hi ! new member, i've got an original 1981 mark2b 60 watter

[gonzo]

i bought it while i was gigging full time on the road...
1981, 60 watts, no reverb, it has the EQ, cream tolex, the reason i've kept it all these years, is because it's become part of my sound... the one in my head anyway....

it's never seen a repair person before....

it took a hard fall on it's face, in 1984, from the top of a full stack, to the drum riser..

broke off 3 of the sliders...

and never missed a beat.

here we are, may 2007, and it's still kicking ***.

but i reckon i should have it serviced, just because it's 26 years old!!
LOL

when i spoke with Mike B a while back, he told me to do these things when servicing, as a minimum:

on boogie tune-up:30 mil caps, 2 big filter caps ok
red epoxy-good
white vinyl w/rivets- replace


way good notes i took, eh?!


anyway, any suggestions on what i should have replaced and/or looked at, is very much appreciated!!

 

[Boogiebabies]

I can't tell if Mike was telling you if you had those style caps, to keep them. At 26 he may be reffering to the 30uf/500 filter caps and the 220uf/285V main filter caps. Replacing the two bias supply caps would be a good idea. I am not one to change original parts. Other than a good pot cleaning and dusting, I run them. the bias caps are cheap insurance.

You'll find yourself between opinion and regiment here. Everyone is on this 10 year filter cap replacement kick. It's up to you.

 

[gonzo]

well, thanks b-babies...

me, i don't have a clue, honestly!
LOL

so i'm open to suggestions, and everyone knows more than i do, about pieces/parts...

all i know, is that i've played this sucker for 26 years without nary a problem, and i'm a huge mesa fan because of it.

i preach the gospel everywhere i go, and convert wherever i'm heard.

i want to give the old beast a good long life, and if i don't need to change certain parts out, i need to educate myself in the hopes of relaying the info to a good technician.

all help, is appreciated!

 

[gonzo]

and if anybody has any suggestions for additional mods, or tweaks for better sound (the bass control has always been a bit flabby) i appreciate that too!!

 

[gonzo]

well, i found a local repair guy who's factory authorized, so i guess i'm gonna part with it long enough for a 'tune up'.

and, i think i'll do the slider repair at the same time...

i had originally talked to Mike Bendinelli about a mod, to put a switch on the underneath of the chassis, a $150 mod for a pentode/triode switch, to lower wattage to about 15 watts....

i always thought that might be cool for recording purposes, even in tandem with a Weber Mass lite or sumptin'

??

 

[Boogiebabies]

well, i found a local repair guy who's factory authorized, so i guess i'm gonna part with it long enough for a 'tune up'.

and, i think i'll do the slider repair at the same time...

i had originally talked to Mike Bendinelli about a mod, to put a switch on the underneath of the chassis, a $150 mod for a pentode/triode switch, to lower wattage to about 15 watts....

i always thought that might be cool for recording purposes, even in tandem with a Weber Mass lite or sumptin'

??

Oooh, a slider repair is a pain. You have to remove the faceplate. If there is some wiggle in the pilot light you should be allright. Your bass response is normally flubby over 2. A pentode/triode switch will just connect or short pins 3 and 4 on your power tubes. It will be a smoother, darker amp with less power, but it will definately not help your flubby bottom end. To get to 15 watts, it will probably short the inner two tubes and run the outer in triode. Sadly, authorized means squat. More Boogie's have been screwed up by authorized techs than you know.

Here is what I would do:

Clean and lubricate all the pots. Run them back and forth 10 times.
After 20 minutes, lubricate pots.
Do not clean the faders !!!! They will never feel right again.
Clean all the tube pin sockets and retighten them.
Check PT internal pins for cracking or loose solder joints.
Clean the input, output and loop send and return jacks. Contact cleaner and possible scotch brite cut in thin strips so you can fish it back and forth.
Spray the contacts on the power, standby and EQ switch and work them.
After they evaporate the solvent, spray them with Cai-Lube.
Do the same to the 60/100 switch.
Replace the two 50uf/75V bias supply filter caps. Mesa uses 47uf/100V Nichicons now. Check for -52V at Pin 3 before you replace.
Visually inspect the 30uf/500V and 220uf/285V filter caps for bulging and corrosion with a white or yellow powder. If you require a cap change, or if you desire a cap change use F&T or Mesa branded UCC 220uf and BMI, UCC or Sprague 30uf/500V caps.
Dust it, clean it, vacuum it and talk nice to it or sumphin'.
Look for blown screen grid resistors. Replace if needed or measure below 400 ohms.
Check the two 1K power supply resistors for drift.
Check plate voltage. 444V + or - 20% under load.
Check bias voltage after bias cap replacement for -52V.
Check current draw on power tubes.


Smoke Break. Union Rules.

 

[gonzo]

awesome info, boogiebabies.

much appreciated.

i'll take this info with me, and discuss in full with the technician.

i'll do a follow-up post, if anyone's interested.