Tweed Champ Rebuild - I'm torn (pics)

[Blind Lemon]

Hey Guys;
I aint been on in a while but I have been active with builds and repairs.

I need a little advice, I know there will NOT be a consensus but someone may have an idea on how to handle this rebuild that I've overlooked. The Champ will not be sold. It belongs to a guy who's grandfather bought it for him. He let his brother use it years and years ago and this is the condition he got it back.

Mostly its about the cabinet, strip and re-tweed or just urethane it like it sits? I've got the electronics under control.

[Blind Lemon]

I guess you may like to see the cabinet.

[Blind Lemon]

The back:

[sluckey]

That has a certain 'charm' as is.   

[Willabe]

Where did his brother keep it? In the backyard?


          Brad             

[Blind Lemon]

Where did his brother keep it? In the backyard?


          Brad             

Yes in a leaky shed.

Hey Steve hows the retired life.

[HotBluePlates]

... how to handle this rebuild ...
Mostly its about the cabinet, strip and re-tweed or just urethane it like it sits? ...

What is the plan for the chassis?

Leave as-is, knock off the rust, re-chrome original chassis or use new chassis?

I think anything is fair game given the poor original cosmetic condition. I would guide how to handle the cabinet (recover & replace hardware to look like-new, or preserve existing "patina") based on how the customer wants to approach the chassis itself.

New tweed would look odd next to rust or partial chrome plating, old beat tweed would look odd next to new chrome and silk screening.

[Geezer]

... how to handle this rebuild ...
Mostly its about the cabinet, strip and re-tweed or just urethane it like it sits? ...

What is the plan for the chassis?

Leave as-is, knock off the rust, re-chrome original chassis or use new chassis?

I think anything is fair game given the poor original cosmetic condition. I would guide how to handle the cabinet (recover & replace hardware to look like-new, or preserve existing "patina") based on how the customer wants to approach the chassis itself.

New tweed would look odd next to rust or partial chrome plating, old beat tweed would look odd next to new chrome and silk screening.

This is true...one depends on the other.

Where did his brother keep it? In the backyard?


          Brad             

Yes in a leaky shed.

Brothers! 

However, my brother (8 years my senior) is gone......if he were here to do that to one of my amps, I'd still love him! 

[pullshocks]

That is quite the relic treatment   

How rusty are the transformers?  Are they going to be usable?  How about the speaker?

If I were the owner, I might want to make it to look like it did when grandpa gave it to me but that could be a pretty tall order.

I would vote for kind of stabilizing it as found--  gluing the tweed back on as much as possible, trimming the fuzz and lacquering.  Hopefully you can find leather that fits the handle brackets.  Do what you have to do to the inside of the chassis but just clean the visible components and panel surface gently.

[alerich]

If the amp were mine I would do only what it necessary in the electronics to make the amp function correctly. Cosmetically I would not touch it. You have not said what the customer wants.

[Blind Lemon]

That is quite the relic treatment   

I would vote for kind of stabilizing it as found--  gluing the tweed back on as much as possible, trimming the fuzz and lacquering.  Hopefully you can find leather that fits the handle brackets.  Do what you have to do to the inside of the chassis but just clean the visible components and panel surface gently.

Transformers should be ok, I have not even thought about putting power to it yet. Speaker needs to be reconed.
The owner has kind of left it up to me, I am kind of leaning to stabilizing. The bad thing about recovering is the corners are pretty torn up. Heck, if he wanted a new one I could build a better one from scratch.

Just not sure yet.

BL