NEED A TUBE AMP GURU in Los Angeles!!!

alexkemp · 21st July 2008, 12:49 AM

Hey guys

I just picked up an Ampeg B-15N finally-- been looking for one for years!! And its in pretty great shape but there's a rattle in the speaker and I need to have it gone over - possibly re-coned. I'm fairly new to LA and don't have anyone I trust yet to do my work. I brought my blackface deluxe into TrueTone music in santa monca and they only did a so-so job and it took quite a while (4 weeks).

ANy suggestions on the ampeg doctor?

dewey decibel · 21st July 2008, 08:48 PM

Are you looking for an amp tech or a place to recone your speaker? All the stores send out their stuff, and I've heard nothing but horror stories (and had a bad experience myself). Otherwise for an amp tech there's Billy Zoom, from the band X who does repairs. For speaker reconing I know A Brown Soun is in Cali, but not sure where.

mr.gefell · 21st July 2008, 09:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alexkemp

Hey guys

I just picked up an Ampeg B-15N finally-- been looking for one for years!! And its in pretty great shape but there's a rattle in the speaker and I need to have it gone over - possibly re-coned. I'm fairly new to LA and don't have anyone I trust yet to do my work. I brought my blackface deluxe into TrueTone music in santa monca and they only did a so-so job and it took quite a while (4 weeks).

ANy suggestions on the ampeg doctor?

Amplifier Repair Los Angeles , Tube Amp Repair and Custom at Tubesville by Blackie Pagano

pramrod · 22nd July 2008, 02:03 AM

blackie does great work- only cat in NY who could really fix my magnatones back in the day when he was there. well worth the price. enjoy pram

alexkemp · 22nd July 2008, 06:19 AM

thanks guys- super helpful.

Alex

rob S · 22nd July 2008, 09:08 AM

amphole in burbank.
bob does great work.
no B.S.
orange county speaker for recones.

alexkemp · 29th July 2008, 07:56 AM

Took them both to Blackie at Tubesville-- nice guy, very thorough, knows his sh+t and has an opinion (which I like-- not a guy to agree with whatever your thinking). Wasn't cheap, but he gave me two prices-- a MUST do and SHOULD do, I opted to blow it out and get them done right. So far so good, the B-15n is perfect. The deluxe sounded a little flat with a royer 121 and my les paul, but I didn't give it a fair to chance to warm up and dial in... too busy!

I'm confident that he's done a great job bringing these back to spec, and he's absolutely an artist when it comes to his custom work. Very creative dude.

mikecorwin · 29th July 2008, 11:06 PM

Bob Dixon of Amphole is the man!

darkwater · 29th July 2008, 11:14 PM

Also, for anyone else that needs someone on the west side:

Billy Yates
Venice Amplifier Repair
310-425-2566

Billy works for True Tone Music, Jackson Browne, and a whole slew of others. Great guy, knows it all, and builds amps from scratch, too. Built me a beautiful 18 watt Marshall head!

duncansound · 2nd August 2008, 07:28 PM

Hi, I have the exact same problem with the Ampeg B-15N I bought recently, it has a rattle/resonance when turned to a decent volume. What did you have to have done to fix that problem(was it just the speaker?), and what else did he do to your amp?

Thanks

alexkemp · 4th August 2008, 07:04 AM

he worked some magic with that-- used some double sided carpet tape to insulate the grill from the cabinet and used some sort of caulk puddy that comes in rolls between the speaker frame and the wood.

duncansound · 4th August 2008, 09:47 PM

Thanks, it sounded to me like my problem is my cabinet, I was hoping maybe it was just the speaker because I am going to replace the speaker anyways as it has an altec speaker and not the original speaker in it. What speaker do you have in yours?
Thanks again

rob S · 9th August 2008, 12:35 AM

sometimes the grill cloth will stretch over time and it will vibrate and fart out on certain notes.
you take out the speaker baffle and retighten the cloth.

Jeff A. Roberts · 11th August 2008, 06:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by duncansound

Thanks, it sounded to me like my problem is my cabinet, I was hoping maybe it was just the speaker because I am going to replace the speaker anyways as it has an altec speaker and not the original speaker in it. What speaker do you have in yours?
Thanks again

Many B15's were made with a square magnet CTS 15" speaker. The official Ampeg speaker upgrade was a JBL D130F, so your Altec may not be so bad. The D130F's and the CTS speakers both have their fans. I'd hang on to the Altec until you know that you prefer the sound of a different speaker in there.

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21st July 2008, 12:49 AM	#1
alexkemp Gear nut Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: santa monica, ca Posts: 119	NEED A TUBE AMP GURU in Los Angeles!!! Hey guys I just picked up an Ampeg B-15N finally-- been looking for one for years!! And its in pretty great shape but there's a rattle in the speaker and I need to have it gone over - possibly re-coned. I'm fairly new to LA and don't have anyone I trust yet to do my work. I brought my blackface deluxe into TrueTone music in santa monca and they only did a so-so job and it took quite a while (4 weeks). ANy suggestions on the ampeg doctor?

29th July 2008, 11:06 PM	#8
mikecorwin Gear maniac Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 237	Bob Dixon of Amphole is the man! __________________ "I long for the days of the virgin, and the elegance of railway travel."

29th July 2008, 11:14 PM	#9
darkwater Lives for gear Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Venice, CA Posts: 1,070	Also, for anyone else that needs someone on the west side: Billy Yates Venice Amplifier Repair 310-425-2566 Billy works for True Tone Music, Jackson Browne, and a whole slew of others. Great guy, knows it all, and builds amps from scratch, too. Built me a beautiful 18 watt Marshall head! __________________ "Hell, you're easily amused... I can say wimpy....wompy....wambly...."

2nd August 2008, 07:28 PM	#10
duncansound Gear addict Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Cypress, CA Posts: 303	What did he do to your B-15N Hi, I have the exact same problem with the Ampeg B-15N I bought recently, it has a rattle/resonance when turned to a decent volume. What did you have to have done to fix that problem(was it just the speaker?), and what else did he do to your amp? Thanks

21st July 2008, 08:48 PM	#2
dewey decibel Gear maniac Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 210	Are you looking for an amp tech or a place to recone your speaker? All the stores send out their stuff, and I've heard nothing but horror stories (and had a bad experience myself). Otherwise for an amp tech there's Billy Zoom, from the band X who does repairs. For speaker reconing I know A Brown Soun is in Cali, but not sure where.

22nd July 2008, 02:03 AM	#4
pramrod Gear maniac Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: CATSKILLS Posts: 287	blackie does great work- only cat in NY who could really fix my magnatones back in the day when he was there. well worth the price. enjoy pram

22nd July 2008, 06:19 AM	#5
alexkemp Gear nut Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: santa monica, ca Posts: 119	thanks guys- super helpful. Alex

22nd July 2008, 09:08 AM	#6
rob S Lives for gear Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: silverlake Posts: 507	amphole in burbank. bob does great work. no B.S. orange county speaker for recones.

29th July 2008, 07:56 AM	#7
alexkemp Gear nut Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: santa monica, ca Posts: 119	Took them both to Blackie at Tubesville-- nice guy, very thorough, knows his sh+t and has an opinion (which I like-- not a guy to agree with whatever your thinking). Wasn't cheap, but he gave me two prices-- a MUST do and SHOULD do, I opted to blow it out and get them done right. So far so good, the B-15n is perfect. The deluxe sounded a little flat with a royer 121 and my les paul, but I didn't give it a fair to chance to warm up and dial in... too busy! I'm confident that he's done a great job bringing these back to spec, and he's absolutely an artist when it comes to his custom work. Very creative dude.

4th August 2008, 07:04 AM	#11
alexkemp Gear nut Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: santa monica, ca Posts: 119	he worked some magic with that-- used some double sided carpet tape to insulate the grill from the cabinet and used some sort of caulk puddy that comes in rolls between the speaker frame and the wood.

4th August 2008, 09:47 PM	#12
duncansound Gear addict Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Cypress, CA Posts: 303	Thanks Thanks, it sounded to me like my problem is my cabinet, I was hoping maybe it was just the speaker because I am going to replace the speaker anyways as it has an altec speaker and not the original speaker in it. What speaker do you have in yours? Thanks again

9th August 2008, 12:35 AM	#13
rob S Lives for gear Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: silverlake Posts: 507	sometimes the grill cloth will stretch over time and it will vibrate and fart out on certain notes. you take out the speaker baffle and retighten the cloth.

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