oh boy...

Karen Sarkisian · Post by **Karen Sarkisian** » 15 Dec 2012 8:21 am

I bought a twin ! Its going to Bob Metzger for a steel mod and I'm getting a head cab from Rick Johnson so i can split it. It sounds really great going to use it tonight as is on a gig with Girl Howdy. Its a 1974 SF twin that has BF mod already. My Emmons sounds unbelievable thru this thing as does the Jackson, but will bring the Jackson to the gig. Just thought I'd share the news.
Also I've been lifting weights at the gym

Lane Gray · Post by **Lane Gray** » 15 Dec 2012 10:35 am

It's all in perspective. My lightweight Twin replaced a Session 500.
Congrats. I like mine

Doug Beaumier · Post by **Doug Beaumier** » 15 Dec 2012 10:44 am

Nice! a great amp for Girl Howdy's retro sound!

Karen Sarkisian · Post by **Karen Sarkisian** » 15 Dec 2012 10:45 am

thanks Lane, you got a 15"speaker right ?? I'm debating between 2x12 and 1x15. I thought it might be cool to get 2 separate 12s and just bring one for small gigs (and pull whatever tubes would be necessary to make it work). Going to work it out with Bob M. I am lucky he lives in the next town over from me !

Karen Sarkisian · Post by **Karen Sarkisian** » 15 Dec 2012 10:46 am

Doug Beaumier wrote:Nice! a great amp for Girl Howdy's retro sound!

I will be surprising them tonight. They are going to flip over this amp. I hope the gig's on the ground floor ! I got a good deal too i think $450 amp sounds great i think its been black-faced but Bob will confirm

Lane Gray · Post by **Lane Gray** » 15 Dec 2012 11:38 am

I'm accustomed to a 15.
Some guy named Franklin recommends 2 12s.
What does it have in it now?

Ivan Funk · Post by **Ivan Funk** » 15 Dec 2012 1:39 pm

That is a great score.

I'm a big fan of 70's silverface Twins.
I chopped mine and built a 2x12 poplar plywood cab.
-overhauled the guts -new caps/resistors - did some mods etc...
The head is still heavy - it's the 135watt model - but the cab is pretty light.
I really like the way these amps sound.

Karen Sarkisian · Post by **Karen Sarkisian** » 16 Dec 2012 9:53 am

Amp was great on the gig. Cant wait to see Bob M next week. Lane my amp has original 12s i will probably ditch 'em for something Bob recommends. Yeah ive heard of that guy Franklin

Doug Beaumier · Post by **Doug Beaumier** » 16 Dec 2012 10:54 am

Karen, I played in Greenfield about two streets away from you last night...at the AmLegion. The building is almost within sight of ARTS Block where you and Girl Howdy were. We wanted to get over there to hear you, but our gig hours were basically the same as yours. With the setup, the short breaks, etc... couldn't work it out, unfortunately.

I'm glad you like your silverface Twin Reverb. Does it have the Master Volume knob? I think Fender added that in 1972. Some players remove it or bypass it because they think the amp sounds better, cleaner, without it.

If you decide to change the speakers, be sure to keep the original ones. I made a foolish mistake years ago when I junked the original speakers in my blackface Vibrolux Reverb. Should have had them re-coned and stored them. Live and learn...

Tim Marcus · Post by **Tim Marcus** » 16 Dec 2012 11:05 am

Karen Sarkisian wrote:Amp was great on the gig. Cant wait to see Bob M next week. Lane my amp has original 12s i will probably ditch 'em for something Bob recommends. Yeah ive heard of that guy Franklin

I highly recommend trying Jupiter 12" ceramic magnet speakers. The quality is much higher than anything else made today. Weber buys parts from Eminence and cobbles them together - Jupiter hand assembles the speakers with his own parts. They sound gorgeous in a Twin

also, some folks do not like the 2 side by side 12" speakers in a twin and I agree with that. Something gets lost in the midrange. However, if you get a slightly larger cabinet and offset them (diagonal) the amp really comes to life. Or switch to a single 15"

either way - you have made a great choice! Nothing better than a Twin reverb when its tweaked for pedal steel!

Karen Sarkisian · Post by **Karen Sarkisian** » 16 Dec 2012 11:14 am

Thanks for the tips guys. Doug it would have been fun to see you it want best gig for GHB there is usually a better turnout was a slow night. We had fun tho ! No master vol on the twin it was removed when the amp got a blackface mod. After i see Bob i will have the full scoop on this amp. It weighs a ton tho that is for sure !

Doug Beaumier · Post by **Doug Beaumier** » 16 Dec 2012 11:23 am

We had kind of a slow night too. People don't go out like they used to. And this time of year they don't have much extra money to spend. Thankfully the peppermint schnapps was flowing freely at the Christmas party and a great time was had by all!

Brint Hannay · Post by **Brint Hannay** » 16 Dec 2012 4:04 pm

Tim Marcus wrote:also, some folks do not like the 2 side by side 12" speakers in a twin and I agree with that. Something gets lost in the midrange. However, if you get a slightly larger cabinet and offset them (diagonal) the amp really comes to life.

It seems in the picture as though Karen's amp already has this configuration. Or does it have to be a 45 degree diagonal?

Tim Marcus · Post by **Tim Marcus** » 16 Dec 2012 5:15 pm

you are right! They are offset a little - I did not even notice that.

Nice to know that I am not insane - it does sound better, and Fender knew it

Karen Sarkisian · Post by **Karen Sarkisian** » 16 Dec 2012 5:41 pm

yes they are offset. i was also wondering about that... amp sounds great tho, its quiet too, much quieter than i thought it would be !

James Morehead · Post by **James Morehead** » 16 Dec 2012 8:44 pm

Karen Sarkisian wrote: I thought it might be cool to get 2 separate 12s and just bring one for small gigs (and pull whatever tubes would be necessary to make it work).

If your speakers are 8 ohm, and you want to just use one, you do not have to pull tubes. You will reduce your power a bit(you won't notice), but your twin will be fine. Congrats on a great amp!!

Karen Sarkisian · Post by **Karen Sarkisian** » 17 Dec 2012 7:13 am

thanks James and thanks for the other tips as well. I just put my order in to Rick for a cabinet

Paul Arntson · Post by **Paul Arntson** » 19 Dec 2012 8:56 pm

You can't co wrong with Rick for the cabinet!! He's great!

Brian McGaughey · Post by **Brian McGaughey** » 19 Dec 2012 9:35 pm

$450 is a smokin' buy! I recently picked up a '76 twin in decent working condition for $500 and thought THAT was a good deal.

I split a '76 Viborsonic Reverb combo into 2 pieces of Rick Johnson cabinets. It's lighter yeah, but it's another trip, too. Still, I prefer it over the combo cab.

Congrats, Karen. Bob M. helped my friend Bob K. to DIY blackface his Vibrosonic. Bob M. knows his stuff. Keep us posted.

Don Christy · Post by **Don Christy** » 20 Dec 2012 3:57 am

Here is a link on Robert Randolph with his rig run down.

Robert uses car speakers in some of his amps. Take a look at his 13 string pedal steel. It's real unique. He is giving away
some of his secrets in the video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EPjfqS5NvCY