Take the original and run!
aaron said:
I have alway's wanted a JTM45,I now find myself in a position to pick one up,the problem is I'm not sure if I would be better off buying the re-issue,or a '63 all orig.I'm sure many here would opt for the orig model,but I have concerns about the reliability of such a old tube amp.Has anyone here played through a re-issue?If so how do they compare?The JTM45 was the perfect sounding head IMO,and not sure if the re-issue really captured that sound.Any input would help.
Thanks
Aaron
Aaron, just by coincidence I have a re-issue BluesBreaker unit in my shop right now. This is basically a JTM45 put into a 2-12 combo. The customer had bought it after he had heard and played an original. He hasn't been happy with the re-issue at all!
Mind you, he was cursed with too good an ear. He hears things plainly that I have to listen hard to begin to notice. It's like with someone who has perfect pitch. A band might tune up relative to each other and most folks think it sounds fine. If you have perfect pitch it will grate on your ears.
Nonetheless, few re-issues ever sound exactly like the originals. The original factory that made the output transformer is likely now a parking lot. So the new version never is made the same, even if the company bears the same name. Transformer guys mostly understand power stuff and if they do understand audio they tend to be more hifi types than guitar players. They're not likely to thoroughly appreciate the construction methods and materials in the older model transformers, things that DO influence the tone!
So far he's replaced the speakers with ferociously expensive Celestion Alnicos and I've sourced a new after-market quality output transformer, yanked out the printed circuit board in favour of an oldfashioned solder eyelet board and upgraded caps and stuff. Oh, and a pair of those new TungSol 5881's, which are the only ones since the 60's I've heard that sound good. Those Sovtek ones that Fender started using ('cuz they're cheap!) suck the big pickle, IMHO.
As far as reliability, a good tube amp can theoretically be kept in service forever! The power supply filter caps slowly dry up. The odd amp has had no problems for over 30 years but for the most part after 10-15 years you're on borrowed time. The symptom is a loud, buzzy hum that slowly gets worse and worse. A cap job can run a bit over $100 but then you're good for another few decades!
It's like wipers and brake shoes - you expect to replace them once in a while.
Tubes will last the same in a new amp as an old one so there's no difference there.
Controls can get dirty inside and may need to be cleaned but even if they completely worn out (a rare event) they're not expensive to replace.
Other parts last and last, unless you have some catastophic failure that burns them out. Doesn't matter if the amp is old or new for that sort of thing. It's just luck, or lack of it.
If you can get an original at a good price, I say go for it!