HNAD!
- Thread starter OGG
- Start date
mikesr1963
Gonna walk my dog, you?
OGG
Master of the Meh
I thought it was gonna get gutted. I understood it to be worse off than it is. In fact, it's in awesome condition. Doesn't need a power switch like I thought, and the problem with the chorus circuit appears to simply be the Rate pot popping loose from the board which is a ten minute fix. It powers right up and sounds just like it should, the overall aesthetic condition is remarkable (way better than the one I restored).
The guy I got it from was about 30, said his dad bought it new and it's been in his family the whole time. Said it was his own first guitar amp.
The poor guy actually didn't want to let it go for sentimental reasons but just wasn't using it and wanted it to go to someone who would. He obviously didn't look into what they're going for, because he could have gotten A LOT more for it.
Here's the best part...
He tells me he has the Anvil flight case for it in his garage and that he and his GF are headed to San Diego next weekend and he'll bring it down so I can meet up with him and get the case... for FREE.
So, at $250 I really did steal this thing and it would be a shame to gut it.
Guess I'll just have to fix the blue one. It may cost more than its worth, needs a new transformer and who knows how many new caps etc, but I want to use the amp I worked so hard on customizing. At least for now I have one to gig with and can take my time with the blue one.
It was a great find, and well worth the white knuckle terrifying 260 mile round trip in the pouring rain to go get it.
And yes, I stopped and bought the dude a sixer of some very nice microbrew on my way up.
He really did save my bacon.
P.S.
When I do fix the blue one I'm gonna run them both in stereo... the swirl from two stereo choruses should be enough to create a vortex!
Modern Saint
Starve your Fear, Feed your Dream!
HNAD 
HNAD!
Your adventures have given me a little bit of GAS for one of these.
Your adventures have given me a little bit of GAS for one of these.
I have a question though, and I'm not picking on your amp. It's more of a general question about them.
Do they all have crooked studs holding the tolex on? Or whatever those things are?
Do they all have crooked studs holding the tolex on? Or whatever those things are?
OGG
Master of the Meh
Those upholstery tacks are very weak and flimsy. They are purely cosmetic (which I found while restoring the other one). They get bent out of position easily. The good news is, you can get stronger, identical replacements at Wal Mart for a couple of bucks.
The tolex is actually glued to the wood.
OGG
Master of the Meh
It's official, I just can't gut this one. Got a chance to turn it on for a while last night, and it's just amazing. I have to fix the Chorus pot, which is super easy, but even without the chorus circuit turned on, it sounds perfect. Crystal cleans to an insane volume level. No scratchy pots, no weird noises, just pure JC goodness that goes to 11. I'm convinced now that the 77 is just the better amp than the 120. It is so much friendlier. Smaller, lighter, all of the exact tone you want without lugging a 90lb behemoth around.
Once I take some soapy water to it, it's going to look almost new. A couple of the studs are missing, but I have lots of spares.
When I pull the chassis to fix the chorus pot, I'll take detailed pictures of the wiring so I can hopefully fix the blue one without blowing it up again.
The cool thing is, I can take my photoshop file of the custom front panel graphic I designed for the blue one and change the colors to the factory colors to match the amp and have my printer guy print out a custom overlay for it just like that on the blue one that can be removed later if I choose without painting or screwing up the original.
Once I take some soapy water to it, it's going to look almost new. A couple of the studs are missing, but I have lots of spares.
When I pull the chassis to fix the chorus pot, I'll take detailed pictures of the wiring so I can hopefully fix the blue one without blowing it up again.
The cool thing is, I can take my photoshop file of the custom front panel graphic I designed for the blue one and change the colors to the factory colors to match the amp and have my printer guy print out a custom overlay for it just like that on the blue one that can be removed later if I choose without painting or screwing up the original.
