65 Bandmaster — Power up, test, & sell

[AudioHTIT]

A long time friend recently came to visit and (knowing I had rebuilt my Bandmaster Reverb), asked if he could bring his Bandmaster over. I said sure, but we had much to talk about and he just left it, then saying he doesn’t plan on using it and wants to sell it. I told him I’d get it ready to sell, but don’t think he’s turned it on in the 35 years or so I’ve known him (I believe he’s the original owner). To me nothing looks to have been modified, and even the tubes may be original (Dumont, RCA, GE).

So I’m looking for advice on doing as little as possible (to preserve value), with the goal of turning it on safely and verifying that everything works, to then offer up for sale — I’m assuming it may at least need new PS caps. I’m comfortable changing components, taking measurements, and have a tube tester, but not a variac. He also brought the speaker cabinet, and I have other gear to test that with. I’ll also clean it up, so techniques and products you’d recommend (or avoid) are also welcome. I imagine posts like this might be common, so if this is already covered somewhere, please point me to a good resource ... and thanks for your help!

Here’s what I think I know about it:
1965 Fender Bandmaster (Blackface)
Built: April 1965 (OD)
Serial Number: A09658
Amplifier Circuit: AB763
Other identifying numbers: TA1365 (chassis & transformer), F01565, W25, CJ

Some photos:
A long time friend recently came to visit and (knowing I had rebuilt my Bandmaster Reverb), asked if he could bring his Bandmaster over. I said sure, but we had much to talk about and he just left it, then saying he doesn’t plan on using it and wants to sell it. I told him I’d get it ready to sell, but don’t think he’s turned it on in the 35 years or so I’ve known him (I believe he’s the original owner). To me nothing looks to have been modified, and even the tubes may be original (Dumont, RCA, GE).


So I’m looking for advice on doing as little as possible (to preserve value), with the goal of turning it on safely and verifying that everything works, to then offer up for sale — I’m assuming it may at least need new PS caps. I’m comfortable changing components, taking measurements, and have a tube tester. He also brought the speaker cabinet, and I have other gear to test that with. I’ll also clean it up, so techniques and products you’d recommend (or avoid) are also welcome. I imagine posts like this might be common, so if this is already covered somewhere, please point me to a good resource.


Here’s what I think I know about it:
1965 Fender Bandmaster (Blackface)
Amplifier Circuit: AB763
Identifying numbers: TA1365 (chassis & transformer), F01565, W25, CJ


Hopefully these photo links work (would the ‘W=2400’ parameter at the end of the link adjust the size?)

[phantomman]

The amp head's valence panel has been re-grilled (incorrectly) with non-standard cloth. The speaker enclosure looks similar though the weave is properly oriented. Other than that, everything else seems to be original and unmolested. The amp's front and rear panels are pre-CBS parts -- note the FEIC inscription on both. What speakers are installed in the enclosure?

[AudioHTIT]

The amp head's valence panel has been re-grilled (incorrectly) with non-standard cloth. The speaker enclosure looks similar though the weave is properly oriented. Other than that, everything else seems to be original and unmolested. The amp's front and rear panels are pre-CBS parts -- note the FEIC inscription on both. What speakers are installed in the enclosure?

Ah, hadn’t looked much at the grill cloth except to notice the wavy pattern on the speaker, so you could be right that they were both re-grilled. I haven’t looked inside the speaker cabinet at all, but will pop it open this weekend and check it out. I’ll try to test them as well. Coincidentally, my ‘65 Strat was probably built within a month of this amp (5/65), and has pre-CBS parts as well. I did read somewhere though that pre-CBS speaker cabs did not have the Fender logo, and that some ‘65 cabs were built that way, so this may be very transitional. I’d also read about FEIC and FMIC, but forgot to look for that, thanks for mentioning it. Any suggestions on what to do before powering it on?

[Keethlawrence]

It sounds like you know these amps pretty well. But if you need any help with it I found that Skip Simmons in Marysyville to be a good resource. He is great about giving advice over the phone. He helped me quite a bit when I bought my '67 Bandmaster.

[phantomman]

Skip is a real miracle worker and likely the best Fender amp tech on the west coast. I go back to the days when he lived in Winters and was still running the draw bridge in West Sacramento. If it's broke, he can fix it.

[AudioHTIT]

It sounds like you know these amps pretty well. But if you need any help with it I found that Skip Simmons in Marysyville to be a good resource. He is great about giving advice over the phone. He helped me quite a bit when I bought my '67 Bandmaster.

Skip is a real miracle worker and likely the best Fender amp tech on the west coast. I go back to the days when he lived in Winters and was still running the draw bridge in West Sacramento. If it's broke, he can fix it.

I looked Skip up, seems he has quite a reputation, I may give him a call, thanks!

[Michael Smith]

In one of your photos, it looks like the power cord has some damage. I would attend to that before plugging it in. Everything in the circuit looks original to me. You didn't include a photo of the power supply caps under the doghouse cover, but I would assume they are original also. I recently bought a 1969 Bandmaster Reverb in mostly original condition, so I changed out all of the electrolytic caps, bias supply, and power supply dropping resistors and fired it up without a variac after carefully checking my work, with no issues.

[AudioHTIT]

In one of your photos, it looks like the power cord has some damage. I would attend to that before plugging it in. Everything in the circuit looks original to me. You didn't include a photo of the power supply caps under the doghouse cover, but I would assume they are original also. I recently bought a 1969 Bandmaster Reverb in mostly original condition, so I changed out all of the electrolytic caps, bias supply, and power supply dropping resistors and fired it up without a variac after carefully checking my work, with no issues.

Thanks for the note. Yes I saw that too, but it doesn’t look like it went through insulation. I also replaced caps in my ‘68 BMR, came out well and sounds good. This project came to a halt when my wife decided we should go skiing in Tahoe for her birthday … she doesn’t ski, but a couple days for me, and hiking with the dog for her, more pics next week.

[Michael Smith]

Thanks for the note. Yes I saw that too, but it doesn’t look like it went through insulation. I also replaced caps in my ‘68 BMR, came out well and sounds good. This project came to a halt when my wife decided we should go skiing in Tahoe for her birthday … she doesn’t ski, but a couple days for me, and hiking with the dog for her, more pics next week.

Just in case you are interested, I added a bias adjustment pot to the output tube matching pot. The resistor was reduced from 15K ohms to 10K ohms and a 25K ohm pot added.
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