65 DRRI rebuilder recommendation(s)

[W1Jrv]

hope this is the correct forum?

i'm needing my 65 DRRI chassis rebuilt. i see  via web searching that "torres engineering" and "tube-tone" do this kind of rebuild as do others. these two prices are in my budget,  though there is a bit of difference between their pricing.

any recommendations, pro or neg, regarding either of the two?

[g-man]

Deleted

[JJones]

I can't speak to either of their work, but Dan Torres' book "Inside Tube Amps" has been a great source of information for me (novice).  What exactly are you needing done when you say "chassis rebuilt"?

[W1Jrv]

I can't answer your question about those companies, but the guys here could help if you wanted to do it yourself. Doug also sells the parts needed to do it.


Either way, good luck and post the results.

thanks for the help. i don't have the skills to do that, really. ;-)

[W1Jrv]

I can't speak to either of their work, but Dan Torres' book "Inside Tube Amps" has been a great source of information for me (novice).  What exactly are you needing done when you say "chassis rebuilt"?

to have the flimsy PCP tossed and replaced with a PTP wired board. the transformer and such are ok so that won't be replaced. basically what Torres & vintagesoundamps[[]]com lists on his website. i'll chk his book out at the least for education about these tube amps.  their pricing is a bit diff. don't know if that's due to components brand or what. i think i'll get bias points installed too.

[eleventeen]

You could always contact member mcscaggs who blows thru Twin Reverbs with a vengeance.


http://el34world.com/Forum/index.php?topic=19553.0

[W1Jrv]

You could always contact member mcscaggs who blows thru Twin Reverbs with a vengeance.


http://el34world.com/Forum/index.php?topic=19553.0

yeah! that's exactly what those two biz's i mentioned do. i'll contact mcscaggs and get his take and take it from there. thanks much for the link!

[mresistor]

It might help to know where you are in the US. There could be someone that does this in your area. mscaggs is certainly excellent at redoing a Fender amp. There are a few folks here that could convert a DRRI into a 64-65 blackface amp on a G10 turret or eyelet board. Cost would involve whether or not you would want to use the stock transformers or go with better iron. Personally I would keep the stock pt and get a better ot.  Another guy that does this conversion and who does it very very well is Mikey Mann, I think he is in the Baltimore area, but I don't know for sure. Here is a link to see what it involves. 


http://aga.rru.com/Events/MM-DRRI-rebuild/


I mention Mike McGuirk (mikey mann)  and this link just to show you what is involved in the process.

[p2pAmps]

PM Sent, and thanks everyone

[W1Jrv]

It might help to know where you are in the US. There could be someone that does this in your area. mscaggs is certainly excellent at redoing a Fender amp. There are a few folks here that could convert a DRRI into a 64-65 blackface amp on a G10 turret or eyelet board. Cost would involve whether or not you would want to use the stock transformers or go with better iron. Personally I would keep the stock pt and get a better ot.  Another guy that does this conversion and who does it very very well is Mikey Mann, I think he is in the Baltimore area, but I don't know for sure. Here is a link to see what it involves. 


http://aga.rru.com/Events/MM-DRRI-rebuild/


I mention Mike McGuirk (mikey mann)  and this link just to show you what is involved in the process.

yes, that is what I have wanted to do for some time. I have seen this Mikey Mann build on the net a few times. though I never contacted him. didn't have the dough saved then anyways. tried to nickel & dime my DRRI to get some of its kinks out. no matter what I tried and spent, never could. I bought it scratch-n-dent sale from online store and from day one it had an intermittent "noise" issue. doing the google thing back then seeking a fix, I ran into the Mann build.

anyways, the guy mcscaggs that "tears through twins" is going to rebuild it to like '64. glad "eleventeen" hooked me up with him. I had replaced the transformers with mercury magnetics versions, one of their DRRI kits and those will stay. the rest including chassis itself getting gutted.

thanks much for the reply and information

[Paul1453]

Very good choice!   

Just take a look at the pictures from his previous projects.

The quality of his workmanship is outstanding!   

[p2pAmps]

Thank you Paul I appreciate that.  Soon as my parts order gets here we are going to begin.  Sold the orig chassis which funded a new correct chassis and back plate! woot woot...  Owner will be very glad we did this IMHO... 

[Willabe]

Owner will be very glad we did this IMHO...

Yeah he will. 

[W1Jrv]

Mr Scaggs did a SUPER job on this rebuild. Could not have had any one more professional, technical and otherwise. you can see the images for yourself. spot on, like art work.  he added extra details like selling my old orig green board pieces to help fund some of the costs, phone calls & images were always on the update to keep one advised of progress and tweaks.  a few extras in detail on the amp build he did that i never would have thought of. he can explain the technical side of them better than i.

some may think it odd to rebuild a DRRI and i can appreciate that thinking. but this amp was a lemon from the get go.  no amount of tweaks or upgrades corrected the "noise & pops". nada. she sure sings now! a real pleasure to turn on and practice.  just luck that i logged in to this forum and asked about rebuilding it. and even luckier to have been connected with Mr Scaggs.  very few builders if any would pay attention to such detail, plus the updates, plus the extras, plus.. that's my truthful experience with this build. 

it's got the famous Fender tone now, no question in my mind. the reverb was so crappy before, but now, it floats.  i'll get a few sound clips together soon and post them. i doubt my ability will do this amp justice but i'll try a few etudes and see how it goes.

thanks all for the help and especially to Mr Scaggs!!!
i always wanted a great Fender amp as part of my bucket list , and thanks to Mr Scaggs, i now have that.  if you're looking for this type of rebuild no one will do it any better! 

[p2pAmps]

Mr Scaggs did a SUPER job on this rebuild. Could not have had any one more professional, technical and otherwise. you can see the images for yourself. spot on, like art work.  he added extra details like selling my old orig green board pieces to help fund some of the costs, phone calls & images were always on the update to keep one advised of progress and tweaks.  a few extras in detail on the amp build he did that i never would have thought of. he can explain the technical side of them better than i.

some may think it odd to rebuild a DRRI and i can appreciate that thinking. but this amp was a lemon from the get go.  no amount of tweaks or upgrades corrected the "noise & pops". nada. she sure sings now! a real pleasure to turn on and practice.  just luck that i logged in to this forum and asked about rebuilding it. and even luckier to have been connected with Mr Scaggs.  very few builders if any would pay attention to such detail, plus the updates, plus the extras, plus.. that's my truthful experience with this build. 

it's got the famous Fender tone now, no question in my mind. the reverb was so crappy before, but now, it floats.  i'll get a few sound clips together soon and post them. i doubt my ability will do this amp justice but i'll try a few etudes and see how it goes.

thanks all for the help and especially to Mr Scaggs!!!
i always wanted a great Fender amp as part of my bucket list , and thanks to Mr Scaggs, i now have that.  if you're looking for this type of rebuild no one will do it any better!

I am speechless, Thank you so much for such a nice and warm review.  I truly appreciate it and I am thrilled to have made your Deluxe dream come true for you.

Mike

[floyd]

Mike .. can you take my 1966 Blackface Deluxe Reverb , and convert it to a '65 DRRI ?

[p2pAmps]

Mike .. can you take my 1966 Blackface Deluxe Reverb , and convert it to a '65 DRRI ?

You're a total smart A$$ which is why I like you so much V...

LOL

[eleventeen]

"Mike .. can you take my 1966 Blackface Deluxe Reverb , and convert it to a '65 DRRI ?"


LOL.


In the 70's and 80's every single music store in the US had a $125-$175 BF Deluxe Reverb sitting on the floor, some for years. Nobody wanted them. I had a 65 or so w/Altec 417 spkr I brought to NYC to join up with an old buddy in his guitar buy-sell business. When I left, I just left it behind. It was just about as expensive to ship back home as it was to buy another one.