FOUND GUILD AMP IN ATTIC

Hello everyone - I found my mother's old amp in the attic and I'm trying to find out what it might be worth. From what can tell from my mom and photos on the web, is it's a guild Tube Masteramp from the early fifties. My mom hasn't played in about 30 years, so we're just going to sell this and give the money to charity. It looks to be in amazing shape for it's age, but it emits a loud buzz when turned on. So I do not know what's wrong with it. I'm pretty sure it worked when it was stored in the attic 30 years ago. Any insight would be appreciated. Or if anybody is interested in it please let me know. I'm located in Boston, MA. Here's a link to some photos: http://web.me.com/mpilato/Guild_Amp_Pho ... d_Amp.html

Thanks for the help!
mike

It's a piece of junk. I'll give you fifty bucks.

No really...nice piece of vintage gear. Lots of amp experts will be along shortly to fill in the blanks. Bet it can easily be restored to working condition.

Heading up to the attic to nose around. :lol:

Welcome.

Pretty neat that it is your mom's amp. Any stories behind that?

CapnJuan is pretty good about diagnosing amp issues. I'm sure he'll be by momentarily.

chester said:

It looks to be in amazing shape for it's age, but it emits a loud buzz when turned on. So I do not know what's wrong with it. I

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If it's a 60 cycle hum, you might try reversing the plug in the AC socket. This era amps didn't have 3 prong plugs so polarity makes a difference.
Brad

Wow, what an entrance....welcome...amp looks like its in great condition, maybe there's a guitar up there too.... :shock: :shock: Steffan

Wow - you guys are fast!!! I'll try reversing the plug. There was a guitar, but she gave it away years ago. Not really any stories, I believe my grandfather got it for her when she was young. I'm 36 and can vaguely ever remember her playing it.

Can't wait for the Cap'n to get a load of this. :wink:
I'm not even an amp guy but I can say that this one looks great and well cared for, to say the least.

And BTW, welcome!

Joe

cool amp enjoy.

if probably needs filter caps and some general maintenance and then you can use it another 30 years

Hi Mike and welcome to LTG; that might be the best-preserved example of that model anywhere; congratulations! Rather than re-hash what Wally Marx has already written about these amps, read his article here at Premier Guitar. As indicated in the article, your amp runs on 50L6 power tubes ... if you're in the least tube geeky, a couple of links about the 50L6 here and here. This amp is low-power ... in the 2-3 watt range. Are there any printed codes on the rim of the speaker? I tried using the codes from the pics but couldn't ID it; maybe somebody else can by eye-balling it. Very cool trem pedal 8)

According to the pics, the amp looks to be completely original electronically which cuts both ways. It's great that it's all original but less so if it doesn't run very well. The amp is full of old electrolytic capacitors that from either years of abuse or dis-use, can dry out and leak DC to ground ... at best a cause weak tone or at worst a source of hum. Also, if it still has a two-prong plug at the end of the power cord, I suggest that even if you don't do anything else to it, you get that cord change; there's a risk of being shocked.

Once past the cord, you'll have to decide whether you want this amp as a 'wall-hanger' ... to take down and enjoy every now and then regardless of it's wheezing and belching or as a daily player that's been updated electronically to the point where you're getting the best the circuit can offer .... wanting to know if love is real so to speak. Anyway, welcome to LTG, good luck, and thanks for sharing the pics of your amp ... it's really in extraordinary condition.

Damn, Mike! That's beautiful! A real attic find (to say the least)!

Welcome to LTG!

What a refreshing post - such a welcome contrast to the many fleabay listings - "found this archtop in a coffin in the desert; this amp was buried under a pile of old salmon boxes in my grandfather's back yard; got this guitar from a guy on the street in exchange for a couple of rocks" and more of the same, always followed by a huge start price and then the obligatory "I'm just selling this for a friend/the widow/my sainted maiden aunt" and "I don't know nuthin' about (guitars/amps/old salmon boxes), but hope I'll be able to get a good price for said friend/widow/aunt."

That is a beautiful amplifier, whether or not you tune it up to spec. Lovely find. How did your Mum feel when it was unearthed? Must have triggered memories.

Let us know what you decide to do. There's bound to be some interest here.

Wow Mike,
Welcome to LTG.
That amp is beautiful!!
Up until now my amp was the only one of that style ('54 Masteramp) that I'd ever seen.
The one I have looks like it had been sitting in some water in a basement, wish mine was from the attic :wink:
Heres a couple of pics of mine

skinny

Those amps have mojo, just sitting there without even plugging them in. :shock:

Dave

WOW! This has got to be the nicest forum I have ever been on. I'm used to DJ and Car forums where people are constantly bashing newbies. I'm not a guitar player (wish I was), though this amp has me wanting to just buy a cheap guitar to have in the house. I am somewhat of an audio geek - at least when it comes to the DJ scene. If this was a tube amp (not for guitars) I would definitely keep it! But I'd probably rather see it go to someone who will get a lot of use out of it and appreciate it. I may know what is causing the hum. I tried turning the plug around as someone suggested, it still hummed. But I did notice that the plug and it's prongs could spin around the wire they were attached to! I wiggled the cord and POP! Lights out. Smoke. Circuit breaker tripped! (I remain unscathed.) After pulling the plug out of the wall I realized how loose it really was, I spun it around and it came right off. (Could this have been causing the hum?) So my question is: 1:Should I put a new 2-prong plug on the exising wire. 2: Solder a whole new 2-prong plug and wire on. Or 3: Solder on a new 3-prong plug and wire. If I do that - what should I solder the third wire to? The Chassis? On a side note - I am very handy with a soldering iron, but 60 year-old electronics scare me a bit! Thank you all again for your help. By the way - what is an amp like this even worth? (in working order of course).

Thanks again!
mike

Mike, that amp. is just sensational !!

If you do sell it, I urge you to sell it here ........ treasure like that really needs to stay in the family.

And, a very warm welcome to you, from New Zealand.

chester said:

So my question is: 1:Should I put a new 2-prong plug on the exising wire. 2: Solder a whole new 2-prong plug and wire on. Or 3: Solder on a new 3-prong plug and wire. If I do that - what should I solder the third wire to? The Chassis? On a side note - I am very handy with a soldering iron, but 60 year-old electronics scare me a bit! Thank you all again for your help. By the way - what is an amp like this even worth? (in working order of course).

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Hi Mike; you have to change the complete power cord; scotch-taping a plug on it won't get it. Just Google 'new power cord for amplifier' ... you'll get plenty of hits ... many with pics ... if you don't understand what the deal is, we'll help.

Briefly, one side of the incoming power goes to the power switch and the other side goes to the fuse post. Unless you have a 100+ watt soldering iron, you won't get a good bond to the chassis. Usually, the green/ground wire is terminated with a ring or spade terminal under one of the transformer hold-down bolts.

But with those 50L6 tubes, I don't think this one has a power transformer but it does have an output transformer. Otherwise, any clean, bolted connected to the chassis will do. If you get that far and can't find a good point, take/post some pics ... we'll find a point that will work safely.

PM sent on the subject of value.