re pin spacing on plexi/JMP amp badge

[surfguy13]

Hi guys

I hang my head in shame for raising this issue yet again but I have just found an old Marshall badge in a parts box and can't remember which amp it came from.

The badge either came from a JMP or a slightly earlier amp. As you can see the letter 'r' on the badge is broken, clean break so easy fix, and the tail of the last 'l' is missing. Furthermore all the pins are gone which isn't unusual.

I have measured the pin locations on the badge and they are as follows (left to right as you're looking at it):

Letter M-a: 28mm
Letter a-s: 35mm
Letter s-a: 32mm
Letter a-l: 30mm

It's been ages since I uploaded photos so here goes:









If anybody can give me a heads up on this I'd be grateful!

Cheers

Guy

 

[george76]

yeah thats an early one.

you can tell by the letter spacing. big gap under the 'r' and after the last 'a'. you will also notice the back of the letter 'a' is arrow straight on the old logos. they are curved slightly on the modern logos.

generally speaking the letters are more scrunched together on modern logos.

 

[surfguy13]

Hey George76......thanks so much for that. I find it impossible to tell the difference without having both in front of me.

I meant to ask in the original post.......does anyone have any bright ideas in terms of re-fixing a logo that doesn't have pins? I'm guessing that glueing pins on may be difficult given the very small surface area?

Cheers

yeah thats an early one.

you can tell by the letter spacing. big gap under the 'r' and after the last 'a'. you will also notice the back of the letter 'a' is arrow straight on the old logos. they are curved slightly on the modern logos.

generally speaking the letters are more scrunched together on modern logos.

 

[george76]

i dont think it can be done. even with superglue they tend to just break off again.

maybe weld them on by melting the plastic? never tried it though. you dont want to damage that logo, it will devalue it.

 

[surfguy13]

You're probably right.......most people used to just glue them onto the tolex (shock horror) but with older heads I think that's probably considered to be sacrilege these days.

The only option I thought of was to remove the old pins from the head box, make and insert new plastic pins and use that small surface area to glue the head of the pin to the back of the logo. Might work?

i dont think it can be done. even with superglue they tend to just break off again.

maybe weld them on by melting the plastic? never tried it though. you dont want to damage that logo, it will devalue it.

 

[damienbeale]

The one I had to repair, I managed to find some drill bits the exact same size as the pins. I drilled out the pins carefully so as not too go too deeply into the logo, and pressed short sections of the drill bit itself to use as pins.

I've also done similar repairs by using a small drill, going straight through broken off pins and slightly into the logo, and doing the same, but this time it still looks like the pins are intact.

 

[surfguy13]

Interesting! Sounds like a plan! So's I've got it right.....you drilled the ends of the pins in the rear of the logo until you had a pin-sized depression. You then used pieces of the drill bit itself to act as pins? I assume you glued the ends of the drill bit pieces so they stayed in holes of the logo?

Sorry if I'm being a bit thick......

The one I had to repair, I managed to find some drill bits the exact same size as the pins. I drilled out the pins carefully so as not too go too deeply into the logo, and pressed short sections of the drill bit itself to use as pins.

I've also done similar repairs by using a small drill, going straight through broken off pins and slightly into the logo, and doing the same, but this time it still looks like the pins are intact.

 

[damienbeale]

Yes, that's it exactly.

Or for the latter method, for those that do have the broken bits of guide pin, do exactly the same but with a smaller drill bit, and glue the drill bit (bits) into the hole, and the old pin around the bit of drill bit.

Sorry, I know I'm really crap at explaining things. I've never been a good teacher.

 

[damienbeale]

It also helps having two drill bits. One to make the initial hole, and one with a flattened end so you can scrape out a flat hole, rather than a pointed hole. This way you can get just that tiny bit more of the broken drill into the logo.

Of course you will also need to grind the broken pieces to a nice right angle on the ends.

 

[surfguy13]

Perfect!! That really does sound like a plan.....I'll have a go and report back.

It also helps having two drill bits. One to make the initial hole, and one with a flattened end so you can scrape out a flat hole, rather than a pointed hole. This way you can get just that tiny bit more of the broken drill into the logo.

Of course you will also need to grind the broken pieces to a nice right angle on the ends.

 

[damienbeale]

Let us know how it goes.

 

[soundboy57]

I have had great luck with Super Glue for plastics....it's a two part system.
One primer, and one glue.
It holds together breaks VERY well, unlike plain super glue...

 

[george76]

the main problem is the way marshall use to drill the holes for those older logos, which must have been done freehand judging by the sloppiness of some of them. if they have been drilled a fraction too far apart it puts a lot of tension on the pins of the logo when they are inserted. and a superglue repair is not usually strong enough.

especially on "bass" logos in my experience, the holes tend to be a fraction too far apart, and it places a lot of stress on the logo.

 

[surfguy13]

I'd be very interested to know what brand it is? I'm guessing you're in the US (and I'm in the UK) but you never know, might be able to get it here. Normally use Locktite and it's OK but I have to say I haven't had much luck with it.

I have had great luck with Super Glue for plastics....it's a two part system.
One primer, and one glue.
It holds together breaks VERY well, unlike plain super glue...

 

[surfguy13]

Yeah, I agree. There was little if any consistency with Marshall in the 60s and early '70s.....this goes for electrical components as well as aesthetics.

If there is a really decent superglue out there like the one mentioned by soundboy57 then it may be worth a try.....at the end of the day the heads don't get anything like the vibration that cabs do and once badges are installed they tend to stay there. If a glue will provide a decent joint and the pins are exactly in line with the existing holes then that might just do it.

the main problem is the way Marshall use to drill the holes for those older logos, which must have been done freehand judging by the sloppiness of some of them. if they have been drilled a fraction too far apart it puts a lot of tension on the pins of the logo when they are inserted. and a superglue repair is not usually strong enough.

especially on "bass" logos in my experience, the holes tend to be a fraction too far apart, and it places a lot of stress on the logo.

 

[damienbeale]

The best cyanoacrylates over here are generally found in model building outlets. There are usually 3 different grades. One is thick and cures hardest, but it is a pain in the arse getting it to bond. The thin flash cure stuff is great, but not as strong, and doesn't keep for very long once opened. Generally brands you won't have heard of, either. If you know of anybody who regularly builds model aeroplanes, they usually will know the best stuff to get.