Dean Markley Signature Series 60

[tsand]

Preamp and reverb tank tubes and location?

I purchased the power tubes for my series 60 and the cooling fan per Gtr_tech. Now I'm looking to fill the pre-amp and reverb tank sockets but I'm not sure which is which. I assume two are for preamp and should probably use 12AX7's and the reverb might be a 12AT7. I'm not sure as I haven't had tubes in this amp for a few years now. I really want to get this baby up and running. Two sockets are right behind reverb tank with the other to the back of the amp next to the power tubes. Any ideas?

[Kustomtech]

Terry Laul

I have a DM CD-60 amp and a RM-80 amp.....is Terry Laul still around to work on these?

Terry is still around and still working on these amps. He can be reached
at 316-537-6301.

[jmardy]

Hi guys,
Bumping a 3 year old thread because this is really all I could find on these amps. I'm looking at one and from what I can tell it seems like a well built and good sounding amp. Unfortunately I can't play through the one I'm looking at.
Would one of these probably need fresh caps?
Anything else to be aware of?
What are these worth these days?
Thanks in advance.
-John

[Chuck H]

They are better than average sounding amps. The chassis are known to be a little thin in gauge. Not an issue on the 60 but the bigger amps actually had power transformers that ripped the bolt heads through the chassis with heavy use. The speakers are a little funky with their square magnet but I'm told they are modeled after a popular Celestion otherwise. If it's an original and not the reissue it will need filter caps. The caps used in those amps don't age well so just replace them as a matter of course. It's not a collectible but they are sort of recognized as a sleeper score when found at a good price. Very useful amps for gigs and such.

[jmardy]

Thanks a lot Chuck.
I actually tried to send you a PM but your inbox was full.
You mention speakers; I'm looking at just a head with the rack mount ears.
Would $300 be about right for a good condition, working unit?

This one "may need new transformers" according to the seller, what could I use to replace them if needed?

[Chuck H]

OOooohh... I rolled right past the thread title! Funny 'cause I was already knee deep in this thread! I thought you were talking about the CD60.

The Signature 60 is a whole different amp! I had one for a few years. I used it as a power amp for a tube preamp. It worked great for that. I never used the preamp in the Sig 60 BEACAUSE IT SOUNDED LIKE CACA. Forget the distortion circuit. Un-tweakable. Too carppy to bother with. It's a complete rework to make it sound good. The clean circuit was way too brittle and hard. Not a hint of compression. I sold mine before I started working on amps otherwise I would have reworked it into something good sounding. The guy I sold it to DID rework it and said it was well made with good parts. So if you like your clean tones hard and strident or if you're looking for a mod platform or if you just want to slave it as a power amp it's worth buying. I'd buy it for the right price just because I can rebuild it into something else. If I couldn't do that I'd pass it by.

Ask the seller why he thinks it needs transformers. If he doesn't actually know then it probably doesn't need new transformers.

[jmardy]

Thanks Chuck.
I'm checking it out in person tomorrow. Will report back.

[Gtr_tech]

Un tweakable my ass. I redid the gain stages in my Sig 60 and it just fuckin' screams. Ya gotta know what yer doin....

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v...type=3&theater

There's mine in action...can't see it tho.

[jmardy]

That's part of the problem, I barely know what I'm doing...
I can read one of Steve Ahola's articles and mod my Peavey Classic 50 (which I've just completed by the way and fuck yeah!) but that's about it.
I have a Peavey Classic 30 scattered across my work bench and an inherited 5F1 homebuilt clusterfuck that I'm about to start rebuilding.
Think I'll pass on this one. It's at Guitar Center in San Jose if anyone's interested.

[Chuck H]

I do know what I'm doing. But I didn't when I owned the Sig 60. I'm just remembering how awful the distortion was for the stock circuit and didn't think tweaks would do it. I guess it depends where one draws the line between tweaks, mods and what one would consider a total rework.

Still need to get my audio hooked up. Maybe you could share your circuit with jmardy.

[blizz01]

I have a Dean Markley Signature Series 120 which seems to be in mint condition. It was my grandfather's (used to play at a BBQ place in Jacksonville in the mid 80's). Anyway it's been stored in my bedroom closet for ~20 years. It fires right up & I can see each of the tubes glowing consistently. Any idea what I'm working with and/or the value? (thanks)

[jmardy]

Forgive me if you already know this but never run a tube amplifier without a proper load attached to the speaker output.

Based on my research, these amps are well-built and well-regarded but a bit obscure and therefore hard to value. Given its age it may need new electrolytic capacitors, tubes maybe, etc. This could be a couple hundred dollar proposition depending on what it needs and local labor rates.

Having said that, assuming yours works properly (glowing tubes is no guarantee of that), it should be worth $300 to $400+.
There has been a 60w version on eBay a month with a $250 BIN and no one has bit.

[blizz01]

Thanks for the quick reply & pardon my ignorance (I did NOT know). Luckily, it was only for a moment(s). Given the condition, I may have a go of it on Ebay, but may run it into a music shop prior to that for a more hands-on assessment. Hate to let it go, but my daughter's turned us into a piano family & it's really just a space taker in my home.

Thanks again.

[75LesPaul]

The fellow who took Carl Wilson's spot after the unfortunate loss of Carl Wilson . and then toured with the Beach Boys for 7 years used my Dean Markley CD-60 for an outdoor show last summer. He loved the tone . .which was by way of a Jetter overdrive distortion pedal he used with it. Jetter pedals are simply amazing . a JTM 45 in a pedal (as close as can be). Check out Jetter pedals on Youtube. I am typically non-plussed by most of the pedals out there . . but the Jetter has really caught my attention and it seems to be a good marriage with the CD-60.

[Chuck H]

Huh.?. I actually thought that the CD amps had a pretty good gain channel. Not Marshall crunch or uber gain, more like early Boogie stuff. I guess if you're after a more crunchy tone a pedal is the way to go then.

BTW, Signature 60 and CD-60 are VERY different amps.