Amps Only good line 6...

[CapnDenny1]

,,,is one that has been converted to a Fender!

I got a Line 6 Flextone II off the local marketplace. I bought it because the cabinet is what they call a western embossed vinyl. it's heavily imprinted with a swirl design.

IMG_4294 by Dennis Kelley, on Flickr

IMG_4293 by Dennis Kelley, on Flickr

Here is what was inside. I haven't even tested it yet, and may just re-sell it as is.

IMG_4289 by Dennis Kelley, on Flickr

I have a Fender Hot Rod Deluxe chassis that will need a cabinet. I thought this might work since they are oriented the same way. The Hot Rod chassis is just about the perfect size to fit. The cabinet needs to be a bit wider at the ends of the faceplate for the power switch at one end and the input jacvk at the other. But I think I can peel back the covering and cut a notch out of the wood and then put the covering back down.

IMG_4292 by Dennis Kelley, on Flickr

I had to rotate the power transformer to keep it from hitting the speaker in the cabinet. But that was pretty easy. Of course I also have to fix the Hot Rod amp too. No idea what is wrong with it. But the knob stealers already took all the knobs.

I also have a Blackstar Artist 30 that needs a cabinet. But I figured the western thing was more Fender HRD like than Blackstar.

 

[Rancid Rumpboogie]

Oh-oh. This saga ought to be interesting.

 

[CaptainMoto]

So you're saying.....
You bought a cabinet and it came with an amp attached to it.
Exploratory surgery has extracted the offending amp and reconstructive procedures are about to begin.

 

[Shodai]

I own three Line 6 amps and absolutely love them. Although, I can see where they wouldn't be everyone's cup of tea.

That said, sounds like another interesting project... Looking forward to following it.

 

[CapnDenny1]

I peeled back to covering around the spot I needed to cut. Had to make a cut in the covering to get it out of the way. Marked it with tape and pencil lines, made the cuts. Started to file it, to get it rounded. I may borrow some covering from elsewhere in the amp.

IMG_4298 by Dennis Kelley, on Flickr

IMG_4297 by Dennis Kelley, on Flickr

Too late to change my mind now?

IMG_4296 by Dennis Kelley, on Flickr

 

[PapaBear]

Popping corn

 

[Rancid Rumpboogie]

Yeee gawd! THE BONE SAW! I can hear the patient screaming clear from over here in Idyho. But nice job, nice clean amputation DoctorDenny. My question is, will the holes for the amp mounting screws through the top match up with the Fender chasis you intend to graft in there? Maybe those holes were in the pieces you amputated so all you have to do is drill new holes?

Next question: Where are you going to find a "Frankenstein" name plate?

 

[CapnDenny1]

Two of them were cut out. The other two will have to be patched.

The po must have removed the tags from the front of the amp. I will try to put a Fender tag at least. I do have another Hot Rod Deluxe in a cab. I could steal from it, or try ebay?

No Frankenstein. I've seen Fender use this same covering before, so I think it will pass for a Fender. I will be honest about it, but some people like to have Fender tags, even though they know it's a Squier.

https://reverb.com/item/4656747-fen...o-amp-limited-edition-2016-brown-tooled-tolex

 

[CapnDenny1]

So now I have to figure out how to do the inside corner whereI widened the opening? I guess I should have taken pictures of how they did it? I have another Hot Rod Deluxe with the cab, so maybe that will help?

I fired up the chassis that I plan to use in the new cabinet. It seems to work ok? It’s missing the pilot lamp jewel and the reverb tank, so I ordered those.

I had to up the bias a bit, but not much.

I must say the Fender Hot Rod Deluxe III is one fine sounding amp.

Shucks! I just remembered it needs knobs too! Maybe I will find an ebay source with free shipping? As long as it shipped within the usa it will arrive this year.

I will also have to figure out a speaker? I may have a Fender speaker from my Twin Reverb, but it may have gone in an amp? I was testing it with a Celestion neo- magnet that sounded pretty good. People like Celestion and a lightweight speaker is a plus in a Fender combo.

This is going to be a sweet combo when I get done with it.

 

[PapaRaptor]

I must say the Fender Hot Rod Deluxe III is one fine sounding amp.
Shucks! I just remembered it needs knobs too!

I bought a set from Amplified Parts a year or two ago.

https://www.amplifiedparts.com/search/node/chickenhead knobs

 

[Rancid Rumpboogie]

This is going to be such a cool little combo amp!
Figuring out how to finish those inside corners is going to be a pit. I am scratching my head ... and butt ... and alternating ... but don't have any bright ideas.

 

[CapnDenny1]

Well It ain’t pretty, but it sounds nice. I still need to put a back on the amp and cover it with the fake leather

1CBD5742-3614-4821-A215-74170FE79F70 by Dennis Kelley, on Flickr

I left the Line 6 speaker in the amp. I will look for a nicer one.

 

[dan5150]

Looks great. Whatever happened to the original Line 6 amp?

 

[CapnDenny1]

It’s under my bench. I’m not sure if I want to even fix it. I may fix it and sell, or just sell as is. I suppose it’s worth more if it’s working.

I'm not real happy about the repair to the covering. But I did the best I could. The old covering was hard and brittle. The new stuff was soft and pliable. It would have been easier to just recover the whole top section, than to try and repair just the area I cut the opening up wider.

But it ended up OK. I am going to try and close up a couple of the seams a bit better. Maybe use the heat gun a bit. Maybe some other glue. Then there is always a sharpie marker to cover the little white patches showing thru.

I will go through my speakers to see if I have one that's nice enough to sell with it, but not so nice that I will miss it. I have an Emminence Legend 12", which I was using to test the amp out before I got it back into the cab.

 

[CapnDenny1]

I found a couple of Emminence Texas Heat speakers on ebay for $50 each. So they arrived yesterday, and I put one in the amp in place of the Line 6. The Line 6 speaker was optimized for wide range since the Flextone II is a modelling amp. Not what you want for a speaker in a real guitar amp.

I also put the reverb tank in a tank bag and screwed it down with some rubber isolation grommets.

Next I need to make the back cover, and cover it with the fake tooled leather covering. I bought some Tolex glue also. That's too big and area to just use wood glue. The Tolex glue with make it easier.

I also have another Hot Rod Deluxe that has a cab that is missing the back, so the cost of the glue is spread across a couple units at least. It also needs a speaker, so that's where the other Texas Heat is going.

 

[CapnDenny1]

So what do you think?

With?


CD352CCD-2317-4882-814C-FE37D47751DB by Dennis Kelley, on Flickr

Or without?

AD77ECBC-557D-4374-BC40-B1C16019BED2 by Dennis Kelley, on Flickr

I finally got the back made. Not a pro job, but it is the back! I just needto add some oil sheilding, and drill the holes for the mounting screws.

Then I will put it up for sale. Hopefully it will command a slightly higher price than a normal HRD.

 

[CapnDenny1]

Note to self. The tab on the 6L6 power tubes in this amp point to the inside, not the outside. The amp does NOT like it when you force them in the wrong way! Of course it is near 4th of July, so fireworks are appropriate?

Still sorting out the damage. It has those darn tube holders that grab the bottom of the tube, with little barbed spring clips. It's always hard to put them in. I guess it was just a bit harder this time.

What a maroon!

 

[PapaRaptor]

Ouch!

 

[CapnDenny1]

Oh the humanity....

Actually it only damaged the screen grid resistor. See?

IMG_4521 by Dennis Kelley, on Flickr

I also went ahead and fixed my tube tester. Talk about a rats nest of wires? There is a 12 pin tube socket inside, and I think that was the problem? But it started working once I zeroed in on the issue, and wiggled the right part of the circuit. Interestingly the screen grid voltage wasn't present on the tube being tested. There is no screen grid on most common preamp tubes, so that's why they still worked.

So now I can match tubes without putting them into an amp. Sort of. At least I can test them.

So I set the bias on the amp, just need to put it back in the cab, put the reverb tank back in it's bag, and put the back on, and it will be ready to put up for sale.

I bought a pair of matched JJ's 6L6 tubes. I badmouth JJ's a lot, but in this amp they sounded pretty good!

Dennis

 

[sdbrit68]

I found a couple of Emminence Texas Heat speakers on ebay for $50 each. So they arrived yesterday, and I put one in the amp in place of the Line 6. The Line 6 speaker was optimized for wide range since the Flextone II is a modelling amp. Not what you want for a speaker in a real guitar amp.

I also put the reverb tank in a tank bag and screwed it down with some rubber isolation grommets.

Next I need to make the back cover, and cover it with the fake tooled leather covering. I bought some Tolex glue also. That's too big and area to just use wood glue. The Tolex glue with make it easier.

I also have another Hot Rod Deluxe that has a cab that is missing the back, so the cost of the glue is spread across a couple units at least. It also needs a speaker, so that's where the other Texas Heat is going.

whats your opinion on the egg crate looking sound baffeling stuff inside a cabinet ?
Some say it focuses the sound and color of the speaker only giving a truer sound, others say it destroys the sound of resonance from the cabinet ...........but my understanding (and I dont know crap) is that MDF is used for its lack of tonality and cost effectiveness,