Mark's BMR and Bassman Cab In Progress Page
10/01/02
Mark sent me a 1968 Bandmaster Reverb (BMR) and a 1965 Bassman cab for restoration. Although the BMR head's grill cloth and aluminum trim have been painted black (yuck), the chassis is in really pristine condition. Looks like I might be the first one to place a solder iron to this beauty. Besides the 1 watt 100K ohm preload resistors and only a few chocolate coupling caps, the fiber-board and it's components look very much like a blackface amp. A prime example of a '67 blackface to '68 silverface transition amp where many parts date to late 1967. Besides a blackface conversion, Mark wants me to restore the chassis to original specifications. The 1965 2x12" cab is a little beat, with a missing back panel, but fair to good tolex and grill cloth. One speaker is an original Oxford 12T6 dating to 1965. The other is a Utah, re-marked Radio Shack speaker dating 1971.
Initial Condition
Front '68 BMR head and '65 Bassman cab view. Back view.
Painted grill cloth and aluminum trim. Virgin chassis.
In need of a blackface conversion. Smokey chassis.
In need of a cap job. In need of a faceplate cleaning, new knobs and power cord.
Restoration Progress
New power supply electrolytic caps. Cleaned chassis.
New cathode caps and coupling caps.
Blackface conversion. New grid/screen resistors, new standby and on/off switches
and power cord.
Cleaned faceplate, new jewel and knobs. In test.
Completed Restoration
New "aged" grill cloth. Back of amp with new reverb tank.
New Jensen C12Ns, fiber glass and new back panel.
As much as I love open back cabs like the Super Reverb, these closed back cabs
kick butt!
Mark sent me this feedback after receiving his amp:
Sorry it's taken so long to respond but I have been traveling for work almost
constantly since my amp arrived. I've only really had a chance to play it two or
three times but it absolutely ROCKS!!!!
I love the sound I get out of this thing even without a pedal and the crackle and hum that I was used to hearing is completely gone. I can't say enough about the quality of your work and how happy I am with the restoration. Thanks!
What's left to do:
completely clean chassis
perform a complete cap job
replace vib channel and signal path chocolate caps with
Orange Drops
replace grid and screen resistors
install new standby and on/off switches
perform a blackface conversion and blue print the output
section
install new power cord
clean and tighten tube sockets
remove and clean front and back faceplates, install new
knobs
install new tubes, dc/ac test and burn in
Clean head cabinet and install new grill cloth
Clean 2x12" cab, install Jensen re-issue C12N's
Install fiber glass, make new wiring harness, install new
back panel?
final test
ship amp back