Bastardized 1962 Blonde Bandmaster

[aermotor]

Hello all, first time here, tons of great info I've read so bringing a tough one to you for guidance. I was so disheartened to open it up and find it so removed from original.

Inherited this 1962 Bandmaster along with a thankfully all original 1965 Pro Reverb. Sadly it looks like this one has had a ton of stuff done to it and I'm trying to understand what exactly they did/were trying to do.

It looks like they removed the phase inverter tube and replaced it with a relay. Tremelo circuit looks to be gone? Many random little boards in places where usually nothing is there. A pot on the back next to the Ext Speaker jack. Etc etc.

I am replacing the doghouse caps and need to put together a set of tubes so I can fire it up and see what she does. I have a variac and a bulb limiter so I plan to use those.

Do I leave it as is?
Do I try and unmod it back to original?

Any thoughts into what they were trying to achieve and what I should do with it would be appreciated.

[ampdan]

All that work/hacking done, and they didn't even replace the filter caps...

[aermotor]

All that work/hacking done, and they didn't even replace the filter caps...

yep...

[sluckey]

The first order of business is to find a schematic (or draw one). Whoever did that work was not a hack. He was experienced, knew what he was doing, and did a neat job. Filter caps probably did not need replacing when that mod was done. I'll bet that he also drew a schematic too. Maybe you can find it.

There's a relay installed between V3 and V4, and I see a small PT and power supply to power the relay coil.

The original PI is still intact. I would power it up as is and explore the mods that were done. You may like them. Good luck.

[maxkracht]

+1 on sluckey's assessment. I would be curious to see a schematic for this.

Knob on the back looks like presence to me.

[aermotor]

The first order of business is to find a schematic (or draw one). Whoever did that work was not a hack. He was experienced, knew what he was doing, and did a neat job. Filter caps probably did not need replacing when that mod was done. I'll bet that he also drew a schematic too. Maybe you can find it.

There's a relay installed between V3 and V4, and I see a small PT and power supply to power the relay coil.

The original PI is still intact. I would power it up as is and explore the mods that were done. You may like them. Good luck.

Yea good call. My "bastardization" title really is that there is so much that is not original anymore. The work done looks good, just have no clue what it is. Unfortunately no schematic found with it.

I will get the caps redone and power it up and see what we're working with.

Knob on the back looks like presence to me.

Good to know, will check that.

[ampdan]

Whoever did that work was not a hack. He was experienced, knew what he was doing, and did a neat job. was done.

That may very well be. But make no mistake, that is a butchered 1962 Blonde Bandmaster.
I don't care if Dumble himself did it.

Reminds me of that Swedish guy that hacked all the vintage Marshall amps..

[Reeltarded]

This thing was not precious. It appears to possibly be monsterous now.

Half of my modded amps are Bluesbreakers. They are amplifiers. I've even 'hacked' an identical Bandmaster. My second best amp. I left the trem. That was the point.

These things are appliances.

[maxkracht]

That may very well be. But make no mistake, that is a butchered 1962 Blonde Bandmaster.
I don't care if Dumble himself did it.

Reminds me of that Swedish guy that hacked all the vintage Marshall amps..

Maybe a bummer in hindsight, but it was a regular amp back in the day. Are mods on current production amps not allowed, or just on the ones that will become a classics in the future?

[Stevem]

I am very curious as to what that extra transformer near the choke is powering?

[ampdan]

Again...The amp wizard genius did not even replace the filter caps! Old amp or new amp, butchered is butchered.
Even the soldering sucks pffft!

[sluckey]

I am very curious as to what that extra transformer near the choke is powering?

There's a relay installed between V3 and V4, and I see a small PT and power supply to power the relay coil.

[Reeltarded]

I like this amp. This amp screams. How much do you want for this trashed pile of wtf?



Has anyone eye traced it? That vib end of the board.. V3/4 both look like OD to me. I want to play this thing. It has an open frontend and the coupling up to the output says "I am the voice of authority!"

This thing is a sex machine.

Old school choices. The plates aren't childish values.

[dcribbs1412]

Interested in hearing how this sounds.
Agree with Sluckey and Reeltarded
Whoever did that work was not a hack
V3/4 both look like OD... funky OD entrance on V3

[aermotor]

I like this amp. This amp screams. How much do you want for this trashed pile of wtf?



Has anyone eye traced it? That vib end of the board.. V3/4 both look like OD to me. I want to play this thing. It has an open frontend and the coupling up to the output says "I am the voice of authority!"

This thing is a sex machine.

Old school choices. The plates aren't childish values.

Hahah! Interesting to hear that feed back! I am replacing the main filter caps this weekend and will get some tubes in and fire it up to get some kind of an idea of what exactly is going on with it. Very interesting to hear your take for sure, I appreciate it!

Interested in hearing how this sounds.
Agree with Sluckey and Reeltarded
Whoever did that work was not a hack
V3/4 both look like OD... funky OD entrance on V3

Thank you for the insight as well, I will keep you all posted.