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The Guitar Amp Tech
Australia
Registrace 26. 11. 2018
Hi. I am Chris, The Guitar Amp Tech, working in Sydney, Australia. If you have a vintage valve amp, a modern valve, or solid-state amp, I will get it back to sounding its best for you.
I have some famous customers, but most are weekend warriors, like me, who are just as passionate about their sound. I also do repair work for major Sydney music stores.
There are a lot of myths in the amp world. I will do my best to address them as we cross them. Likewise, if you think I’m talking garbage, let me know.
I did my Electrical Engineering degree at the University of NSW. When I was 17, repairing my amp was my major goal in life. In some videos you can see that first bright green paneled Savage amplifier. It still doesn’t work!
Every 2 weeks I will be uploading videos of my more interesting repairs and offering some insights along the way. Some videos are short, some silly, and some detailed. It depends on time between repairs and the amp which inspires me to press “Record”.
I have some famous customers, but most are weekend warriors, like me, who are just as passionate about their sound. I also do repair work for major Sydney music stores.
There are a lot of myths in the amp world. I will do my best to address them as we cross them. Likewise, if you think I’m talking garbage, let me know.
I did my Electrical Engineering degree at the University of NSW. When I was 17, repairing my amp was my major goal in life. In some videos you can see that first bright green paneled Savage amplifier. It still doesn’t work!
Every 2 weeks I will be uploading videos of my more interesting repairs and offering some insights along the way. Some videos are short, some silly, and some detailed. It depends on time between repairs and the amp which inspires me to press “Record”.
Part Two: The Rise of the 1962 Brown Panel Fender Pro
In Part Two we conclude the return of this gorgeous Brown Panel Fender Pro to its former glory. (I limited the restoration to the components that most significantly improved the sound and appearance of this beauty.)
HIGHLIGHTS
• Many “Techs” automatically replace coupling capacitors without proper technical understanding or consideration of the historical importance of vintage amplifiers. In this video, you will learn how to put coupling capacitors through a very challenging test. If they don’t leak at 1000v they won’t leak in normal use.
• I will show you how to install a bias pot and how to empirically determine the resistor values.
Did you enjoy this video and have gained something from my efforts in recording and editing? Have I earned your “LIKE”? If so, please honour my efforts by pressing Like and please SUBSCRIBE for more videos like this.
Chris, The Guitar Amp Tech
Sydney Australia
Video Index
00:00 Introduction
01:16 An Extreme way to test Capacitor Leakage
05:27 Installing the coupling capacitors
10:08 The black band on capacitors
14:56 How to determine which version of the amp you have
26:32 Installing a Bias Pot
34:48 Testing the health & match of the power tubes
36:09 Servicing the tube sockets
39:38 Recap of work so far
45:20 Power up the Pro
47:22 How I set up the mics. Do you prefer the Sennheiser 609 or the Shure Beta 57
49:40 The Sound Test of the Brown Panel 1962 Fender Pro
54:12 End of Fender Brown Panel Video Part Two
HIGHLIGHTS
• Many “Techs” automatically replace coupling capacitors without proper technical understanding or consideration of the historical importance of vintage amplifiers. In this video, you will learn how to put coupling capacitors through a very challenging test. If they don’t leak at 1000v they won’t leak in normal use.
• I will show you how to install a bias pot and how to empirically determine the resistor values.
Did you enjoy this video and have gained something from my efforts in recording and editing? Have I earned your “LIKE”? If so, please honour my efforts by pressing Like and please SUBSCRIBE for more videos like this.
Chris, The Guitar Amp Tech
Sydney Australia
Video Index
00:00 Introduction
01:16 An Extreme way to test Capacitor Leakage
05:27 Installing the coupling capacitors
10:08 The black band on capacitors
14:56 How to determine which version of the amp you have
26:32 Installing a Bias Pot
34:48 Testing the health & match of the power tubes
36:09 Servicing the tube sockets
39:38 Recap of work so far
45:20 Power up the Pro
47:22 How I set up the mics. Do you prefer the Sennheiser 609 or the Shure Beta 57
49:40 The Sound Test of the Brown Panel 1962 Fender Pro
54:12 End of Fender Brown Panel Video Part Two
zhlédnutí: 1 221
Video
The Rape, Pillage & Plunder of a 1962 Fender Brown Panel Pro - Part One
zhlédnutí 1,2KPřed 2 měsíci
This historic vintage Brown Panel Fender Pro was pillaged by a thieving Tech. It is a mission of love for this era of Fenders that the owner and I share, that leads us down this path to restore it to its former glory. I had to make decisions based on the practicality of the owner’s costs, even with some of the work being completed at my own expense. Please forgive my angry rant as I uncover the...
Fender Vibro-King Repair Part Two
zhlédnutí 1,8KPřed 3 měsíci
In Part Two, let's conclude the Vibro King repair by installing the new Reverb Transformer and finding a workable solution to the dreaded “Tremolo Tick”. You will also see 3 different methods of setting the bias and finally get to hear the amazing sounds of the Fender VibroKing. Video Index 00:00 Introduction 00:33 Installing the Reverb Transformer 04:24 Testing the Reverb with a speaker instea...
This King is sick. Long reign the VibroKing.
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Happy Days! My first VibroKing since starting CZcams videos and we have lots to see and learn here. A simple error by “previous tech” has burned out the Reverb Transformer, but there is much more that needs to be done to bring this gem back for the owner. If you have enjoyed the effort presenting this video to you, can you please honor me with a LIKE and SUBSCRIBE for future (and past) videos. ...
Unveiling The Secrets: Mastering Amp Repair Without A Schematic - Part 2!
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Can we identify key parts of the circuit board, find problems and resolve those problems, before they become major problems? No problem! In this video, I refer to the Artist TweedTone 12A that I designed for Artist Guitars. IF YOU THINK YOU WOULD LIKE TO BUY THE TWEED TONE 12A, CAN YOU PLEASE USE THIS LINK: alnk.to/eZESRCK It will earn me a small commission for my work at no cost to you Video I...
How to approach repair of low cost amps - with no schematic
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Let's take an overview of my approach to amp repair, specifically with low-cost amps. Often we can't find the schematics for these amps, so how can we repair these amps. This is Part One of a short series. If you find this video useful, please press LIKE and SUBSCRIBE to the channel for more videos with helpful suggestions for solving your amp problems. Video Index 00:00 Introduction 01:32 Faul...
How to make a great sounding R8 Gibson Les Paul sound even GREATER!
zhlédnutí 2,4KPřed 5 měsíci
My new (2018) Custom Shop Les Paul felt perfect. It looked perfect. It sounded great. But, like you, I was wondering if I could make a great guitar sound even greater. And I did! Video Index 00:00 Introduction 02:25 Meet Eric, the Les Paul R8 03:10 Burstbuckers OUT . Antiquities IN. 04:10 The Tone Control and the Taper Problem 04:50 When to use Linear or Log potentiometers 07:15 How to test the...
Fender SilverFace Pro Reverb UltraLinear - PART TWO - What a sound!!
zhlédnutí 1,4KPřed 6 měsíci
The exciting conclusion to the UltraLinear Pro Reverb. I have the predictable amp-loves of the ‘70s child. The JMP 50. A JMI AC30. And the spanky clean Fender sound of which this is an excellent example. Let me know what you think of the sound sample at the end of the video. We will set the Bias on this very high-voltage Fender. It seems cold, but I trust the oscilloscope more than simply measu...
Silverface Pro Reverb UltraLinear will sound UltraSweet - PART ONE
zhlédnutí 1,9KPřed 6 měsíci
This SilverFace Fender Pro Reverb is the vehicle for learning about UltraLinear amps. We also gain a better understanding of late Silverface Fenders and why they can sound SO good. I am a firm believer in protecting vintage amps for future owners. “Future You” deserves to know how an original Fender, Marshall or Vox sounded … and not an unknown kid's digital impression. I do not see wholesale p...
Can we learn anything from this Strauss amp? Heaps!
zhlédnutí 5KPřed 7 měsíci
You may not have heard of the Strauss amplifiers, a once well-respected Aussie amplifier maker. Your initial thought is that this is not relevant to me …. but wait. There are some good techniques for you here, particularly as we had no access to schematics. Luckily this is a relatively simple circuit. You have to ask yourself, "do you feel lucky? Well, do you punk? Do you know how to tell if yo...
Part Two: More Improvements for the Princeton Reverb Reissue
zhlédnutí 1,2KPřed 9 měsíci
In this video, we will finish off the Princeton Reverb Reissue. You may pick up some Tips in: • Lead dress to reduce hum • Another place to significantly improve the grounding reliability • Why people who like speaker distortion are usually talking sh*t • The Weber Copper Cap Rectifier - why I like it despite one drawback • How to protect your Reverb Transformer Also, • Why I should do more tha...
Let’s improve the Reliability and Sound of this Princeton Reissue
zhlédnutí 1,8KPřed 9 měsíci
The Princeton is a good amp off the showroom floor, but like all mass-produced amp manufacturers run by Accountants, savings had to be made in both areas of sound and reliability. The owner of this amp loves his Princeton and authorized me to toss out those cost-saving measures and make this amp what it should have been. You don’t have to own a Princeton Reverb Reissue to benefit from this two-...
Korg AC30 Part Two. Let's Complete the repair of a Vox AC30 TBX. What a beautiful Vox sound!
zhlédnutí 1,2KPřed 10 měsíci
Korg AC30 Part Two. Let's Complete the repair of a Vox AC30 TBX. What a beautiful Vox sound!
Let's Repair: Vox AC30 TB/TBX. It Blows Fuses & Hums
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Let's Repair: Vox AC30 TB/TBX. It Blows Fuses & Hums
Lets Repair this famous "Beano Blues Breaker" Marshall JTM-45
zhlédnutí 4,9KPřed 11 měsíci
Lets Repair this famous "Beano Blues Breaker" Marshall JTM-45
My first amp design: the Artist TweedTone 12A featuring guitar legend Bob Spencer
zhlédnutí 8KPřed rokem
My first amp design: the Artist TweedTone 12A featuring guitar legend Bob Spencer
Part Two of Amplifier Classes: A, AB, B and Single-Ended
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Part Two of Amplifier Classes: A, AB, B and Single-Ended
Part One: How does a Class D amplifier work ... Simplified
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Part One: How does a Class D amplifier work ... Simplified
Fender Blackface ProReverb. Let's repair the hum, make it sound great and learn about amp repairs.
zhlédnutí 6KPřed rokem
Fender Blackface ProReverb. Let's repair the hum, make it sound great and learn about amp repairs.
Let's Repair and make Safe this Mesa Boogie Mk I - Part Two
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Let's Repair and make Safe this Mesa Boogie Mk I - Part Two
Let's Repair and make Safe this Mesa Boogie Mk I - Part One
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Let's Repair and make Safe this Mesa Boogie Mk I - Part One
How to repair a Marshall JMP 2104 with many problems
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How to repair a Marshall JMP 2104 with many problems
Marshall JMP Super Bass vs Super Lead - How to convert
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Marshall JMP Super Bass vs Super Lead - How to convert
Does Shaving your Head make Amp Repairs easier?
zhlédnutí 548Před rokem
Does Shaving your Head make Amp Repairs easier?
Do you need a amp chassis stand? YES, you do! Mojotone stand Review.
zhlédnutí 1,4KPřed rokem
Do you need a amp chassis stand? YES, you do! Mojotone stand Review.
Lets look at, and listen to, the Diezel VH2 .... and change the mains voltage
zhlédnutí 1,5KPřed rokem
Lets look at, and listen to, the Diezel VH2 .... and change the mains voltage
Tweed Princeton 5F2A - Learn diagnostic and repair techniques to make this amp safe and original.
zhlédnutí 6KPřed rokem
Tweed Princeton 5F2A - Learn diagnostic and repair techniques to make this amp safe and original.
Nasty Distortion in a Dumble Overdrive Special (clone)
zhlédnutí 3,2KPřed rokem
Nasty Distortion in a Dumble Overdrive Special (clone)
Artist Guitars - The Grand Opening - Joyo, NU-X.
zhlédnutí 3KPřed rokem
Artist Guitars - The Grand Opening - Joyo, NU-X.
soddering iron, snozzoramus!
Just got blown away listening to Lemmy playing bass with Hawkwind and looked up his amp preferences - the Super Bass was there and I could also find the schematics. Your walk through of the circuit and explanations were excellent and there is always time for The Who!
Thanks mate! Love The Who
awesome tone
Agreed. Delicious, rich and 3-dimensional.
Great video..I have three H&H amps 2 are valve sound and one PA amp..One of the valve sound amps has a very low volume. what can cause this ? any help would be great..regards.
Wow! A valve HH! Very cool. The best place to start is the power supply. Find a schematic and check that your voltages are close. Then try a different set of power valves (don't forget they will need to be biased).
@@theguitaramptech Thank you for your help..best regards.
i could be wrong -BUT - the mentality at artist seems to be - keep the PROFIT down -but high turnover .....or maybe its just 3 rd world exploitation !! LOL ......but i love what artist have been offering - in the late 70s and 80s ......even crap was expensive.... so many options it allows you to try other types of guitars and instruments - love artist AND....they are very professional too
Thanks for your message Michael. Ian Bush (CEO) is a very clever man. Think about how many hands a Fender guitar passes through from the Factory to you, each one adding to the price. Ian Bush sources products directly from the Chinese factory AND has them made to his specs. The quality is ridiculously high and the price is ridiculously low.
Why would you use a Weber speaker instead of a Jensen P8R? I have done a lot of testing and I have never found a Weber that sounds better than the Jensen RI. I am curious.
Hi Voluntariast. Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts on speakers. Fortunately, tone is SO subjective that we can have no argument. To my ear, Weber speakers are the finest handmade speakers available. I have them in all my amps (except for my 1968 Princeton where I managed to squeeze in a delicious Celestion Blue). The Italian production Jensen P8R is another fine speaker choice and is certainly cheaper (in Australia) than the Weber option, but to MY ear the Weber sounds better. I am happy to see you prefer the RI Jensens. It means you have ears and don’t simply follow the speaker fashion. Vive la difference!
@@theguitaramptech Interesting. Thank you for your reply. I am not even sure I trust my own ears so I bought 2 Jensens reissues and 2 Webers and recorded them and too me the Jensens were much better. But as you say, 'to each their own.' Thank you for your interesting video. I have the same amp as well.
@@TheVoluntariast That's a perfect solution. You put your money where your mouth is and listened carefully. What could be better for meeting your musical goals?Well done, mate. And congrats on having a gorgeous amp!
I have the bassbreaker 30r.is the circuitthe same.I have 2 tubes of the four red plating
The tone of your voice said it all but when you showed the camera, it turned Into a proper horror show. I’ve heard this practice referred to as “shotgunning” an amp.
In the early 80s we went to rehearse in the basement of a HH "shop" in Holloway Road, London.... it was so damp down there, it was hard to breathe, we left after about an hour 😂
HAHA! What a great anecdote. Thanks for sharing
Harsh criticism of one of the most significant amps in the history of electric guitar. Who last touched that amp? Clearly, parts have been changed. A thoughtful technician may have asked the owner if he wanted the "tacky graffiti" removed from the chassis...considering those markings were left by the founder of Mesa Boogie, Randall Smith. I'm curious how much the removal of the factory markings devalued the amplifier.
I just scored a sweet 68 Princeton. It literally just arrived here in Detroit Michigan from Nashville Tennessee Thanks for sharing this video sir. I've no doubt I'll be referring back to it soon enough. Fender Amps are the best!!!
Demo it with a multy effect board. The way to sell is make the product sound the best it can sound with very good playing just as a thumbs up
That trem sounds bloody beauty bonza, mate!
It was just so lush, Brad, I had to rush out and buy the JHS Harmonic Tremolo pedal. Noty as 3-D sounding as the original, but better than the on/off later Fender tremolo. Hope you're doing well, my friend.
Wow, now that is what I call a amazing sounding amp !!! Brilliant work Chris 👏👏👏👏
Thank you, Pau; I love this amp!
Me too. So much that I am very tempted to try and build a clone of it !! I saw a demo by Johan Segborn of a 6G5a which was equally amazing sounding. Was that the Italian Jensen that we hear in your sound clip at the end or the original ?
It is weird how stupid some guys are about the parts in their amp. The caps are 50 YEARS Old...... if bot now, when..??? And..... if he replaces ONE, your amp is no longer "Original"..... so why not replace the rest of them. There is NO Magic in parts. They are there to perform a certain job at a certain voltage. It does not matter if they are Blue or Yellow, Carbon or Metal, Oil or Plastic. This amp does NOT sound "original" with 50 year old Elytics. But it WILL sound original with new filter caps
I'm very reliant on visual learning and your presentation helped me a lot. It is difficult to navigate through the jargons sometimes as an aurally challenged person.
Thanks for a great posting ! It is amazing how people will fix what is not broken with strange mods instead of just buying a pedal and building a pedal board. Every single Marshall is different, and sometimes Hi Watts take pedals better than Marshalls. This tech is a real pro.
Thank you for sharing. Amps, especially as they age, have different components drifting at different rates, or even failing. This certainly can make vintage amps sound unique. Good point. Its another reason why I never "shotgun" an amp with new components (unless they have failed or drifted too far away from spec).
Hello! great video! I am about to get a bassbreaker 15 in a trade and was just looking up serviceability. I'm no tech, but I am curious and like to get my hands dirty (without getting electrocuted) :) . Out of curiosity, did you completely remove the diodes? or literally just clip one leg and leave it in there? Is simply clipping them ok? or should I consider removing them with the iron? Thanks! Awesome content!
Hi Pedro. Clipping it out is sufficient. The BB15 sounds excellent but sh*t to work on! Good luck
@@theguitaramptech thank you! :)
Fab videoo Chris..What a master tech you are..🙂 Just learn so much and your attention to detail is great..Thanks for sharing😊, and it sounds perfect..Great playing by the way..Ed..uk..Stay safe man..👍( Both mics sound fine, I'm leaning towards the Shure..🙂)
Thanks Ed. Comments like yours keep me going, my friend.
Uncle would say go grab yerself a beeer.
LZIII
Crimes against humanity
RCA. does that mean radio corporation of Australia. Or radio corporation of America. Haha just a little teaser. Chris you are a meticulous repairman tech. On amps. I see you enjoy yourself very much. Between you. Uncle Doug and Terry dayton in Grand Rapids, Mi. Iv seen alot of very good information. Thank you for sharing your knowledge. If any one needs knowledge its alot of young people today. Iv looked up a few things on Utube to repair some things around the house hear. Keep up the good work. Dwight.
I always tell people to look up repair videos before they buy an amp. Fender amps of the last 30 years are truly disgusting. I've even seen a Handwired deluxe reverb that was pitiful. God bless you.for helping that customer out. I can imagine they aren't fun to work on. This thing is just insulting. Damn
G'day Chris. I always fancied a 1 x 6L6CG amp to go with my 1 x 6V6 5F2A tweed Princeton clone so I gave your Tweedtone 12A a go. At that price it was hard not to. I've made some modifications for my own personal taste. I play rootsy blues and country and love vintage Fender tones. Not so keen on blues rock and rock sounds for my own playing. I've never liked closed back cabs, so I converted it to an open back like most old Fenders. Modern Chinese tubes don't do it for me either, so I replaced them with some nice NOS tubes i already had stashed away. Both of these changes were big improvements to my ear (perhaps not to some-one else's) but I still wasn't enjoying the 70/80 speaker. I ended up making a conversion ring for a 10 inch speaker (just because that's what I had available) and it ended up with a McKenzie 10 inch. My 5F2A also has a 10 inch (Eminence alnico blue frame). Now the 12A has more clarity than before and is a much better fit for my personal tastes and music style. I can switch between the 2 amps and I'm just as happy with either. They are subtly different but with the bright switch off and the NFD defeated (my usual settings), they have a similar feel. Of course the 12A is significantly louder, whereas the Princeton can get into power tube overdrive at lower volume. You've done a great job, especially with having to meet Artist's price point. You've clearly got the circuit right.
Very cool. I think the tube upgrade would have been worthwhile. One day, try replacing V1 with a 5751 and please tell me what you think. I don’t think any of my amps have a 12AX7 in V1. But, a good NOS 12AX7 would not sound as fizzy as modern versions. Personally, I prefer a 12” speaker, which is one reason why the TT12A was developed, but I am very much enoying the 10” Weber in my AC10. Thank you for sharing your improvements. I love the way you have used it as a platform to find your sound. Well done!
@@theguitaramptech Cheers Chris. I would have used a 12 inch speaker if I had one that I like and I might still go down that road if the right one comes along at the right price and the right time. I seem to gravitate towards 10s though. That's just me. I do have some GE 5751s somewhere. I might pop one in later. As you know the 50s Tweed circuits were classics, so the fact this amp holds its own against a 5E2A says a lot.
Good vids, however, it amazes me how many techs call out amp parts like caps and resistors incorrectly. Such as a zero as the letter 'o', ie .oh47... Other than that great job...
A colloquialism used on an entertainment platform amazes you? It's no more consequential than your comment referring to a capacitor as a "cap" or an amplifier as an "amp". We all know what you meant so there's no problem. It's not like someone can buy a "point oh four seven cap" where it would be the incorrect part because a "zero decimal zero four seven microfarad capacitor" wasn't used.
@@stevencraig I made that comment as a person that made a living working on software and computers. That industry taught me to properly call out 'number 0 as zero' and 'letter O as oh'. Mix those up in the IT field and things go bad fast... I did not mean any disrespect, matter of fact these amp techs have my complete respect, at least the good ones I follow...
So was I right about the power transformer being original..?
Playing devil's advocate here... Is it possible that this amp originally had the older Astrons on the eyelet board? If so, changing them out wouldn't have been as big a deal. Have seen other brownies with those in them, but you've been around a lot longer than I. Thoughts?
Hi TK, yes this amp may have had the Astrons, but from my experience, I have only worked on Brownface amps with the Blues. Even if they were the Astrons, I would still take exception to changing them all without testing first. I left 2 Astrons behind in this amp as they tested fine. If they lasted 60 years, I am not expecting them to fail in the next 6 months. And then there's the question of the missing output transformer. Sure they can fail, but how many vintage OTs have you changed? I can't remember replacing any in a vintage Fender. But excellent point, TK. Thank you.
@@theguitaramptech Yep, of course - totally agree with you there. A motto from one of my favourite books goes, "Always Test Everything!" I've only had one failed vintage OT so far - a Moody 1712 Vibrolux - 1/2 of primary went open under test. It was like watching my favourite pub burn down. Thanks for sharing your work and ethos. Cheers mate
What an impressive result for this beautiful amp. I enjoy your soulful playing in the sound sample at the end, too. I always enjoy your playing. I can hear that you make some effort to give us a good quality sample of the amps you repair.
Thanks Les. I appreciate that you're a regular visitor to my videos. It means a lot to me.
I don't understand the need for 5% grid leak resistors in the power stage. Don't get me wrong, if Leo did that, there must be a good reason, it's just that I can't figure out what that is. I mean, in theory, the grid current is so low that the voltage drop across those resistors should be negligible regardless of their value (within reason, obviously). Am I missing something here?
Liquid Gold and Chocolate.
You bet, my man!!
Some heavy lifting required on this one! Adding adjustable bias to these is tricky with the layout, I ended up making that 10k go acrobatic on the blonde Bassman I had on the channel to fit a trim pot underneath. The transformer bolt is also partially in the way which makes it more difficult. Fun stuff! Haven't seen that hot glue trick before, I'd be curious how that hangs on after some years of loud use and the vibrations that go with it. I bet it'll be fine but those 15" pros put out a lot of bass! czcams.com/video/MxgdCBX__aE/video.html
Yes, I saw your video on the Bassman. Very good! I am confident the hot glue will hold. I did it this way on my personal drip-edge Bassman about 8 years ago and its still feels secure. Trick is to clean both surfaces very well and to apply heat to the chassis to melt the glue. 🙂
@@theguitaramptech yeah smart trick with the big iron!
Absolutely agree that the Brownface era was Leo’s best work while at the original Fender Company. And these two videos are terrific in both instruction as well as entertainment. Thanks for these and your other very well made presentations. I’m a fan and follower.
Thank you so much. Its your comments that keep me making video!
that tremolo sounds almost like an univibe it is amazing, great job also !
Thank you. I agree about the Univibe effect...and this amp was built years BEFORE the Shin-Ei Univibe. Leo was, and still is, the best amp designer.
Sounds lovely Chris! You did a great job! I especially like the extra trouble you went to, trying to get the correct bias point at the centre position of the bias pot. This is when ocd can be a good thing! I don't spose you can even get blue Molded caps any more huh? You like the 'sozo's', & I like the look of them too, but how much are they actually? I'm in Straya too mate so AUD is fine! I still can't believe some asshole stole the other blue moldeds! And aren't those orange drops sposed to be pretty good too? - But just visually jarring?
Thank you very much, Neville. I guess the only place you could get the original Blues from is from ethical people who have stripped old amps, or from theives. I bought the Sozos from Evatco (Qld). They carry 3 sizes from AUD12-19 plus shipping. Say HI to Michelle from me.
@@@theguitaramptech Say hi to Michelle WHO Chris? You must be thinking I'm someone else mate! What do you think of the Sprague 'orange drop' capacitors?
@@nevillegoddard4966 Sorry I wasn't clear, mate. Michell runs Evatco. Orange Drops are fine caps. I feel (ie I have convinced myself) that I can hear the difference, and I find them a little spiky. Leave them in Mesa's where there is so much other tone-destroying stuff happening, it wouldn't matter what capacitor was used.
Thanks Chris. Who rewound the transformer? I've got a Traynor YGL Mk.3 that needs the same treatment. The extra stepdown transformer is a hassle.
Hmmm...Traynor? Not common in Australia. Are you in Aus? The guy I use is in Sydney. Email me and I send his details to you.
Great sound, a real players tone.
That is an excellent description. I used no pedals and the amp just melted from clean and shimmery into a chewy grit. One of Leo's best.
Phantastic Job , the Amp sounds great. Witch Mike is better ? if I pan to left the Shure is much louder so it sounds better than the Sennheiser, more volume means less resistance, the right channel is to low in output . It seems you hit the sweet spot for the shure on the speaker., not so for the Sennheiser. The sound can improv more if you would search for the sweet spot for the Mike Position , via the noise the Amp makes and some Head phones . Oh and good playing .
You are EXACTLY right! I wish I had taken more time to position the Sennheiser and balance the levels. The Beta 57 uses a neodymium magnet, so it will be naturally louder. I should have checked for level differences but I am always under such time pressures for repairs. I will have to try again on the next video. Can I please depend on your ears and judgement again?
@@theguitaramptech Everything is fine, i can understand that you are under pressure , so no harm done . Of course I will lend you my ears again.
I have learned a lot from this video, peoples hearing preferences are unique but the SM57 sounds better to me. I'd to know more about biasing and percentages. Just for clarification ' Great video mate
Yes, I quite like the 57. It was my go-to mic for many years of gigging. The Sennheiser is also good. Convenient to setup at a gig, but a bit more of a fiddle to get in my preferred location of half way between the cap and edge at 90 deg. Thank you for listening and sharing your preference.
Hi again Chris. I can purchase orange drop caps at Antique Electronic Supply in Tempe Arizona. But I don't think they have the blue sozo caps. Where can I get them? Dwight.
I often buy parts from the Wholesale division of Antique Electronic Supply in Tempe Arizona. They have the blue Sozos so I expect Antique Electronic Supply would have them, too.
I like the way those blue sozos look in the amp you repaired on the utube video I'll give them a call thanks Chris. Dwight.
@@dwightbehm2886 I like the Soszos too. Good luck with those, Dwight.
I wonder Chris wouldn't a two part epoxy like JB weld hold the bias pot in more securely? I don't know if they have JB weld in Sidney in a hardware store. It comes in quick cure or one hour cure both types finish curing in 24hours at 21 degs. C or 72 degs. F Room temp. What do you think?
Thank you for that suggestion Dwight. If I wanted that bias pot to never come off again, even if it failed, I'd use something like JB Weld. I use hot glue because the pot is light and offers no forces of inertia from a bump, yet with my big Weller, I could remove it very easily for maintenance.
@@dwightbehm2886 I think Jaycar Electronics have jbweld.
Thanks Neville. Dwight is in the USA. Yes, JB Weld is definitely a good product, but I need to have the pot removable in case anything goes wrong or we decide to go multiturn in the future. Unlikely, but, you know...
That sounded marvellous.
It sure did. I hope it comes across in the video but the sound in my workshop was amazing. It had a 3-D swirl to the sound. Its a shame Fender discontinued it 2 years later with eh Black Panel amps.
sounds great! While it's not like the real thing, I have an MXR tremolo pedal that offers six different modes including harmonic. As per your demo, it can sound almost Univibe-y
After hearing this Pro I purchased the JHS Harmonic Tremolo pedal. Yes, it is excellent, but there is something about valves that solid-state has not been able to capture yet. The 3-dimensionality of this PRO in my workshop was a sound to cherish. I hope it came across OK.
@@theguitaramptech I have to recommend JHS' customer service. I bought their Klon clone, which is a self-complete kit. I was working perfectly for a while but just konked out one day. I emailed them last night and this morning they had replied and are sending me a FedEx label to return it for an autopsy/replacement
Thanks Chris!
Thank you, for checking out another video, Peter.
Hey Chris. Dwight hear. You say you owned a company involved in music. Please if you don't mind. Tell me more about yourself you seem like a fine man and very well accomplished on electric guitar like you could be a sessions musician or join a professional music band. Good work on the amps. Dwight. AllenPark, michigan usa. Oh Im an old retired machanic dabbled in electronics as a hobby. Played acoustic guitar in church Chior bands I'm also a ham radio operator. Have talked radio to radio skip into Melbourne Australia. Many moons ago. You are such Fabulous people. Enjoyed the chat with someone from the down under.
You are too kind, Dwight. I also enjoy our "Chats".
If I'm going to be watching your vids . hear on utube ay Chris I hope you dont mind if I put a spot of Brandy in my cup of coffee.
I applaud your work on this amp, Chris. It's so disheartening to see classic vintage pieces like this defiled.
Thank you. It would have been uneconomic to continue with everything needed to bring it back, but I am very happy with where we ended up.
Wafty tremolo, like my Goldentone
Who steals all the guts out of a classic amplifier and replaces them with cheap junk? 🤦♂️😵
There’s a ‘68 Super reverb on eBay right now that the same thing must have happened, all Mojo Dijon caps and some orange drops. I asked if they happened to have the original caps and was told it happened prior to his ownership. So sad to see this. The solder job is pretty crap too on it which shows the type of person that worked on it.
Sorry to hear about that Super. What a beauty it would have been. If its cheap I would still get it, and start the restoration. Sadly, if its near the unmolested price, I would walk away.
@@theguitaramptech they’re asking nearly $1200 USD shipped. It’s also loaded with non original speakers. I wish it were closer and I could go check it out. It would be a fun restore project.