DRRI with Weber Blue Dog Alnico

[Dystonian_Mode]

My Seymour Duncan 84-40 finally died on me after 20 years *sniff*. Anyways, I immediately went out and purchased a brand new Fender Deluxe Reverb 65 reissue. So, I'm wondering about replacing the stock Jensen speaker in the DRRI with the almost new Weber Blue Dog Alnico speaker that was in my Seymour Duncan amp. Has anyone used Weber Blue Dogs in Fender amp with good results?

[SamBooka]

Dead 84-40 .. whatcha going to do with that?

[lpdeluxe]

Dead 84-40 .. whatcha going to do with that?

My question exactly.

I have a DRRI that's standard, although I have recurring delusions of turning it into a head-only rig and plugging it into my Weber California Ceramic 15 cabinet. Actually, I really like the DRRI as it is, so my delusions are more about buying another to turn into a head....

[Dystonian_Mode]

Dead 84-40 .. whatcha going to do with that?

Well, I'm obviously going to remove the Blue Dog speaker. After that, I'm not sure. It could be something that is easily fixable, but I'm just not going to pour money into something that's as old as it is (20 years) and has had the kind of hours put it to it (3-4 hours per day). If I knew it would be around 200 bucks or less to restore, I might go for it, but, I've heard too many stories of people spending hundreds of dollars, only to have the thing break down with another problem, or, not having it fixed at all. (sorry for the run on sentence...lol)

[Dystonian_Mode]

My question exactly.

I have a DRRI that's standard, although I have recurring delusions of turning it into a head-only rig and plugging it into my Weber California Ceramic 15 cabinet. Actually, I really like the DRRI as it is, so my delusions are more about buying another to turn into a head....

Well, to be honest, I ordered it brand new off of ebay a couple of days ago so it hasn't arrived yet. I'm sure I'll love the sound of it as is; I've played around on other FDR's and really loved the sound. I'm only throwing this out there because I heard/read of someone putting a Blue Dog into a DRRI and having it sound more reminiscent of the original FDR.

[randyc]

Can't fault your reasoning - even old afficionados of V-T amplifiers (me) sometimes know when to say "no". I might be inclined to give it to Drew (SamBooka) for shipping costs or something ... we know that he loves old tube amplifiers (maybe even more than I do) and could give it a good home

OOPS - my post is out of context and therefore meaningless. I was referring to the old amplifier, sorry about the confusion.

[lpdeluxe]

I'd take it to a tech, but -- looking at your location -- perhaps that's not an option. Certainly I'd first try the Deluxe Reverb unmodified before sailing into uncharted waters. That amp model enjoys a solid resale value due to its combination of desireable features: Fender harmonic richness, small size, and the ability to deliver great tone at low volume. I love mine, but it's one of five; if its role is to be your only amp, it might too much dictate your musical approach, depending on your sonic requirements (although I think that my own DRRI would compete only with my '63 Silvertone 1484 as my "desert island" amp).

If I remember correctly, it's about half the wattage of the 84-40. This doesn't so much influence overall loudness -- there is necessarily a limit on how loudly one can play unless in a stadium venue -- as it does the characteristics the amplifier will exhibit as it is turned up. I prefer lower powered amps, as I can get useful tones without blasting my own or others' ears

[Dystonian_Mode]

I'd take it to a tech, but -- looking at your location -- perhaps that's not an option. Certainly I'd first try the Deluxe Reverb unmodified before sailing into uncharted waters. That amp model enjoys a solid resale value due to its combination of desireable features: Fender harmonic richness, small size, and the ability to deliver great tone at low volume. I love mine, but it's one of five; if its role is to be your only amp, it might too much dictate your musical approach, depending on your sonic requirements (although I think that my own DRRI would compete only with my '63 Silvertone 1484 as my "desert island" amp).

If I remember correctly, it's about half the wattage of the 84-40. This doesn't so much influence overall loudness -- there is necessarily a limit on how loudly one can play unless in a stadium venue -- as it does the characteristics the amplifier will exhibit as it is turned up. I prefer lower powered amps, as I can get useful tones without blasting my own or others' ears

Yeah, the tech thing isn't an option around here; a trip to Vancouver is about $150 return -- minimum. So, I'm just going to strip out the Blue Dog speaker and the preamp tubes (they're practically brand new and I'm pretty sure the preamp groove tubes will act as a spare set for the DRRI). After that, if anyone wants it for a personal amp (not something to restore and hock), I'd be willing to ship it - as is - just for the cost of shipping. PM if interested.

[SamBooka]

How long does it take to swap out a speaker? I say go for it.. try it. If you like it great. If not.. put the jensen back in. In your shoes I wouldnt even go that far. I would just run a speaker cable to the SD cab and try it out.

I am NOT a Jensen fan (and I am a HUGE Weber fan but that is part quality/part price/part customer service). But to be fair, let the Jensen break in before you send it packing. That speaker new and that speaker after 40 or so hours on it will not be the same.

You dont say what exactly died on the 84-40 but unless there is much fire (not just smoke.. fire) tube amps can usually be fixed cheaply and/or easily. If you dont even want a tech to look at it, fine. PM me if you want to unload it. In your shoes tho (you said you would spend 200$) I would have a tech check it out. If you know a shade-tree tube amp nut (like me) 200$ covers most of the major parts (transformers and power tubes). Throw in a 2-4 and you probably could get it up and running lol. If a tech says she is a goner (or you dont even want to put the time to check into it) PM me. I am alway looking for fun projects.

Drew

[lpdeluxe]

After that, if anyone wants it for a personal amp (not something to restore and hock), I'd be willing to ship it - as is - just for the cost of shipping. PM if interested.

I already have a sufficiency of amps, but I am also in a town with a good tube tech. I'd be interested if SamBooka doesn't want it.

[Dystonian_Mode]

I already have a sufficiency of amps, but I am also in a town with a good tube tech. I'd be interested if SamBooka doesn't want it.

Well, Sambooka managed to walk me through getting the amp working again, so I guess I have to pull the offer, unfortunately.

[randyc]

GREAT! Cool that a forum member was able to assist.

P.S. LPD, you have a potential project that would interest many - if you documented and posted it. I'm referring to that vacuum tube stereo amplifier collecting dust. It would be a pleasure to offer suggestions that might motivate ya'

[lpdeluxe]

GREAT! Cool that a forum member was able to assist.

P.S. LPD, you have a potential project that would interest many - if you documented and posted it. I'm referring to that vacuum tube stereo amplifier collecting dust. It would be a pleasure to offer suggestions that might motivate ya'

Oh yeah -- the Dynaco. Maybe I'll ship it out to you. I'm a lot better at telling you when they sound good than at making them sound good!

[mattymel]

i have a original 1965 blackface Deluxe (non reverb) with that very blue dog speaker. it sounds awesome! i never would have thought to try it, but i went into a local store and there it was hanging on the wall. i figured what the heck, and its been there ever since. its considered more of a vox-y marshall-y type speaker, but i swear it has more warmth to it in my fender then any other weber i have tried in it. and ive tried most of the standard deluxe replacements. still a very fender like tone to it with more openess.

+1 on weber killing jensens. a weber sounds better before its even broken in than those things. new jensens are a mystery to me. never heard one i liked. for me, fender and weber are a match made in heaven. same goes for marshalls and celestions. though i have heard the new eminence stuff sound great in both as well. if money is an issue, eminence is probably your best bet.

[randyc]

Oh yeah -- the Dynaco. Maybe I'll ship it out to you. I'm a lot better at telling you when they sound good than at making them sound good!

Wouldn't take much to tailor that thing into a sweet guitar amplifier, provided that it is still functional. I can envision it in a nice oak cabinet with a stainless steel perforated cage top ... It could easily be configured to drive a couple of tens or perhaps a single twelve ... or a nice fifteen, WOW !

The electronic work would be minimal, a minor modification to the tone control circuits, replacing the RCA jacks with 1/4 inch jacks, adding an output switching network to establish the correct impedance for either dual or single speakers. Most of the work would be in the cabinet and the cage.

If you'll send me the model number, I'll see if a schematic is available. The practicality of the project can be established with a few moments thought.

PS: Just thought of something. Many of the older Dynacos are power amplifiers only. If that's the case with yours, a preamplifier would have to be designed and added to the chassis. (Machining is required, in addition to the extra components.) Still, it doesn't have to be a HUGE project. Let me know the model number and I'll provide feedback.

[lpdeluxe]

Randy: mine is an integrated amp, with (as I remember) a quartet of EL84s in the power section. Since it has a phono pre built in, surely it will handle a guitar signal. As an aside, it incorporates the David Hafler "third channel" L+R speaker jack. I don't have it here, so can't supply the model number.

I found a schematic of it online some years ago, but my "repair work" consisted of taking it to a tech who knew and loved the old point-to-point gear.

It was in working condition when last I plugged it in, but alas! For all its superior sound (tell ya what, Taj Mahal came right out of the speakers and sat down on the coffee table in front of me) its input configuration no longer qualifies as "modern" -- looking at my living room stereo, there's a receiver, and an HD radio, a VCR/DVD combo, a CD changer and a Sonic Maximizer, all of which is also patched into the TV's audio playback -- and it became more useful as a space heater than a stereo amp.

I'm speaking from memory, but I believe it has line, phono, and "tape head" inputs.

I'll have it on its way before long. I'm in the ongoing process of cleaning out stuff -- anybody need a pair of passive Carvin studio monitors + stands, free to a good home? -- and that will be one more step towards the goal of no extraneous stuff (to be completed by my children on my demise, with much talk of "what did he keep this old thing for?!?").

[randyc]

LOL, sure, send the Carvins and the amplifier to me, I'll pay for the shipping. Once I find the schematic and have the time I'll convert the old Dynaco and send it back to you. Yes, the fact that it has tape and phono inputs does mean that there is a preamplifier. The EQ characteristics of both those inputs aren't good for guitar, as you know, hence my earlier comments about changing the tone control circuit.

Cheers,
Randy

[lpdeluxe]

LOL, sure, send the Carvins and the amplifier to me, I'll pay for the shipping. Once I find the schematic and have the time I'll convert the old Dynaco and send it back to you. Yes, the fact that it has tape and phono inputs does mean that there is a preamplifier. The EQ characteristics of both those inputs aren't good for guitar, as you know, hence my earlier comments about changing the tone control circuit.

Cheers,
Randy

It'll be next week. Tomorrow I head to Tyler with a friend for our sort-of-annual visit to a bookstore (when we don't go to Shreveport instead, Barnes&Noble in both cases -- this is being supplanted by Amazon online). Then a friend from my graduate school days arrives. This requires perhaps more explanation than anyone wants to hear, but briefly: he and I took different turns in the road, and he became an English professor in a university, while I continued to scuffle with reality in other milieus. In 1981, I was tapped to paint sets (and a year later, up to the present, in fact, to produce posters) for the local, robust community theatre. My friend turned into an American theatre specialist, producing books on William Inge and Tennessee Williams -- I didn't mention that he also sold me my first guitar, for $35 (and worth every penny!) in 1971. So now the theatre group is staging Picnic by the aforementioned W Inge, and we cooked up the scheme whereby he would give a post-matinee presentation Sunday. To be accompanied by the pre- and post- strumming and other manipulation of guitar strings and vocal cords.

My plan was to send the Dynaco to you to play with -- as noted elsewhere, I'm amp poor. But we'll work out the details later.

[randyc]

That is an interesting story and I'm glad that you didn't abbreviate it excessively ! How about a critical review next Monday ?

[Archie]

Well, since this thread has already gone slightly off-topic, maybe I can slip in a couple of pics of my latest mod:





New PRRI with an old JBL K110 I found on eBay.

Actually, at the low volumes I play, it doesn't sound any different than the stock Jensen, but I've always had a thing for JBLs, and in my old bass-playing days, two 15" JBLs driven by a cranked Fender 300 PS sounded and felt pretty good.

[lpdeluxe]

Off topic? We prefer to think we approach each issue holistically.

Nice amp, by the way.

[randyc]

Hey, LPD, you're back, great! Will e-mail you later on some thoughts I had regarding the Dynaco last night.

Archie that's a fine amplifier and that enhancement is one of my lifetime favorites. In a post some months back, I described how I "Princetonized" my Fender Champ after first (and with great effort) replacing the stock 8 inch speaker with a 10 inch Jensen. A fun project.

[Archie]

Thank you, lpdeluxe and Randy. My wife keeps telling me I need more exercise, so I comply by making my gear heavier. Years ago I put an EV in a Super Champ.

[mattymel]

good call on the replacing the jensen in the PRRI. those things are fart city. makes a BIG difference in that amp.