Re: Dork has more to say

[Dave Stagner <dstagner@icarus.net>]

On Mon, 2 Jun 1997, mmason wrote:

>      I've got a Fender Musicmaster Bass amp, a 12 watt tube amp from 
>1978. 
>      She sounds decent, but she makes a CRAPLOAD of noise.
>      
>      Any of you techno-smart loopin folks know any ways I could quiet 
>her 
>      down?

What do you mean by "noise"?  Not distortion, I hope.  Ain't nuttin'
you can do 'bout dat.  

At that age, she ought to be about due for a good restoration.  The
tubes will be gassy, and the electrolytic caps shot.  Does it make
popping sounds while it warms up?  If so, it needs a cap job.  Do that
soon, lest a failed cap damage your tubes or cause some other horror.
Do the tubes glow blue?  If so, they're gassy, and need replaced.  

Do yourself a favor, and forget new tubes.  Most modern Chinese and
Russian tubes are *junk*.  I just replaced a blown vintage Mullard
EL34 in my stereo with a Groove Tubes EL34.  The difference in
manufacturing quality and sonics shocked me.  The GT (a Chinese EL34)
glows cherry red at the limits of its capabilities in this amp, while
the 35 year old Mullards show no color at all, except for a tiny bit
of gas in one.  

So, retube with good quality NOS (new old stock) vintage tubes.  Try
Steve at Angela Instruments (www.angela.com), an excellent
straightforward guy.  His web site has prices and descriptions for a
wide variety of NOS tubes.  

As for a cap job... if you aren't afraid of a bit of soldering and
understand the basics of electronics, it's pretty easy to do.  If you
don't know the proper precautions for dealing with high voltage,
though, don't try it.  Tube amp voltages will knock you on your ass
bad.  Take it to a respected local amp repair shop.  While you're at
it, if the amp doesn't have a three-prong cord, add one.  

Take good care of that little amp, and don't begrudge spending money
on its health.  Those low-powered Fenders are some of the
best-sounding amps I've heard.  

-dave

By "beauty," I mean that which seems complete.
Obversely, that the incomplete, or the mutilated, is the ugly. 
Venus De Milo.
To a child she is ugly.       /* dstagner@icarus.net */
   -Charles Fort