Moddjobbs

Moddjobbs Tube amp repair, restoration, and custom builds in Dalton, MA. Over 25 years of hands-on experience with vintage Fender, Marshall, Ampeg, Hiwatt, Vox and more.
(1)

Thoughtful service and real bench experience. Custom Tube Amp Building, Repair, and Restoration
Musical Equipment Repair Service and Sales
Audio Consultation

70s Fender Champ getting fitted with a Jupiter 4 ohm alnico speaker.I always enjoy these little amps. Simple, classic, a...
05/04/2026

70s Fender Champ getting fitted with a Jupiter 4 ohm alnico speaker.

I always enjoy these little amps. Simple, classic, and a good speaker can really wake them up.

This one should be a nice match!

Working through a little different approach on a 1979 Champ with a really bad conductive fiberboard issue. Understood th...
04/20/2026

Working through a little different approach on a 1979 Champ with a really bad conductive fiberboard issue.

Understood that not everyone will love moving away from the original approach here, but I’ve seen enough of these to know that once the board gets conductive, they generally do not come back well.

So rather than pretend otherwise, I’m working through a clean discrete filter cap layout and started with a laser-cut paper template to test the idea before committing to anything.

Still in progress, but this kind of problem-solving is always fun when it can make a cool amp like this more stable and serviceable again!

One worth pointing out from the bench:This 1971 Super Lead came in with a 3-prong plug fitted onto the original 2-conduc...
04/10/2026

One worth pointing out from the bench:

This 1971 Super Lead came in with a 3-prong plug fitted onto the original 2-conductor power wire, along with some pretty cooked screen resistors and filter caps that were well past due.

From the outside, At a glance, that plug swap can look like a safety upgrade. In this case it’s actually a wolf in sheep’s clothing. A 3-prong end by itself does not make an amp properly grounded or safe. The mains wiring inside the amp still has to be reworked correctly so the chassis is actually at ground potential.

This one’s getting the AC side sorted out properly, along with new filter caps and the rest of the service it needs to be solid again! Looking forward to hearing it roar back to life! :)

Fender Deluxe Reverb on the bench for some well needed service! This one got fresh filter caps, a new reverb tank, and a...
04/09/2026

Fender Deluxe Reverb on the bench for some well needed service!

This one got fresh filter caps, a new reverb tank, and a new rectifier tube.

I also replaced the molded 1/4” speaker output lead with a hand-soldered metal plug. Those molded ends are a pretty common failure point on these, and it’s one of those small details that’s worth taking care of while the amp is apart.

Nothing flashy here. Just good maintenance and a few smart fixes to keep a good amp solid and dependable.

Had a little “Carr” show at the shop this weekend! Mercury V, and a Vincent in for some TLCDefinitely not textbook circu...
04/04/2026

Had a little “Carr” show at the shop this weekend!

Mercury V, and a Vincent in for some TLC

Definitely not textbook circuit layouts or builds, but then again these don’t sound like textbook amps either. Always interesting getting to look under the hood on amps like these!

This one was a fun bench guest! Guild 66J combo built by Ampeg.Not something you see every day, and that’s part of what ...
04/03/2026

This one was a fun bench guest! Guild 66J combo built by Ampeg.

Not something you see every day, and that’s part of what makes old amps like this so cool.

The Original schematic still tucked inside the cabinet, awesome Jensen alnico speaker, and plenty of vintage charm throughout. Pretty much a complete rebuild on this one, but worth the time it takes to get things just right!

This one stopped me in my tracks a bit!This is a 1996 Marshall Guitar Center 32nd Anniversary limited edition; one of on...
03/21/2026

This one stopped me in my tracks a bit!

This is a 1996 Marshall Guitar Center 32nd Anniversary limited edition; one of only 32 made.

Purple tolex, gold panel, and loaded with Celestion G12Ms. Definitely not something you see every day.

This one is part of a larger collection I’ve been helping go through piece by piece, getting everything dialed in and ready for its next chapter.

Always fun when something like this shows up in the shop!

1977 Marshall JMP 50 on the bench. Still running 6550s.This one’s in for caps and a some service before it goes out on t...
03/12/2026

1977 Marshall JMP 50 on the bench. Still running 6550s.

This one’s in for caps and a some service before it goes out on the market. Never seen one with this headshell color in person before!

Cool old Marshall, and a good example of where “it still works” doesn’t always mean it’s healthy. These old filter caps don’t last forever, and staying ahead of that stuff matters if you want the amp to be solid and dependable.

Always fun seeing what’s going on under the hood on these 😎

This was such an awesome project! 1959 Fender Bassman 5f6-A in recently for some tightening up.This one had been service...
03/07/2026

This was such an awesome project! 1959 Fender Bassman 5f6-A in recently for some tightening up.

This one had been serviced at some point in its past, but it still had a number of issues, including quite a few questionable solder connections.

While I was in there, I took the opportunity to bring it back a little closer to the look and character of these old tweed circuits; swapping metal oxide resistors back to carbon comp in a number of spots, and replacing Orange Drops with Mallory 150s.

Not about hype or “magic parts.” Just getting the amp responding and speaking a little more like a great Bassman should.

Anybody else have a soft spot for the roadworn look of an old tweed amp

Snowy Saturday, quiet shop… but the bench is busy 🙂Today’s project is a replacement board set for a ’70s Deluxe Reverb. ...
01/17/2026

Snowy Saturday, quiet shop… but the bench is busy 🙂
Today’s project is a replacement board set for a ’70s Deluxe Reverb. The original fiberboards had wax contamination that had become conductive; You know the drill.

Fresh boards, careful AB763 layout, and traditional construction go a long way toward long-term reliability. Have a great weekend, everyone!

Address

63 Flansburg Avenue Suite 250
Dalton, MA
01226

Opening Hours

Monday 11am - 4pm
Thursday 11am - 4pm
Friday 11am - 4pm
Saturday 11am - 4pm

Telephone

+14136134870

Website

https://buymeacoffee.com/nickwinnard

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Moddjobbs posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Business

Send a message to Moddjobbs:

Share