The switch has six prongs on it but only two have wires connected to them. I've tried contacting Genz Benz a couple of times to get part info but so far they have only sent emails telling me that they got my emails and someone will be emailing me soon....... that's been a while.

Anybody know what kind of switch will work in this?

I picked up a basic SPST on/off switch at Home Depot but it doesn't work.

The original works but it is starting to fail. Sometimes it clicks but doesn't actually switch.

Thanks.

It's the head version.

Jammed on it yesterday and it sounded fine- I just didn't move it around.

Even when it's off and I'm just lugging it- you can hear that spring clanking around. I'll probably try to remount it eventually.

Sure thing- yeah that Vegas will be plenty loud- the Vox board should work well with it. You really need something like that for the Vegas. It's an excellent starter rig for sure.  I have a couple of really loud and very clean amps and I like them a lot for that. I just add some of my favorite pedals for everything else.

You got a great deal on that Tramp with the Vintage 30. TE guitar amps are not the easiest to find. Sometimes the pop up on Craigslist or Guitar Center but not often.

TE made some great sounding stuff. There's been a Bonneville on Guitar Center's used inventory but even used, it is too much $$$ for me. I've heard the Velocette is a great little tube amp also. I've also heard their tube stuff is a bit temperamental but I don't know for sure- at least compared to other similar amps.

ENJOY!

Thanks for the detailed replies!

Yes- It appears to be the original tank- I see no evidence to suspect otherwise. The "clanking" noise, I'm pretty sure, is from when the saggier spring strikes the sub-chassis when moved. If it hanging horizontally on it's edge, I don't think this would be an issue.

It appears there is enough room behind the faceplate to mount it there. It won't mound directly to the face place because of a bracing block at the center top. So it would have to be set back off about an inch or so and I don't know if that will be too close to the transformer yet or not.

Mounting it to the back seems less desirable because the back panel is just a thin metal swiss-cheese type of thing.

I think the best option is the one you suggested to try first Roly- assuming the tank will not conflict with the transformer- which is to mount a couple of L brackets to the top of the cab and secure the tank to that. Before I do this, I think I'd like to get a bag for it since it would be so much more open to dust and bugs, etc.

For now, I've remounted it in the same location but with the addition of rubber washers for a bit more added insulation but I know this won't have any meaningful affect on the clanking.

I will try living with it for a while as is and if it still bothers me, I know what to try first.

As an aside regarding build quality, as I was inspecting the innards, I noticed one of the jacks was missing a plastic washer on the inside part which made the jack's shaft stick out a little further than the others. I thought that was a little strange. But as I was reassembling this morning, I flipped the amp over to put it back in the cab and a little black washer fell on the floor!  :lmao:

I guess whoever last worked on it (maybe not even Marshall's original assembly) the washer got "lost" and they were like "screw it, I'm just putting it back on without it."

Thanks again everybody! 

Yeah- I've been confused before about the "power consumption" number. Thanks for the clarification.

LOL- Why are my pics so freaking big?

Thanks for the quick replies-

There are no isolation rubber washers between the tank and wood of the cabinet. I pulled it apart today to give it a really good cleaning and inspection for strangeness but it all looks ok other than the reverb tank- which looks like it was applied as an afterthought. The screws were driven in at a 45 degree angle at the front and looks kind of crummy but it holds I guess. 

The tank is an Accutronics- It looks to be the same tank in my Lab L5 which does have this issue. It is in a bag though and not rigidly secured to the cabinet.

I took a pic of the springs with the tank propped on it's side and one of them appears to be a bit saggy- but I don't know if this is normal saggy or not. Maybe the tension could be adjusted on the springs without damaging them?

Nothing appears to be out of order otherwise and does not make any odd noise when I play- just not when I move it. It isn't a big deal but just seemed unusually noisy- I was more concerned it might be an indication of something more serious but it doesn't sound like it.

Thanks!

Also- regarding multi-effects units:

I have a Line 6 Floor Pod Plus. It is OK. I find it is more useful to me as a practice amp using headphones. This is not the most complicated one, but still it can frustrate me when trying to make it do what I want. I've found a few very good and useful tones and applications but 95% of it doesn't apply to me which makes it like an encyclopedia set- most of it I don't use or ever will.

It might be good just as a way to learn about sounds and what types of effects and combinations work though.

Ultimately, I went back to a few basic, really good individual pedals: delay, reverb, chorus and distortion and that's it. But to each his own. I find this works better for me when playing live and rehearsals- more simple- less to go wrong! 

I still use my Floor Pod for practicing and at home with it hooked up to my laptop and with headphones. It really is great for this.  :dbtu:

If I were looking for a new multi-effects unit though, I'd probably lean towards the simpler models of the Vox Tone Lab- I've heard lots of good things about these.

I'd say you got a great deal on a couple of really fine amps.  8|

I have a Trace Elliot Super Tramp solid state and love it. I think these are some of the best sounding (and best built) solid state amps ever made. Is your model the "Super Tramp" or the "Tramp"? biggest difference is the wattage output I believe (40 vs 80) but both are great IMHO. There is also the "Tube Tramp" which uses one preamp tube designed (or marketed) to give them more of an authentic tube sound/feel but I've read there really isn't much difference and some actually prefer the sound of the fully SS version.

What speaker came with your's? These used to come stock with Celestion Vintage 30s but later switched to a "special design" speaker by Celestion (G12t-60). If you got one with the original Vintage 30, you got a REALLY good deal. Those speakers alone are $150 new- and the older ones are arguably more desirable. Mine came with the G12t-60 and it is good but not much bass response. I switched it out for an Eminence Governor and I'm very pleased with it now.

The Gibson connection, from what I understand- is they bought Trace Elliot some time in the mid/late 90s. Soon after they discontinued all TE branded guitar amp production. They still make TE bass amps which is probably what they are best known for.

Depending on which "Tramp" you have, it may or may not be enough volume for a garage band or stage. Mine is very loud at 80 watts rms/110 peak. It would be just fine for a band- not sure about the other.

I also have a couple of Peavey's though not the one you have. I think Peavey's are great mostly. They are very solid and reliable and customer service is fantastic even with old stuff- and you should have no problems finding a service shop should you ever need one. The Trace Elliot on the other hand may be trickier since Gibson really doesn't support the old guitar amp line anymore. If you have questions regarding the TE- British Audio Service in Tennessee (http://www.britishaudioservice.com/) specializes in Trace Elliot gear among other brands. I think they are the "go-to" folks now for any TE guitar amp support/repairs.

But heck, at the price you paid- you'd only repair them if you just LOVED the hell out of them! Otherwise, throw them away and head back to the pawn shop!

Yes- They both will be good for pedals and neither are mucked up with useless effects. The Peavey will probably require at least a few decent pedals though to achieve some distortion and maybe reverb? Probably never have to worry about not being loud enough with the Peavey either.

Did your Tramp come with a foot-switch? If yours is like mine, you'll need one to switch channels and use the boost feature because there are no controls on the panel to do this.

Great find though- can't really go wrong with either of those- especially at that price.  :dbtu:

Just got one of these and I love it. A little dirty but otherwise seems to work beautifully.

The only thing so far that gives me some concern is a LOUD clanking from the reverb tank when the head is moved even just a bit while it is on.

None of my other amps seem to do this- I mean, you can hear the springs jiggling and all but this is LOUD- like firecracker loud.

The simple solution is to just not move it - or turn it down or off if I need to shift it around but I wonder if this is normal for this model or might there actually be something amiss?

Thanks.

Man! Great explanations!

So do some amp companies market their "peak" rating as if it were an "RMS" rating? I hear guys talk about an amp's rating and and say something like "true RMS" meaning (I guess) that it can produce that level all night long no sweat. But then what is "not-true RMS" ? ? Peak- but marketed slyly to give the impression of RMS?

I totally agree with speaker efficiency too. I replaced several speakers in some older otherwise stock combos with either new Eminence or WGS speakers and was amazed at not only the volume boost but the overall improvements in brilliance, fullness and clarity.

I really thought I struck a gold mine by finding a way to make these old amps that other people are practically giving away sound SO much better with a simple speaker swap! But people still look at it and say, "Oh, it's an old Peavey- I'll give you ten bucks for it." 

Quote from: Roly on August 02, 2013, 11:30:36 AM

Quote from: Enzoit needs to please YOU, not me.

:lmao:  :dbtu:

At 100 watts it has quite a lot of stoke (particularly for a beginner) but these have a good rep in the clean/jazz area.  Perhaps not a guitarists tonmeister, but first you learn to play before getting too deeply into the distractions of pedals and amp tone.

I have a bit of Yammy gear myself, my No.1 keyboard being a DX-7, have used and serviced quite a bit over the years, and have a generally high opinion of Yamaha stuff.

I understand the 100-watt rating is the rms rating and not peak. Read somewhere the actual peak wattage is either 200 or 300!!! I think this is one reason why it can stay clean for so long up the dial?

It's also a great platform for pedals. 

Just finished installing a grounded power cord in it. Had to pull the PCB board out and flip it over to get to the pots. These are some heavy-duty pots too. Some BIG transistors on there as well. Hosed out the pots and jacks good with contact cleaner and now she should be good to go for another 35 years!  :dbtu:

Quote from: Enzo on November 02, 2013, 01:03:31 AM
Hi Chewy.  I am going to disagree with you a little.   yes there were some great solid state amps in the 70s and 80s, but there are some today as well.  For that matter there were plenty of crappy ones then and now as well.

It is only very recent that digital amps are becoming common.   Digital effects have been around a long time, but whole digital amps are pretty new still.  I find them gimmicky myself, kinda like those all in one DOD/Digitech FX pedals.

Is there more money in tube amps?  No.  There is a market for them, so they keep making them.  Hell, I prefer them, but the solid state amps far outsell the tube amps and have for years.  When a commercial amp comes along that acts and sounds just like a tube amp, people who like tube amps will start buying them.  As it sits, there are nice sounding SS amps that emulate tube amps FAIRLY well, but side by side they just don;t quite get there.   Nothing at all against solid state.   You can't make a tube amp sound and act just like a SS amp either.   You can't make an apple taste like an orange.

There are only a very few companies making tubes, and they are a very specialized niche market.  In terms of electronics parts overall, tubes are a microscopic portion and the industry wouldn't miss them.  WE might, but the parts market wouldn;t.

As to solid state being harder to service, well, that simply isn't true.   If all you ever do is work on tube amps, then sure, you know nothing of other technologies, but then you wouldn;t know anything about making wood furniture or baking cakes either, and I for one never had trouble baking.  Troubleshooting is troubleshooting, the technology - tube or SS - is just a detail.

There are tube snob techs, and if they can make a living only working on tube amps, more power to them.  But the majority of us amp techs work on all types

Sure I have seen and serviced Lab series amps.  If you don;t know what you are looking at, I am sure it is daunting.   Now get someone not used to tube circuits to look over a Peavey 5150 schematic.   That will look pretty confusing too.

You want to see one of the worlds most popular amps?  Look at the Peavey Bandit.   They have been making and evolving the Bandit for decades now.  They are certainly not as expensive as comparable tube amps, and not prohibitive at all.

Points taken Enzo! I agree with a lot of your comments.

I guess what I meant by solid state amps being "harder to service" is that with the high-end solid state amps like the Lab Series that were directly challenging the Fender Twin at that time, there just weren't as many techs familiar with them or qualified to service or repair the new technology they employed- while tube amps and "simpler" solid state amps had been around for a long time and service and repair was easier because there were already lots of folks around that could do it. I just posed this as one of several possible reasons for why the high-end solid state amps of this era suddenly stopped being produced much less evolved.

I'm not disagreeing with you, I just don't think we are seeing it exactly the same way. Though I am pretty sure that if there was nothing but solid state amps out there, there would be way fewer amp techs and repair shops because there simply wouldn't be as much demand for regular and repeat amp service due to the nature of tube amps. Profit margin per unit in actual dollars (maybe not percentages) will be higher out the door because they are more expensive and command a "boutique-ish" premium because they are tube amps and the ongoing service keeps the repeat cash and customers flowing in. So- I still say there is more money in tube amps. Sure, tons of solid state amps get sold every year (like the Bandit) but that is because they are cheaper to produce and cheaper to purchase and target a larger market that is less concerned with great tone than it is with getting something affordable and "good enough". Has less to do with their tone quality than price and availability. But I'm talking about high-end TONE! 

Yes- the world's most popular amp, The Bandit, is solid state and indeed a fine amp but it is popular for the same reasons a Toyota Corola is popular. Good quality, dependable, gets the job done, easy to fix and it sounds better than most other amps in it's price range and it is very affordable because Peavey is so huge and their scales of economy make them very inexpensive to produce per unit so when selling them at low prices they can still make a buck. When I said "prohibitive" regarding the cost of solid state amps, I was referring to high-end solid state amps of the late 70's through early 80's that were directly challenging the high-end tube amp market at that time. Plenty of fine, low-price solid state amps out there today- I don't disagree. But they are all Corolas- nothing wrong with a Corola if that's what you like and what gets the job done- but I was talking about the high-end, highest-quality solid state amps that seemed to hit a plateau in quality and price sometime in the early to mid 80s. And I was fathoming the reasons why they didn't continue to get better, produce more and therefore become more affordable. Now solid state amps have humbly accepted their place below tube amps in perception (justified or not) of quality tone. The best solid states are sold as "the best tone you can get without it being a tube amp!"

Also, I have a mid 90's Peavey Express which is very similar to the Bandit and I think it sounds GREAT! I think Peavey is one of the few manufacturers who have managed to continue to make VERY good solid state amps at reasonable prices for a long time. I also have a mid 90s solid state Trace Elliot Super Tramp that sounds equally as good. But these are exceptions in my opinion.

And for the record, sure I like tube amps too. I have a two inexpensive ones and I love them! But for my money, the value in these older solid state amps for the quality of tone that you can get from them is unbeatable. Don't get me wrong though- if someone were to offer me for free either a late 70's Fender Twin Reverb in mint condition with free tubes and service for life OR a mint late 70's Yamaha G100 II or Lab Series L5 - Of course I'd take the Twin! But since they aren't free and the money is coming out of my pocket and I firmly believe in the law of diminishing returns, I personally can't justify paying (how much? $1000-ish) for a late 70's Twin over a couple hundred for the G100 or L5. There just isn't $800 (plus ongoing tubes and service) worth of extra tone in the Twin for me. Though after I win the lottery, and money becomes no object, there might be.  :dbtu:

Knowing me though, I'd sell the twin and buy three or four great old solid states!