Deville - Combo to head conversion

[gvis]

Here it is, finally. The answer to a question nobody asked...lol. Last May I had my deville modded by a tech to sound like a jcm 800. Converting to a head was my next step.

The hellhound in the pic is next up on the chopping block, and it will sit atop the deville. The deville was both cut and laid down on its front. The hell hound will remain upright. I'm using a weber amp switcher to run them both thru 2 cabs.

Overall I'm very happy with the results, although I was pressed for time and didn't spend enough time sanding straight some of my cuts. Much lighter now though. And I probably have the only amp with pvc tubes on the front for airflow...lol. Kinda fits the odd chrome controls board that now faces frontwards, blinding everyone. No one ever accused me of being conformist.

[FuseG4]

Re: Deville - Combo to head conversion

kick-ass! I always knew somebody should do this.

[gvis]

Re: Deville - Combo to head conversion

lol...thanks! Someone had to do it. I think the hellhound will look more...normal. It will get black speaker cloth on the front, same as the cabs, for airflow.

Once the hellhound is done, along with some wiring changes on the franken parker, I'll post a vid. No one sounds like me and my setup...for better or, likely, worse.

[Andrew Lamprecht]

Re: Deville - Combo to head conversion

Kickass!

[Kam]

Re: Deville - Combo to head conversion

Man, that looks awesome. I've been thinking a lot lately that I want a Fender amp but they make precious few heads for some reason. I've been giving serious though to picking up a Hot Rod Deluxe or something and doing this very thing. It's cool to know that it can be done...and done well. That looks great and very unique. I love it.

Really nice work, man.

[Bludave]

Re: Deville - Combo to head conversion

This thread is worthless without clips!

[speed2dirt]

Re: Deville - Combo to head conversion

Looks nice. Only concern is that the handle is on the bolted in side. If those bolts break while carrying, down goes the amp. Granted, there are 6 bolts, but still. Maybe put the handle on the side or front/back for more security.

[gvis]

Re: Deville - Combo to head conversion

This thread is worthless without clips!

It's a conversion thread, not a thread to show what the jcm 800 mods sound like. That will come later, after I finish chopping up the hellhound and making some electronic revisions to franken parker.

[gvis]

Re: Deville - Combo to head conversion

Looks nice. Only concern is that the handle is on the bolted in side. If those bolts break while carrying, down goes the amp. Granted, there are 6 bolts, but still. Maybe put the handle on the side or front/back for more security.

Structurally it's no different than stock. I made sure to replace the original 1/4 inch back piece (now the top) with a 3/4 piece of plywood; that's why it sits higher than the sides. It's very sturdy.

And the 6 top bolts are no different than the 6 side/front bolts. All twelve bolt to the chassis, which is really where the structural strength, not the outside wood. I used longer top bolts than stock, not just for the thicker wood, but for extra margin of error in case they loosen.

An issue I worked aorund is that the plug in bolts on the inside, where the boltrs thread into, are now over the electronics, not over the open inside. I made sure to put adhesive and gorilla tape (secured by overlapping tolex) under the new shielding liner, so that, if the bolts were to ever loosen, they would be held in place and not touch the electronics.

I am concerned about the transformer in front of the right hole. It's a 1/4 inch away from the screen, which doesn't move, but you could stick a fork in there and you know how kids are. It's not running as hot as I expected in that corner, so I may I block that hole.

[beggar_guitar]

Re: Deville - Combo to head conversion

Super cool!

I considered turning my AC4TV into a head. Just for kicks. Mainly because the tiny combo would look goofy atop a cab.

[gvis]

Re: Deville - Combo to head conversion

Thanks! I did it to make it easier to haul. No more combos for me. And I use lightweight, separate 1x12 cabs, for the same reason.

I say go for it, if you don't care about resale, or shocking yourself. Gotta be careful with this stuff.

[ImmortalSix]

Re: Deville - Combo to head conversion

Tell me about your JCM800 mod!

[gvis]

Re: Deville - Combo to head conversion

Tell me about your JCM800 mod!

I had Doug at Music Technologies in Springfield VA (Talos amps) do the work. I've never gotten a complete list of every single change he made, likely because it went back and forth so often for re-voicing tweaks, but I do know he changed to el34's and to a new transformer, and he messed with the rectification.

I have never owned nor played a jcm800. And to be honest, except for a late 90's valvestate, I've never owned a marshall. I simply told him I wanted something with a Marshall like high gain sound and that I really like the tones used on A Perfect Circle's tune Judith. It was he who said it sounded like a jcm800, so I said fine.

I'm very happy with it. As he warned me, given the deville channel design, his gaion channel work would affect the clean channel in some way. In the end the clean channel is now on the verge of slight break up, but in a good way. And much thicker, more marshally than stock. But I use the reverend for cleans, and instead I run dirt pedals thru the deville clean channel, and it sounds great. Dark and a bit compressed, but I like a little doominess, and the sustain is amazing. The reverend gives a more open and lighter fendery type tone.

But the real winner is the gain channel. Sustains forever and has a great swirling grind. Thick, but notes still are still defined. One day I'll get everyone's feedback on what amp they think it comes close to.

Overall though, such custom modding can be tedious and expensive. You have to be patient because techs usually put normal customers with emergency fixes first. And you have to be flexible and accept that you may not get exactly what you want, unless you don't mind forking over more dough.

And kudos to Doug for dealing with some curve balls pro bono. Really great tech and guy.