1960 CF Martin + wanted

[fronobulax]

Re: R5 in showroom condition, as long as it didn't work there.

Frono, could I request that this thread be rejoined to the original thread? even though there are a
bunch of missing pics, maybe we should keep all the information in one place?

Done, although there ought to be a five yard penalty for questioning the judgement of a Moderator. :wink:

Perhaps a five yard sale penalty... :roll: Steffan

I'm not sure whether it is you or me but you have an amazing ability to post things that I think are funny this evening. Keep up the good work!

 

[MikeHutchison]

It's been a busy couple of weeks, but I've got a couple of new pictures for you:

In the first picture to the left of the serial number you can see an empty rectangular hole with two screw holes one above and one below. That ends up being the perfect spot to zip-tie in the trio of axial electrolytics for the power supply. I'm going to fabricate a bracket for a small terminal strip that I'll bolt on to the PT bolts you see there.

At this point my intent is to disconnect the can from the circuit and leave the 2 original carbon resistors you see on the can, using new ones for the rebuilt power supply. That way if someobody in the future wants to re-charge the can that is there (which it turns out is not leaky) they can just snip out what I've done with a minimum of moving components around.

Anywho, I spent a little bit of time dry fitting parts over the weekend and one night this week hope to crack out the soldering iron and put my money where my mouth is.

 

[Default]

Busy doesn't begin to describe it, I've been pulling 60 hour weeks!

Can't tell on the phone, are those screw holes too close together to mount a couple of terminal strips?

 

[MikeHutchison]

Busy doesn't begin to describe it, I've been pulling 60 hour weeks!

Can't tell on the phone, are those screw holes too close together to mount a couple of terminal strips?

I think just barely, but it might work... that was my first thought but I don't really want the power supply resting on terminal strips that are only held in with one screw apiece. I worry that it could work loose. I might give that another look. Or perhaps a piece of waferboard with lugs at either side. My goal is to be as minimal as possible in terms of modifying existing compoents.

EDIT: Oh here we go. Found these at radioshack. The center mount works better than the one's I had, and the middle lug is grounded so I can wire the top strip into a ground bus and have a spare lug for the green wire from the new power cord. This is good for layout. I'd like to come up with a way to physically secure the caps a bit better and keep them from moving around in there, without drilling holes or anything like that. I bet I can get zip ties from that screw holding down the circuit board on the right to the two transformer bolts.

Interesting side note: there are at least 6 different ground locations on this amp. Do they have trouble with hum when they're running right?

 

[Brown-Recluse]

Mike, Would the can cap's life expectancy be any different if you left it in the circuit and continued to use it instead of bypassing it and trying to reform it later?

 

[Default]

Depends on how old they are. The service life is only supposed to be ten years. There is a company (Hayseed electronics?) That will build a cancap for you, but I don't have the link on the phone.

 

[Brown-Recluse]

I know that people open old multi-section can caps and fit individual caps inside. I just thought that it might be better to continue to use the original can as long as it is still working. Letting it rest now might not add time to its useful life down the line. New parts can always be fitted in the future. Either way, at least the external appearance has been maintained.

 

[Default]

The worry is that the cancap shorts out and takes a transformer with it. :-/ at least with the individual caps, you can see when they are getting ready to fail. Considering how I feel at fifty, I wouldn't be confident about the same vintage electrolytic! :lol:
I like the idea of maintaining the outward appearance.

 

[MikeHutchison]

I'm pretty sure the can-cap is not working at all, so leaving it as-is isn't an option. I don't really feel good about using an amp with a re-formed 50 year old can in it. I went through the amp with my meter and everything else checked out ok, so the loud hum/buzz would seem to be due to a shot can. The guy I got it from said it hadn't been turned on in 10-15 years... even if it was ok last time it was used, the shelf life is pretty short unplugged.


Keeping my fingers crossed, I hope to have the new caps in tonight and fire her up.

 

[MikeHutchison]

Just thought I'd update that I got the R5 running tonight. The can cap is definately kaput. With new electrolytics she's quite as a whisper, till you plug in a guitar that is, then yowza, those are the loudest 5 watts I've ever heard for sure. This thing is hot!

I still think I'll replace the power cord. I found some cracks in the original and if I was on the fence before that's enough to put me over. But, overall, success.

Chances are I probably won't keep it, sadly. I have little kids and I usually have to play at night thru headphones. We'll see.

Thanks everybody, I'll put up more pics and sound when I have a chance.

 

[CLXXXAG]

It's been a couple of years since my last visit and in the meantime, I've had this Martin 112 rehabbed (Ron Lira, Honest Ron's Guitars, Oklahoma City OK). It doesn't look a lot different (maybe the chassis interior for those of you who can make heads of tails of such phenomena) but here it is (sorry about the thumb in pic 2 [accursed "smart"phone]), late 2012:

Although I have no intention to sell, what's been the recent trend on the Martin/DeArmond Volatile Speculation Exchange?

(And for those keeping score at home, the Jensen is a P12R.)

 

[Brown-Recluse]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/RARE-Vintage-19 ... true&rt=nc

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Martin-112-Vint ... 7675.l2557

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Mint-Ul ... 7675.l2557

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Rowe-Industries ... 7675.l2557

http://www.ebay.com/itm/140860878566?ss ... 1423.l2649

 

[MikeHutchison]

Looks like the Martins bring half again more than the DeArmonds?

 

[MikeHutchison]

Guys I think I've decided to put the R5 up for sale. Ebay I suppose it will be.

It's awesome but I'm not really much of a guitar player and it seems silly for me to sit on something rare and special like this that someone else could enjoy. Plus I know myself, and I like to tinker and modify things... so it's probably not safe here!

Needless to say I'll be taking lots of pictures making some sound clips. I'll be happy to take specific shots, voltage readings, sound recordings, etc for the sake of posterity if anybody has something in particular they'd like to see/hear/know.

 

[Brown-Recluse]

Mike, I'd recommend that you hang on to the amp. You don't have to be a great guitarist to appreciate the amp's qualities. It doesn't take up much more room than a lunchbox, you got it for virtually nothing and worked on it yourself. It's a great story to tell, you're unlikely to find another one under similar conditions, and it will continue to hold it's value based on it's relative rarity and great condition. Keep it and enjoy it.

 

[Default]

One thing you could do would be to hang onto it and(since you like to tinker) build a replica of it. Mercury has reproductions of the trannies,iirc.

Pics would be much appreciated!

 

[Brown-Recluse]

One thing you could do would be to hang onto it and(since you like to tinker) build a replica of it. Mercury has reproductions of the trannies,iirc.

Pics would be much appreciated!

I believe that the transformers that Mercury Magnetics makes are for the Dearmond R15/R15T and Martin 112 and 112T amps that run 2 6V6 power tubes. They supplied the transformers for the Clarksdale, Tone Quest magazine's reproduction of the Martin 112 amp.

 

[Default]

Haven't been to the MM website in a while, but there are other places where you can get a 25 watt, single-ended ot. Just wish I could remember where! :?

 

[MikeHutchison]

My R5 is for sale:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/DeArmond-R5...406?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3f2d5b724e

Happy to answer any questions or take some more photos while I've still got it.

 

[Jeff Haddad]

That's a beauty! Good luck with the sale.