'54 Masteramp - Tag, I'm it!

AcornHouse

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'54 Masteramp - Tag, I'm it! (now with video)

When DRC decided to let go of the Masteramp he had, I went ahead and took it off his hands.
Serial #2075 puts it in 1954. I don't know if I'll ever be able to acquire a '53 anything from Guild, so this will probably remain as my oldest Guild.
Here are the pics:
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Gut shots in the next post.
 
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walrus

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Way cool! That amp is in great condition, I love the Guild script logo front!

walrus
 

Default

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If you can get any numbers off the power transformer, that would be awesome.
 

dane

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Major cap job ahead, though.

Seriously. They are toasted.

Ahhh yes! The dreaded "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida" syndrome.
Very common in amps trying to survive the early 60's.
Hey lets face it... most of the people who survived the 60's toasted their caps too. :playful:

Peter :highly_amused:

Kidding aside, congrats on the amp. :encouragement:
 

AcornHouse

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At least most of the resistors I tested were still within spec. When I had my '39 Oahu gone over, he had to replace every cap and all resistors except one. Boy, you'd think you could expect electrical components to last longer than 75 years.
 

sailingshoes72

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My first visit to the "Amps & Effects" page and I am treated to some great pics of a 50's Guild amp. Way cool! I like the two-toned amp covering (maroon & tweed) and the brown leather handle. I have a 1952 Newcomb G-12 amp with a Rola speaker that I found at a 2nd hand furniture store. It has a wire speaker grill, and the pre-amp tubes were all metal when I bought it. It has a very pronounced "magnetized" midrange voice, like all the early steel guitar amps. It sounds great with my Gretsch 6125 PAF Filtertron... real twangy! Bill
 
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AcornHouse

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Just gut word from my tech that he's got the Masteramp up and working. He had some trouble with the tremolo, mainly because of some unknowns, but he figured everything out and got it back in business. That's the fun (?) of dealing with these early Guild amps, there just isn't the info for everything out there. (Unlike Fender, where there's a schematics on file for everything.)

I'll get additional pics and sound clips when I pick it up!

One more piece of Guild history back in action!
 

AcornHouse

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Just back from picking up the Masteramp from my tech. Brought along my '57 CE-100 to test it. It sounds great! Nice warm cleans, perfect for jazz to a bluesy breakup when turned up more, to full on Who-ish raunch when cranked with power chords. Could've been a contender. (And totally rebuts the abuse that 50L6 tubes usually get.)
Completely original circuit, no mods. I'll post pic of the revived innards tomorrow, and try to get some sound clips later in the week.
 

JohnW63

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That looked like a nightmare of amp entrails to me. It looks like a lot of years of getting hot, with the waxy resisters and blistered caps, and such.
 

AcornHouse

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Almost all of the caps were replaced, including the filter can (a couple that didn't have any significant voltage through them were left, since it didn't really matter if they leaked.) All the resistors tested good. A grounding point that had become loose was tightened. The light bulb was changed to one that fits, and actually emits light through the jewel. Two "new" 50L6 tubes, and voila!
Here's the new innards.
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Rudehog

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That is beautiful Chris, love to hear it! I hope I didn't make a mistake bidding on that 58.. If you dont mind me asking "How much" do you have wrapped up in your amp now?

The 58 looks pretty rough, do you think the grill cloth was replaced?

I have been wanting a vintage Guild amp to play my 59 X550 through...
 

AcornHouse

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That is beautiful Chris, love to hear it! I hope I didn't make a mistake bidding on that 58.. If you dont mind me asking "How much" do you have wrapped up in your amp now?

The 58 looks pretty rough, do you think the grill cloth was replaced?

I have been wanting a vintage Guild amp to play my 59 X550 through...
I paid about $300 for it and had $330 worth of repairs. Whether it has that much book value, I don't know, but since I don't intend to sell, I'm fine with it.

Hard to tell the value on the Masteramps, they went through so many incarnations. I think Steve (Default) has one of the versions like the one at HA. It may not need quite as much work inside.
You also might look at the 100J in the CL area. My 99J is a great jazz amp, and that certainly would be 1 better. :encouragement:
 
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