When my amp broke down last year while touring with Lucero, I didn’t have much time to shop for a new one so I was really suprised to find out that Roy Orbison’s soundguy was selling Roy’s last Fender Twin Reverb which is exactly the type of amp that had just died on me. The price was resonable so I bought it. Every once and a while, it decides to blow fuses. Sometimes it will blow 5 or 6 in a row before it works properly. I’ve had three different people try to fix it and they each, of course, have their own idea as to what’s wrong with it. But it continues to give me trouble. Now I am stuck with the decision of either keeping it and buying something more reliable or trading/selling it. I am sure there is someone who would be thrilled to have this amp despite it’s bad temper but I am torn because it’s pretty damn cool having Roy Orbison’s amp in my spare bedroom. Any advice?
February 1st, 2005 at 12:58 pm
Dude, this is right up my alley:
* paint it with chalkboard paint, so you can write stuff on it
* install linux on it and make it a media center
* remove all fuses and just run it on water power
* dip it in tool-dip
* new age sled
* put your weed in it
* make it a bed for Blue
* ever hear of Moon-shoes!?! no, really… what are they?
* bread box for whole wheat bread (that has the good carbs)
* parking garage for penny racers
* cut multiple slots on the back side of it and make it a giant tissue box cover
* acorn storage for a family of squirrels
The list goes on and on… or, just keep it and get it documented that it was, in fact, Roy’s.
February 1st, 2005 at 3:31 pm
I would keep that amp for a number of reasons.
1. Fenders are sweet.
2. If it is Roy Orbison’s, extra sweet, if not it is still a Fender (see no. 1).
3. The funny electrical stuff can most likely be fixed by a) a good cleaning, b) new tubes, c) some minor soldering, or d) some combination of a, b, and c.
4. I grew up hearing a Twin Reverb through the basement floor and that same amp is still pissing off the neighbors (again, see no. 1).
5. If it can’t be fixed and/or is not Roy’s old amp it probably won’t be worth much anyways, right? so just keep it as a sweet conversation piece.
6. Look on the inside liner notes for Hum’s record Downward is Heavenward. One dude is getting set to rock-out with a Twin Reverb and another is sitting on some kind of Fender cabinet. Then listen to the record at max volume.
February 1st, 2005 at 4:02 pm
This post has been removed by the author.
February 1st, 2005 at 4:06 pm
Seth, thanks for the suggestions. Too bad they were crap. Actually, the tool-dip suggestion was almost cool. OK, the tool-dip suggestion was good.
Andrew, you’re right about #1, Fenders are definitely sweet. Also, you’re right about #2, if it’s Roy’s, it’s even sweeter and if not, it’s still sweet. You may or may not be right about #3 but I can’t prove it one way or the other so we’ll just say you’re right about it since you got #1 and #2 correct. As for #4, who owned that amp before you? A family member or a songwriter-elf that lived in your basement? Hook me up with the answer to that one some time. #5 is kinda tricky because on one hand, I am positive that it was Roy’s amp but even if I got his soundguy to put it in writing, that’s still not enough for some people. Either way, I figure if someone can sell a grilled-cheese sandwich on eBay for $20K, then I could at least get a thousand bucks out of Roy Orbison’s Fender Twin Reverb. And yes, one way or the other, it is definitely a good conversation piece. In regards to #6 which is about a band called HUM that you apparently are really into, I have no idea what they sound like but since you gave 5 suggestions that ranged from not-bad to great, I’ll check them out.
February 1st, 2005 at 5:17 pm
RE: No. 4: My Dad did/does own the amp. He is not a song-writing elf. He is a troll. A troll with all manner of mid 60s to late 70s tube amplifiers and guitars that I am probably still to young to touch.
Hum is no longer making music, but their stuff is still available.
February 1st, 2005 at 8:14 pm
Crasy-
You are dealing with a bunch insanes here. Let me get you lined out…
1) Get some documentation (only real advice you got…so far).
2) Leave it where it is and don’t turn into any kind damned tissue holder thing.
3) Buy a new amp. Things are going okay for you right now.
4) If times get hard, it’s worth more later if it’s worth anything now ( you kinda
got that from lil’ Andy).
5) Quit fretting (no pun)…make life easy.
6) Quit communicatin’ with that Seth kid. He’s a damn nut case. Nothin’ but
T-R-O-U freakin B-L-E
Yo PoP
March 20th, 2005 at 9:27 pm
so, what happened with the old Fender amp?
up for sale to an old tube-guy?
will the shipping to South Carolina be more than its worth…I’d have to check but write with price for amp if you’d like to sell..
thank you. PS I too am a Mac user, despite all the crap I have to take from my Windoze friend. He can’t write you…’cause he’s froze up again.
March 21st, 2005 at 2:36 pm
I tried to email you back, cowbutler, but it was returned to me almost instantly. To summarize, I have cleaned the amp and since it now works, I’ve decided to keep it. Thank you for inquiring, though.