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Dirty-South Blues Harp forum: wail on! > '57 Premier 120 gets a bath
'57 Premier 120 gets a bath
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Noodles
297 posts
Aug 31, 2012
4:32 PM
A couple of weeks ago, I obtained a ’57 Premier 120 that had been recently re-tubed and recapped. It sounded great, but it smelled like grandma’s trunk that had been stored in the attic for a long while. Whenever I pushed it, there was a puff of dust and a funny smell. This amp didn’t have an actual grill cloth. Rather, it had essentially a very tough window screening that was spayed with “something” (to close up the holes in the screen) and then silk-screened over with the Premier logo. I believe that the “something” was asbestos and it was breaking down from age. Anyhow, I took it apart and here’s where I’m at so for. I thought you might want to see it with the Before and After pics.

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Last Edited by on Aug 31, 2012 4:33 PM
laurent2015
398 posts
Aug 31, 2012
4:54 PM
Great!
I hope the sound you'll gain will be a tribute to your work.
MP
2430 posts
Aug 31, 2012
5:13 PM
oooh aaah! (sigh.)

i had a twin 8
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1847
171 posts
Aug 31, 2012
5:31 PM
i think that answers my last question
a twin 8
bloozefish
42 posts
Aug 31, 2012
9:04 PM
beautiful.........gotta love an old Premier. What did you use to clean it? the new grillecloth is nice too.

james

Last Edited by on Aug 31, 2012 9:05 PM
Littoral
604 posts
Sep 01, 2012
9:16 AM
"What did you use to clean it?"
I assume that is paint, and hope that it isn't.
bonedog569
611 posts
Sep 01, 2012
4:24 PM
Mighty pretty - I wanna know too - did you clean it? - with what? re-cover it? Paint it? The color coded chicken head nobs and new handle are nice.
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Noodles
299 posts
Sep 01, 2012
4:57 PM
OK… Here’s the deal.

The original tolex was already removed when I got it. The “tolex” was more like contact paper you put in your kitchen drawers. I had to remove the little bits that were left and the do a whole bunch of body work to the cabinet, (nails, splits in the wood, dry rot, deep gouges, etc.) While that was going on I began sourcing parts and working on the replicating the logo. I made several scale renditions on my computer of the correct logo, but after several unsuccessful attempts at painting it on the original screen, I took a break from the logo, (for now).

I ordered the chickenhead knobs and an exact-match leather handle. The original screen was cleaned of the degraded asbestos coating and is installed behind the new grill cloth and mounted to a new baffle I built.

The outside of the cab was sanded smooth and then I had a decision to make for an exterior. What you see is paint, but I may still do one of the following: New Cab or New Tolex. It will be an easy changeover when the time comes.

More and more, you'll find less tolex and more people using stains and oils, like Tung oil on their cabs. I even found a roll-on, rubberized, textured finsh for amps and speakers that can be color tinted. It looks just like tolex.

There’s no hurry --- this amp is a lifelong keeper for me. In all honesty, it looks really good up close and it has a real vintage feel.
bonedog569
616 posts
Sep 01, 2012
11:13 PM
No regrets on the amp swap I take it- Glad you found a keeper. It looks great . Post some sound files or vids when you get the chance.

For the logo- if you can get a good quality picture or graphic image of it- you should be able to get a stencil cut - or a silk screen made. Your local custom t- shirt printer could do a silk screen- though it might be a bit costly.
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Last Edited by on Sep 01, 2012 11:16 PM


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