Asking for Photos of Amps on Reverb?

Considering how much value changes depending on circuit condition and transformers, I’d say gut shots are one of the most important photos, 2nd only to the Transformers. Then I care about the state of the panels etc. I wouldn’t take a listing for a vintage amp seriously without a gut shot. If you give 8 shots of different angles of the headshell and panels but nothing internal, or even with the backplate off, I’ll be moving on because it’s obvious you don’t want to take an internal pic.
I actually don’t care about original on an old amp for playing. All that matters to me personally, is if it sounds great. I care about the above solely in terms of how much am I paying for it, in relation to what can I sell it for later with all the changes etc.
 
Smash said:
Yeah. Swing by and i will give you one from my collection.

I have a random NOS Jan phillips 12ax7wa that i dont even know why i have, and i can throw you a few jjs as a backup.

Call it a christmas present
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'Preciate that offer brother but I don't know if I will make it up that way until after the new year.
 
VonBonfire said:
Looks like the inside of the average vintage Gibson amp^
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Not entirely inaccurate. Here's a Gibson Titan I had on my bench recently. Tremolo wasn't working. I wonder if it's because someone had their filthy hands in there and decided to twist the lead wires and then electrical tape them together. No solder. No heat shrink..

titan.jpg



Maybe we here are a little more technically inclined? I open up every single amp I own or borrow. It's always fun seeing the madness inside.
 
vultures said:
Not entirely inaccurate. Here's a Gibson Titan I had on my bench recently. Tremolo wasn't working. I wonder if it's because someone had their filthy hands in there and decided to twist the lead wires and then electrical tape them together. No solder. No heat shrink..

View attachment 374309


Maybe we here are a little more technically inclined? I open up every single amp I own or borrow. It's always fun seeing the madness inside.
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This is crazy to me, because the LITERAL first amp I ever put together looks better than this.

PXL_20241011_192845118 (1).jpg


I am not a novice with electrical work or anything, but I am a novice at building amps. You'd think people would take some care with that shit?
 
If they won't provide pictures of the chassis and or circuit board pictures they are either hiding something or not serious about selling the amp especially with vintage amps when prospective buyers want to see if desirable parts like Mustard, Lemco, RS caps, Iskra/phier resistors, are still in the amp after a 40-50 year lifespan.

IMHO gut shots are obligatory especially when it comes to vintage amplifiers. If you buy a used car without popping the hood to verify maintenance you are setting yourself up for failure.
 
Tonelover said:
What are the chances you would buy one of them after making the seller do that?
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The chance is 100% that I'd buy. I'm looking for a specific amp. And if I find it, I'll buy it.

What are the chances I DON'T buy an amp if the seller refuses to send me a photo of the circuit that they state has been fucked with by some dude who doesn't know how to solder? Also 100%.
 
DanTravis62 said:
This is crazy to me, because the LITERAL first amp I ever put together looks better than this.

View attachment 374315

I am not a novice with electrical work or anything, but I am a novice at building amps. You'd think people would take some care with that shit?
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pp.jpg


That's clean as heck. It's not too hard to make clean wiring, it's just time consuming. A lot of the industry now "can't afford" to hire competent people to wire up amps in such a clean way, or it takes people years to get amps. That's why you're seeing slop, chinese built or SMD shit.
 
FourT6and2 said:
The chance is 100% that I'd buy. I'm looking for a specific amp. And if I find it, I'll buy it.

What are the chances I DON'T buy an amp if the seller refuses to send me a photo of the circuit that they state has been fucked with by some dude who doesn't know how to solder? Also 100%.
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Dude, it's abysmal. Almost nothing is unmolested anymore. Anytime I read "modded" in a listing with no pics of the board or name the shop that did it, I know there's something suspect going on in there.
 
vultures said:
Dude, it's abysmal. Almost nothing is unmolested anymore. Anytime I read "modded" in a listing with no pics of the board or name the shop that did it, I know there's something suspect going on in there.
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I found a Reverb listing for one that stated the PT was changed. Ok, no big deal. Then I look at the photo and someone literally took a drill or hole punch and cut out a rectangle for a laydown transformer using 50 small holes to form a large hole.
 
vultures said:
View attachment 374321

That's clean as heck. It's not too hard to make clean wiring, it's just time consuming. A lot of the industry now "can't afford" to hire competent people to wire up amps in such a clean way, or it takes people years to get amps. That's why you're seeing slop, chinese built or SMD shit.
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Yeah that's what I'm saying.

If i'm a relative novice, and I can make it look clean and presentable - why can't amp makers afford to hire novices that make clean, presentable amps? :unsure:
 
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