Toggle Switch for Thunderbird Amp

TheChris

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I've had a '67 Thunderbird for a long time. I had to totally rebuild the cab. It's a great amp. However, today, I was moving some boxes, and snapped off the STANDBY toggle switch. Never realized how delicate that thing was!!! After all those gigs and moves, just walking by it with a box did it! :)

Anyway - is there any chance that there is a replacement part somewhere?

For those interested, here's a pictorial of the rebuild - if you look at the 9th picture - those white switches on the far right...

Thanks.

https://goo.gl/photos/vxb4E1qyQQnZhT6i8
 

AcornHouse

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TheChris

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Well, thanks for the reply, and the link. My 2 issues - that will probably ease up when I realize that the glue won't hold :)

1 - Coming from China.... Never like those auctions.
2 - I know I could replace them - however, I've tried to keep the amp 'looking' stock.

I realize, I have a different speaker, and the entire cabinet was built from the ground up, but... It 'looks' original.

If the glue doesn't hold, and I can get the switch into the non-standby position, I'll just keep it there..

Other than that - even though I have the schematics - are they just simple SPST switches? I don't remember.

Thanks again.
 

AcornHouse

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Yeah, I avoid the overseas auctions if I can; I don't know if you can find them otherwise. I checked both AES and Hoffman with no luck. You might check Mouser.

On my TBass, they were DPST, so you'd best check your schematic and what's in there now. Guild tended to shop the bargain bin for their amp parts, so you never know what you'll find.
 

AcornHouse

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Need to see the inside to tell the type of switch (SPST, DPST, etc.)
 

gilded

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Chris you rebuilt the cab with what, pine, instead of the original particle board, yes? Did it sound different? I always wanted to build solid wood cab for my thunder bird, so I could take it out to gigs without wondering when it would shake apart.
 

TheChris

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I'm glad you asked! :) Yes - Pine. The old cab had been in a wet basement for 30 years. I had no other option. The tolex peeled off like a grape. So, I decided to NOT use particle board. I have a friend that's a 60's Fender fanatic, and said to him, "I can't believe they made these amps out of particle board in the 60's!" His answer was, "You know, that could be part of the sound..." I never thought of it like that, but, I don't care. I never heard the amp before, and it wasn't my intention to have it sound like anything. I wanted it to be solid (which it is) and allow me to use it for gigs (which I have). The speaker is original - my friend found a basket kit (he had a reconing business for a few years) and for the 8" reverb speaker, I just went with a MojoTone.... Last year, I had an amp tech go through it and replace all the caps and parts that could become troublesome. I mean, in its defense, with the exception of the tubes - which were removed when I got it - and the speakers - I did ZERO repairs on the electronics. So, that's a well-built amp in my opinion. It's EXTREMELY solid, works 100% - I bought two switches today, and I'm sure the amp will last another 47 years :)
 

gilded

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TC,

My amp's been in storage for a while (it was crackling a little). If I had to describe why I liked it, I would say that it sounds as good as a Fender, but it isn't a Fender. I liked my 'Bird with the reverb on because the amp sounds a bit plasticky without it. I thought the vibrato was good, but not as great as the Guild Thunder 1 RVT amps. I never really explored the best way to mic that amp, either. Those two speakers make it a little problematic. Two mics, one for each speaker? Or one in the middle?

What kind of music are you playing on your rebuilt TBird when you gig? I always thought of it as a jazz amp you could play rock on. What amp did it take the place of in your set-up? What kind of guitars do you use with it?

I usually gig with a maple necked Strat using vintage style pickups with a 5% overwind through a Deluxe Rev/Princeton Rev. 5-10 years ago, I used a Vibrolux Rev and 15 years ago, I used Marshalls and Hiwatts. A second guitar used to be humbucker equipped. Now it would be a nylon acoustic electric :)
 

TheChris

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I have owned dozens of amps in my life. I'm not picky, beyond the fact that I want amps to sound nice clean. If they can do that, I can do anything I want with pedals. I'm a hard rock guy - so, I've used it for many gigs like that. I do jazz gigs, but, I barely use an amp for those - I just go direct.

As for mic'ing it. I focused on the main speaker for my rock gigs. Even if I used the reverb, it would be very minimal. I still use my Blues Jr. most of the time, and I have a Marshall 2210 100 Watter. I also have a few SS amps that do my bidding. Like I said, I only care about clean, so, that whole 'tubes breaking up' thing doesn't really play a big part in it. I had a Carvin Legacy that I liked a lot. After I sold that, I used the Guild more, but the Blues Jr. is my main amp I guess.

As for guitars... Everything. I have 25.. Strats, LP's, Vee's and a few classic Ibanez's (Iceman/Destroyers, etc).

I'm playing more acoustic now - like you - I just put my 2 Kramer Ferringtons through their motions... What I like about the amp is that it just looks classy - and it really does sound great. Like I said, I don't know what the 'stock' ones sound like. But, I LOVE the cabinet I built, and I LOVE that I had a pro (Pete Cage) go through it - with the schematic and an oscilliscope - and replace every cap and spotty component. While I used to have reservations about it just bursting into flames at a gig, now, I just think it's bulletproof... Here's a video of me using it... I don't think you can see it, but I know I used it because it was the day I sold my Carvin, and that's the only other amp I had in the car..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8lbq3d5Yczg
 

Walking Man

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Other than that - even though I have the schematics -
Thanks again.

Hey TC!,
What are the chances of obtaining a copy of the schematics?
I'd be happy to pay you for your time, expenses and efforts
I just brought a T1-12 home yesterday. Tag states:serial number 5920, 67 wattst
Most likely the schematics won't apply to my new/used amp but, I think it will give me something of a reference to go with: should I ever need it.
Thanks!!
Mike
 

AcornHouse

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Hey TC!,
What are the chances of obtaining a copy of the schematics?
I'd be happy to pay you for your time, expenses and efforts
I just brought a T1-12 home yesterday. Tag states:serial number 5920, 67 wattst
Most likely the schematics won't apply to my new/used amp but, I think it will give me something of a reference to go with: should I ever need it.
Thanks!!
Mike
Mike, this will be closer for you. Guild had many variations in their amps, so there're always non-spec to be found, but this should be in the ballpark.
http://www.prowessamplifiers.com/sc...er_1_12-Thunder_1_12_speaker__fixed_bias.html
 

TheChris

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Hey TC!,
What are the chances of obtaining a copy of the schematics?
I'd be happy to pay you for your time, expenses and efforts
I just brought a T1-12 home yesterday. Tag states:serial number 5920, 67 wattst
Most likely the schematics won't apply to my new/used amp but, I think it will give me something of a reference to go with: should I ever need it.
Thanks!!
Mike

I'd be happy to send them. I bought them years ago... I have them printed out on HUGE plotter paper, but, I've got to have a PDF somewhere... Shoot me your email.
 

john_kidder

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I just posted elsewhere this pic of my '61 A500 and a '68 Thunderbird - a fine clean combination for tone and power.

As you see, I run a vocal mic in Channel 2, not much reverb. Works for me.
 

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That model Guild was Mike Bloomfield's stage backup amp and the one that Bob Dylan used when he plugged in the tele for the first time. T-bird on far left.

500full.jpg
 
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