To Sell or Not To Sell? That is the question

[Robert Delahunt]

I have a decision to make, so I wanted some advice. I have a '72 Twin Reverb that today started to act like someone slapped the master volume down 50% while I was playing. It slowly came back, but I was unhappy, so today I played Line Out ME50 -> church PA.

My friend is still bugging me to sell it to him for $650, and I bought it for $300. He's the rhythm player so he knows what it is doing, he's right there with me. I've tried playing through a Roland 30W keyboard amp with my line out, and I know there's a model for $300 that would work for me with a tiny bit of EQ playing.

I've also tried the Fender Blues Junior and it seems to be ok.

Still, it's a hard decision. I have the time... do I take it apart and swap out capacitors? (I'm certified to do this stuff, but I don't have a cap tester, and I surely don't have the money for new caps right now) Or do I just part with it? I'd surely rather not part with this amp, it's been so good to me for so long.

No money to fix and the temptation of selling it... Please vote in the poll Thanks.

 

[PUCKBOY99]

Re: To Sell or Not To Sell? That is the question

For the reasons you gave, I voted don't sell.

Is it your only amp? Is it all original????

I haven't checked the costs of a SF Twin, but I'm guessing $650.00 is on the low end.

If you can do the work yourself, caps don't cost THAT much. Do the recap (are you sure that's the problem? Are the tubes good??) & if it still doesn't "GRAB YA"....Blackface it

And if it still doesn't do it for ya'....then sell it....for more than $650.00 !!!

 

[Robert Delahunt]

Re: To Sell or Not To Sell? That is the question

For the reasons you gave, I voted don't sell. Is it your only amp? Is it all original???? I haven't checked the costs of a SF Twin, but I'm guessing $650.00 is on the low end. If you can do the work yourself, caps don't cost THAT much. Do the recap (are you sure that's the problem? Are the tubes good??) & if it still doesn't "GRAB YA"....Blackface it And if it still doesn't do it for ya'....then sell it....for more than $650.00 !!!

Yeah, it needs to be blackfaced. It doesn't seem to be all original, but only the speakers (Celestion Modern Lead speakers) and tubes (non-Fender tubes, but the proper type tubes) have changed. I can do soldering work, and I'm hoping I get enough money to buy the capacitors. It can't be the tubes because they were replaced when I bought it, around this time, and it doesn't get a lot of abuse or high-volume use, just church service and practice.

I'll see what I can do, but I hope I'm not getting in over my head.

 

[NT02]

Re: To Sell or Not To Sell? That is the question

"I'd surely rather not part with this amp, it's been so good to me for so long."

Then treat it right, give it a some love, and let the romance flourish.

 

[Benjy_26]

Re: To Sell or Not To Sell? That is the question

Check the tubes first.

Tubes die. Such is life.

 

[Gearjoneser]

Re: To Sell or Not To Sell? That is the question

Recap and retube. Caps should be less than $20 and tubes are $45. That's less than $70 for it to be like new again.

 

[Simon_F]

Re: To Sell or Not To Sell? That is the question

I I'd surely rather not part with this amp, it's been so good to me for so long.

Don't sell - you'll regret it!



And you'll have to re-register with a new user name. :smash:

 

[Young Angus]

Re: To Sell or Not To Sell? That is the question

If you sell that amp a part of your soul will go with it...don't sell it dude!

 

[Young Angus]

Re: To Sell or Not To Sell? That is the question

Don't sell - you'll regret it!



And you'll have to re-register with a new user name. :smash:

Hey I didn't know you were an admin fftopic:

 

[the guy who invented fire]

Re: To Sell or Not To Sell? That is the question

If you dig the amp, sink the money into it, have some work done to it and have a great amp that'll be ready to go for the next 30 years!

 

[V!N]

Re: To Sell or Not To Sell? That is the question

In what way do you use your twin ? If it's just a poweramp and speakers in one (very heavy) package for your ME50, then there are plenty of other amps out there better suitable for that particular job.

 

[Blue_Fingers_Jay]

Re: To Sell or Not To Sell? That is the question

'72, tubes, fender, amp
Just this words should be enough to keep it, trow in the words twin reverb and it's ok to kill for it, don't think it's even a crime..
Sometimes you just get tired of your gear, i think.
Recap, Retube, love it and don't sell it!
Especially for 650$ that's a crime man, sure you'll make some money, but can you replace a '72 Twin Reverb with 650$?! I don't think so!
Just take a deeeeep breath recap and retube.

 

[Skarekrough]

Re: To Sell or Not To Sell? That is the question

In what way do you use your twin ? If it's just a poweramp and speakers in one (very heavy) package for your ME50, then there are plenty of other amps out there better suitable for that particular job.

He keeps on talking about what great tone the ME50 has so I think that's what he does.

If that's the case there are plenty of other options out there for you that would likely give you more of what you're looking for.

You could walk away with a better amp for your needs and some money in your pocket.

 

[bungalowbill]

Re: To Sell or Not To Sell? That is the question

Listen very closely....take the amp to a good tech and have him fix the problem and do a blackface mod.

I sold a vintage blackface deluxe reverb and have been kicking myself in the backside ever since. If you sell the amp you WILL regret it. :smack:

 

[OlinMusic]

Re: To Sell or Not To Sell? That is the question

If it's a GOOD TWIN, as opposed to one that came off the line bad - Keep it! If a good tech looks at it and does his magic to it - you might be shocked.

I voted SELL for 2 reasons

1. I wanted to see the poll, so you have to vote
2. These amps are not the end all, and there is a lot of other options out there.

 

[Robert Delahunt]

Re: To Sell or Not To Sell? That is the question

In what way do you use your twin ? If it's just a poweramp and speakers in one (very heavy) package for your ME50, then there are plenty of other amps out there better suitable for that particular job.

The ME-50 only runs "amp simulation" on the Line Out, and it's only a fake simulation for headphones, and not modelled after an amp, nor is it controllable or selectable.

When I use my TR I use it with the amp sends (both) to the amp. At that point, it's only effects, no amp modelling or coloring, and I LOVE how it sounds like that. Also, I love my TR: if my ME-50 krapped out, a TR with footswitch (which is what I have) for tremolo and reverb would serve me well enough that I could wait for another ME-50 to arrive by mail, assuming one year of saving up for another one.

So that's how I use it. I only use Line Out when the amp isn't working or I couldn't bring it with me. Mic-ing a TR with the ME-50 is the best tone I've ever had, and I want to keep it.

 

[The Golden Boy]

Re: To Sell or Not To Sell? That is the question

In what way do you use your twin ? If it's just a poweramp and speakers in one (very heavy) package for your ME50, then there are plenty of other amps out there better suitable for that particular job.

I'm not a fan of the Twin so I voted "Sell."

To my way of thinking an amp should get you most of the way to where you want to be without effects. If you're just using the amp as a platform for effects you're probably better off with something else, and someone else would be happier with a "vintage" loud/clean amp.

 

[Robert Delahunt]

Re: To Sell or Not To Sell? That is the question

I'm not a fan of the Twin so I voted "Sell."

To my way of thinking an amp should get you most of the way to where you want to be without effects. If you're just using the amp as a platform for effects you're probably better off with something else, and someone else would be happier with a "vintage" loud/clean amp.

Call me old-school, but I'm just different. I prefer an amp with one effect and one reverb only, and I prefer loud vintage tube amps: the cleaner the better. The TwinReverb really does it for me: there's even a song I "cover" that I like that is based off the reverb-cranked-up+tremolo sound. But my playing logic is if I click everything off and switch to my neck pickup (Jazz), everything had better sound as beautiful beyond description. I rarely play metal, but when I do, the ME-50 takes me there.

Anyways, I just prefer a real clean sound. I've tried amps with multieffects on them, from a Fender that had multi-effects to Marshalls and Line 6, etc, and I've never liked how they sound. The keyboard amps with ME50 Line Out sound acceptable, but not as good as the TR with both amp lines from the ME-50, and not as good as the TR alone.

So that's my preference

 

[V!N]

Re: To Sell or Not To Sell? That is the question

Amp simulation or not, looks like you're still getting your distortion out of the Boss rather than breaking up the Fender into a soft yet sweet crunch. I think it's a waste of a good vintage amp if it's only a clean amp for effects.

if I click everything off and switch to my neck pickup (Jazz), everything had better sound as beautiful beyond description.

Yep, that's really using the amp for you without all the hoohah it doesn't need anyway.

If you want a loud clean amp that takes "all effects" better than anything, I suggest a powered monitor (not a keyboard amp). But since you want an old tube amplifier: Sound City made some amps that take any guitar, bass, keyboard, pedal you van throw at it and make it sound great.

Get your Twin fixed so you can get a higher price when you sell it to somebody who'll put such an amp to optimal use.