Hey Unky it's me your favorite nephew Southbound Suarez.... Boy ya thought my Tweed was pretty? That Tremolux certainly has my '59 beat! That amp certainly is a "Bute"! It sounds just like a Tweed should except for it did not have noise, hum or rectification.... It is so nice I am almost suspect! L.OL. It looks like the cat is outta the bag (or actually is outta the garage and into the house) well the cats meow and the precedence is now for cap stuffing! I am doing it very often now. However I am pushing out the metallic can and then I open up the can by slicing it radially right down the middle. First ones I slit them on my lathe.... Too much work and while it is so precise , it doesn't need to be cut in half so perfectly. (I was trying to make the part as perfect as possible to minimize the hairline when placing both halves together. It doesn't need to be perfect under when it's stuffed under the label, ya never see the cut or seam.... Now I just use a Rigid tubing cutter instead. I remove the guts and drill out the ends along the edge of the rivet. My new caps go inside the old can with the negative all the way to the Metal end with the lead threaded thru the hole drilled next to the rivet. I fill the void of that half with hot glue and then I slide the other positive end over the positive lead threading it thru the hole on the fiber disc next to the rivet. Add some more hot glue to the positive side and put both halves of the can together and stuff the whole can back into the paper. I roll the crimp back over after a light brushing of watered down fish glue or gum arabic. Ok now that we have got the ecaps covered now we can work up a technique for those wax paper foil caps and the molded paper caps. I have a few ideas I've yet to try. Ya know after I sent ya those pics of my shop and stuff, you mentioned how I had so much stuff crammed everywhere and how I needed a cradle like you. Frankly, I had already been contemplating a chassis stand. I even had pointed out the Mojo one to my snowshoe cat and other household pets before Christmas but my family never seemed to get the idea of what to get me , so they obviously rather be safe than sorry and felt it better to not get me anything. See how they look out for me! So after surfing and browsing the Hoffman forum I saw some interesting posts with all types of ideas. For amp cradles and jigs... It got me motivated. I just happened to come across some arms that were adjustable and used for retail display of keyboards in a music store. I bolted them against the wall and now can hang my chassis off of the wall and now have more bench top landscape. Now I can clutter up with more stuff... The angle of the dangle is adjustable with pins and the arms can fold back when not in use! I knew you had been flying multicopters but I never realized that you had assembled your own. I just figured ya had a DJI or something or another. What controller are ya flying? I have flown KK , Multiwii /Arduino with GPS , APM w/GPS , PIXHawk and all the various versions of beta flight F4 ect.....
Not since my days in Great Lakes Naval Training school in ‘69-70 have I seen anyone go through a tube schematic in such detail. Great job. I’m currently trying to put back together a Magnatone M-15 from my youth. Not a restore, just a new cabinet and speakers for the original chassis . Your channel has been very valuable for tips and ideas & entertaining.
When I was a child in the early sixties one of my fondest memories was taking our black and white set “to the shop”. I loved the smell of solder and burnt Bakelite, still do. Thanks for educating me. Love ya from Portugal.🌎☮️❤️🇵🇹
i actually like the whole idea of stuffing old Astron electrolytic caps with modern equivalents, that basically satisfies two things, vintage aesthetics, and modern reliability.
Box surgery... sweet! And the prize... ! By God's sweet riffs! You, sir, are a monk of the Order of the Holy Amp of Old. I relished every second of this encyclopedic video. This channel of yours is a living museum with dimensions of infinite furthersomeness.
It's clearly been played a lot, but it looks like it's been hermetically sealed for about 60 years! Crazy! Someone deserves a lot of credit for the care taken of that thing.
My son walks in from work and can hear this video playing says: 'You watching Uncle Doug?' UD your voice is reknown around the world!!! Kudos from Brisbane
I love how you "hot rod" those new caps into old cases. Very clever. The Mojo amp stand looks nice too. Maybe with one of those my wife won't gripe so much about me working on amps at her dining room table.
Dear sir .. you are king of amplifier repairs on youtube. each and every one of your videos has something to offer the aspiring tech or the advanced .. ive watched you for a long time and refer to your videos when im stuck .. if you werent already a teacher in your earlier life you should have been .. thanks for your efforts .. here in canada in my home your the one and only for this stuff Randy
i really like the paintings that your wife does the one in the background looks like jack at dinnertime i have 2 myself both rescues and they are my kids take care and God bless
Serial Number 353 survived the 2010 Nashville floods is still with me. Your video conclusively verifies that the tube chart is wrong on mine as well, which says 5U4GA too. I'll spare the story to keep this simple, short, and to the point (although it's almost painful to realize my heroes aren't perfect - the guy who takes care of my stuff has been quite an inspiration to me for a long time). It was my first great amp. Not only is there a 5U4 in there now, but has been since at least 2016 based on service-records. I have another destroyed 5U4 with corroded pins (I never threw out flood-damage) so this amp has probably been running the wrong rectifier probably for much longer, likely since before 2010. Evidently I got away with it. The heater winding obviously still works. Thank you as always for all you do.
Your walkthrough of that circuit made a lot of sense. I'm a "just beginning" hobbyist repair guy, and it sometimes takes me awhile to figure out what is actually happening in a schematic. I dare say, you're a national treasure.
Since I used to be a cabinet maker.....I think I'll build that second Chassis stand that you demonstrated.....maybe I'll build two...one for me and one for my friend Vern who's helping me learn about the wonderful world of electronics.....
I've been watching you noe since the Fender reverb unit clone you made...(on another network)..You have become famous for you style and expertise Doug. You should be proud.
Uncle Doug rules again ;) Rusty is still displayed as channel's mascotte ... love it ! Your channel in this troubled times is very relaxing ! Thanks man and cheers from France ;).
Hello Uncle Doug, Wow, what a survivor, almost like new after 65/6 years. You always do such impeccable work, very meticulous. How fortunate are you to get to work on another early Fender amp with Lily's name on tape, I remember the video with Lupe's name on the chassis. Great tone from the amp, all in part to your knowledge and skills. My last comment on face masks and social distancing wasn't meant for you, however, stay safe, as it was just sad commentary on the state of affairs in our world today. When they say the new normal, that says a lot. Always great to see a new Uncle Doug amp video. Glad your doing well, as am I, staying busy, work, etc.. I have a vintage 1958 Jensen P12Q from a Hammond Organ, in mint condition, for an amp some day. Peace & Happiness from Oregon, Cass.
1955 was a magic year! The cars - I remember riding in my parents 1995 blue and white Chevy Impala,,,. The electric guitars - Fender, Gibson and Gretsch!!! The Amps - Leo Fender was creating the best guitar amps in 1955! Seeing and hearing this 1955 Tremolux is like going back in a time machine! This was the year that a Rock and Roll song first went to #1 - "Rock Around the Clock" by Bill Haley! Course' I'm biased since I'm 1955 vintage and have been playing guitar for 50 years! Thank you Uncle Doug for all you do.
Wow, that's one cool amp Doug...Some serious history there. Love the concealed caps like you did in an earlier video, keeping the amp in it's natural authentic state. Thank you for sharing, and your expert knowledge...My Sunday treat movie...Ed..U.K..😊
Impressive. How you hold all that knowledge in your brain is beyond me. The Mojo Tone chassis stand looks to be a winner. Another great video Uncle Doug!
Uncle Doug, I ordered the Mojo Tone chassis stand and received it the other day. You may be happy to learn that they now have six feet installed on the base, four in each corner and two in the middle. it looks like they value your input because they have used your fantastic idea!
Thanks so much for the update, Paul. They informed me, after the video was posted, that they intended to add the feet.....and it's great to hear that they followed through. I respect them all the more for their willingness to heed constructive input.
What a joy to see this Fender Tremolux Amp artifact!! You just never get to see these amps from inside and out...and not having been gone through by heavy handed Gorillas!! So many of these fabulous tweed covered gems were painted black or had the tweed torn off when the Black Face era arrived... thanks for the video Doug, and it’s always a pure pleasure to watch you bring all these treasures back to a sound life!! Semper Fi
I am blown away by the condition of this amp. I wouldn’t be afraid to replace those Astron coupling caps with the red Jupiter caps. They look identical, except for the name of course. You’re a lucky dog, Uncle Doug!
That amp is a dream. Amazing condition. I had one in last week that looked like a train wreck, but after the repair, it sounded great. Enjoyed this video as always. :)
Brilliant video. I love the capacitor rebuild inside the old shells. This really is a museum piece and I love the respect you show it. I've been watching you for three years now and I'm proud to say I've learned enough from you and studying independently that I've set up my own amp repair and servicing and building business. Thanks for the ongoing inspiration Doug. I'm forever in your debt.
hello doug a true gem of an amp ive heard four 50,s fender amps & the tones are all golden reminds me of muddy waters & im amazed at how good fenders 50,s amps were great post doug regards jamie...
I keep waiting for you to be playing and testing an amp and suddenly say "now lets kick on the Fuzz Face and burn!" Thanks for another great vid Uncle Doug!
Always a pleasure to see your work on these classic old amps and good to know that it'll be kept in factory condition for another 65 years. Cheers Doug, keep up the great work.
That one is quite a bit nicer than mine. I had a long road back in getting it to look and sound as good as it does now, but it was worth every penny and every minute spent, and now it lives, nearly permanently in my buddy's home studio, and we record it constantly. Most people lose their minds when they hear it. Yours is from the first production run, beginning in the spring of 1955. It has a smaller cabinet than mine and the speaker is offset to one side. those appear to be the only differences between it and mine, which dates from October 1955, the second run, and also assembled by Lily Jaimez, who was Leo's lead assembly lady. He always showed her the new stuff first, and she taught the test of the crew how to do them. Forrest White covers all of this in his book, "Fender, the Inside Story", but I also had the pleasure of meeting a man and his wife who both worked at Fender from 1957-69, and we had a lengthy conversation about day to day life at the old Fullerton plant. Lots of cool details and trivia from 2 extremely gracious and fine people! I showed them all my old Fender stuff, and it brought back a lot of great memories for both of them.
Thank you for all your very informative comments, JP, especially Lily's last name. It's great to hear about the history and individuals responsible for our obsession/hobby.
@@UncleDoug If you can get a copy of "Fender, The Inside Story," it's a good read for all Fender nuts, like us. Forrest White was the plant Manager from 1954 till 1966, when he resigned because he would not sign off on the horrible solid state amps designed by the aerospace engineers who were in charge of the new amp designs at that time. Forrest is as a real down to earth guy, and there's lots of fun facts and historical info in his book. I highly recommend it if you can find a copy.
Doug, just want to thank you for the quality content, as usual. And I especially want to thank you for making your channel a refuge from the crazy world that we've been living in. It's nice to come here and be able to "get away" from all the stuff going on. It's so unfortunate that some of the other RUclips content creators who make amp repair videos can't resist the urge to politicize their channel simply because they have a fairly large viewer base. The last thing I want to encounter when I come to watch amp repair videos is somebody ranting about politics. So, thank you so much for keeping your channel focused and providing respite from these crazy times!
Thanks so much for your very thoughtful comments, Jimmy. Like you, I fear and distrust the current political climate, but prefer to focus on the purpose of our channel and the interests of our viewers. There are channels they can watch to hear political opinions.....but when they want to see nice old amps being repaired and tested, we're here for you.
Thx uncle doug.... hope your having a great new year so far in these trying times. still no word from the police on anything stolen showing up in pawn shops so far or any other leads .. :(
What a great way to start the New Year!! Super Fine Tremolux, treats and toys for the cats, preview of guitar stands and a wonderful review of the MOJO TONE chassis holder. Here's to another year of old amps!
My wife bought me the Mojotone chassis stand for birthday last year! It is really well made even though you have to modify it in one way or another to make both supports move smoothly.
@@UncleDoug I was wondering in what oxygen free environment it was kept into for all these years... or maybe in some alien stasis chamber in a spaceship somewhere they just love music but... oh well...
That beautiful old 5E9 Tremolux was born the same year as me ~65 years ago, 1955 also being the year for Rock'n Roll was born. You are forgiven for calling it "vibrolux" a couple times, since the excitement of seeing that sexy amp for the first time was likely responsible? And what a wonderful, exquisitely preserved old beast she is! I once had a 1955 5E1 Champ, but it had a replaced power transformer, which regrettably caused me to trade it at some point (bad decision). Thank you for another excellent educational video Uncle, which even an old, drooling, brain-damaged idiot like me can follow. You are a gentleman and a scholar sir, rare with amp techs in my experience. Cheers!
very nice amp. Great video showing repairs. Now I gotta go and play my Ibanez through my Crate 150. A very nice and well made, adjustable chassis stand.
As always, a great video. Love the tip on checking the coupling caps in circuit. I just picked up a 5F2A Princeton that I am performing the same capacitor stuffing process on, I use firm foam for my end caps so that the squash a bit and fit firmly in the tube. I am lucky enough to be the custodian of her older sister (serial number 0025) and she is a beauty, although very ragged compared to this one - the tales she could tell!
Very nice video I really enjoyed watching this as I get to see what has been going on with my 1955 Fender Tremolux 5E9 EE #0077, I’ll be getting it back from the amp tech this weekend.
Whomever sent this to you has proven to me, at least, a former skeptic, that at least one time machine (aside from the one allegedly in the Vatican) actually exists on this planet. This is a true gem, and well worthy of the royal treatment provided it, by the very best. I've Been near that road, once,,, Twelve years ago, a gent from Indiana tracked my Motorola Dealership down, in search of a NOS modulation-stage transformer, for a very peculiar, first generation Motrac UHF Transceiver, which was part of a system tested for Motorola, by one of the departments within the LAPD. He wound up visiting my shop to pick it up, and I installed it - just to have the honor to work on something prototyped by Motorola in their heyday, the 1960's. While I'm at no where near your skill level with regards to amps, and tube-moderated devices, in-general, I felt honored to have been allowed to "take METCAL soldering iron to PlaCir", and carefully change-out that open transformer. Kind of a 'warm and fuzzy' feeling that day; I think that I know how you felt!
Wow! I feel like hopping an aircraft and flying from New York to Uncle Doug's and Jack to see this incredible artifact in person! I'll bring popcorn and treats for the felines!
@@UncleDoug I was joking about flying down yonder to see that artifact. What an amp! To think a 1955 amp can be in that condition. I would love to find a Bassman of the same vintage at my door one day. My first amp was a black face Bassman with the small 2x12 cabinet to which I added a 2nd cabinet.
@@UncleDoug I had an old Fender amp with Lupe's name on the piece of tape inside. Looked like it had been there a long time. I believe it was a Concert amp, narrow panel, covered in cream "tolex" from the factory. It was a strange amp. I later sold the amp and it then showed up in an issue of Vintage Guitar magazine.
Hi Uncle Doug, I noticed one of your engines had a Scintiller magneto. I used to rebuild this in England, we had the agency. Parts came from Taylor Vertex. I still have some of the tools here and a 6 cylinder old magneto in the store. It will be siezed but I could rebuild it. I have documentation and used to have all the stop plates for the different advance curves. I sold the business to Morfeild Operations which was then taken over by Tom Dark engineering and they still do them to this day. I used to rewind the coils and fit new ones when we could get them. I still have the winding machine here in Canada and use it to wind the odd radio coil and speaker field coil. Happy Days.
Thanks for sharing this with us, Allister. Vertex Scintilla magnetos were instrumental in all sorts of drag racing and Bonneville Salt Flats history. It's great to know that repairing them is not a lost art. Our best to you :)
The ‘scratch and sniff asbestos sheet’ - you kill me, Unc! That amp’s a beauty!
Cough!....Snort!......Thanks, Ronny :)
Hey Unky it's me your favorite nephew Southbound Suarez.... Boy ya thought my Tweed was pretty? That Tremolux certainly has my '59 beat!
That amp certainly is a "Bute"! It sounds just like a Tweed should except for it did not have noise, hum or rectification.... It is so nice I am almost suspect! L.OL.
It looks like the cat is outta the bag (or actually is outta the garage and into the house) well the cats meow and the precedence is now for cap stuffing! I am doing it very often now. However I am pushing out the metallic can and then I open up the can by slicing it radially right down the middle. First ones I slit them on my lathe.... Too much work and while it is so precise , it doesn't need to be cut in half so perfectly. (I was trying to make the part as perfect as possible to minimize the hairline when placing both halves together. It doesn't need to be perfect under when it's stuffed under the label, ya never see the cut or seam.... Now I just use a Rigid tubing cutter instead. I remove the guts and drill out the ends along the edge of the rivet. My new caps go inside the old can with the negative all the way to the
Metal end with the lead threaded thru the hole drilled next to the rivet. I fill the void of that half with hot glue and then I slide the other positive end over the positive lead threading it thru the hole on the fiber disc next to the rivet. Add some more hot glue to the positive side and put both halves of the can together and stuff the whole can back into the paper. I roll the crimp back over after a light brushing of watered down fish glue or gum arabic.
Ok now that we have got the ecaps covered now we can work up a technique for those wax paper foil caps and the molded paper caps. I have a few ideas I've yet to try.
Ya know after I sent ya those pics of my shop and stuff, you mentioned how I had so much stuff crammed everywhere and how I needed a cradle like you. Frankly, I had already been contemplating a chassis stand. I even had pointed out the Mojo one to my snowshoe cat and other household pets before Christmas but my family never seemed to get the idea of what to get me , so they obviously rather be safe than sorry and felt it better to not get me anything. See how they look out for me!
So after surfing and browsing the Hoffman forum I saw some interesting posts with all types of ideas. For amp cradles and jigs... It got me motivated. I just happened to come across some arms that were adjustable and used for retail display of keyboards in a music store. I bolted them against the wall and now can hang my chassis off of the wall and now have more bench top landscape. Now I can clutter up with more stuff... The angle of the dangle is adjustable with pins and the arms can fold back when not in use!
I knew you had been flying multicopters but I never realized that you had assembled your own. I just figured ya had a DJI or something or another. What controller are ya flying? I have flown KK , Multiwii /Arduino with GPS , APM w/GPS , PIXHawk and all the various versions of beta flight F4 ect.....
You people are amazing !!!!! You are way above my pay-grade !!!!!
That's a beauty.
Nice nice job.
Uncle Doug, you are Professor Uncle Doug. Your attention to detail is amazing!
Thanks, Bob :)
Not since my days in Great Lakes Naval Training school in ‘69-70 have I seen anyone go through a tube schematic in such detail. Great job. I’m currently trying to put back together a Magnatone M-15 from my youth. Not a restore, just a new cabinet and speakers for the original chassis . Your channel has been very valuable for tips and ideas & entertaining.
Thanks so much, Rocky. We're glad the video was helpful.
I mean...the amp is amazing for sure...but that LAMP that guy made you!!! That thing is KILLER!
Beautiful amp and beautiful work!
Thanks so much, Ryan. I agree......it's a masterpiece.
Current limiter????
When I was a child in the early sixties one of my fondest memories was taking our black and white set “to the shop”. I loved the smell of solder and burnt Bakelite, still do. Thanks for educating me. Love ya from Portugal.🌎☮️❤️🇵🇹
Wow, Sandi, you really are an electronics enthusiast. Best of luck with your pursuit of continuing education in the field.
i actually like the whole idea of stuffing old Astron electrolytic caps with modern equivalents, that basically satisfies two things, vintage aesthetics, and modern reliability.
Thanks, Simon. I agree.
Box surgery... sweet!
And the prize... ! By God's sweet riffs!
You, sir, are a monk of the Order of the Holy Amp of Old. I relished every second of this encyclopedic video. This channel of yours is a living museum with dimensions of infinite furthersomeness.
You are too kind, PMD, but we graciously accept your generous praise.......like ravenous jackals accept sirloin steak.
It's clearly been played a lot, but it looks like it's been hermetically sealed for about 60 years! Crazy! Someone deserves a lot of credit for the care taken of that thing.
Amen, Drew, especially after some of the rat-urine-encrusted nightmares we've worked on.
My son walks in from work and can hear this video playing says: 'You watching Uncle Doug?'
UD your voice is reknown around the world!!!
Kudos from Brisbane
I am flattered, Vinny. Tell your son "Hi" from all of us :)
No matter where you go, Billy Gibbons is always the coolest dude in the room,,,,,and then Unk Doug walked in.
@@karst41 Ah, shucks, K. Thanks ;)
I love how you "hot rod" those new caps into old cases. Very clever. The Mojo amp stand looks nice too. Maybe with one of those my wife won't gripe so much about me working on amps at her dining room table.
Thanks, GL. That would be a good excuse for buying one.
Just watched a Blue Glow video prior to this and he waxed poetic about his Mojo amp stand. Guess that means I need one as well!
@@thermionic1234567 I just watched that same vid too. It's a sign....
@@GL64 Let’s get out our credit cards!
Dear sir .. you are king of amplifier repairs on youtube. each and every one of your videos has something to offer the aspiring tech or the advanced .. ive watched you for a long time and refer to your videos when im stuck .. if you werent already a teacher in your earlier life you should have been .. thanks for your efforts .. here in canada in my home your the one and only for this stuff Randy
Wow....thanks so much for all the very nice comments, F9. I'm really glad the videos have been helpful.
Uncle Doug startin' a trend in vintage-amp techin': bona-fide aesthetics. Cool stuff Uncle Doug, and that little Tremolux sure deserved it.
Thanks, John. Agreed :)
i really like the paintings that your wife does the one in the background looks like jack at dinnertime i have 2 myself both rescues and they are my kids take care and God bless
Thanks so much, PJ. Bless you for your kindness to the kitties :)
Imagine 65 years of smokers and drinkers lurking around that amp... What a lucky beauty. Great video UD! Thank you!
Our pleasure, FW. Glad you enjoyed it.
It's a beautiful thing. Every time I see these I wish I owned them all.
Join the club, JC :)
Serial Number 353 survived the 2010 Nashville floods is still with me. Your video conclusively verifies that the tube chart is wrong on mine as well, which says 5U4GA too. I'll spare the story to keep this simple, short, and to the point (although it's almost painful to realize my heroes aren't perfect - the guy who takes care of my stuff has been quite an inspiration to me for a long time). It was my first great amp. Not only is there a 5U4 in there now, but has been since at least 2016 based on service-records. I have another destroyed 5U4 with corroded pins (I never threw out flood-damage) so this amp has probably been running the wrong rectifier probably for much longer, likely since before 2010. Evidently I got away with it. The heater winding obviously still works. Thank you as always for all you do.
You're welcome, Sean.
Those cats have a better standard of living than I do. Thanks for entertaining and educating me, Doug. I learn so much from you and I appreciate it.
All three were rescued from hell, so I guess they're finally getting a break ;) You're welcome, Ian. That's great to hear.
"Let gravity be your friend" !!! Fantastic ! I wish I had thought of laying the amp down on it's back to remove the chassis, before !!!
Glad you like the suggestion, SH. Best of luck :)
You have heaven for followers !!!!! Wonderful station !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thanks, Blaser :)
Wow, Ollie and Jack are really coaxing some SWEET TONES out of that beautiful old Tweedie! 🎸
Thanks, Mike :) I'll tell them.
Wow! I’m only 10 minutes in, but what a beautiful amp. Im sure both Joe Bonamasa and Mike Campbell are already circling 🤣
Their representatives were making obscenely high offers, but Jack insisted on returning it to the owner ;)
missed, what, a month without a new posting, but what a gem and contents overall. worth the wait.
Hour long videos like this take a couple weeks to produce, so one, or maybe two a month, is the best I can do, HP. Thanks so much :)
That rocket lamp base is just like the cutting boards my grandpa made us! Very beautiful.
I agree, Yup. It does look just like a cutting board.
Your channel brings me so much joy. My dad was an electrical engineer, but didn't really teach me anything. Thank you
I'm rally glad you enjoy our videos, BG.
Your walkthrough of that circuit made a lot of sense. I'm a "just beginning" hobbyist repair guy, and it sometimes takes me awhile to figure out what is actually happening in a schematic.
I dare say, you're a national treasure.
Thanks so much, GS. Glad the video was helpful.
Since I used to be a cabinet maker.....I think I'll build that second Chassis stand that you demonstrated.....maybe I'll build two...one for me and one for my friend Vern who's helping me learn about the wonderful world of electronics.....
Best of luck with your project, Horst :)
That rocket ship looks like something that would have been in one of those cool old B-grade Sci-Fi movies from the 50's.
It does indeed, Simon :)
Nice to see it has an owner who cares for their gear
Yes, indeed.
Mojotone, you have chosen the right person to evaluate your product. Congrats uncle Doug
Thanks, Alfred. I hope they agree :)
very skilled chordsmith there~ fills my heart with joy to sense the atypical~ hop in and swim~ no bib's needed~
Thanks, Jay.
No-- absolutely needed for bib action !!!!
Hello Uncle Doug!!! very helpful videos!!! more power!!!
Thanks, Woody.
Om my God. If I didn't see it, I would have said that something like this simply couldn't exist any longer. Mind blowing.
Agreed, M. Glad you enjoyed it.
Marvelous condition! That thing is two months older than I am, but it sure looks a lot better.
Very nice video, Uncle Doug.
😎 🍻 Stay free, ABL. R 👍
Agreed, Arne. Me too :) Thanks !!
I've been watching you noe since the Fender reverb unit clone you made...(on another network)..You have become famous for you style and expertise Doug. You should be proud.
Thanks so much for your very nice comments, Dom.
Thank god the person that would pack tubes like that is the owner of this amp, but it shouldn't be a surprise with the condition it's in.
Amen, Queef :)
I wish you and your family and the kitties a very good 2021, with good health, peace, happiness and all the joy you can imagine.
Thanks so much, Berre. Likewise to you and yours.
Uncle Doug rules again ;) Rusty is still displayed as channel's mascotte ... love it ! Your channel in this troubled times is very relaxing ! Thanks man and cheers from France ;).
Thanks so much, T. We're glad you enjoy our channel :)
I've always heard that guitars and amps from the late 50s are the bee's knees, but only recently have I been able to experience it. What a clean amp!
It was the Golden Age of amplification, Luke. Agreed.
Hello Uncle Doug, Wow, what a survivor, almost like new after 65/6 years. You always do such impeccable work, very meticulous. How fortunate are you to get to work on another early Fender amp with Lily's name on tape, I remember the video with Lupe's name on the chassis. Great tone from the amp, all in part to your knowledge and skills. My last comment on face masks and social distancing wasn't meant for you, however, stay safe, as it was just sad commentary on the state of affairs in our world today. When they say the new normal, that says a lot. Always great to see a new Uncle Doug amp video. Glad your doing well, as am I, staying busy, work, etc.. I have a vintage 1958 Jensen P12Q from a Hammond Organ, in mint condition, for an amp some day. Peace & Happiness from Oregon, Cass.
Thanks so much for all your great comments, Cass. It's always good to hear from you.
Dang, Uncle Doug! That amp is older than I am (just barely) and has aged much better than I have! Thanks, great Sunday morning treat.
Glad you enjoyed it, Ken.
This channel is getting to be even more epic than before!
High praise indeed, H. Thanks !!!
1955 was a magic year! The cars - I remember riding in my parents 1995 blue and white Chevy Impala,,,. The electric guitars - Fender, Gibson and Gretsch!!! The Amps - Leo Fender was creating the best guitar amps in 1955! Seeing and hearing this 1955 Tremolux is like going back in a time machine! This was the year that a Rock and Roll song first went to #1 - "Rock Around the Clock" by Bill Haley! Course' I'm biased since I'm 1955 vintage and have been playing guitar for 50 years! Thank you Uncle Doug for all you do.
Thanks so much for your very nice note, John. It's great to hear from you.
Wow, that's one cool amp Doug...Some serious history there. Love the concealed caps like you did in an earlier video, keeping the amp in it's natural authentic state. Thank you for sharing, and your expert knowledge...My Sunday treat movie...Ed..U.K..😊
Agreed....Thanks. Glad you enjoyed it, Ed.
Doug you really do QUALITY work, I always enjoy watching you restore these old Fenders. Thanks a bunch for sharing your work with the rest of us
You're welcome, EM. It's our pleasure :)
Impressive. How you hold all that knowledge in your brain is beyond me.
The Mojo Tone chassis stand looks to be a winner.
Another great video Uncle Doug!
Thanks so much, Mike.
Uncle Doug, I ordered the Mojo Tone chassis stand and received it the other day. You may be happy to learn that they now have six feet installed on the base, four in each corner and two in the middle. it looks like they value your input because they have used your fantastic idea!
Thanks so much for the update, Paul. They informed me, after the video was posted, that they intended to add the feet.....and it's great to hear that they followed through. I respect them all the more for their willingness to heed constructive input.
That amp sounds fantastic. The tremolo has got Bo Didley all over it. I am fortunate to have found your video channel. Thanks Uncle Doug!
Welcome aboard, Robert. We hope you continue to enjoy all our videos :)
Another outstanding video chock full of invaluable information! Thank you, Uncle Doug!
You're welcome, Tim.
What a joy to see this Fender Tremolux Amp artifact!! You just never get to see these amps from inside and out...and not having been gone through by heavy handed Gorillas!! So many of these fabulous tweed covered gems were painted black or had the tweed torn off when the Black Face era arrived... thanks for the video Doug, and it’s always a pure pleasure to watch you bring all these treasures back to a sound life!! Semper Fi
Thanks so much for all the great comments, Luth. It was our pleasure :)
I am blown away by the condition of this amp. I wouldn’t be afraid to replace those Astron coupling caps with the red Jupiter caps. They look identical, except for the name of course.
You’re a lucky dog, Uncle Doug!
Thanks, Matt. I really enjoyed working on it.
That amp is a dream. Amazing condition. I had one in last week that looked like a train wreck, but after the repair, it sounded great. Enjoyed this video as always. :)
Thanks, Frank. Knowing you, I'll bet it did sound great.
Brilliant video. I love the capacitor rebuild inside the old shells. This really is a museum piece and I love the respect you show it. I've been watching you for three years now and I'm proud to say I've learned enough from you and studying independently that I've set up my own amp repair and servicing and building business. Thanks for the ongoing inspiration Doug. I'm forever in your debt.
Wow....I'm really glad to hear that you've put the video knowledge to good, practical use, Simon. Best of luck with your new business.
That rocket is awesome! I always light up myself when I see a new Uncle Doug video's been published. Thanks for all the great amp exposes!
You're quite welcome, Tim. Glad you enjoyed them.
Thank you uncle for another great video. So much to learn and so interesting. Sure a lot agree this is the best tech stuff on youtube
Our pleasure, RJ. Thanks !!!
hello doug a true gem of an amp ive heard four 50,s fender amps & the tones are all golden reminds me of muddy waters & im amazed at how good fenders 50,s amps were great post doug regards jamie...
Thanks so much, DJ :)
Got my 'Depends' on as well. I'm and old guy who loves great vintage amps.
Join the club, Larry :)
That's a beauty. Nice nice job Uncle Doug.😊
Thanks, User :)
Thank you for the video. I really enjoy them especially the commentary on the asbestos scratch and sniff!
You're welcome, Tom. The EPA also expressed appreciation for the remark.
I keep waiting for you to be playing and testing an amp and suddenly say "now lets kick on the Fuzz Face and burn!" Thanks for another great vid Uncle Doug!
My burn days are long gone, SK. I'm lucky just to keep from sticking the soldering iron in my eye ;) You're welcome.
Great video as always. Finest tweed I've seen. Can't wait to get my amp done. Keep up the fantastic work.
Thanks, Dennis. Good luck with your project.
@@UncleDoug My project is with you. Just waiting my turn.
What a stunner of an amp! I enjoyed seeing both of the chassis stands as well.
Glad you liked it, Greg :)
I could believe a kid named Marty driving a DeLorian dropped that off... Sounds amazing!!
It was in shockingly good condition......no pun intended ;)
I'm not sure we can rule out the involvement of some kind of time machine here... that thing looks amazing
Speaking of Marty and Doc...head over to the O'Reilly Auto Parts web site and search for "121G". You won't be disappointed.
Well said Shawn
Always a pleasure to see your work on these classic old amps and good to know that it'll be kept in factory condition for another 65 years. Cheers Doug, keep up the great work.
Thanks, Frank. Will do :)
That one is quite a bit nicer than mine. I had a long road back in getting it to look and sound as good as it does now, but it was worth every penny and every minute spent, and now it lives, nearly permanently in my buddy's home studio, and we record it constantly. Most people lose their minds when they hear it.
Yours is from the first production run, beginning in the spring of 1955. It has a smaller cabinet than mine and the speaker is offset to one side. those appear to be the only differences between it and mine, which dates from October 1955, the second run, and also assembled by Lily Jaimez, who was Leo's lead assembly lady. He always showed her the new stuff first, and she taught the test of the crew how to do them. Forrest White covers all of this in his book, "Fender, the Inside Story", but I also had the pleasure of meeting a man and his wife who both worked at Fender from 1957-69, and we had a lengthy conversation about day to day life at the old Fullerton plant.
Lots of cool details and trivia from 2 extremely gracious and fine people! I showed them all my old Fender stuff, and it brought back a lot of great memories for both of them.
Thank you for all your very informative comments, JP, especially Lily's last name. It's great to hear about the history and individuals responsible for our obsession/hobby.
@@UncleDoug If you can get a copy of "Fender, The Inside Story," it's a good read for all Fender nuts, like us. Forrest White was the plant Manager from 1954 till 1966, when he resigned because he would not sign off on the horrible solid state amps designed by the aerospace engineers who were in charge of the new amp designs at that time. Forrest is as a real down to earth guy, and there's lots of fun facts and historical info in his book. I highly recommend it if you can find a copy.
Thank you for sharing your knowledge, wisdom and personality ! I get a lot out of your videos !
You're welcome, Sam. That's great to hear.
Incredible feature UD! This is no question a museum piece. Not even Capitol Records studios have a tweed amp this mint. Really amazing
Thanks so much, K.
As usual Doug, you have explained the inner workings of the amplifier, and the tremolo circuit. Thank you.😀
Our pleasure, Ken.
Hey Unc , if Lily is still with us she'd be proud of this upgrade ... I know I am ... I shall do a shot or 3 in your and Lily's honor ... Cheers !!!
Lily and I will join you, Ed. Salud !!
Doug, just want to thank you for the quality content, as usual. And I especially want to thank you for making your channel a refuge from the crazy world that we've been living in. It's nice to come here and be able to "get away" from all the stuff going on. It's so unfortunate that some of the other RUclips content creators who make amp repair videos can't resist the urge to politicize their channel simply because they have a fairly large viewer base. The last thing I want to encounter when I come to watch amp repair videos is somebody ranting about politics. So, thank you so much for keeping your channel focused and providing respite from these crazy times!
Thanks so much for your very thoughtful comments, Jimmy. Like you, I fear and distrust the current political climate, but prefer to focus on the purpose of our channel and the interests of our viewers. There are channels they can watch to hear political opinions.....but when they want to see nice old amps being repaired and tested, we're here for you.
@@UncleDoug Agree 100%!
@@UncleDoug Politics... like science, if deprived of a proper ethic, they simply cannot make anything work right, just lie and decieve.
Wow! What an amazing amp! I would sent it to you as he did, Uncle Doug. You do everything with care and respect for the item.
Thanks so much, ST. We do our best.
Thx uncle doug.... hope your having a great new year so far in these trying times. still no word from the police on anything stolen showing up in pawn shops so far or any other leads .. :(
You're welcome, Ken. We are, surprisingly enough ;) Best of luck recovering your lost gear.
What a great way to start the New Year!! Super Fine Tremolux, treats and toys for the cats, preview of guitar stands and a wonderful review of the MOJO TONE chassis holder. Here's to another year of old amps!
Thanks, KM. I hope we can live up to your expectations.
My wife bought me the Mojotone chassis stand for birthday last year! It is really well made even though you have to modify it in one way or another to make both supports move smoothly.
You're a lucky guy, Tom. My wife got me a pair of slippers.
Dang, that amp looks like it's never seen the light of day!
Agreed, Andy. It's almost scary how "new" it looks.
@@UncleDoug I was wondering in what oxygen free environment it was kept into for all these years... or maybe in some alien stasis chamber in a spaceship somewhere they just love music but... oh well...
Wow Uncle Doug. I am also 1955 vintage and wish I looked as new as that Tremolux. Great video!
Thanks, CA. You and me both ;)
Ditto!
That beautiful old 5E9 Tremolux was born the same year as me ~65 years ago, 1955 also being the year for Rock'n Roll was born. You are forgiven for calling it "vibrolux" a couple times, since the excitement of seeing that sexy amp for the first time was likely responsible? And what a wonderful, exquisitely preserved old beast she is! I once had a 1955 5E1 Champ, but it had a replaced power transformer, which regrettably caused me to trade it at some point (bad decision). Thank you for another excellent educational video Uncle, which even an old, drooling, brain-damaged idiot like me can follow. You are a gentleman and a scholar sir, rare with amp techs in my experience. Cheers!
Thanks so much, David. We enjoyed your comments.
Thank again. MojoTone stand looks pretty cool
It works just a nicely as it looks, Joseph. You're welcome :)
very nice amp. Great video showing repairs. Now I gotta go and play my Ibanez through my Crate 150. A very nice and well made, adjustable chassis stand.
Thanks, Rusty :) Have fun.
Wow, now that is a great amp! Super vintage and great tone. The "bonus" video was really helpful as well. Thanks for all you do.
Glad you enjoyed it, Bill :)
As always, a great video. Love the tip on checking the coupling caps in circuit. I just picked up a 5F2A Princeton that I am performing the same capacitor stuffing process on, I use firm foam for my end caps so that the squash a bit and fit firmly in the tube. I am lucky enough to be the custodian of her older sister (serial number 0025) and she is a beauty, although very ragged compared to this one - the tales she could tell!
Thanks, Mat. It sounds like you have a great pair of amps. Best of luck with them.
Uncle Doug, that sounds so good to me, that is nothing like tube amplifiers to enjoy the music,, have a great week...):
Thanks, Mark. I agree :)
Middle of May 1955...? I was busy being born when this was being made!
Oh' so that's why your middle name is Tremolux!!
I was in the second grade......
Beautiful specimen. Thanks for bringing us along UD.
Our pleasure, Rick.
The chassis + gravity method = priceless.....
Isaac Newton taught me that trick.
The amp is lovely, the spacship lamp really foated my boat. Best wishes from Derby UK. Comment lubricated by a budget Malbec.
Glad you liked them, Graham :)
Very nice video I really enjoyed watching this as I get to see what has been going on with my 1955 Fender Tremolux 5E9 EE #0077, I’ll be getting it back from the amp tech this weekend.
I'm glad you enjoyed it, ITC.
It is like watching a History type of channel.
Thanks, F2F. High praise indeed :)
Only with out the ancient aliens.
Whomever sent this to you has proven to me, at least, a former skeptic, that at least one time machine (aside from the one allegedly in the Vatican) actually exists on this planet. This is a true gem, and well worthy of the royal treatment provided it, by the very best.
I've Been near that road, once,,,
Twelve years ago, a gent from Indiana tracked my Motorola Dealership down, in search of a NOS modulation-stage transformer, for a very peculiar, first generation Motrac UHF Transceiver, which was part of a system tested for Motorola, by one of the departments within the LAPD. He wound up visiting my shop to pick it up, and I installed it - just to have the honor to work on something prototyped by Motorola in their heyday, the 1960's. While I'm at no where near your skill level with regards to amps, and tube-moderated devices, in-general, I felt honored to have been allowed to "take METCAL soldering iron to PlaCir", and carefully change-out that open transformer. Kind of a 'warm and fuzzy' feeling that day; I think that I know how you felt!
I do indeed, AMS. Thanks so much for the nice comments.
Looking forward to seeing the lamp upgrade...
So am I, Lee. Hopefully, I'll have some free time to make the modification.
That Tremolux was in outstanding condition...Wow! The Mojotone stand was sweet (yours considerably less expensive though!)
Thanks, Tim.
Wow! I feel like hopping an aircraft and flying from New York to Uncle Doug's and Jack to see this incredible artifact in person! I'll bring popcorn and treats for the felines!
You're always welcome, Bob, but the amp is back in the hands of the owner :)
@@UncleDoug I was joking about flying down yonder to see that artifact. What an amp! To think a 1955 amp can be in that condition. I would love to find a Bassman of the same vintage at my door one day. My first amp was a black face Bassman with the small 2x12 cabinet to which I added a 2nd cabinet.
Lovely Doug! I worked on a “Lily” 5E3 that looked like it lost a fight with a cat.
Thanks, LV :)
Wow! Looks like this amp was stored in a vacuum room or something. The control panel looks immaculate! Love your videos, Uncle Doug! Cheers!
Agreed, KC. So glad to hear it :)
Lily is a long time tweed assembler for Fender, although I don’t recall ever seeing her last name, unlike Lupe Lopez.
Maybe she was Lupe's sister......a nice combo: "Lupe & Lily Lopez, The Soldering Sisters of SoCal" ;)
@@UncleDoug I had an old Fender amp with Lupe's name on the piece of tape inside. Looked like it had been there a long time. I believe it was a Concert amp, narrow panel, covered in cream "tolex" from the factory. It was a strange amp. I later sold the amp and it then showed up in an issue of Vintage Guitar magazine.
@@UncleDoug I like your naming! Triple "L" !!!
@@Bbendfender I bet you regret that sale...
This thing got me drooling thanks for another great video Uncle Doug.
Hence the bib, Denver :) You're welcome :)
Brilliant job - ingenius cap replacement' thanks for sharing.
Glad you liked it, Ralph :) Thanks !!
Glad to see that people have learned to package their amps and tubes for shipping. Seems they all fear a scolding if they don't.
I must admit that packing quality has certainly improved over the past month or two.
Hi Uncle Doug, I noticed one of your engines had a Scintiller magneto. I used to rebuild this in England, we had the agency. Parts came from Taylor Vertex. I still have some of the tools here and a 6 cylinder old magneto in the store. It will be siezed but I could rebuild it. I have documentation and used to have all the stop plates for the different advance curves. I sold the business to Morfeild Operations which was then taken over by Tom Dark engineering and they still do them to this day. I used to rewind the coils and fit new ones when we could get them. I still have the winding machine here in Canada and use it to wind the odd radio coil and speaker field coil. Happy Days.
Thanks for sharing this with us, Allister. Vertex Scintilla magnetos were instrumental in all sorts of drag racing and Bonneville Salt Flats history. It's great to know that repairing them is not a lost art. Our best to you :)
Uncle Doug making Fender great again.👍
.......one amp at a time :) Thanks, Nigel.
Great Job Doug
Thank you kindly, Jeremiah.