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frankenstein repairs and maybe a sale [message #2570] Tue, 11 March 2003 00:37 metalhead85 Messages: 3 Registered: July 2002 Location: idaho falls, idaho Junior Member Ok. I have an 11 pleat black triangle knob setup frankenstein head(email for serial#). It's not in unbelievable shape. Someone before I owned it had decided they wanted a line out. They drilled out a hole on the plexi faceplate and aliminum backing. They also put a notch in the head casing across the front on the bottom. This, i assume, was for a holder for the input plugs or a housing for more electronics. The internal problems were more interesting. I pulled out the chassis of the amp because I felt some knocking when I moved the head. I'm no electronics whiz so bear with me. The large black box(transformer?) that was bolted to the floor of the chassis was now only held by 2 bolts instead of 4. 2 of the feet had corroded and were still bolted to the floor of the amp while the box rocked to and fro. This was striking the support for the faceplate and tilting the faceplate back by about a centimeter. This is only the beginning!!. When I first acquired the head, I plugged it in and gave i some juice. I then noticed some smoke coming from the back of the amp. Something was burning up. I disconnected it and ended up taking it to a friend so that he could have a look. There are things disconnected and missing or in the wrong place. I really need a schematic so I can get this head running and off of my hands(I need a digitech GNX3 and need some funds). E-mail me if interested or have some information. All information will be greatly appreciated!!! Thanks Nick Report message to a moderator

Re: frankenstein repairs and maybe a sale [message #2571 is a reply to message #2570] Tue, 11 March 2003 07:56   stevem Messages: 4733 Registered: June 2004 Location: NY Senior Member Hi. I just picked up a franken head just at the end of last year.Mine is a 67 with the regular style knobs.yours is a early 67 or 66!Mine has a slight A/C hum problem, but it all works. I have a contact for schematics, but this amp has no circuit board numbers to reference the proper schematics by, so I have not had any luck yet. If anyone on this site has one for a franken head with two channels and just reverb let me know. I do repairs and could probily fix yours from checking voltages in mine.But these amps are not anywhere as repair frendly as the latter ones, just from the point of view of getting some of the boards out of the amp. Report message to a moderator

Re: frankenstein repairs and maybe a sale [message #2588 is a reply to message #2570] Wed, 12 March 2003 14:09 Anonymous Hey, me too!I have a '66 Frankenstein head Model J595 RV S/N 10948. Everything works cool except I get nothing when I use the tremolo or reverb. I'd like to change the reverb pan and fix the tremolo, but schematics are impossible to find. The amp also has a weird hum that sounds like white noise. Other than that, it has terrific tone and is louder than hell. If you are successful finding schematics please let me know, because I'm really stumped as to how to repair this amp. Thanks Report message to a moderator

Re: frankenstein repairs and maybe a sale [message #2590 is a reply to message #2570] Wed, 12 March 2003 17:19 ET Messages: 146 Registered: October 2000 Location: Charlotte NC Senior Member Hey guys...this may not be what you want to hear... I have 2 Frank heads at present..had a third in white that was pristine but could never find a cab as clean so I sold the head for $225. all of my amps are in excellent working order but I know they are on a limited life span and that I may have a very hard time finding replacement components to restore them to the incredible tone they offer...so I don't play mine out live...and seldome crank em at home... I consider these to be my true vintage rigs of my kustom kollection...but the saddest part is that they are by far the best sounding of all kustom models through the years. Clean working examples of these can still be had for under $200 making it tough to justify the kind of root canals you are describing on the one rig...if I had the amp, I'd spare parts it and snag a clean working one to enjoy.. I've done this with other kustom gear myself so good to my word...they are great amps.. I love em and encourage all to own at least one just for the personal enjoyment.. I understand you wanting to free up some bucks for some new technology...just wanted to chime in to encourage you on being close to some of the coolest sound onthe planet..don't give up on it! ET Report message to a moderator

Re: frankenstein repairs and maybe a sale [message #2595 is a reply to message #2590] Thu, 13 March 2003 07:52   stevem Messages: 4733 Registered: June 2004 Location: NY Senior Member Hi, JB, can you be more defind. white noise is the same sound your TV set makes with on antenna hooked up.A 120 cycle power supply hum is like having your cord pluged in with the channel volume up. You do not need a foot swt on these amps to get the reverb to come on, unplug the cord that goes to the RCA jack marked output and touch the tip with the reverb up, you should hear a buzz just like you get from doing the same with your pluged in guitar cord. If so all you probibly need is a new reverb pan. Report message to a moderator

Re: frankenstein repairs and maybe a sale [message #2596 is a reply to message #2590] Thu, 13 March 2003 08:53 C4ster Messages: 686 Registered: June 2001 Location: Mukwonago, WI (Milwaukee... Senior Member Hey ET, If you have mixed and matched these amps over the years, do you have an unattached case for an K200A chassis? I am using an empty chassis to house the controls for our lighting controller and I would like to enclose it in a T&R case. Can you help? Conrad Report message to a moderator

Re: frankenstein repairs and maybe a sale [message #2598 is a reply to message #2596] Thu, 13 March 2003 09:27 Anonymous sorry Con.. I had one oddball case left..a nice clean charcoal...gave that one to BC and I think it moved on from him to someone else...I have two 200B amps sitting naked right now cause I pulled them out of their cases and made a grill clothed baffle to match the other cabs and loaded PV 22T horns in each with a crossover...when I'm outdoors and need some extra throw.. I stack each on top of the 3x15 cabs...they look great!..my spare parts 200A model was in the charcoal housing that I had sent to Brad...if I come across another rig you're welcome to it.. Ihave no bench room right now so I'm not keeping any amount of spare gear. ET Report message to a moderator

Re: frankenstein repairs and maybe a sale [message #2599 is a reply to message #2570] Thu, 13 March 2003 09:32 Anonymous btw: there is no more phenominal sound..startling even...than my frank heads...at the moment I run a cascade frank into a hi freq cab (closed back 2x10CTS recones)..it is the perfect guitar amp..period. I also have a black frank sitting on top of an original Ross no port 2x15 (not no chrome ports...no baffle ports at all...first attempt by Bud)..that's the rig that makes the wife yell "too loud!" when it gets cranked in the house..and frankly..it is loud...I've heard old black face fender twin verbs cranked clean and that's the closest I can describe it...but its fuller with the closed cab..it actually is a nice sounding bass amp...would make a good jazz combo rig...but not able to keep up with rock n roll levels.but for guitar...volume set on 4 (11 oclock)...abosolutely screams.. I wish one of you guys that knows what your doing would figure out a way to make those amps again.. inthe mean time I regret selling my white one.. i'd be more inclined to use these amps if I had some spares... ET Report message to a moderator

Re: frankenstein repairs and maybe a sale [message #2608 is a reply to message #2595] Fri, 14 March 2003 11:10 Anonymous steven thanks for responding. Yes, it sounds like your tv when it's lost the signal. I'd had the power cord changed, because it had frayed and the idiot who changed it used a power cord from a microwave oven. I bought a new original two prong cord from Debra, but haven't put it on yet because I want to do everything at once. Which is why I've been seeking a schematic, but they don't seem to exist. While the white noise is present, it doesn't really interfere with playing the amp. Any ideas about which reverb pan to use? Report message to a moderator

Re: frankenstein repairs and maybe a sale [message #2610 is a reply to message #2599] Mon, 17 March 2003 07:35   stevem Messages: 4733 Registered: June 2004 Location: NY Senior Member Hey, gang. The other thing I forgot to mention about reverb problems I have seen is, someone unpluging the pan and then on reinstalling it pluging it in wrong, result, no amp damage, but no reverb also.In responce to recreating one of these amps circuit wise, thats no big deal, just a matter of alot of time. Infact the output driver section of the amp uses a tube type circuit design that gives these amps a very warm sound and removes alot of the unnessary brite top end that alot of solid state amps have. It could be considered a poor design, from a electronic stand point, but it has that old tone sweetness if you will.This friday I will post a responce for where to get the correct replacement reverb pan and the best price. Report message to a moderator

Re: frankenstein repairs and maybe a sale [message #2627 is a reply to message #2610] Tue, 25 March 2003 14:42 Anonymous Any updates as to what the correct reverb pan for a Frankenstein head would be? And where to find one? Also, if anyone can help with instructions on how to remove and replace a reverb pan without electrocuting myself would be greatly appreciated! Thanks-John Report message to a moderator

Re: frankenstein repairs and maybe a sale [message #2632 is a reply to message #2627] Wed, 26 March 2003 07:51   stevem Messages: 4733 Registered: June 2004 Location: NY Senior Member Hi, sorry I havent had a chance to get into my info file and get back to you folks, but if you go to the vibroworld site, they have replacment pans, and at the end of the pan listing they have the code chart to find out which replacment pan you need.Replacing the pan is not hard, if the amp has been off for a day or two their will be no shock hazard. just make sure put a little mark so you know what cord went to the output and input jack of the pan. Report message to a moderator

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