Bassman AB165 Blackface Overhaul Kit
WE ARE PROUD TO OFFER PREMIUM OVERHAUL KITS FOR YOUR BLACKFACE FENDER AMPLIFIER!
The goal of the blackface overhaul is to blueprint you blackface Fender, restore reliability, and improve tone, performance and longevity as a result. We include components that typically need replacing when in the shop. Of course there are degrees to consider. How far do you want, or need, to go?
Is this a gigging amp? Recording amp? Museum piece?
Some of these kits are considered standard, basic maintenance, like the Electrolytic Recap Kit, the power tube resistors, and the bias board overhaul. After that, the condition of your particular amp will determine how far you will want (or need) to go. There is a fine line to walk between originality and function/performance/reliability, depending on amp condition and use case requirements.
We include everything needed to make your blackface amp outlive us both at the professional performance/gig/recording level.
This is our famous premium overhaul kit.
PREMIUM BF OVERHAUL KITS INCLUDE PARTS & INSTRUCTIONS FOR:
- Full Electrolytic Recap: (F&T power filters, Nichicon for the preamp & bias supply)
- AB165 to AA846 mod PLUS Tweed Preamp for BF AB165 with Blue 'MOLDED' caps
- Noise Fix: plate resistors
- Preamp cathode bypass resistor optimization (preamp tube bias)
- Matched power tube resistors
- Bias Board Restoration (including solid state rectifier)
- Instructions and parts for adjusting the bias
- Proper ground switch removal and grounded/ 3 prong power cable wiring
- Optional ceramic signal cap upgrade (greatly enhances tone and performance)
Optional Upgrades:
The Ceramic Signal Cap Upgrade includes two rolled mylar capacitors to replace two vital ceramic signal caps in these circuits. This improves tone and performance considerably! Both pass signal from the preamps to the phase inverter. Upgrading these specific ceramic caps increases clean sustain, depth, harmonic complexity, and overall 'oomph' of the amp, while reducing the 'ice-pick' factor. The reverb also gets more depth and detail. We use a very tasty, selected NOS cap to feed the PI, and a Jupiter for the preamp enhancement.
Premium overhaul kits include high quality F&T filter caps. Preamp tube cathode bypass & bias caps are high quality Nichicon
We use only the highest quality 1/2w carbon resistors for the signal path & circuit board. Key locations in the circuit have measured & MATCHED PAIRS of resistors – vital to optimum performance and minimum phase cancellation. Flameproof metal oxide resistors for the power and bias supply.
Jupiter Condenser signal caps also available to replace and missing blue molded caps!!
ADDITIONAL ITEMS TO NOTE:
- Copies of the original blackface schematic & layout for your amp are included
- Instructions/parts for adjusting the bias included