Well, what should I do with the T1RVT

John, you are truly a gentleman for such a detailed response. I can tell you spent a good amount of time pouring over the photos and formulating a detailed plan, then translating to laymans terms. Thank you is not enough.

That makes it even harder for me to say this: how shall I begin... how about a quote

Before going any further, make sure you have at least one known good 12AX7 to sub in.

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Now, in retrospect, I feel common sense, and in fact common courtesy should have required me to do this before even making the first post.
I am happy to report the amp has been working with a test signal for about 40 minutes now, after stealing a 12AX7 from my evil twin.( :twisted: )
I do feel badly for asking your help and taking so much of your time. I'm halfway hoping the amp will fade out.
You must allow me to compensate for your time in some way.

Zac

as a matter of fact, in honor of your brilliant work in this thread (and the many other valuable resources on this forum), I've made a forum donation with the easy to use Forum Donation link:
viewtopic.php?f=17&t=9787

But I still owe you, john, PM me your email and let me buy you lunch, please.

Hi Zac; sorry to put you to so much trouble ... my experience has been that tubes are just about the last things to fail but if you've subbed in and it's working ... as good as it gets! But ... if that's an electrolytic cap I ID'd with the asterisk and it's nasty on the outside ... And, as long as you have the amp apart, consider taking the opportunity to clean the pots, the bulgin pin male and female connectors, the input jacks, and the in/out jacks on the reverb tank. These are things that you can take care of and increase your sense of ownership in the health of the amp.

I don't mind the effort at all. Aside from some just plain showing off on my part, I try to encourage as much DIY as people can handle; some people have a high interest, others none at all. Anyway while I thrill to a new thread on the virtue of bone saddles in acoustic guitars ( :wink: ), I also enjoy fooling with the mysteries of machines that make big signals out of small ones. I thank you for your courtesy to Don ... that's all that matters to me. John

John, I'd like to do everything I can at this point to set the amp up for regular use.
here's some pics this is the "asterisk cap"

about the asterisk cap, it seems uniform in color, but has this bulge of paste at one end. there are several other similar caps that all have about the same amount of ooze going on. Is this a sign of trouble?




the "paper transformer(?)" looks...old, is it okay?






Can you tell me what the trim pots are for on the bottom? one has a white plastic knob and one is the kind you turn with a butter knife


Thanks again.

Hi Zac: Pic 1; yes, that's an electrolytic cathode resistor bypass cap; it's in the process of failing and it - and the several others like it irrespective of their conditions - should be replaced. That cap sets that tube stage's frequency response and gain. In the pic I posted, there's an arrow showing the 6BM8 cathode cap; it too needs to be replaced. The preamp caps are originally 32uf on the schematic but that value is not widely supported. Use a 25uf/25v for the several smaller ones and a 50uf/25v or 50v on the 6BM8.

The trick to replacing them is to cut the leads close to the body of the old cap leaving the old leads in place. Straighten them out and using needle-nose pliers, turn them into little hooks around which you can bend the leads of the replacement; fit, trim as necessary, tighten by squeezing and solder ... must observe polarity.

Pic 2: I think that can cap is original. Usually they look a little grungier but your amp is immaculate so the can's appearance has to be considered along with everything else. If the amp doesn't hum badly and seems punchy enough, you can consider leaving both can caps alone for now. If later you are looking for something to do to inject a little life in the amp; the can caps, that's where to go.

Pic 3: I guess your amp is a very early model. That end of the amp is dedicated to reverb; the 12AX7, 6BM8, and that output transformer. All transformers get a little nasty looking; that one doesn't look bad at all. The later versions of that amp put the two tubes / sockets on a little phenolic board like the one in the pic to get rid of that rat's nest condition on the underside. The blue cylinder Weber can cap; the amp in the pic ... it used to be mine ... :wink:




Pic 4: See below: if you're going to do some general maintenance, don't forget these two pots. Mark the orientation of the hum balance pot with a Sharpie, use lubricating-type spray cleaner, spin back and forth a few times. When you fire up, you can adjust any residual AC hum. The other trem pot ... I think it's the strength / volume pot ... is stiff because it never gets any attention.

Remarkably clean amp; good luck with it. John

Hi Zac: Pic 1; yes, that's an electrolytic cathode resistor bypass cap; it's in the process of failing and it - and the several others like it irrespective of their conditions - should be replaced. That cap sets that tube stage's frequency response and gain. In the pic I posted, there's an arrow showing the 6BM8 cathode cap; it too needs to be replaced. The preamp caps are originally 32uf on the schematic but that value is not widely supported. Use a 25uf/25v for the several smaller ones and a 50uf/25v or 50v on the 6BM8.

The trick to replacing them is to cut the leads close to the body of the old cap leaving the old leads in place. Straighten them out and using needle-nose pliers, turn them into little hooks around which you can bend the leads of the replacement; fit, trim as necessary, tighten by squeezing and solder ... must observe polarity.

Click to expand...

I'm going to try to get the new caps locally this week. Looking forward to getting my hands dirty (more likely burnt), thanks for that tip, I wouldn't have thought of that.

Pic 2: I think that can cap is original. Usually they look a little grungier but your amp is immaculate so the can's appearance has to be considered along with everything else. If the amp doesn't hum badly and seems punchy enough, you can consider leaving both can caps alone for now. If later you are looking for something to do to inject a little life in the amp; the can caps, that's where to go

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The only reason I thought they might be newer is the three color logo looked modern. Punch seems good, hum seems very low, actually.

I guess your amp is a very early model

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The board member I got it from listed it as a '66. The pot codes are '64. Is that early in the line? seems I usually see the 'two-tone' grill.

thanks for complimenting the condition. There is one cat scratch in the gold grill cloth, other than that the rest of her is super clean.

That Weber can cap in your pic, is that an 'upgrade'? (like getting a Weber carburetor fer yer hemi?)

Thanks Cap!!!!!!

Also, I'm pretty sure there are both strength and speed controls for the trem on the front panel, I'll double check tonight.

Hi Zac: no ... not a Weber upgrade ... at the time of that work, Weber was the only one making and selling 3-section high voltage can caps. Since then, I understand that CE or somebody bought the old Sprague machines that produced the 4-section units but there are voltage/capacitance physical limits ... the higher the voltage the larger the cap ... still can't buy 4X40uf/450v models; can get the one I linked for you (two sections 40uf, two sections 20uf) but the Webers also came in candy apple red, green and they look pretty neat. They are only aluminum housings with a several caps stuck inside but ... at the time, the choice was between the Webers and nothing ... I think you get my point :wink:

Well if you have 2 trem controls on the front panel; speed and depth controls ... hmm ... it might be the fibooculator ... :wink: Clean it up, fire up the amp, and see what it does (remembering to mark it's current orientation with your Sharpie) Beats me ... doesn't show on the public domain schematic and is close to V1B ... the tremolo oscillator. Maybe whatever it was got dropped later ... ???

well, I'm committed now I guess!

Shopping list:

1.one 50uF-25v or ok to use 50uF-50v

2.three 32uF-10v and one 32uF-4v or ok to

Use a 25uf/25v for the several smaller ones

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3.pot cleaner

4.I may pick up a better soldering iron to make this easier, also because I may get the bug and re-cap an old ampeg I have.

5.burn cream

6.pick up a little gift for the wife, 'cause I'm going to be making some noise when I'm finished!


Now, how can I fix the tear in the grill? No, besides photoshop .

Go Zulu !!!!

What we really need to see is some Nightbird porn !!

I never miss a chance to' Show The Bird'
coming right up...

thanks for askin' Coastie!! got a shot of your 'bird?








I really should do something about the silver knob

zulu said:

That Weber can cap in your pic, is that an 'upgrade'? (like getting a Weber carburetor fer yer hemi?)

Thanks Cap!!!!!!

Click to expand...

I had twin 40mm Webers on a '63 Hillman Estate Wagon, a station wagon version of the 1592 cc OHV Mini - all it really took to make a Mini Cooper out of that motor was better carbs. Went like stink - front-wheel drive, wheels right out there on the corners - you could drive that little car through corners on gravel with the rear end sliding along right beside you, in total control. Wish I could play the guitar like that.

I used to carpool other shift guys 20 miles up and down a mountain to a mine, twisty paved road, fantastic fast fun to drive downhill with all that weight in the car, until Brian Proctor got out, looked at the 10" wheels, and said "I'm never going 80 miles an hour again on lawn-mower tires". Everyone sort of lost their sense of adventure, and I had to take the truck after that.

Great thread. The Cap'n comes through again.

Hope the amp kicks when you're done. I bet it does.

Hi Zac: this is the only cathode cap approved here at JuanzAmpz : Sprague 25uf/25v. I recommend AES for parts; a little higher part-for-part than the smaller houses; Ocean State, Allied, Little Bear and others but they stock nearly everything you'd need .. and for the 6BM8 cathode cap Illinois 47uf/35v. Eh ... but they don't sell Unguentene :wink: . Unless your fingers are as small as tweezers, these are two must-have bench tools to simplify the mechanics: forceps (curved are better if you can find them) and a soldering tool; pointed on one end, forked on the other which is a lot easier than trying to bend component leads with needlenose pliers ... slip fork over lead and twirl with fingertips. Good luck! John

this is the only cathode cap approved here at JuanzAmpz : Sprague 25uf/25v.

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doesn't seem to be much wiggle room there. All other brands are no go, ok.

tool tip appreciated as well.

I had twin 40mm Webers on a '63 Hillman Estate Wagon, a station wagon version of the 1592 cc OHV Mini - all it really took to make a Mini Cooper out of that motor was better carbs. Went like stink - front-wheel drive, wheels right out there on the corners - you could drive that little car through corners on gravel with the rear end sliding along right beside you, in total control. Wish I could play the guitar like that.

I used to carpool other shift guys 20 miles up and down a mountain to a mine, twisty paved road, fantastic fast fun to drive downhill with all that weight in the car, until Brian Proctor got out, looked at the 10" wheels, and said "I'm never going 80 miles an hour again on lawn-mower tires". Everyone sort of lost their sense of adventure, and I had to take the truck after that.

Click to expand...

:lol: Why does Brian Proctor, just from the sound of his name, always have to be the voice of reason?

What we really need to see is some Nightbird porn !!

Click to expand...

You guys really are the kings of thread veer around here, aren't you. You expertly offered me a veer I couldn't possibly resist. :lol:

zulu said:

... Why does Brian Proctor, just from the sound of his name, always have to be the voice of reason?

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Isn't he the guy that scope is named after? You know, the whaddaya call it?

The Sprague 25uf/25v caps; None. They're the standard for hand-made boutique amps ... but if you go with el cheapos, you'll be the one making excuses to your amp ... not me!

Yes Z man !

You really should do something about the silver knob !!

NIce man. I'd like to see a shot of it on the beach, perhaps next to a beverage.

capacitors, soldering tool ordered. $16.95.
Telling Mrs. Zulu I made a music related puchase for under $20.00.....priceless.