacitors and vacuum tubes. Plus the parts bin will have anything else that needs doing - e.g. the "power" switch is missing... amp goes straight to standby when you plug it in.
.

Footswitch.jpg (44.29 KiB) Viewed 11559 times

[fuzzbuzzfuzz]

Looks like a good project Laurie!

Amps are definiely a winter patience affair, good luck!

[Dirk]

Cool, what is that input jack looking thingy in the middle?

[laurie]

Cool, what is that input jack looking thingy in the middle?

It is a microphone mount. Screw a gooseneck into it and mic up one of the speakers.

It will be departing when I do the restoration.

[Dirk]

It is a microphone mount. Screw a gooseneck into it and mic up one of the speakers.

It will be departing when I do the restoration.

Oh I see, handy for live gigs I reckon.

[laurie]

Parts are ordered.

• New grille cloth because I'm certain I won't be able to get the smoke smell out of the original cloth, plus the screws for that microphone mount have torn up the cloth a bit.

• A full set of new tubes. Won't need all of them, but what i don't use will be spares.

• The silver "chassis straps" - the originals had rusted.

• The handle - burned by cigarettes.

• New power and standby switches.

• A new Fender amp cover to replace the very smoky aftermarket one.

• A full set of replacement capacitors to restock my parts bin.

By the time it is done it will have cost me less than CAD$1000 (~750 Euro).

[laurie]

I'd be working on the restoration of this amp right now if it wasn't minus 10C in the garage. Grrrr.

[Pepe]

Are those temperatures dangerous for electric gear like this amp? What about the tubes?

[laurie]

Only dangerous if the gear isn't warmed up to ambient before turning it on again.

Just bring it inside and let it warm up for a couple.of hours.