Dean Markley CD-40

[7704A]

Scored a Dean Markley CD-40 combo from the 80's at a wicked price. Anyone have experience with these? Any common failures I should check for? I think there will probably be some mains wiring that needs updating, possibly/probably the caps.

 

[7704A]

Turns out it's a CD40, not 60. At the price I got it for though, not an issue. Looks like a plywood cab with particle board back board(s). Tubes are phillips ECG 6L6, and a GE 12A_7, I haven't looked closely. Speaker is a little wimpy looking 40W job, but they still decided to drop a giant machine screw through each of the 8 holes in the frame, with a t-nut in the baffle. At least it's secure... Caps look original. IC, yuck. Nothing obviously bad, hope it stays that way.

 

[Devin]

I seem to recall Clapton being associated with these at one point? No idea if he ever actually used them or just got paid for the ads


I've never seen one in person


Hit us with some clips kimg

 

[7704A]

I seem to recall Clapton being associated with these at one point? No idea if he ever actually used them or just got paid for the ads


I've never seen one in person


Hit us with some clips kimg

I heard the same thing about Clapton. Apparently his were sold at auction some time ago? Who knows if he actually played 'em. Clips will have to wait until after finals, unfortunately.

 

[7704A]

Pots were mostly fine, though a few were originally scratchy or hard to turn. Shot 'em full of cleaner and lube and then worked them good, and that seems to have done the trick. Spline-shaft pots, and it looks like the Drive knob already had a bit of napkin jammed into the knob to keep it from falling off the shaft. Oh well, it works well enough for now.

Figured out the switching too, mostly. I don't have a compatible footswitch right now, but I know which contacts are for what and can use my meter on current mode to bridge them manually. Tested the drive channel that way, and it sounds pretty good. Good enough I had to plug my Marshall in immediately and verify whether I liked it better than the boogie-esque Dean Markely. Turns out I do, it's just got this awesome upper-mid thing going that the DM doesn't. But the DM is still good, just a different flavor.

Questions I want to answer later: why does "switching" off the reverb also result in a tone and volume change? Is the fx loop being switched properly (I haven't put anything in the loop yet)? FX loop pots need any service? What specifically do I need to put in a footswitch in terms of LEDs and series resistors in order to match the factory one? Tune in next time...

 

[4406cuda]

I think Alex Lifeson used Dean Markley amps in the early 80’s

 

[1984_5150]

Alex

 

[BeZo]

CDs nutz!