Sunn BETA Bass Head

[CONAN)))]

Hi all

I recently bought a beat up but fully functional Beta Bass and am very much looking forward to using it. It seems that it has been taken out of its sleeve and currently it is a large metal box (looks like an old VHS player).

My questions ares these.

Are there any resources available that will enable me to build a head sleeve for it?
The level knob has snapped off on channel A - can I buy replacement knobs and pots / shafts anywhere?

I want it to look like this (obviously this is a lead and not a bass).



But it currently looks like this



Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

[matto)))]

Are there any resources available that will enable me to build a head sleeve for it?
The level knob has snapped off on channel A - can I buy replacement knobs and pots / shafts anywhere?

i had a similar problem when i found a concert lead in the back of my local music store.  the best resources...home depot.  i just bought some wood a tried to match the case to the original case as best i could from pictures, but i didnt tolex mine and i plan to stain the wood when i have time.  you can buy replacement pots and such at most guitar stores, and possibly handles for your new case as well.  i had a bunch of junk amps that i salvages parts from (ie. handle, rubber feet, metal corners) but if you want to go all out with tolex and what not, there are sites that sell those sorts of things:
http://www.mojotone.com/amp-parts/Tolex-and-Tweed
mojotone has almost anything you'd ever need and their fender style or hiwatt style would match the sunn tolex pretty well

hope that helped

[CONAN)))]

Hey Matt, thanks very much. I am in the UK so I may take this a joiner / carpenter and have him knick me something up .

I will make a dog's cokc out of it if I try and build something .

[pickinatit]

If you don't care to go thru all of that you might consider this.
My Sunn 1200S  ("modern" hybrid amp) was in one of these when I bought it and it's just great IMO. 

http://accessories.musiciansfriend.com/product/SKB-3Space-Standard-Rack-Case?sku=544624

Covers for front & back when you are transporting it to protect knobs/jacks etc. Covers attach/detach very quickly and easily.  Just an idea if you don't feel like or aren't good at  DIY  housing construction.

[CONAN)))]

Hey all, thanks for the advice.

Ok, some progress here. We had a show on Thursday last week - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vNBVyrer99U

The morning of the show I took the amp to my tech for a quick check up and he said the electrics were fine aside from the drive channel on A (crackling when turning and uneven volume) and a missing power switch _ being sorted next week.

At the weekend I had the case made - See the pics below.

1. 3/4 birch ply was bought in the required sizes (measured up by the amp tech) - cost £14. It was fixed together with wood glue and screws and allowed to set on a flat surface. Foam strips were fitted to the bottom of the inside of the case for shock absorbtion.



2. Centres were calculated and the position of the mouting screw holes were measured. The screws were M6 bolts, countersunk / routed to allow for a washer.




3. The amp was housed and fixed into place with the mounting screws.



4. The amp was then covered in genuine motor industry grade leather (this particular perforated leather is that which can be seen in the Rover 75). I have a friend who works for the Lear Corporation who had a roll of this stuff under his bed 

I think the amp looks awesome, it didn't take all that long (maybe an hour plus glue / screw setting time on the original box).

What do you think?

[matto)))]

that's looking really good, make sure to post some pics with that leather on it

[CONAN)))]

Cheers mate... This thing smells like Suzy Quattro..... 

[matto)))]

that is damn fine...what mod was done to the power switch? how do you turn it on now?

[CONAN)))]

The power switch, at some point in the past, was removed and the wires taped up and put inside. I'm having it fixed at the tech very soon.

[Walt-Dogg]

I think a more important question is how do you take the amp out of the shell you made? Because to me it looks like you covered the screws that you used to hold it in...

[CONAN)))]

Hey Walt, a valid point. I still have to put corners (chrome) and handles (all black, plastic handles and metal clips) on this thing so it's not 100% finished yet - pics to come when that is done too.

Re the covered mounting holes. All I need to do is 'x-cut' the holes where the screws are and glue down the leather inside the holes- exposing the bolts. This isn't a big job.