Model T Mods (Reissue)

[NsubUlysses]

I don't know if anyone is into the reissues, but are there any common knowledge mods that you guys know?

I'm not looking for anything in particular, this just popped into my head as I was reading other threads. I know someone said you could "clip a wire" on the originals and it would help. I think it was in that thread where the guy got his Model T in peices off ebay, and then wanted to get a full restoration out of it.

Yeah, anything like this possible for the reissues?

[JoeArthur]

Please stop calling this Fender amp a "reissue".

It ain't... no way, no how and even Fender doesn't call it a reissue. Only those people on eBay wanting to get rid of it call it a reissue.

No, there are no real simple "mods".

Besides, mods of any equipment should not be viewed as a "menu selection". If you can't describe the sound you are after, then you won't be able to obtain it by circulating through a menu of mods.

If this amp doesn't have the sound for you, then you are much better off selling it and finding one that does rather than attempting to mod it to death.

The second generation model T was much closer to the original model T than the Fender version will ever be.

[NsubUlysses]

Obviously this amp is nothing like the original Model Ts. I'm not trying to make it sound like a Sunn; if I wanted a Sunn Model T sound I would have bought a Sunn Model T.

I never knew Fender didn't try to market it as a reissue. I thought that was the whole point -- selling a more modern sounding amp labeled as a "Sunn Model T" to attract people to it.

I've just read snippets here and there about mods that are pretty simple, so I was wondering if some of those things apply to the Fender version as well. What's wrong with checking out the possibilities, if there are any?

[JoeArthur]

I never knew Fender didn't try to market it as a reissue. I thought that was the whole point -- selling a more modern sounding amp labeled as a "Sunn Model T" to attract people to it.

This is saying two different things, so I think you are half right.

For example, when Fender created reissues of (e.g.) their 65 Twin Reverb, they didn't completely revise the 65 Twin Reverb circuit. Different construction techniques, but the same circuit.

What they did with the model T - is reuse the name with a completely different name. That's why the term reissue is not accurate, at least not the way you can refer to a 65 Twin Reverb Reissue.

The only Fender site I can find that still has the sunn history section is this link:

http://www.fender.com.au/sunnamps/history.shtml

And from it, I quote:

"None of the new Sunn amps are reissues; rather, they are recreations that preserve the best of the old models with many modern improvements. The Sunn Model T was redesigned as an all-tube, tonal assault machine. For unrelenting tone and muscle, match it with the Sunn Model T 412 enclosure and get ready to rock. For bassists, the new Sunn 1200S delivers the power and presence to handle any situation. With a supporting line-up of bass and guitar heads and enclosures, Sunn amps are blazing an all-new trail into rock'n'roll history."

I've just read snippets here and there about mods that are pretty simple, so I was wondering if some of those things apply to the Fender version as well. What's wrong with checking out the possibilities, if there are any?

Unfortunately, none of those second generation model T mods really apply to the Fender amp. There are a couple of reasons why.

Take the cutting the wire example. This was a "limitation" that Sunn put in that the first version didn't have. Cutting it out was a simple solution as it eliminated the limitation and reverted the configuration back to the first version. In the case of the Fender amp, there is no first version.

The mods can also be considered simple because of the way the amp was constructed - all "true" point to point wiring. Addition of components and even complete rewiring is simple. The Fender amp is PCB - printed circuit board - not easy at all to modify circuits. You can change out resistors and caps easy enough, but you can't put in a new circuit without a lot of work.

For this last reason, it's probably even more important to FIRST decide on what kind of sound you are going for and then figure out the mod to get you there.

Don't get me wrong, it is your amp and I'm not even trying to stop you from modding it. Just a warning that the try it and see if you like it approach to modding can wind up being nothing but total frustration.

[NsubUlysses]

Yeah, that makes sense. I was only going to approach the "try it and see if you like it" approach if it meant doing something that is really simple and easily reversible like connecting or unconnecting something.

I understand what you mean now with the reissue thing, too. I just thought that Fender considered them to be reissues with modern additions. Thanks for the clarification.