65 Black Face Twin ?

Len Amaral · Post by **Len Amaral** » 7 Dec 2012 12:04 pm

Tomorrow I pick up a 1965 Twin, I am told it is a one owner and been sitting doing nothing. I know it will need filter caps and maybe an upgrade on some components.

Any suggestions or ideas are appreciated. I figure I'll try it with the steel but it probably will be used with a Tele. Just looking at this amp tilting back on the chrome legs gives me shivers

Lane Gray · Post by **Lane Gray** » 7 Dec 2012 12:10 pm

I wish I could tell you what had been done to my 65 reissue. Sounds amazing

Rich Hlaves · Post by **Rich Hlaves** » 7 Dec 2012 3:24 pm

I would make sure the filter caps and bias cap are replaced, heck they could be original. Then you will know what you have. If you plan to play it alot and gig with it, I would just go ahead and change the grid resistors and check the rest of the values of everything on the board. Test reverb and trem and repair as neccessary.

A grounded power cord would be in order if that has not been done already.

Tubes may be needed. Killer amp for bitey clean Tele.

Robert Parent · Post by **Robert Parent** » 8 Dec 2012 4:50 am

Len Amaral wrote:Tomorrow I pick up a 1965 Twin, I am told it is a one owner and been sitting doing nothing. I know it will need filter caps and maybe an upgrade on some components.

Any suggestions or ideas are appreciated. I figure I'll try it with the steel but it probably will be used with a Tele. Just looking at this amp tilting back on the chrome legs gives me shivers

Len,

What speakers are in your 'new' amp??

Thanks,
Robert

Jay Ganz · Post by **Jay Ganz** » 8 Dec 2012 7:24 am

Should be Fender label Jensen C12N's. That's what are in my old original '65.
Before changing a bunch of stuff, see what (if any) problems you have.
Mine still is factory stock (except for some NOS tubes)and it still works great.

Len Amaral · Post by **Len Amaral** » 8 Dec 2012 8:37 am

I picked up the amp today and I was amazed to see a pair EV-12L speakers. The guy that owned this amp is a drummer and he said didn't realize the value of the amp until recently. The seller said he had the power cord changed to a 3 prong and it has new tubes. Will take the chassis out of the cab and have it retolexed in cream color and have grill cloth changed. Not that it needs it but I want to have it in tip top shape.

Gonna plug it in later today.

Lenny

Stephen Cowell · Post by **Stephen Cowell** » 8 Dec 2012 9:05 am

Len Amaral wrote:I picked up the amp today and I was amazed to see a pair EV-12L speakers. The guy that owned this amp is a drummer and he said didn't realize the value of the amp until recently. The seller said he had the power cord changed to a 3 prong and it has new tubes. Will take the chassis out of the cab and have it retolexed in cream color and have grill cloth changed. Not that it needs it but I want to have it in tip top shape.

That new tolex will drop the value by about a grand... the grill cloth about the same. Please reconsider... it would be cheaper to buy a re-issue and put it in that cab. You might also consider a new cabinet/grille... they are cheaper than a reissue, and you can buy it in whatever tolex (orange!) you want. This would protect your investment (don't forget your heirs!) and might cost the same as what you're considering.

EV12L's no problem... you can always get the proper speakers if you need to, and those are great speakers anyway.

Jay Ganz · Post by **Jay Ganz** » 8 Dec 2012 9:37 am

Stephen Cowell wrote:
That new tolex will drop the value by about a grand... the grill cloth about the same. Please reconsider... it would be cheaper to buy a re-issue and put it in that cab. You might also consider a new cabinet/grille... they are cheaper than a reissue, and you can buy it in whatever tolex (orange!) you want. This would protect your investment (don't forget your heirs!) and might cost the same as what you're considering.

EV12L's no problem... you can always get the proper speakers if you need to, and those are great speakers anyway.

I would DEFINITELY agree with that!

Tim Marcus · Post by **Tim Marcus** » 8 Dec 2012 9:43 am

what you can also do is put the old cabinet in a closet and move the guts into a new one. That way you retain the value because you still have the original cabinet.

I have a spare cream tolex mojotone Twin cabinet in my shop - its got wheat grill cloth and a cutout for a 15" speaker. It can be yours if you are interested! I will sell it to you below cost

Tom Wolverton · Post by **Tom Wolverton** » 8 Dec 2012 9:46 am

If you want cream tolex, go buy a new cabinet with that on it and store the old one. Please, please, please don't change the tolex and grill cloth on the original cab. That's like adding a spoiler to the rear of an original 356 Porsche.

Dave Hopping · Post by **Dave Hopping** » 8 Dec 2012 9:50 am

Yup.BF Fender amps,and a lot of the silverfaces are getting old enough to where it makes sense to conserve the cosmetics if they're halfway decent and to restore to stock if they aren't.Like six-strings,old amps are following the classic car model,and survivors are getting some buzz.

EDIT:@ Tim.If I'd pulled the trigger on a new '65 TR Custom 15(instead of John Atencio jewelry for the Mrs' birthday last July)I'd be having a serious talk with you about that cab.As it is,you've given me a cool idea.Thanks!

Stephen Cowell · Post by **Stephen Cowell** » 8 Dec 2012 10:20 am

Tim Marcus wrote: I have a spare cream tolex mojotone Twin cabinet in my shop - its got wheat grill cloth and a cutout for a 15" speaker. It can be yours if you are interested! I will sell it to you below cost

You can probably sell the EV's for much of what this will cost. Or barter with Tim? Either way, this is the way to go.

Len Amaral · Post by **Len Amaral** » 8 Dec 2012 10:22 am

Thanks for the concern and advice on the twin cab. The fact is, this unit will never leave my home and I figured while the chassis is being serviced the cab can be serviced also. I don't want to put a mustash on the Mona Lisa but there is a guy that lives 1 mile from me that does great tolex work.

Johnny Thomasson · Post by **Johnny Thomasson** » 8 Dec 2012 10:49 am

I have a '65 Twin. Picked in up in 1977. Len, you're gonna like it, a lot! That amp and my old '51 Nocaster is a marriage made in heaven! That is exactly what a Tele is supposed to sound like. It's a great steel amp, too.

Enjoy!

Jay Ganz · Post by **Jay Ganz** » 8 Dec 2012 11:40 am

Len Amaral wrote: I don't want to put a mustash on the Mona Lisa but there is a guy that lives 1 mile from me that does great tolex work.

Even if he's the best re-tolexer on the planet, it's still gonna kill the value of that amp....but I guess you don't mind.

Post by **Dave Mudgett** » 8 Dec 2012 11:49 am

Well, you are definitely putting a mustache on a Mona Lisa to re-tolex and re-grill perfectly good tolex and grill cloth on a nice old blackface Fender amp. It is so simple and inexpensive to get a repro cabinet the way you want it that it is very hard to understand why anybody would do this. With the repro cab, you have the cab the way you want it, and don't destroy the integrity and value of an original and very historic amp. Right now the only thing wrong with the amp is replaced speakers, originals of which are not that hard to find.

Remember - you can modify an amp from original like this any time you like. Once you modify it, you can never go back.

Len Amaral · Post by **Len Amaral** » 8 Dec 2012 12:12 pm

OK...I give in and I'll have a cab made. I got up at 6:00am and drove 75 miles in the rain so fatigue and lack of sleep has gotten to me. The seller was a very nice guy and put the amp in my car. That amp was on my bucket list

Stephen Cowell · Post by **Stephen Cowell** » 8 Dec 2012 12:45 pm

Thanks for taking the cabinet suggestion... as a collector (and past butcherer of old Fenders) I can rest easy now. Google 'reproduction fender cabinets' and you'll find just how many folks are in that business... Mojotone has one for $260, and for $25 you can get whatever tolex, grill, and handle you want. Most folks (Mather, Armadillo, etc) are near this price point.

First things first... before you even put it in the car, you should have looked at the fuse. If it's not correct (meaning larger amperes than normal) then a big red flag should come up... *always* check the fuse on a used amp, larger sizes are a sign of amp abuse.

In fact, if you're not an expert, you should take it in and have a pro go through it, check all tranny codes, etc... you mentioned filter caps, so that would fit right in with a trip to the tech. These amps need a three-wire cord installed... also necessary is a full 'death cap' mod, which should include moving the fuse, switch, etc over to the hot (black) wire. If your tech is good they'll already know all of this, use this as a test.

Donny Hinson · Post by **Donny Hinson** » 8 Dec 2012 4:39 pm

In excellent shape, this amp is only worth $2200-$2400. But if the tolex and grille cloth are not in good shape, you can knock $500-$700 off that, easily. In other words, if it's not really great shape, it's hardly a valuable collectible, so you can do with it as you will without losing tons of money. I wouldn't recover it in anything but black, though, because that amp ('65 TR) never came in any other color.

Of course, if it ever got stolen, cream tolex would make it really easy to identify!

Tim Whitlock · Post by **Tim Whitlock** » 10 Dec 2012 7:27 am

OK...I give in and I'll have a cab made. I got up at 6:00am and drove 75 miles in the rain so fatigue and lack of sleep has gotten to me. The seller was a very nice guy and put the amp in my car. That amp was on my bucket list

Whew!!!

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65 Black Face Twin ?

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