Museum-Grade Pre-War Gibson EH 150 gets a "Stealth" Overhaul
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- Опубликовано: 15 окт 2024
- In this video we will examine a superb, original 1940 Gibson EH-150, and then perform an extensive overhaul of the circuit to ensure that it will continue to play well for many years to come. Due to the stunning originality of the amp, I was motivated to conceal all my circuit work in ways that I think you will appreciate. The final sound check reveals some minor issues, like cabinet vibration at high volume, and excess gain in the Microphone channel....all of which will be dealt with before returning the amp to its proud owner. In addition, we will catch up on Ollie, the feral guitarist, and have a catnip break with Jack and KC. Our second feature will cover some extensive bodywork that I had to perform on a 1928 Ford coupe, prior to trading it for the 1932 Ford pickup you saw in a previous video. All in all, this video contains a little over one full hour of hard work and nonsense. I hope you enjoy it :)
If you do enjoy advertising-free videos like this, then be sure to subscribe to our channel and consider becoming a Patreon patron at: / uncledougsvintageamps or making a PayPal contribution to: dldcam@aol.com. Thanks so much for your interest and support :)
Here is the link to the Vintage Guitar article on the Gibson EH-150: www.vintagegui...
Once again, you've proven to everyone, what an amazing Human Being you are.
Amp repair, metal fabrication,
lost animal rehab. You do it all. Humbly, and with great aplomb...
Thank you...
You are too kind, James. Thanks !!
Agreed...
Your attention to detail on both your amp, and car, work is inspirational :-)
And yet he gets downvoted. I'd like to know what it is that some people don't like. Or are they just being contrary because that's how they go through life, just hating on everything.
Thanks so much, CJ.
There are slobbering cretins who seek attention by down voting videos that others seem to like. They think it makes them appear hip or intelligent. They're dead wrong.
Uncle dog - I’m curious - I occasionally come across vintage amps at estate sales, and have no idea what this era of amp would be worth in decent condition , what would I expect to be a “fair” price for a working OR non-working amp of this era? I’ve never seen one this pristine, but you never know... this one truly boggles the mind in this condition...unbelievable!... man, oh man.
Uncle Doug, you do amazing work, enjoyable and great learning in the process!
NOTES: 1.) I said "electrolytic" with regard to speaker.....meant to say "electrodynamic" :) 2.) The elaborate wood framing for the rear of the Model A cab is the limiting factor, not the vinyl material. This was a hot rod when I got it, and detailed, expensive restoration is simply not practical. 3.) I believe that reducing the impedance of the Microphone channel (i.e. from 5 Meg down to 500K will solve the problem with excessive volume......however, for use with acoustic guitars (with ultra-low-output pickups) it may work just fine as-is. It's up to the customer.
UPDATE: When I delivered the amp to the owner, he tested it with a couple acoustic guitars that had add-on low-output pickups......and the tone was incredible !!!! Much, much better than in my audio demo, especially when plugged into the previously-unusable Microphone input (at a setting of 3). It's obvious that this amp had a specific purpose, and solid-body electric guitars wasn't part of it.
Uncle Doug you are blessed
This looked so nice inside that I thought you should just leave it alone even if it doesn't work. Those tubes just have to stay.
I have a AC/DC version of this amp the EH-160, any advice on how it could be brought up to working condition circuit wise without killing the player? Thanks.
Doug, Posting this here as well:
I found a schematic for this amp that uses the proper tube complement that you appear to have there.
www.ampwares.com/schematics/gibson/eh-150.pdf
It's also an unusual schematic as well. Check it out.
@Uncle Doug
So this amp Doug does everything a harp player wants - but for a tubby, low ohm speaker set of the Bassman or Concert amp variety. The other name heard is Dano Commando, or Masco, in harp land, but something like this or the National would invite harp players to try mic element, speaker box, & driver experiment. (Echo labelling evokes the Hohner harp model.) I am down to four tube heads GA 40, M-8 (Cal Tech's favourite) AP 14 and Arkay 12 but am up to 40 box.driver,impedance combo possibilties
The quality of your work, and your desire to make things right really impresses me.
Indeed!
Another fantastic job. The owner is so lucky that you agreed to repair his amp.
Thanks. I just returned it today and he was quite pleased :)
Actually, in this case, the owner was so happy, he threw in an extra $50......so I am very happy too
That metal is in unbelievable shape. Thanks for the look over your shoulder. You are documenting these things for all time. Nice work all around.
Thanks so much, Crush.
You are a legend, I just love watching you videos. Your articulation is magnificent, I would have loved a teacher like you at my university! Please keep the videos coming. Thank you 👍👍👍
Wow, thanks so much for the very nice comments, Holger :)
Uncle Doug, I have followed you for several years. I just wanted to say, you are one of a kind. It isnt often one finds a master craftsman who is both willing to share his knowledge, and at the same time make the lessons entertaining and enjoyable. Thank you so much... I delivered furniture in my teenage years, and my delivery partner José used to tell me (after a customer had thanked us for a job well done) "my friend, we cannot survive on 'thank you' "... his point being that if the customer were really that thankful, perhaps they could've offered us a monetary token of their appreciation... all that to say, I will be sending such a token shortly, and encourage others to do the same. Thanks again. -JB
Thanks so much, JB. Jose was right, when you're living on Social Security, nothing says "good work" like a few bucks......but the compliments are a close second :)
Unreal.
Looks like something you would see at the Smithsonian!
Thank You and please than the Collector/Owner for allowing you to share this with us.
You're welcome, HK. I returned the amp to him today, and he was quite pleased. He was watching the video when I got to his house.
@@UncleDoug Again many thanks to you for documenting some truly great and rare amplifiers.
Absolutely gorgeous job and what a gem of an amp, sounds ideal for so many genres.
Thanks so much for your kind words, Jules.
"gonna remove Geronimo's headband" another Uncle Doug classic... Thank you for another great video. Uncle Doug, Amp Master.
Glad you liked it, EM :)
Hi UD.
I wanted to publicly thank you both for the fantastic videos you are creating but also for inspiring me to build my first tube guitar amp.
My son and I scratch built a Fender Princeton 5F2 clone. We just turned it on and after a very short troubleshooting session it just came to life and sounds great! Couldn't have done it without the knowledge and examples from your videos.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH!
What great news, Yisrael, for several reasons. One, your first build was successful. Two, you were able to troubleshoot it yourself. Three, I predict that more such projects will follow. But most importantly, this was a wonderful father-son project that will be fondly remembered for many years.
Tweed bottomed amps you make the Rockin' World Go Round!
Amen, brother :)
I enjoy your videos very much. Just the amount of proper work. No shortcuts. Just honest and proper.
Thanks so much, RF :)
Hi Uncle Doug, Bless you for sharing another grate educational video with us. I just loved the sound of that amp.
That would make a great chassis kit to build.
Thanks, F1. It would be an expensive build......but a nice project.
Amazing how incredibly busy you are and mostly doing high detail work that requires a great deal of patience. Nicely done once again on all accounts
Thanks, Scott. It has been a busy few weeks here lately.
Damn dude!! Awesome work on both fronts!! It was a little early for a beer. But really nice work, Sir!!!
Thanks, Abe. It always the right time for a beer :)
What? What's this "early"?
Sticking to the " do it right, the first time" is a great plan to have a first class result.
Well done.
Agreed, RW :)
Oh well, I had plans for the afternoon... heck... now I'll just have to scrap em and watch another "Find the Lost Cat" video... :)
I hope you enjoy it, Brad.
@@UncleDoug Bravo Unc! Bravo... Thanks! While you're in Nashville, consider visiting the old Ryman Auditorium, and also the Ernest Tubb Music store.... Get yerself a serious coffee mug... and, or T-Shirt. All the cool kids have them. :) Although it's clear that you're a rock n' roller... The good old country folks along with the Blues Folks deserve a huge shout of praise for making that beautiful deep muddy river so accommodating. In a perfect world, I'd get myself a handmade Nudie Western Suit, with both hat and boots to match... I could wear it onstage while singing "Jailhouse" Rock at my local rest-home gig... What do you think of that? :)
Thanks, Uncle Doug! The awe in your voice clearly shows how impressive this amp is. Congrats for your getting to take care of it.
It was indeed an honor, MJ. Thanks !!!
You're a legend. Well done keeping it original looking.
Thanks so much, Clint. We will :)
My favorite video of yours Uncle Doug…. Quality work is always in vogue and appreciated.
Wow.....thanks so much, Richard.
thank you for this video, the gibson has really a nice sound And the car fabulous
It was our pleasure, Bruno :)
UD, your dry humor is very much appreciated
Thanks, CC :)
A really great job. (again!) Rob
Thanks, Rob.
Hi Doug, I've been a fan of your videos for years, but the last few days I had oodles of free time. I used that time to watch hours upon hours of your technical videos on tubes, capacitors, resistors, feedback loops, etc, and I'm happy to say that at the end of it all I understood everything you were talking about in this video! I want you to know your instruction is greatly appreciated, and you are singlehandedly increasing the supply of tube-a-holics by a great deal!
Thanks so much, Stevie. It's my hope that a new generation of caretakers will arise with the ability and dedication to keep these ancient gems functional.
I empathize with you about cats with a catnip problem, because my cats had the same problem. So I made them go cold turkey. That didn't work though. Turns out they like turkey, hot or cold.
I guess next, you'll have to try making them go cold chicken :)
Hi Doug - thank you for these wonderful videos. I'm restoring an almost-original late 30s EH-150 chassis right now and your video and descriptions are very helpful, indeed. As is the very detailed interior footage. The components and layout of mine are nearly identical to this one. Just wanted to (respectfully) mention a couple of corrections to your cap replacement designations - the fourth underside cap is a 10uF 25v cathode bypass cap from pin 10 to 10 (running directly underneath the 3K cathode resistor from V1, and apparent just counting backwards from 13), not 9 to 9 as you indicate, easy to get confused with so many terminal points - and the fifth and final underside cap is a coupling cap from pin 11 to 12 , not 10 to 12 as you mention. One other hint for those who may be restoring this style of Gibson amp is that the speaker plug pins 3 & 4 need to be shorted to complete the 5V filament circuit. Again, many thanks for your excellent instructions and explanation. (:
Thanks for your helpful input, Larry.
Jack ain't pussyfooting around. He eats his catnip. Hardcore!
The amp really has a lot of personality tone-wise. Fantastic stealth job that will confound millennials for a millennium!
The Ford is looking good. I always have a soft spot for 5 windows!
Thanks, KM :)
Thank you another entertaining and enlightening video. Hiding those caps in the waxy box was brilliant. The aesthetics of the amp remain antique.
I’ll have to go back through the UD archive and figure out what “grid stopper” means.
You are quite welcome, Allan. I have posted a video series on resistors that will provide all sorts of info on the subject.
I love the covert replacement of the old caps. I'm also having to wipe the drool off my chin.
Thanks, SSG. You need to wear one of those lobster bibs :)
I don't know why this has some downvotes. This man clearly cares a lot about what he is doing. Good Job.
Hidden within caverns under several major cities, there are small groups of devolved cretins who gather around old discarded computers and peck at the keys.
The Ultimate test of the mic input would have been you plugging a microphone in and singing a song for us.
Be careful what you ask for, Daniel :)
ruclips.net/video/LTunhRVyREU/видео.html
...that sounds very noteworthy-!!
(get it? get it? get it? snucker- snucker-snucker!!)
@@UncleDoug. heh heh
You're a genius Uncle Doug!!! Your taste for preserving the vintage stuff is very apreciated. Congratulations for your magnificent work.
Thanks so much, BSA :)
YES!!! I'm just after work. So... I don't have beer right know but a glass of wine should do the trick :D
Sounds good, Echo. Pour one for us :)
Uncle Doug just doesn't give up! The fight was brutal but the outcome was inevitable.
Thank You Uncle Doug.
Thanks for having confidence in your old Uncle, Luther.
What’s 80 years old and lives in an orange and black case......Grandpa. We got him a designer straight jacket.
Do you let him out on Father's Day ?
Uncle Doug nah.....if we do he just chases grandma
Sounds like some good holiday entertainment :)
What a treat and education. Have never seen a transformer used for phase inversion. Thank you.
Thanks, JG. Yes, it was relatively common, back in the good old days, when quality of design outweighed economy of construction.
Yogi bear was probably disappointed for not having any food in that "pic-a-nic basket" :-))
Jack and Ollie probably stole it :)
Great work ! My silver face Twin Reverb shows signs of cabinet delamination on top corners as well....very heavy amps need handles on each side instead of one on the top. I liked your effort to preserve the capacitor boxes...it worked out very well. Keep up the good work !
Thanks, Doug. I agree about the need for better handle placement and cabinet design. On my own builds, I reinforce the top with aluminum plates to distribute the stress.
first thx uncle doug
You're welcome, Ken.
Beautiful clip, Uncle Doug! So cool that you mentioned Charlie Christian. The "Genius of the Electric Guitar" 4 CD set that came out in 2002 was housed in a box that was a facsimile of this amp.
That sounds like a really neat CD box, Bruce. Thanks for the info.
That old Gibson amp is in amazing condition for its age and should probably remain so if it’s kept in that excellent padded soft case. It really sounds very bright for an early guitar amp but I guess it needed to be in order to cut though the orchestra, they could be quite loud. I admire the quality of the work you’re putting into the hot rod. An old friend of mine, (now sadly passed away), was a car mechanic whose hobby was restoring old cars, (he really lived the dream). Watching him working on an old neglected car and turning it into a thing of beauty really impressed upon me how much thought and hard work goes into car restoration. I’m looking forward to future episodes.
Thanks so much, Henry.
What a wonderful Gibson 150 vintage amp uncle Doug, good thing you really have a great patience to draw the schematic, wow you really are bless uncle Doug.More powe to you always and God bless
Thanks so much for the kind words, Bruce. Likewise on the blessings.
Beautiful amp repair Doug!
Thanks, Bill :)
And the A is looking good too!
I am fascinated by your attention to detail in all your videos. The idea of a transformer with a split output for phase inversion just blew my mind. I’d have never thought of that.
Thanks, Zac. It was actually rather common to use a CT transformer for PI back in the 30's and 40's......especially in jukebox amplifiers.
Nice work on the 'Coupe'! the car videos at the end are a great bonus. Hope you're able to keep them coming. Stay cool.
Thanks, B76. I have two more hot rod videos ready to go :)
Music these day is lacking a new sound, we did it all, but I still believe having a 80 year old amp mixed in with the new would be a turning point for rock and roll. Sounds great Uncle Doug and the Cats.
Thanks so much, Mr. B. The cats are ready to be "discovered" :)
Beautiful amp, innovative (archival level) repair method. I bet the owner could not be more pleased.
Thanks, Michael. I hope you're right :)
As much of a hero as you are to your subscribers, I'm thankful that you forego the cape and tights.
Believe me, Richard, you have no idea how right you are about the tights especially :O
Your tour of this museum grade amp was spectacular! It was great to see you preserve the original electrolytic capacitors boxes to keep the original design look, vibe and smell. I noticed that they had markings that said information of the patent was included inside the box. You should have left a note inside these time capsules identifying that the repair was performed by the legendary Uncle Doug! And your sense of humor in this episode was in rare form this time. Ear wax! In the last flyover view of the inside of the chassis, I noted the mains white neutral wire was still soldered to the fuse... Built in invisible death capacitor? Lol !! Many thank for this.
Oops, spoke too soon on the neutral wire.
Thanks so much, John. Can you imagine the difficulty if you wanted to actually read the patent information.....inside a box filled with wax ??
You know just when I think that you have demonstrated all of your many, many talents you throw me a curveball. First off, what a joy it must have been to work on such a pristine example of a prewar amp. And the bonus of an amp that apparently had never met a rodent of any species. Masterful job of stealth upgrading of the electronics. I have watched videos of different people melting wax out of ” waxeys” and replacing the ”guts” with modern replacements, then repouring the wax using toilet flange ring wax to match the color of the original, to hide the modern component but I had not seen anyone tackle a box cap before. I have one that I need to do on a 1929 RCA Radiola, I just hope it is wax and not tar, the cardboard is charcoal gray color. The finished product was absolutely beautiful. The only thing that I think you could have done to make it more period-perfect would have been taken three pieces of modern cloth-covered multi-strand wire and braided it into a power cord, much like the wiring on the output transformer. Would have been a lot of extra work though. That amp sounded amazing for it's age. I can see why it would have been a favorite of guitarist in a big band setting, having to compete against dozens of horns, woodwinds, and percussion to make their instrument audible. That microphone input had an unbelievable amount of gain, wow. I guess the microphones of the day were not the most sensitive, so maybe it required a lot of gain, but fighting the feedback must have been a real challenge. On to the Special Coupe. Your solution for a substitute for a really big English Wheel for bending that curved top was ingenious. I bet it took an awful lot of very careful brute force to get that compound curve to match the roof line of the top. Beautiful craftsmanship and amazing fabrication skills using improvised tools. I really liked the use of screw heads to bridge the gaps for welding the top to the body. Another stoke of genius on your part. I wonder if when that car was built if all of the nails we're just driven straight through the sheet metal or a small hole punched first an the the nail driven in. The holes appeared to be 6 or 8 penny nails, into oak. Would have taken a very practiced hand with a hammer. Knowing Henry Fords reputation he probably would have insisted that the nails be driven without pre punching for efficiency’s sake. I will bet that you are correct about the body being a roadster with a metal top added. Didn't the Victoria have all of that extra roof trim? I bet you are happy that 3M developed a fiberglass reinforced body filler. I can just imagine those channels filled with ”Bondo” first good bump and Bondo would be hitting the pavement. Great body work, and I know how much work that involves, I did about a year and a half working for an auto rebuilder. Buy two wrecked cars and make one good one out of them. Lots of body work, endless hours of wet sanding and painting. Working there and another job while going to electronics trade school. Uncle Doug, you seem to be a ”Jack of all Trades and Master of All”. I stand in awe your abilities.
Thanks so much, Mark. I am flattered and appreciative of your kind words. I agree that concealment of the power cord wires would have been a nice final touch. I will do this if I ever have the opportunity to re-open this amp. I have no idea how the nails were driven through the rather thick steel. It was probably too early for nail guns, and I cannot imagine doing this with a tack and hammer. The metal bending really did take brute strength. My wife was highly amused.....watching me sweat and curse in the back yard, while she sipped her coffee in the air conditioned kitchen. The neighbors, however, wee probably not as amused :)
I am a rock guitar player, Iike videos with loud wailing solos and no talk. However, I will watch every second of your videos Uncle Doug, even rewinding when I don't quite catch something. The dad-jokes are icing on the cake!
High praise indeed, Jason. Thanks !!!
From Leo: Good trick on hiding the new caps under the terminal board. I have peeled the printed vinyl off of modern caps .(and written values where they don't show in case there would be another tech) I have never had anything that old and that nice.
Thanks, Barb.
Doug, your videos are always educational and entertaining, and seem to be getting even better. I particularly like the Amp restoration followed by Hot Rod work. Thanks again
You're welcome, Rodney. Thanks !!!!
Another world class job and history class!
Thanks, Ben :)
Wonderful, educational, entertaining, and fun! Thank you. I begin to appreciate the almost artistic beauty of these old circuits, too...
Thanks, TP :)
That's the most amazing tone of all of your videos I've seen so far Uncle Doug. That transformer balanced phase inverter seems to have some real mojo! Thanks for sharing these wonderful pieces of art with the world - sincerely love your work =)
Thanks so much, Dave. I agree that transformer phase inversion really does provide some nice tone.
@@UncleDoug How practical are field coil speakers to make? Is it all about the transformer too?
@@DaveyGage an old Supro 51 is the only amp I have that has the field coil tranny on it Great amp but has a mystery buzz that I need to figure out LoL Speaker oriented I'm thinking 🤔
Uncle Douglas
The tone of your voice when you opened the back. Hushhhhh ! Worthy of it for sure.
I can't help but be moved by perfection :)
What a magnificent piece of antique gear! Thanks as always, for the incredibly interesting and informative content Uncle Doug!
It was our pleasure, John. Thanks !!!
Luv you videos . they are very plane spoken and easy to follow. i've made my own play list of your videos that start from : Basic Electronics to what is a Tube to a Finished Amp.
Thanks, T1. That sounds like a great idea. Be sure to subscribe to receive new video alerts.
What a great little amp,,, and you got to share it with us,,, oh yeah. really nice work on that back panel,,,, that's a lot of work.
Thanks so much, Carl.
Absolutely fantastic restoration Uncle Doug! ... All vintage amps pray that they will go to the Kingdom of Heaven that is Uncle Doug's workshop 👍👍😃
Amps & Hotrods ... Perfect!
Thanks so much, Ralf :) We rally appreciate it.
That was a BRAVE move with the oven Doug, last time I used my wife's oven, is back in the early 90s when I thought I could bake clay and thought it was extremely humorous to make a well, for lack of better words a phallic symbol.. The oven did not get to the 1500 + degrees as needed to bake clay, but instead made a stink of the house and set off the smoke detector. Granted back then, I was "experimenting" with certain substances, but I never touched her oven again.
No kidding, RR. If she hadn't been out of town, I would not have dared :)
Love the hot rod updates, too. The mount of fabrication that goes into them is really impressive.
Thanks, Sean.
Got this video in my recommendeds, glad I did. Didn't think I'd watch it all the way through, but did.
I know it was rather long, and I really appreciate the time you spent watching it, GRR. Thanks.
Fantastic work Uncle Doug, thank you for all the detail.
It was my pleasure, MB.
Thank you for taking the time to produce another video
It was our pleasure, Douglas.
You are one funny guy. What a witty sense of humor. And you know your stuff. Totally enjoyed your video. An electronic genius, indeed.
You are too kind, MV.......but we love compliments :)
My understanding is that the 'echo' loudspeaker was supplied with a 35 foot cable. The idea was that placing it that far away from the amplifier, with its built in loudspeaker, provided some natural delay or reverb.
Yes, that's what the company literature suggests. By the same token, I guess you could place it a thousand yards away, and get a full one-second delay :)
Very glad you came back to treat your devotees to more expert videos.
Thanks, Brian.
This must be one of the coolest amp overhaul videos (and amps!) I've ever seen - and your witty humour here and there is simply priceless. Also the cats are just gorgeous. Keep it up and all the best from Finland!
Thanks so much, J. We will :)
Always good to see you Uncle Doug. I wish they made more amps like the older ones, you can definitely see the quality put into the older compared to the newer.
My pleasure, CTE. I agree.....the older they are, the better they are, IMHO.
You've got mad skills , Uncle... Mad skills I say!! Fantastic stuff!
Thanks, Rick :)
Super interesting video as always. Ollie's meowing made his furry comrade Angus here in California perk up with interest. Your carrying bag looks like the type of old carrying cases we used to use for old semi-portable Macintosh computers, like the Mac Plus, or Mac SE series.
I guess cats all speak a common language, RPP :)
Oh man! I just love the way you get so moved by these vintage amps. No reply needed - have a great vacation😊
You've got to love them to work on them properly, RoL. Thanks !!
Always a great pleasure listening to you sharing and describing those beauties from back when!! Greetings from Morocco Uncle Doug.... yeah it sounds exotic huh :) I feel lucky I learnt english so I can enjoy channels like yours! Thanks a ton!
You're welcome, HR. I believe you are my first Moroccan viewer......and as such you are entitled to a free subscription !!! Seriously, it's great to hear from you. Thanks for watching and commenting :)
I'd love to see a video about the output transformer and how it is mechanically constructed to allow push-pull without a phase inverter. You got me curious! Thanks for all the awesome information and guidance.. We all really value it and enjoy it a lot!
Greetings, David. I fear there is a bit of confusion here. The output transformer works WITH a phase inverter to create a push-pull circuit. Perhaps you are speaking of the use of a separate transformer AS a phase inverter. I have posted videos explaining the use of a transformer to do this. Please see my video on the Wurlitzer jukebox amplifier.
I used to work with a guy who restored radios in old military vehicles and he used a similar technique of 'hiding' the modern components within the body of the original, typically much larger ones giving the look of the old with the reliability etc of the new, a very nice way to do it.
It's a bit of extra work, but in some cases, definitely worth it.
Thanks a lot Doug really enjoyed the video,great job on both. Take care. Colin.
Glad you enjoyed it, Colin. It's always good to hear from you.
Compliments on the beautiful Gibson amp fix, as well as, the tour! / Excellent workmanship on auto bodywork and your ingenious bending method...lol...You are a very talented individual, keep up the outstanding craftsmanship, as well as, detail to every detail. Gods speed. Aloha, from Hawai'i
Wow.....thanks so much for all the very nice comments. Likewise from the sunny Southwest :)
I've done the same stealth capacitor trick with those old dried out cardboard cylinder electrolytic caps that need replacing.
Basically you save the cardboard surround, stuff a modern cap inside. Add something like glue inside the cardboard roll to fill it....and then install. It keeps the vintage look. Some people hate the idea of all this but I think: Why not? An added bonus is that it probably insulates the cap from heat.
Some vintage circuits deserve special care, and concealment of modern components is justified :)
Nice job on the body work. Chain link fence doing double duty!
Thanks, Michael :)
I am not a musician but I really enjoy these videos. Reminds me a little of electromechanical pinball repair.
Hi UD! I like the way you went through the extra effort and potential wrath for stinking up the oven :) to maintain the originality of the amp just because that's the proper way to restore something historic like this unit. Good to see and hear you again and glad you're taking some "me time". Man does not live by amps alone... :) The auto restoration is coming along nicely and I agree with you, it was a smart, pro-active idea for rigidity to tie in all the metal on top to the body to keep it stable pre-filler. Back window turned out real nice too and looking forward to seeing the final product!
Thanks so much for all your nice comments, PM :)
@@UncleDoug As always, you're very welcome and thanks for continuing to delight us with your ingenuity and wit. Now I understand how you landed your wonderful, understanding, talented, tolerant wife! :) I hope you aired the house out after cooking the caps before you caught hell! LOL :)
Fortunately, she never watches my videos.....so our secret is safe :)
Beautiful specimen. Great video as always! Fun fact: The Phillips head was introduced to prevent over-torquing. The tip is designed to "cam out" of the screw when a certain level of torque is reached. Of course, the nasty side effect is that it will ruin screw head with a quickness.
Thanks, SR. That makes sense, but then the screwdriver gouges across the pristine surface and stabs you in the leg......as we have all experienced :):)
Another beauty job, Doug. I collect Gibson amps and I want one of those EH ones. Maybe one day.
They are an excellent addition to any collection, David. Good luck.
An Absolute Joy To Watch And Listen To This Master In Action !. Marvellous !. Respects
And Greetings From Scotland.
Thanks so much, John. Regards to you and my Scottish brothers :)
Uncle Doug! I used to watch your vids but didn't see you for a long time. I used to comment under the name CarrierWave. Glad to see you back!
Thanks, HoM. We've been back on the air for several years and are glad you found us again.
@Uncle Doug When I was doing body work Rolls Royce certified us to work on their cars, we had to fill dents and welded areas like the ones you did with lead and the Imron paint had lead as well, the techniques I learned on my own were insane. My boss was a good guy, but underpaid us like crazy, when he lost me to a gambling debt, I was paid so much more I almost felt guilty plus he paid for lunch, anything you wanted plus he demanded you drank top of the line beer, totally insane, but worked. Just enough to loosen you up. The Rod is looking great. We used fiberglass filler on things like this. Evercoat is the best putty and primer I ever used.
Working with lead is a dying art, Mr. B, especially deep vertical channels with holes in the bottom :O It's filler for me :)
Amazing amp....never seen one like this. Interesting the different choices the manufacturer made to address phase inversion and tone control. Glad you put it back to original specs as well as possible instead of trying to add a tone circuit...well done. Imagine...using the guitar tone controls...what a concept....
It's a concept that I am moving increasingly toward, OW. I think many amps are actually hampered by their overly elaborate tone circuits.
Your right about the Miss'us not needing to know about using her oven and for a small nominal fee it shall remain that way ... Lol ... Another very good and info laced vid ...
Send your bagman to pick up the payoff, Eddy :) Thanks !!
Beautiful job Uncle Doug
Thanks, Jeff.
Beautiful vintage amp Doug and very inventive modern cap disguising ... with all the catnip being passed around I kinda thought Jack & Ollie might have hit us up with some purple haze 😆
That came later, after a few hits of grilled liver and bacon cat food :)
Wow, Doug, you NEVER disappoint! What an amazing amp. Little things like the 3-wire *braiding* of the output transformer leads! (15:05).
Glad you enjoyed it, David.
Things like that and the parallel terminal strips, instead of the haphazard linear "dead bug" type construction, shows that Gibson was putting quality and thought ahead of mass production. Also forming the wire connections with 90° bends and fitted to length do the same. Then canning every tube except the rectifier probably wouldn't make it past a cost benefit analisys, bit they went the extra mile for a (probably?) tiny improvement in audio quality. You can bet that the fixit techs in repair shops spread the word quickly to musician customers that Gibson built works of art on the chassis. This had to speed up repair and also made the factory QA process faster and more accurate, making for better reliability and cheaper repair costs. The neater layout probably sped up manufacturing as well, since assembly line techniques would easily fit in, instead of one person having to solder every single connection to build an amp. The terminal boards were probably manufactured and tested independently before any connections to the board happened.
Those tubes predated glass in the mid-30's. Mine says 5U4 (no G) on the chassis for the rectifier which I think was had the steel tubing. Most of my metal tubes had 1941 RCA date codes (the ones I could find a decoder for).
Beautiful amp! Hiding the new caps really keep it looking vintage. All the inputs sounded good to me, but working around jet engines for ten years will do that. :)) Your bending jig is great, I have two pieces of rod on a short length of angle iron that gets clamped to my work top for bending smaller stuff. Very nice body work on the coupe, Gene Winfield quality. For shade, a cheap canvas painters tarp with loops sewn on makes a much quieter shade tarp, and you don't get that nasty blue glow.
Thanks so much, Andrew. I will hunt down a canvas tarp......or build a carport.
Wo Uncle Doug. I was sitting here at almost 3:00 am. You almost scared me to death. That thing is loud. Good video.
Thanks. Get some sleep, Monty.
UD: thans for the special feature. Those automotive mods are absolutely impressive, just as much as the work in amplifiers. And also, homemade wax pies :)
was so intrigued watching the model a restore i forgot i was watching your gibson video. great job sir
Thanks, Cody.
Very nice video and good to hear some Thin Lizzy. Now I got to hear some more.
Keep watching our channel, Z1