My 50's Alamo Paragon, which I'm just waiting for Weber to send me the parts for a recap. NB all the current caps were made in Illinois, the electrolytics are from Illinois Co. and the polyesters are from Sangamo, made right here in Springfield, IL.
(http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash1/hs791.ash1/168190_1522897559282_1439903504_31094546_7835393_n.jpg)
(http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs1375.snc4/164777_1522897959292_1439903504_31094547_8126546_n.jpg)
(http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash1/hs765.ash1/165639_1522898239299_1439903504_31094548_3655293_n.jpg)
(http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/hs262.snc6/179035_1522898359302_1439903504_31094549_6578514_n.jpg)
(http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash1/hs764.ash1/165550_1522898559307_1439903504_31094550_3759040_n.jpg)
(http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash1/hs764.ash1/165526_1522898839314_1439903504_31094551_914272_n.jpg)
I love those rats nests... I'll take some pics of my random-non-working no-namer in a few minutes.
A Laney AOR, that passed across my bench a while back, ended up in the hands of someone on the old forum.
(http://dub.greboguru.org/laney/small/s_p3300003.jpg)
(http://dub.greboguru.org/laney/small/s_p3300004.jpg)
(http://dub.greboguru.org/laney/small/s_p3300006.jpg)
(http://dub.greboguru.org/laney/small/s_p3300007.jpg)
Are we in agreement that the boosts on that amp are totally useless? Also, I messaged Sleestak about making one of us a mod so we can sticky the important shit... like this!
(http://img7.imageshack.us/img7/9182/twinamp1.jpg)
(http://img607.imageshack.us/img607/1153/twinamp2.jpg)
(http://img88.imageshack.us/img88/4929/twinamp3.jpg)
(http://img834.imageshack.us/img834/3859/twinamp4.jpg)
This is my non-working 10 dollar tube amp. Probably sounds pretty sweet...
Yeah you got to bring that one by and we'll get it working, or ship it. I want to hear it too.
It actually does turn on, and make noise, there's just no guitar signal going through. It's not a cold joint, I already hit 'em all. It's probably in dire need of caps...
Marshall AVT 50, unfortunately I don't have a pic of the Pentawatt *actually 21 or so pin* single IC power amp that makes up the 50W heart of this unit, you can see the heatsink for it, in the third pic, in the middle of the chassis, with all those blue wires running to it. Hey yes, that is a real tube in the middle of the board ;)
(http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/hs070.snc6/168047_1532333235168_1439903504_31112381_6018508_n.jpg)
(http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash1/hs899.ash1/180722_1532333475174_1439903504_31112382_4122820_n.jpg)
(http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs1369.snc4/164165_1532334075189_1439903504_31112389_7710161_n.jpg)
(http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/hs262.snc6/179047_1532334435198_1439903504_31112390_5059479_n.jpg)
Quote from: SunnO))) on January 23, 2011, 07:18:48 PM
It actually does turn on, and make noise, there's just no guitar signal going through. It's not a cold joint, I already hit 'em all. It's probably in dire need of caps...
Have you gone through the Jack Darr Book (http://www.diyguitarist.com/Misc/J_Darr.htm) troubleshooting procedures? I'll bet you if you follow them, basically check the tubes, the B+ voltage, and work through plate and grid from output to input listening for clicks (he explains it way better) you'll suss it out. I keep a print copy of it in the bathroom it's great.
Also what tubes are in it, and how many transformers does it have? Safety check :o
Looks like it might be a live chassis type, see the Darr book for more info.
It's got strange tubes in it... 35W4, a totally blank one, same size, so I'm assuming the same tube, a 12AU6, and another blank tube. They are Japanese, so I'm sure they aren't original. It's got one tranny, and a two prong. The tranny looks haggard, and ragged out. It works though, I always heard these things are fuckin' death traps without a ground. Since it doesn't have an OT, I can't ground it out like I would when I put a normal three prong on, right? I'm gonna have to poke through the amp, and see if I can locate it's malfunction. So far, my electronics career has been learning terms, and fixing pedals... Amps are the next step up. Draining the caps on it will be funky, I'll just have to do each lead, I guess.
also, no fuse. Death-trap.
Where can I snag a copy of that book? What's it's title?
(http://i1234.photobucket.com/albums/ff409/enslavedinrot/2011-01-23_19-37-58_106.jpg)
Have you followed the link in my signature? Lots of info there too. That book is circa 1973 and long out of print, you can make your own copy at Kinkos, the missing section, Section III, was just a whole collection of amp schematics.
35W4, hate to tell you, you got a real suicide box there. It's not that it has no OT, it has no PT, there is no power transformer in that things, the tubes first numbers will add up to close to 110, they wire the tube heaters in series and connect them straight to the mains, usually with a ballast resistor to drop the extra voltage. I saw one once with something like a 50AX7, which is a 12AX7 with a 50V heater instead of a 12.
You'll need to figure out the weirdo tubes, the 35W4 will be a rectifier the 12AU6 is a preamp tube, are the other two tubes identical or different from each other? Can you get close-up pics?
I'd expect at least one more weirdo tube like a 50AX7 and say for argument sake there's a 6V6 in there as well.
35+12+50+6=103V
so there will be a resitor in series with the remaining tube to drop the extra 7-12V, which may have burned out since the mains voltage is usually 120V not 115V nowadays.
If the tubes are glowing, you are in better shape, it means at least the heater supply is going, NB you cannot take a tube out of this and expect it to run, like you might with a regular amp, say take out the power tubes to check the preamp section. The tubes are all part of the same circuit.
I have known people to replace the weirdo tubes with regular tubes and put a whopping great ballast resistor in there to cope with dropping 50-60V @ whatever the total current draw of the tube heaters is. There may also be some kind of voltage doubler circuit in there to step up the voltage for the plates.
Basically, this is not a fun amp to work on, one side of the chassis will be connected straight to the mains supply, so one way round of the power plug, the chassis is neutral, you can guess what you get when you flip it around. Please be uber-cautious when working on this beastie, or even just plugging into it.
gut shot from my currently down Peavey Classic. have to bring it to a tech this week as I'm a electronics dufus... Sorry about the crappy pic.
[attachment deleted by admin]
this is the fuse holder that I originally put in, got bumped then shorted out and now it's vary broken...
[attachment deleted by admin]
OK, done a bit of googling for you. Seems like a common setup for small amps was a 35W4, 12AU6 and 50C5.
The 35W4 is the rectifier tube, the 12AU6 is the preamp tube, and the 50C5 is the power tube. Never really encountered a pentode as a preamp tube before, kind of cool.
Now you have 4 tubes, and the front panel mentions tremolo. Here's a basic circuit that adds a 12AV6, which looks like a triode (or maybe a double, check a datasheet) for tremolo.
(http://www.diyguitarist.com/Schematics/Gemini700-Schematic.jpg)
I'm willing to bet that your amp is going to be pretty damn similar to this. You can also check the Alamo Fiesta amp on Schematic Heaven, it has a similar setup.
Now, please, please, please read the following on adding an isolation transformer to your amp. I thought I was going to have to type a huge explanation, but thankfully someone else already has http://www.instructables.com/id/Isolation-transformer-upgrade-for-old-guitar-amps/ (http://www.instructables.com/id/Isolation-transformer-upgrade-for-old-guitar-amps/)
Quote from: tomz. on January 23, 2011, 09:17:08 PM
this is the fuse holder that I originally put in, got bumped then shorted out and now it's vary broken...
Nothing like shutting the stable door after the horse has bolted, but yeah, you might want to slide a bit of insulative heatshrink sleeving over the end of that fuseholder Tom, so it doesn't hit of the chassis and short again :'(
Ha! So true! Sound advice indeed Hemi, lesson learned... ;)
That's one of the reasons I never bothered with it. It looks like a serious hazard. I'm probably just going to stick it in the corner again. It was ten bucks, it makes a neat decoration, at any rate. I'll consider it a lamp, at this point. I might even make it into one, for shits and giggles. I'll open my Sonaro up tomorrow, and take some gutshots of that masterpiece. Until then, a super rare amp, that only Aerosmith fans know about! Paid 250, cleaned it up, overhauled some of the bullshit fit and finish, and sold it for 450, the next day to a good buddy.
(http://img824.imageshack.us/img824/9360/20100923175916982.jpg)
(http://img691.imageshack.us/img691/7198/20100923185626482.jpg)
If you read the instructable an isolation transformer is only $12.
Or you could retube it with a flea power supply and 6V tubes, though that would cost a bit more.
On a lighter note, I shouldn't have sold that Bedrock. Granted, it did run 4 EL84's at 50 watts by RUINING the tubes every six months, but it was a good sounding amp...
Took some shot of my current project while down in the basement taking pictures of the Red Bear. (Yeah, I have a thing of crypto-Soviet technology)
Damn thing is visibly arcing once the electrolytics get charged up. Waiting on a 4 220uf capacitors to come in to replace them:
(http://odd.smugmug.com/Electronics/Tubes/DSC0035/1167552925_N4ymP-S.jpg)
(http://odd.smugmug.com/Electronics/Tubes/DSC0036/1167552916_DhM9c-S.jpg)
Gotta love the Russian amplification. Anyone have a MIG100/60/50? We need gutshots of those.
i have a mig 50h, i'll see if i can get pics of it on the next few days. and sorry for the abortion of the repost of hemisaurus's pic.
hemi - you in springfield? you have a band?
Quote from: justinhedrick on January 25, 2011, 11:25:53 AM
i have a mig 50h, i'll see if i can get pics of it on the next few days. and sorry for the abortion of the repost of hemisaurus's pic.
hemi - you in springfield? you have a band?
You could always click the 'Modify' link, and remove the IMG tags.
Yes, I was aware you were in Champaign, Springfield is nearby, though I'm not even in the same county. Yes Hemisaurus currently still lives and is off-hiatus, we recently became a three piece again in late December, and are working on new material and a bunch of seriously reworked old material.
Quote from: justinhedrick on January 25, 2011, 11:25:53 AM
i have a mig 50h, i'll see if i can get pics of it on the next few days. and sorry for the abortion of the repost of hemisaurus's pic.
hemi - you in springfield? you have a band?
I will give you a cookie.
Also, this thread is important, stickied.
I have a mig60, but I don't know nothin' 'boot gutting it.
Remove the four screws that hold the chassis in, pull it out gently, without touching anything on the underside, snap pictures, in detail, replace in box, tighten screws.
or send it to me.
This is posted as an example of what not to do when making an amp
(http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/hs051.snc6/168147_1535895924233_1439903504_31118625_8102786_n.jpg)
this amp has a grounding issue, cause some idiot did a ground run via the front panel. The pots and jacks are all mounted on the same PCB as the power transistors, end result all those components have bad solder joints.
From a servicing standpoint it's a pain in the ass, rather than shield it, they stuck sliver foil to the top and sides of the cabinet, which peels off, when it catches on the chassis. To get to the underside of the board, you have to remove all the knobs, undo all the nuts on the pots and undo all the jacks as well.
I think I need to start a no solid state / no PCB rule for my repairs. >:(
(http://i1234.photobucket.com/albums/ff409/enslavedinrot/2011-01-24_15-08-41_359.jpg)
(http://i1234.photobucket.com/albums/ff409/enslavedinrot/2011-01-24_15-08-47_628.jpg)
Gotta fuckin' LOVE Crate repairs. boring. Fuck those plastic pieces of shit jacks.
The jacks themselves ain't bad, I've seen them on speaker cabs and stuff and they last. Mounting them on a PCB is where it all goes wrong. Especially if it's a big board, a liitle board just for front panel controls wouldn't be under such stresses, but a big board where it flexes, yech.
Quote from: Hemisaurus on January 26, 2011, 10:45:18 PM
The jacks themselves ain't bad, I've seen them on speaker cabs and stuff and they last. Mounting them on a PCB is where it all goes wrong. Especially if it's a big board, a liitle board just for front panel controls wouldn't be under such stresses, but a big board where it flexes, yech.
I just have an aversion to plastic and my guitar equipment, I guess.
Internal of the BYOC 2 Knob Bender clone. I posted this in the thread I started about the build, too, but since this is a sticky I thought that it wouldn't hurt to post it hear, as well.
(http://img213.imageshack.us/img213/8805/img1180xi.jpg)
It is indeed stickied for this exact purpose!
I've got a few from around the shop/house.
MXR Dist+ via Dunlop 90's reissue.
(http://i1234.photobucket.com/albums/ff409/enslavedinrot/2011-01-28_19-35-52_430.jpg)
(http://i1234.photobucket.com/albums/ff409/enslavedinrot/2011-01-28_19-39-06_987.jpg)
DOD Buzz Box.
(http://i1234.photobucket.com/albums/ff409/enslavedinrot/2011-01-28_19-33-30_220.jpg)
(http://i1234.photobucket.com/albums/ff409/enslavedinrot/2011-01-28_19-33-44_625.jpg)
DOD Hard Rock distortion with Delay... It's kind of weird.
(http://i1234.photobucket.com/albums/ff409/enslavedinrot/2011-01-28_19-28-40_366.jpg)
(http://i1234.photobucket.com/albums/ff409/enslavedinrot/2011-01-28_19-31-02_595.jpg)
nice thread guys, i have a few pedals that would be cool to post the guts to
nice to see you around hemi, cheers man
You've committed, you must deliver! I'm glad Hemi's back, too, the board was really boring without him.
Quote from: SunnO))) on January 29, 2011, 12:20:46 AM
You've committed, you must deliver! I'm glad Hemi's back, too, the board was really boring without him.
cheers man
i have a older dod phaser, dod american metal, and a reissue maestro fuzz:)
might post a few standards as well
Sunno))) I miss my Buzz Box so much - it was stolen a few years back. Let me know if you wanna sell that badboy.
Quote from: Discö Rice on January 31, 2011, 07:27:49 PM
Sunno))) I miss my Buzz Box so much - it was stolen a few years back. Let me know if you wanna sell that badboy.
It's a fun toy, dude. From what I understand, it's just an MXR Blue Box + the DOD grunge pedal. The distortion on it is pretty neat...
Yeah, plus a crazy treble boost (the SAW control). I used mine alot.
I have the original box and manual, too. Speaking of manuals, I want amp/pedal manuals from all Sunn products, and rarities, as well.
Quote from: SunnO))) on January 31, 2011, 08:16:07 PM
I have the original box and manual, too. Speaking of manuals, I want amp/pedal manuals from all Sunn products, and rarities, as well.
"Turn up the HEAVY for that 'Anal Satan' sound!" Heh that manual was quite silly.
"It's not broken, it's supposed to sound like that!"
HAHA i remember that.
(http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a47/bren1973/Modded108.jpg)
(http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a47/bren1973/MXRBIASANDLEVELMOD.jpg)
(http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a47/bren1973/M173FUZZ.jpg)
Here's an MXR Classic Fuzz I did. They come stock with 3 internal trim pots. You wouldn' know unless you pull it apart. It's a pretty good Silicon Fuzz Face and one of the pots is a bias pot for that "velcro-gated" fuzz sound. I'd be happy to post more pics and step-by-steps.
That looks very simple indeed.
I'm pretty enamored with companies that put hidden gems like this in their pedals. I know way huge does it... I wonder who else puts trimmers in their pedals.. Never seen one in an EHX pedal...
Not my morley or picture but none the less the guts of a morley power fuzz wah
[attachment deleted by admin]
There is a caveman simple mod for the Phase 90, supposedly makes it similair to the vintage Phase 90. It sounds fairly good from what I have seen on youtube. Thought about doing it myself but I like the over-the-top of the Phase 90.
http://lycidas512.blogspot.com/2009/01/mxr-phase-90-mod.html (http://lycidas512.blogspot.com/2009/01/mxr-phase-90-mod.html)
Quote from: SunnO))) on February 01, 2011, 02:19:53 PM
I'm pretty enamored with companies that put hidden gems like this in their pedals. I know way huge does it... I wonder who else puts trimmers in their pedals.. Never seen one in an EHX pedal...
There's at least one trimpot in the Q-tron, well, the old big box one does. Not sure about the new ones
My new baby. Good working order, but she's a bit grubby and needs some lovin. Also need a couple of the power tube sockets replaced.
(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5215/5432766964_4e089da089_b.jpg)
(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5058/5432771038_7b731e8f8f_b.jpg)
(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5053/5432160665_52a782595f_b.jpg)
(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5012/5432159647_a417369ab2_b.jpg)
We'll find this and post with more guts. Sticky-go-bye.
Did I post this one already ???
(http://a5.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/26956_1213437422972_1439903504_30476689_4634874_n.jpg)
and Ayek's Jansen looks v. cool 8)
Quote from: black_out on January 27, 2011, 05:26:32 PM
Internal of the BYOC 2 Knob Bender clone. I posted this in the thread I started about the build, too, but since this is a sticky I thought that it wouldn't hurt to post it hear, as well.
(http://img213.imageshack.us/img213/8805/img1180xi.jpg)
Excuse the ignorance, but what kind of Transistors are those? I'm assuming some kind of Germanium ones
Kinda blurry but here's a MIG50.
I had the cheap pots replaced. The tech used braided wire leads, very classy.
[attachment deleted by admin]
Classic 50 on the bench (actually the kitchen table, too lazy to drag it to the workshop)
(http://a1.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/224637_1701771991031_1439903504_31354664_1918111_n.jpg)(http://a6.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/227617_1701772671048_1439903504_31354669_4346608_n.jpg)
Quote from: Mike_Sims on April 09, 2011, 04:28:27 AM
Quote from: black_out on January 27, 2011, 05:26:32 PM
Internal of the BYOC 2 Knob Bender clone. I posted this in the thread I started about the build, too, but since this is a sticky I thought that it wouldn't hurt to post it hear, as well.
(http://img213.imageshack.us/img213/8805/img1180xi.jpg)
Excuse the ignorance, but what kind of Transistors are those? I'm assuming some kind of Germanium ones
Those look like OC75's (which would be logical in a MKII) or something similar. At least, my MKII sounds awesome with OC75! I also tried OC76 and OC84 (which look different), but the OC75's sounded best. More aggressive than the others.
Quote from: SunnO))) on January 23, 2011, 06:44:52 PM
Are we in agreement that the boosts on that amp are totally useless? Also, I messaged Sleestak about making one of us a mod so we can sticky the important shit... like this!
I used the mid boost on mine. Love it.
My bassist uses it sometimes with the bass boost, into a 4x10 cab
I used the mid boost, but after noon on the dial, none of them do dick.
The original Coloursound Sustain (not SupaSustain) probably the best sounding sustain out there. Anyone feel like drawing me a schematic :)
(http://dub.greboguru.org/sustain/Photo03241012.jpg)(http://dub.greboguru.org/sustain/Photo03241013.jpg)(http://dub.greboguru.org/sustain/Photo03241014.jpg)(http://dub.greboguru.org/sustain/Photo03241016.jpg)(http://dub.greboguru.org/sustain/Photo03241020_1.jpg)(http://dub.greboguru.org/sustain/Photo03241020.jpg)
This one came to me all the way from FL, courtesy of some death metal kids, DOA, what a horror, 15 knobs, 9 jacks, an impedance selector switch and a bunch of nuts and screws on the board, all need to be removed to access the all in one PCB's solder side. Another piece of you know what from St. Louis.
(http://hphotos-ash4.fbcdn.net/257146_1776953430520_1439903504_31453951_8299819_o.jpg)
(http://hphotos-snc6.fbcdn.net/258172_1776953190514_1439903504_31453949_292754_o.jpg)
I like those amps... they're not bad.
Did you see me mention what you have to go through to get into it?
All those knobs have to come off, all those jacks, the impedance switch, and all those nuts and screws on the PCB. Serviceability and reliability was not uppermost in their minds. Nice looking iron though, maybe I should do a Joel hammer out the PCB and rebuild it as a single channel 6 knob wonder. ;D
I meant, when they work, they're neat little amps...
haha.
bump ;D
(https://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/219102_3648027726208_933250498_o.jpg)
80's verb unit, annoying problem, it has a warm-up time. By the time you've checked the supplies for noise, it's come to life. Guess it maybe isn't worth worrying about for all the time it takes ;)
Needs more ICs...
Considering it's vintage, I was impressed, that Z80 processor on there is clocked faster than my old ZX Spectrum, probably has more RAM as well. ;D
GUTS
of the BYOC ts808 clone
(http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8447/7983385881_e8b2030d17.jpg)