Painting aluminum?

[rightpedal]

Re: Painting aluminum?

Scott,

I picked up a Crate V18 212 amp from Musician's friend (actually, I bought TWO of them!) for the paltry sum of $189 ea. when they clearanced them out. This is an all tube amp and I bought it with the intent of using it as a platform to build on. I think that for a couple hundred more, I can make this a badass that should (repeat, SHOULD) kick a Fender Deluxe Reverb to the curb. I like finding good deals and improving on them. I just need to get rid of the PCB and hand wire everything and then upgrade to some better tubes. Post up some pics of your new tube baby!


Ron

isn't that one just a 12AX7 in the gain stage with the rest of the signal path on ICs though? I know some guys gut them and put in the single end equivalent of what I am doing, which is really popular. but the AX12 is supposed to be "recording quality" even at 5 watts... the Soldano version of the AX84 is like $3000

I have one of those "Tube Preamplifiers" from DBX and it sounded like bunk to my ears. Then I did a little reading and found it that when they say "Tube Preamp" they mean "There's a small tube in there that we run the signal through but it's mostly for marketing purposes"

I am no guitar guy so I am trusting what I am reading and hearing in sound clips. My ears will know, when it's done. I have yet to pick the 12" speaker for the cab I built too. Figure I'll start with a junky speaker so if I cook anything - it won't be one of those really nice british drivers I want to get.

Hijack the pre hijacked question about aluminum

I wrecked Soldano's shop and several cars when he first moved in. It was about six years ago. My friend April had a 69 cougar. Mike lent her some shop space so we could work on it. New cam/intake/carb, finished the cam break in and was working on the choke to click off (running about 1200 rpm) I opened the door and the car jumped into reverse. The door knocked me down and blew out my MCL. The car hit the 60chevy delivery behind it. Drove it into a column, a model A body shell, and over a bunch of A blocks before I got it stopped. He was super cool about the whole deal. His only real bitch was at the sheetrock guy for only putting on two layers (there should be three for code). April made good on the 60 parts and every thing else looked worse than it was. I know nothing about amps but Mike as a person was really great.

Steve

[dieselgeek]

Re: Painting aluminum?

hah!! that's a good story, especially since no one got hurt.

OK, so, update. Instead of waiting on the powdercoat finish we liked (copper metallic) to be shipped from Eastwood, I went and got a can of Napa 7220 which is the Martin Senour "self etching primer" and followed the directions applying a couple thin coats. Everything looked good so I applied a couple more think coats of cheap Krylon Copper finish, and to my surprise it dried nice and tough..! must be good primer because the paint is cheap.


Anyways, we liked it enough that we're going to do it that way. Squirrel, I'm leaving the top, back and sides bare aluminum (appropriate for tubes) but the front panel is getting the "faux copper" treatment :-)

[CDMBill]

Re: Painting aluminum?

Sounds nice. I found a great deal on a real, not reissue, '65 Fender Super Reverb which sounds just bitchin. It has original NOS Jensen square magnet 12's and its hard not to get great tone playing straight into it.

Don't laugh but I also have a Line 6 Spider Valcve 212 which I'm doing the SVpre tube mod to the front end. Supposed to lose the non-musical overtones ithas on clean settings we'll see.

I bet the copper finnish looks great.

Any tips here for clearcoat on sheet aluminum for a bracket in a car application to keep it from looking like crap after 500 miles?

[mrocketscience]

Re: Painting aluminum?

Super Reverbs sound awesome!! I use a Deluxe Reverb on just about all of my gigs, at 22 watts it's just about right... you can turn it up for the gritty tone without making everyones ears bleed...... I also have a Fender Blues Deville, but it's so loud that I can't really run it past 3 on the volume.... Anyway, I'm interested in hearing how the amp kit turns out, I'd like to do one myself......

[squirrel]

Re: Painting aluminum?

Any tips here for clearcoat on sheet aluminum for a bracket in a car application to keep it from looking like crap after 500 miles?

move to AZ?

I took a trip to LA in my 55 many years ago..left it parked outside for a few days in the SoCal air, the nice polished air filters that had been outside in the weather here many times got all crusty and nasty looking.