Fender 30 AKA The Blacksheep, handwired tube amp.

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Re: Fender 30 AKA The Blacksheep, handwired tube amp.

Post by WonderCouncil » Sun Aug 11, 2013 5:09 pm

http://orlando.craigslist.org/msg/3992174872.html

Just found this listed in my area...sort of. On the other side of the state and north of me but nothing I couldn't drive in a day.

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Looks to be all original and in good shape aside from the normal channel not working properly. Should be able to talk him down I'd think. So tempted to try and go for it. I just found a reliable amp tech in the area too who knows about these amps. Plus is the version I would want, if I was go buy one. 2x10.

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Re: Fender 30 AKA The Blacksheep, handwired tube amp.

Post by WonderCouncil » Sun Aug 11, 2013 8:46 pm

Got an email back about the normal channel not working...
Both channels do actually work, the problem is with the switching circuit. We took it to an amp tech a couple years ago that found no issues with the amp besides the switching circuit, which he didn't know how to fix. I took a look at it myself (I do a little work on older Fender amps) and was able to fix it enough to be able to have either one channel or the other. There's a chip on the switcher board that if you flip it around, it switches to the other channel.
Does that sound right? Any idea how hard or expensive it would be to fix?

Oops..meant to edit my post, not make a new one. :-[

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Re: Fender 30 AKA The Blacksheep, handwired tube amp.

Post by gutter rock » Mon Aug 12, 2013 6:37 am

Never seen a 30, but I have played on several of those Fender amps from that era. I felt like most of them had great sounds but admit the quality horror stories made me always think twice. If this is point to point then it HAS to be a least better than the first red knob series that had all kinds of circuit board problems. Any tech should be able to easily fix a point to point even if it is more complicated than the older Fender circuits.

Funny people mentioned the London Reverb. My local music go round had a London reverb head for YEARS, priced at 150.00 bucks. I bought it once when I was in a bit of a strange "let me try out some solid state amps" phase. It was loud and I was able to get a usable clean sound, but was sterile sounding mostly. I think there could be a use for these types of amps in music that relies on heavy use of effects. I often wondered if loud clean solid state amps might be great for shoegaze type music. Anyway, I returned the London reverb and it sat there for a couple more years. It was finally sold and I would love to know how cheap they let it go for. Sorry, I got a bit off topic there... London Reverb just took me back!

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Re: Fender 30 AKA The Blacksheep, handwired tube amp.

Post by WonderCouncil » Mon Aug 12, 2013 4:01 pm

Yea I only found out about this amp, along with the other two form teh series a few years ago. The 30 in the 2x10 format seems to be the hardest one to come by. I just really don't want a 1x12. I have a 2x12 cab I could always run this one through although I think it would look even better sitting atop my 4x10. 8)

It is all hand wired on, I can't recall what they called the boards, turret or eyelet? Anyways though so yeah, it definitely has that going for it. Also the 30 is supposed to not use the Ultra Linear transformers, where as the 75 and 140 do use them.

I did come across someone talking about having the same channel switching problem as this amp does and they just disabled, jumper-ed the switching circuit. Which I guess is actually in the single path. So jumpering it, at least according to this guy improved the tone.

If I was to disable that particular part, that would just mean you can't use the foot switch to change channels right? Both channels still work, you just have to unplug from one and into the other. Right?

Here just found the quote about the switching circuit.
I have two 30's. They're great amps. The chassis and the cabinet are same as Vibrolux Reverb. I removed the (PCB) channel switching circuit completely from the board (it's IN the signal path) and rewired to normal AB763 blackface specs and put in an Eminence Red Fang. The amp now sounds GREAT and because the Red Fang is a high efficiency speaker, it puts out more than enough volume for gigging.
I've actually had the same thought about the London Reverb, about the whole shoegaze thing. Certainly that amp, and all the Ultra Linear models must be good for something, some style of music. I thought as well they could be great loud, clean platforms for effects heavy playing. Doesn't Johnny Greenwood use the Deluxe 85? Although I think he just uses that for the gain channel and not to pile effects on.

I would totally buy a London Reverb head though if I came across one cheap enough. Or a Fender Montreux or Showman 1x15. All three look to be the same amp, just with different speaker configurations. Not sure if they really are the same though.

Also was bidding on a Compact Bassman a few months ago. Exactly for that pedal platform idea. Didn't end up getting it though.

I imagine the worker was cringing when you brought back the amp. Thinking they've finally sold it and then you go and return it. And it sits around for another few years lol. The local mom and pop by me has a Fender SFX Satellite cab that's been there since I moved here in 2005. I finally asked about it recently and I could see the excitement in the guys eyes. :D They were asking close to $400 for it though.

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Re: Fender 30 AKA The Blacksheep, handwired tube amp.

Post by Mad-dog-australian » Sun Aug 25, 2013 1:46 pm

Hi Wondercouncil,
Saw the 30 on Craigslist If I were you, or if I was in Florida I'd drive up and buy that amp.
Couldn't be a major drama for a decent amp tech to sort out the normal channel peoblem knock him down on the price by a hunge at $350 that would be a steal. You can do without the normal channel or get it sorted its a crazy deal and a rare amp that's only gonna appreciate, especially as its a 2x10 version.
GET IT!

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Re: Fender 30 AKA The Blacksheep, handwired tube amp.

Post by Sauerkraut » Sun Apr 01, 2018 2:23 am

Bumping this up because there's one of these (1x12" version) in my practice space and I'm really impressed. A practice space I was renting before had a newish Deluxe Reverb reissue in it, and the Fender 30 sounds much better, much warmer than those shrill-sounding reissues and with reverb you can actually use (the new Deluxe Reverbs sound over the top even when set to 1). I'd love to hear a 2x10" version of this. Seems there's none on ebay at the moment though. These must be really hard to come by in Europe

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Re: Fender 30 AKA The Blacksheep, handwired tube amp.

Post by dinosaurkale-> » Sat Oct 27, 2018 12:19 pm

ughhhh 2x10 in my local CL and broke AF

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