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So, I just bought this very fine looking Randall Commander:


Sounds great, but it's not very loud...I mean for being the size of a smartcar I would think it would knock my nutsack off. If memory serves me correct, it's quieter than a Roland JC-60 (1x12) I had awhile back and definitely not as loud as the Peavey Special I had (100 something watts, 1x12). Also, I've read on some forums that they are as loud if not louder than twins.

Anyways, I was wondering would replacing the caps really do anything as far as volume? It is an amp from the '70s, perhaps it may be time. I mean, it's fairly quiet and it's not like the volume fluctuates (these reasons I think would constitute replacing filter caps...). Maybe there's something you guys know about amp maintenance I don't? I'm going deaf? Jaded to loudness? Maybe it's really not that loud of an amp?

First off, keep in mind that the Rolands are holy hell on wheels for volume (I've had JC-120s, have a -50 now). They also weigh as you probably remember enough to qualify as hard cover in the event of an airstrike.

That said, I've owned many a vintage SS amp in my time - I used a Sunn Solos II for 10+ years before it blew up. It was marvelous and from the same era as the Randalls. The problem is finding someone qualified to work on them, schematics, and the like - I ended up having to find an old Fender/Sunn employee at the Oregon facility and bribe them to call around on my behalf to get the Solos II to run right.

The caps might be good, they might be bad, they might be iffy. I know that it's 'replace them' as the common mantra these days but for years we abused vintage amps with pedigree without changing anything let alone the SS beaters.

First off, I'd:

-Check to make sure that it has the right fuse in it. 90% of the vintage amps I've seen don't. This can tell you that there's something wrong or that somebody along the way was just a chunderhead. Replace with the right fuse, see if things don't work if so. Have multiple fuses because, well, they're fuses. If it blows a few in a row, it's probably not coincidence.
- Check the reverb tank/speaker connections. I know, basic, but everybody forgets to and I always mention it. Does it have a speaker out for an extension cab or a headphone jack? Try both those and see if it sounds ok or gains volume (disconnect the internal speakers for a minute if you have to, keeping in mind that the extension cab may be more efficient etc - but if it's "holy hell, it's on 1 and blowing past what it did on 8 with the internals', I'd look at speaker wiring/replacement speakers. Check phase on speakers too. A lot of these amps have been mucked with for years as low-end beaters and stupid things have been done to them.
- If there's a footswitch for channel switching and the like, try it plugged/unplugged. I know, it sounds wierd but it's possible that something is amiss in that circuitry too or it's just stupid quiet without the boost engaged if there is one or whatever.
- Pull the chassis. You should probably do this anyway at some point. Blow out the 30 years of dust, spiders nests, dead rodents, and whatever is in there. Don't lick capacitors or transformers, there's still enough voltage in these big old SS amps to wreck your world. Look for obiously burned/melted/leaking caps. If there are any, then it's time to start looking for a tech.

If you've gotten this far and nothing is visibly wrong, you're going to have to find a qualified SS vintage amp tech and shell out the $$ to get it overhauled, and none I've dealt with are cheap. If you have to go that route,they should accept only the chassis by mail to save on shipping costs.

I think that about covers the basic SS vintage stupid checklist from years of working with beaters, oddballs, and one-offs.

I should also add that one man's louder than sin or 'equal to a Twin' varies substantially and some 1x12s will drive you mad with volume, even if the 2x12 combo is in perfect shape from the factory.

Cool, I will check these things tomorrow as it is a bit late at night now.

Thanks, rfurtkamp!

EDIT: Going over your post again, what do you mean check "phase" of the speakers?

Speakers can be out of phase (whether you're taking two different amps or two speakers in an amp, etc) just like pickups can. Sometimes when people hook up/tear down an amp (or the factory was stupid, or insert whatever reason) they swap the leads on the speaker wiring so that they're not operating on the same polarity, just like a guitar pickup.

There's probably a more technical explanation but that's the napkin math equivalent version. Tape the speaker leads/cables, take a photo (camera phone or cheap digicam works, if that's not available, draw an old fashioned diagram) so you know which one was on which speaker tap/tab/whatever it's hooked to if it's clip on (which I can basically guarantee it proabably is, nobody solders that stuff typically).

What rfurtkamp was trying to say is that when things are out of phase there is a cancellation of certain frequencies and often a resultant loss in volume.

Yea, that's what I get for posting pre-coffee.

You can also check the phase of the speakers by taking of the grill cloth and watching them as you play
or play audio through them. If they are in phase, both speakers will be moving in and out in unison.
If the speakers aren't working together in unison they'll actually be working against each other creating
frequency cancellation and loss of volume.

Bad Analogy Version:
It would be like if when you tried to breath, one lung was inhaling while the other was exhaling.
You might be able to survive, but you'd never win the New York Marathon and your Dad would
hate you and think that you were worthless. NOTHING IS GOOD ENOUGH FOR YOU DAD!

SO, I cleaned it up and resoldered one of the speaker leads and plugged a guitar in rather than a bass (it's all I had at the time) and this thing is raping my eardrums.

Moustache_Bash wrote:... and this thing is raping my eardrums.

Good news? I guess?

This is why you were hearing protection, you don't want your ears to get pregnant and start having babies.

Thnk of all the headphones you'd have to buy.

Glad it's resolved.