Anyone using a Twin 135 watt ultra linear?

Dave Zirbel · Post by **Dave Zirbel** » 20 Oct 2023 1:25 pm

I picked up a head only in a trade. I’ve heard a few guys using them years ago (including Tim Marcus, builder of Milkman amps), and thought they sounded amazing. Mine needs a little work. It basically works but by just barely touching the “hum balance “ control on the back, the hum got louder and won’t go away. The mid range control on the reverb channel doesn’t have a smooth taper it’s either on around 7 and up ( with a popping sound) or off. Could be a good rig, I like the basic tone but it’s still around 50 pounds as a head only. It looks unmolested inside although I’m not a tech. I think these were built from 1978 to the mid 80’s?

Paul Sutherland · Post by **Paul Sutherland** » 20 Oct 2023 1:36 pm

It's my understanding that the ultralinear amps started in about 77 or 78; not in 68.

A trip to Skip Simmons would be in order.

Bill A. Moore · Post by **Bill A. Moore** » 20 Oct 2023 1:57 pm

It is more than likely due for maintenance, get it checked out by your tech, and put it in a head cab, I'll bet you'll like it!

Joe Shelby · Post by **Joe Shelby** » 20 Oct 2023 3:37 pm

The ultralinear amps got a bad rap, I guess compared to the twin reverb's of the 1960's and early 1970's. I don't understand why, unless it's the pull boost circuit that creates an ungodly distortion. I had Skip Simmons remove the circuit from my amp and I like the sound of it a lot. I have mine in a head cabinet that Rick Johnson built and also two 15" speaker
cabinets with a JBL D-130f and a Weber California ceramic.
The downside is (as you mentioned, Dave) the head amp weighs around 50 lbs.
I think it's well worth putting the time and money in getting it fixed.
I was recommended to get a Quilter TB202 as a lightweight alternative to a 70's twin and it comes nowhere near the sound you get from the twin reverb.

Joe

Dave Zirbel · Post by **Dave Zirbel** » 20 Oct 2023 4:47 pm

It's my understanding that the ultralinear amps started in about 77 or 78; not in 68.

Oops, yeah I meant 78. Edited my post!

It is more than likely due for maintenance, get it checked out by your tech, and put it in a head cab, I'll bet you'll like it!

It's already in a head cabinet. I have a guy that can look at it.

Thanks!

Larry Dering · Post by **Larry Dering** » 20 Oct 2023 5:22 pm

Dave, I have one of these monsters. Bought it used in the 90s. It was equipped with 2 D150F JBLs and weighs a ton. I have done little to it over the years except put Eminence speakers in when the JBLs failed. One is still working but I replaced both and saved the old ones. It sounds great to me but I can't carry it up stairs anymore. Everything works and I use it at home.

Tim Marcus · Post by **Tim Marcus** » 23 Oct 2023 8:16 am

I remember mine sounding awesome! And very heavy!

I re-wired the bias balance circuit to be a normal grid bias adjustment (it was really cold and sounded much better when the tubes were running at about 28mA)

if the hum balance is really noisy, its probably just a dirty pot. I would hit it with some MCL and try to clean it up by turning it back and forth a few times. Then set it to where its quiet and hopefully it stays that way - otherwise you can just replace it with a couple of 100 ohm resistors

we need to have a steel guitar amp roundup one of these days - I would love to hear one of those things again

Ethan Shaw · Post by **Ethan Shaw** » 23 Oct 2023 10:35 am

I just sold mine the other day. It was actually a killer amp, and I used it a lot, but I'm trying to thin the herd. I like my Fox Vintage HPTT a little bit more, but that twin was the second-best sounding amp I've ever had. I'd definitely say it's worth getting fixed.

Dave Meis · Post by **Dave Meis** » 24 Oct 2023 11:20 am

IMHO, the best pedal steel amp ever! The 4 lug 'Output Tube Matching' pots are no longer available. I switched mine to a standard fixed bias pot and got rid of the distortion part of the master volume knob (pull position), but left the master volume part (which is really useful!). I balance the 6L6 pairs, and it's dead quiet at idle. Running the mid control around 7-8 gives it about the same mid as the 'slope resisistor' of the blackface AB 763 circuit.
If everything is working properly, it's a fabulous steel amp.

Mike Vallandigham · Post by **Mike Vallandigham** » 25 Oct 2023 12:58 pm

My main steel guitar amp since I started in 2003 has been a 1980 Vibrosonic Reverb with a JBL D-120F.

I've never really thought about getting anything else.

It's loud as hell if needed, and the onboard reverb sounds great - no need for any other pedals.

David Farrell · Post by **David Farrell** » 31 Oct 2023 5:31 am

I have a Pro Reverb from about 1980. I think it sounds incredible. If it wasn't so dang heavy (& big) I'd play out with it.
I was carying it down a set of stairs (where I was living) a few years ago & my back seized up. I never took it back up those stairs.

Andy Beisel · Post by **Andy Beisel** » 31 Oct 2023 10:16 pm

I picked up a 1980 silverface twin back in April. It came with two JBL E-120 speaker with the orange baskets. I recently put into a head cabinet because when it was the combo form, it felt like it was glued to the floor. I think the JBLs it was well over 100 lbs.

It’s a really great sounding amp. The reverb and tremolo are killer. I haven’t had the opportunity to gig it yet but sounds great in my rehearsal space. I’m hoping to soon now that I’ve split the combo into a head. In the future I’d like to put the JBLs into two separate 1x12 cabinets. I love big powerful amps but I’m lazy!

Cody Stewart · Post by **Cody Stewart** » 13 Nov 2023 5:40 am

I have a similar amp. Mine is a 78ish Vibrosonic once owned by Dicky Overbey. Electronically, It's the same amp as your twin reverb with the exception of an 8ohm output transformer. The twin came with 2-12in speakers and the vibrosonic a single 15in speaker. The 135watt ultralinear circuit to me is the pinnacle of tube amps for steel guitar. The extra power the circuit offers complements better the dynamic demands of the tonal spectrum required for pedal steel. CLEAN Headroom is a big issues for steel players using tube amps. Having owned several twins in the 85 & 100watt configurations, the 135 far exceeds the older siblings. I wouldn't hesitate to buy or own another one. They're monster amps. PERIOD! I would suggest, as others have previously mentioned: converting the bias balance to a conventional grid bias control that evenly biases the quad of 6L6's to around 65-70% plate dissipation or ~30ma/tube. Most of these amps in factory configuration are biased far too cold for pedal steel. Turn them up and be ready for amazement! A new set of F&T filter caps and you should be good to go! I have experience with Standels, Peaveys, Webbs and many other brands. But, 135watt Fender's are simply the best I've found.