Got as far as getting the cab out of storage. Didn't take the head into Birddog quite yet. I think I may see about rewiring the last power tube socket myself before I take it to him. Doesn't look like much...just pulling the plate wire off the socket and attaching a cap, then checking that it's still wired the same as the other sockets. I think I could do that. I got a cap today that will work until I can find an original. Hopefully the first tech didn't take the original wire off. Eh, I doubt he was that ambitious to put a new wire on
So finally, here are some pics of the cab. It looks crappy now, but I must say that for someone who never did a recover before, my worksmanship isn't horrible. I've seen worse. But I would really like a pattern to cut the new tolex and I need to study some more pics of original cabs to see how it's attached and trimmed. So you guys with original 69 cabs, go take some detailed pics for me, and take the amp corners off, too!
About the speakers...4 of them are recones and will obviously have to be reconed again to match the old cones. But as much as all 8 cones need to be replaced, I can't help but think about future collectability with the remaining original cones. But really, does anyone really want 40 year old cones that have been rained on, shined on, heated on, snowed on, smoked on, snorted on, peed on, and "Inna-Gadda-Da-Vida"'ed on? I personally would rather have recones. They still work, but I can hear sag in them, and I'd much rather have new cones in the original baskets even if I was a collector. Since 4 of them have already been done, I doubt I'll hurt its "collector's value" by reconing the rest. So I guess recones all around it is.
So Psycho, about that tube store trip...
I have to put in a plug for this fantastic tube store in Orlando called
www.vacuumtubesinc.com . The guy has nothing but NOS out the wazoo! Plus he tests tubes for free and gives you tons of info about your tubes while you wait, and he gives you a 30 day warranty. One thing he told me was I said how I had thought that one SVT sounded much like any other regardless of what the tubes were or when they were made. He told me that the 12DW7 preamp tubes are actually a 12AX7 and a 12AU7 built together, and that a lot of times in amps, they wire the tubes in so only one side works, and my tubes showed evidence of wear on one side but not the other. And that's why I didn't hear much of a difference when they went to 12ax7's and t7's.
Psycho, I know you warned me not to buy tubes yet, but it was a good thing I went down there and had them tested. Every single one of my power tubes were completely shot. Not one of them could be saved, so I would have had to buy them anyway. He ended up going through thirty NOS GE 6146B's to match two sets of three for me and only charged $2 extra per tube. All the rest of the tubes were good except for one 12DW7. He tried to get me to get the 6146W's because they were mil spec and the highest quality out there (and a couple of my power tubes were W's and even one plain 6146), but alas, he said something like they were only made to mil spec from the 70's and later, and since they didn't exist in 1969 and that's the whole deal of this restoration, I opted for the B's at $3 more a pop. I'm glad that I didn't have to replace any other tubes except the one 12DW7, because it turns out they were all Mullards, and NOS Mullards ain't exactly cheap.
I have to say that I've dealt with tube store owners before, and they're usually very no nonsense "get what you need and get out and quit wasting my time" types, especially with musicians. But this guy just went on and on about the different types of tubes and their specs and knew everything off the top of his head. And he seemed like he actually enjoyed having someone to talk to for a change. The guy really eats, sleeps and breathes tubes. And he's got an amazing vintage tube collection. Some are bigger than bowling pins! So just on the basis of his CS alone, I give Jim and
www.vacuumtubesinc.com a big thumbs up and recommend them highly for your NOS needs.
So now the next step is to put all the tubes in and see where we stand. In the meantime, here are some pics of the cab...btw, before you ask, the logo looks newer because it was painted white with Testor's paint. It's long since lost any enamel it used to have. But it's original, so anyone who buys it when I retire will just have to deal with it, or if there's a place anyone knows about that could do a re-enamel that would last, I would do that as well.
But enough of my yakkin'...I've got tubes to install! Here's the pics:
