Jess Oliver's legacy - AMPEG PORTAFLEX CLUB part 9

[JvN]

Attachment 304398

:-D

[beans-on-toast]

Wow! As cool as cool can get.

[coreyfyfe]

Wow. I don't think I'd ever be able to reach the controls

[JvN]

Originally Posted by coreyfyfe

Wow. I don't think I'd ever be able to reach the controls

If that's a real picture of you, maybe :-), but the B-15 knobs are at about eye level and I'm about 6'2".

[JimmyM]

Nice!

[bpman]

I am new to talk bass and wanted to share my experience with ampeg amps with other like minded folks. I have been following some posts about a portaflex club and wondered how to join. I own a few of these amps and had some questions for those who have used them for a while what I should expect as far as performance and reliability goes. Also i am seeking advice on tube selection for possible replacement. I just finished a restoration on a 1969 B-15N, including a second cab, but need some advice on the internal damping material that should be used. Any one out there know what should go against the back panel of these cabs? Both of mine had no material, just a lot of staples. Any way , I look forward to hearing from anyone who has some useful information.

[JimmyM]

Back in the day, they used a sheet of fiberglass insulation. Nowadays they use foam of some sort. But if you want to be legit for the time frame, yellow fiberglass.

BTW, I'll add you to the club on Monday. My master list is at home and I'm on the road for a couple more days.

[Vintage-Blue]

Finally got too greedy while tightening the grille cloth under the broiler:

[bpman]

I will try to find some insulation that is thin enough to not cover up the port on the bottom of the cab. I'm guessing that this is critical to get the low end performance out of it. I will try and get some pictures up for this set up. It looks pretty slick in it's new skin, courtesy of Fliptops. net . I took pictures of this project from start to finish and would love to share the story of this amps resurrection at some point, I just don't know how to post the pictures yet. Thanks for the info!

[nouroog]

Originally Posted by Vintage-Blue

Finally got too greedy while tightening the grille cloth under the broiler:

Ah merde

[nouroog]

Originally Posted by bpman

I will try to find some insulation that is thin enough to not cover up the port on the bottom of the cab. I'm guessing that this is critical to get the low end performance out of it. I will try and get some pictures up for this set up. It looks pretty slick in it's new skin, courtesy of Fliptops. net . I took pictures of this project from start to finish and would love to share the story of this amps resurrection at some point, I just don't know how to post the pictures yet. Thanks for the info!

That's what it looks like in my 73, but it's quite loose against the back of the cab. I should probably staple it.

[nouroog]

Welcome in, BTW

[JimmyM]

Originally Posted by Vintage-Blue

Finally got too greedy while tightening the grille cloth under the broiler:

Ouch! Eats away at the soul, doesn't it? I did that with a heat gun to my 810 grill that I just changed a month or so ago, and had to redo it. Just makes you feel so bad about life when it happens!

Nouroog, yours is pink, eh? I seem to remember the insulation in my 77 being yellow. No matter, I spose. But you don't have to use fiberglass at all if you don't want to these days. It's period correct but I'm finding it hard to care. Thinking about redoing all my cabs with polyfill sheets. The fiberglass gets all torn up from the cables.

[beans-on-toast]

Originally Posted by Vintage-Blue

Finally got too greedy while tightening the grille cloth under the broiler:

Like Jimmy, I got a heat gun for stripping paint and thought that I'd carefully try it. It was going well. Then I thought that I'd try to get it just a little tighter. Ping! It happened so quickly. I learnt my lesson.

[PDQ]

After hearing a credible rumor, my drummer rescued a b15 from dumpster- side! played it after fixing the speaker wires and she sings sweet!! very rough and covered in hideous black shagg "monkey fur" he wants to give it it's classic life back again. From his search he said it should be a '63..some people winn the lotto an then theres me....lol

[adambomb]

Originally Posted by PDQ

After hearing a credible rumor, my drummer rescued a b15 from dumpster- side! played it after fixing the speaker wires and she sings sweet!! very rough and covered in hideous black shagg "monkey fur" he wants to give it it's classic life back again. From his search he said it should be a '63..some people winn the lotto an then theres me....lol

What!?!!?!!!?!!!?!!!?!! The dumpster!?!?!?!!!?!! Awwwwwwwww man!!!!!!

[PDQ]

was told the club owner had been kicking it around for decades and just decided to chuck it...but it was too heavy to toss in.....Probably didnt know were the head was!

[spacebassed]

Originally Posted by PDQ

After hearing a credible rumor, my drummer rescued a b15 from dumpster- side! played it after fixing the speaker wires and she sings sweet!! very rough and covered in hideous black shagg "monkey fur" he wants to give it it's classic life back again. From his search he said it should be a '63..some people winn the lotto an then theres me....lol

Lucky you! I've heard several stories similar to this and it always amazes me that, with all the info available today, ppl don't do a quick google search to find out what they've got before trashing it. If its a '63 it should have a 5u4 tube or a solid state rectifier and a double baffle cabinet. It definitely deserves a proper restoration - and luckily, blue check tolex and the proper grill cloth are both currently available. Does it have the original speaker (Jensen EM1500)? Any pics?

[JimmyM]

#317 bpman
#318 PDQ

[beans-on-toast]

Originally Posted by PDQ

After hearing a credible rumor, my drummer rescued a b15 from a dumpster

Not bad. A friend of mine's dad was a garbage man. He used to come home with all sorts of neat stuff.


David