That amp whinced when you took those wire cutters to it! Felt it all the way to here in the UK! Your so right about Brussels, thats why we are coming out of the EU. Lovely piece of US electronic history. Love it !
In 1983, the bigger the better. We would haul cabinets that didn't even work just to make our sound look bigger. Today, I'd rather take a little tube amp like this Magnatone and a mic. So it is in life. Big amps and big hair to small amps and no hair...LOL.
Great Job indeed. I am basically a novice, yet have repaired a number of vintage amps for my own personal pleasure . Far as using the transformer bolt for a ground ,is what I have always done , with zero problems :)
I "grew up" as a young engineer for IBM. They were sticklers for equipment grounding, and had a strict rule against using 'functional screws' for grounds. While I understand their thinking there is NO way I would drill a hole in that nice old amp either! If you clean the chassis and use an existing screw you will never have a problem. I would use a star washer. That was another thing I learned at Big Blue.
I agree. I would normally not consider grounding to a component bolt, but in the case of this amp I would make an exception. I would fit a locknut in addition to the star washer.
Totally agree with hot glue speaker repair method , I seen it on one of older videos and used it , works perfect as long as one is careful and uses a thin layer
That amp sounds just beautiful. Your playing at the end sent me into daydream land reminiscing about my growing up with music. Thanks for the killer videos.
That amp rocks!! With regards to the "local cap sourcing", beginning in 1948, there was a post-war 'consumer electronics boom', dealers couldn't keep tabletop radios (which occupied most kitchen tables) in stock, because of "tensions" resulting from the inception of the Cold War. By late 1950, housewives were advised to "keep an ear on the radio throughout the day", because of the recent USSR entry into the atomic era. Television manufacturers were also running "in full-blast" production mode. The consumer electronics boom accompanied the housing boom, and the "Baby Boom". Parts shortages were prevalent, as most component manufacturers were contractually obligated to the "big electronics manufacturers"; it was "source from wherever you can find it, or shut down production". The parts shortage situation began to resolve in early 1952.
You're right about the post war boom in the US. We weren't hit with the austerity seen in Europe and the rest of the world touched by the War. Our factories were still standing over here, and they wen't wild immediately. You see more vintage radios dated 1946 than any other single year.
Also got to keep in mind that the Chicago area was a major electronics production hub in the U.S. until it all up and went overseas and was gone by the end of the 1980s. Zenith, Motorola, various brands sold by Sears, and who knows what else. Only makes sense that most of the components for making all those TVs, radios, and stereo stuff was made in the area too. And it didn't hurt that that the city was (and still is) a major shipping and transportation hub.
Yes, but you're also talking about a time before the interstate highway system and commercial aviation really took off. So shipping from Chicago to LA was a chore.
The "Chicago School of Electronics", the best, anywhere, and at anytime in history. Motorola - nicest construction; Zenith - best designs, excellent quality; Admiral - honorable mention; E.H. Scott (during his working life) "all of the above, produced the best radios of all time". To see it now saddens me.
Would be so nice to have a amp like that. Sounding good, and looks good, specially after you put your "love" into it. Great job, once again Brad. Nice playing by the way, we sometimes forget that you are a good guitarist.
this diminutive old amp has some awesome break-up tone after 70 some years ,has R&D improved what is still so appealing from small valve amps, ? great work brad,
I really enjoy your channel Brad, that is when I have time to watch it. We're in the same biz but It's hard for me to keep up with my customers and I don't even advertise much less video my repairs. Oh well keep up the great work Dude!
Man...I love this kind of video: old gear in average condition, few parts to be replaced and, when complete, a great sound coming from its guts. Greetings from Brazil.
Man that little amp sounds good! I’ve always been a BF Fender clean/Vox chime/tweed fender blues/Marshall crunch type of guy and would personally take these sears catalog type amps and mod them to fit one of those profiles....but I believe you did the best thing possible for this amp! I need to find me one now to restore!
The only thing better than seeing and hearing them is SMELLING them while they're cooking. Love that smell. I should create my own cologne and sell that instead of t-shirts.
Gwen Steffani would kiss you! That is the ballsiest little boutique practice amp! I wouldn't mind owning one myself. Nice job! Reminds me of my estranged Ampeg j-12 R accordion amp. I miss it so. I had speaker issues. Thanks for a thoroughly engrossing tour through the Magnatone. A beautiful sounding little amp. Enjoyed very much!
I couldnt imagine that any guitar enthusiast would be a bad player, but I gotta say.. you always seem to play suit to the gear you repair very well! You`ve got some great tone in your hands let alone the pensil you use to write it through. Bravo man, great content/content coverage!!
nicey amp!!!! super that uncle doug is back in youtube land- in my younger age im working as car electrics+mechanics-specialy old/youngtimers+ soundsystems. i had a vw-kaefer 1200 6 volts-ichanged the komplete electric to 12volts. this was in 1979 -i was 17/18 jears young hey brad-the last 2 days in vienna the winter comes back-snow and minus 7 degree- the best time to heat on a tube amp ! i started to get naked outside- in the middle of the street- to cry +scream long live the guitologist! -but too cold for this! rockn rolly brad!
A Weber Speaker would really open up this amp. They make a Champ replacement that is close to the output transformer and once broken it the champ becomes an amazing Amplifier. Thanks for the restoration.
A lot of RUclips people use things like Tee Spring so they don't have to hold stock mail it out. Just submit the design and get the royalty payment. Kinda makes sense.
@@TheGuitologist If you decide to do a shirt, shoot me a message. I will work you up a design in exchange for a shirt. I've been in design for more than 40 years, so I ain't no rookie.
I had an old grill cloth that I re-purposed onto another amp. I actually did a gentle hand wash in woolite and it cleaned up nice and looked almost brand new.
HA I'VE done that before too. A guy gave me one he had still on a baffle board. It was from an early 70s Fender amp and I took the hose to it and it turned out nice.
Most of the time I'm sitting there in silence, just watching you working, but then you put in those little video sequences and I burst into laugh because they are so on spot funny and unexpected!
Love the tape over the Logos! Nobody Rides For Free! Haha! That amp sounds killer for a 1949 student model, just goes to show the superior tone of even the simplest of tube circuits! Great speaker repair tip too! Thanks Brad!
Regarding the ground/earth connection of the power cord, modern product standards require that a fastener dedicated to securing ONLY the ground connection be used. This is to prevent the ground wire from accidentally being removed while servicing the equipment. In this particular case, I understanding not wanting to drill a new hole in a vintage chassis, but if you're going to use an existing fastener, I would have picked one where it's easy to see whether or not the ground is secure.
Just want to say learned a few great tips today. Paint brush for dusting, hot glue for speaker cone repair. I usually use contact cement and it’s a pain in the ass. Has a toxic smell to it and take forever to dry. Those old Chicago caps suck for some reason. I had a few dielectric Chicago caps either blow out their insides everywhere or start smoking inside the amp, either scenario is a mess. Makes you think Leo knew this and why he used molded caps instead. Thanks for the tips!
Love your videos brotha. Usually it's easy for guitar repairs for me but amps always been more complicated for me. I've learned to much since I've been watching your videos. 🤘🏿😈
Another gem , sounds great !! For cone tears , it depends on what the cone is made of. Un treated paper then tight bond 2. Treated paper the spacial cone glue. But nothing sounds better than an intact cone. Just ask the Cone-heads !
Without stating the obvious, they just don't make shit like that anymore. Love your vids...even though I haven't a clue what you're doing ! therapeutic !
That's a neat little unit. I'd love to hear that with some Sprague and Mullard Mustard Caps. I used to go through the hassle of placing the caps inside the old can. Regardless I like the idea you left the can for looks purposes. Personally I would have been so tempted to hot rod that bad boy but, not wreck the chassis. Let's face it, there are tons of mods one can do and still keep the vintage factory looks. Shhhhh, it's our little secret. Keep it under your hat. LOL
totally true, hotglue is the thing to go for when it comes to repair vintage speakers having a hard suspension...i done this so many times as well....:)
And so the student becomes the master:D But seriously what an amp that can be a "Secret Weapon" in a studio with tone for days. Amazing what those once flogged at "Beginners" end up being iconic in retrospective...
Speaking of biasing output tubes I was just looking at one of David C. Gillespie's Magnavox mods I'm thinking of building, whose 6V6 output tubes are cathode biased in a rather unusual way, taking their bias voltage off of a 100-ohm phantom center tap at the filament transformer.
Noodle King! Another back from the dead. I had an early 60s Ampeg amp that sounded exactly like this one. Same tube complement and speaker. Great video, by the way! Thanxz
For 1949 technology, that little amp sounds killer. Rocking for its time for sure - we take for granted that, at least to my knowledge, the SLP wasn't even a thing in 49. Awesome job! Maybe you could do a tag on video to show how that one stage was grid-leak biased on schematic which is different from cathode bias?
Because of the deteriorated rubber gasket around the speaker, there are probably graduals of it in between the voice coil and magnet. As it is non ferrous debris, a vacuum cleaner with very light suction should pull that out and then the slight coil rub sound will lessen or even be eradicated. Great to see an artist at work Sir, most informative Video, keep up the good work :-)
The brush you used to clean the input jack can also be found in Chemistry labs/suppliers. There are used to clean the glassware & there are many sizes & forms if anyone is searching for those. :)
Ah, ok. Hey, I need to re-cone speakers & I'm currently having difficulties selecting an appropriate, rubbery glue like the original one I've scrapped-off. I've seen all kinds of types and prices on Amazon. Do you recommend hot glue stick for that too? If yes, can you tell me the brand you use for that? I'm afraid of selecting an inappropriate glue that will become dry, glassy, brittle, fall-apart and/or affect performances and I don't want to work in waste, I've got 4 speakers to re-cone, so doing it right the 1st time would be nice...
Hot glue is quite rubbery. It needs a rough surface to stick properly. It will adhere to smooth surfaces but won't stand up to any abuse. I'm sure that hard hot glue exists but it's far from common. Find generic hot glue.
+ Prehistoricman Uhm...Your comment doesn't sound encouraging for a long term solution. Speakers are getting abused, they have an oscillating movement pattern. I don't have a glue gun, so before I even go buy one at Canadian Tire, is that what sound repair professionals use or is it a cheap-arsed idea with a 50%-50% chances of failure? Lol
To stick the cone assembly to the metal frame of the speaker, I would be hesitant to recommend hot glue. Its ability to stick relies on it being melted when the two parts are stuck together. Putting a long line of hot glue on the speaker frame will cool it down way too fast. If you're repairing a cone, as long as you keep the layer thin, it should be okay. Hot glue can be formed into thinner layers with more heat. The hot glue isn't wet at all, so it won't penetrate the cone and really bind it. Hot glue will stick to the surface very well, but the surface of paper cones isn't difficult to rip off. Again, having less hot glue on the cone will be beneficial because there will be less mass to stress the connection to the cone.
Brad your the man.Love that remark on the Brussel's Bastards in the EU.We got more of em this side of the pond in Britain. Really enjoying your series really really interesting,riveting in fact. Phil. Wirral England.
sound's just like the fender champ clone's i make, nice and simple wiring and only a few component's, which is how i like it as i'm not that savvy with anything more complicated, lol, nice work as alway's brad,
I'd do the same on that ground too. Wow that's a practice Amp.......in the early 70s most practice amps were solid state and you couldn't get that tone out of that no matter how you tried!!!
Sure is. Kokomo was once a booming industrial town. Chrysler's main transmission plant, Continental Steel, Haynes International, Delco Electronics (GM) and Weber Speakers are just a few. Chrysler now has three plants in the area, but are not at full production as far as I know. I used to live pretty much dead center between Kokomo, Lafayette and Indy. I just recently moved to Ohio north of Dayton. I still go back and see my friends in the area a few times a year.
Don't like the power inlet grommet with cable ties as the power cable can still rotate and wires move inside the amp therefore would still be considered as potentially unsafe. I would suggest that if you want to stick to using grommets you use a sleeved grommet with rubber sleeves on the cable as well so that with the aid of light oil you can force the cable into the grommet then cable tie the grommet inside the amp but between the metal chassis and the grommet's outer ring. When the oil dries out in a couple of hours the cable will be locked. You can also add a spot of contact adhesive around the inner grommet ring just to make sure the cable can't rotate or even better use a proper cable entry gland that you can screw up tight so the cable will never move and stay locked in place. Still enjoy the video's though Brad so keep them coming.
Man, I used those red Panasonic coupling caps are awesome. They were my go to caps and never had one of them fail and I installed at least a thousand of them in high voltage situations. The CE distribution power supply caps may be made in china but they beat the pants off of USA electrolytic capacitors. There failure rate is exponentially lower.
Magnatone has been making amps since the late 30's as a spin off from Estey music company. They made Magnatone and a couple of dozen other brand names. They also made guitars, lap steel's, record players, radios and invented the first electronic hearing aid. Most of the great amp designers of the 50's and 60's started out at Magnatone then went on to design the great amp's for Fender, Gibson, Guild and Ampeg.
I was watching your video where you did the assessment of that 1950's Martin you bought on crag's list . Is there any chance you can replace a broken truss rod on an early eighty's Stratocaster ? I don't know if the rod is broken, or that aluminum end is stripped. When you put an allen wrench to it there is some resistance but it just keeps turning and does not adjust anything. I brought to one guy that screwed it up. It looks like he took a hungry beaver to the rosewood ferrall where you put the wrench in. so that will have to be heated, pulled and replaced as well. If you can do that I can mail you the neck along with payment. Any chance? Might make a good video.
My dad used to repair speakers when I was a kid with clear nail polish and tissue paper. I have since adopted the hot glue method, which works really good. I use it more frequently when a speaker cone separates from its frame. I'd be curious if there is any sound difference due to the weight of the glue ; but I cant seem to tell.
Great work Brad I have been watching since last weekend, very interesting tips on how amp's work. Guitar players should be able to look out for this shit that we get from the guitar shops. I have a Hughes & Kettner 20th Anniversary 20 watt amp 2008 kicking arse with tubes.
That is a pretty crunchy sounding amp for that time period. I agree with you that grounding is grounding. Drilling a hole in the amp makes no sense. Electricity doesn't care what path it takes to ground
Really enjoy most of your videos, my only comment/request: when at the end of a mod/fix/overhaul of a guitar amp you always seem test at the amps "overdrive-end,"- lots of over drive/distortion or whatever so I'd ask that you start with CLEAN tone and "work it up to the "11" :-) I'm always interested in how the clean tone sounds in these old tube amps, even though I'm mainly a blues player and rocker from the late 50's, so I do USE OD/distortion/fuzz, but have been transitioning to "older" jazz (aka the standards ) so have come to appreciate a "clean" amp tone . No matter what keep doing these!
I'll take that onboard. The only reason I don't bother with these amps is because unless I'm miking it up and doing all that mess, it just sounds like a really quiet amp and you end up getting a lot of string noise through the camera mic.
You can heat up some mink oil and apply it to the bad spots on the handle then do the whole thing or you can apply some and melt it in with a hair dryer.
Nice little amp, where is the best place to get some caps, I need to clean up my Silvertone 1472. Great video, all the others too, the Epiphone, Gibsons & of course the Fenders great videos showing problems & solutions.
I imagine the rule is to prevent the ground from being lost if that part is removed for some reason. But you'd hope a tech would notice and put it back.
Nylon Brush Set (for cleaning jacks, etc.) amzn.to/2DDi3E0
what solvent do you use?
amzn.to/2FVitro
The Guitologist Can any triode tube be used as an amplifier?
The Guitologist hmm didn’t know yellow tape was established in 1833 lol
Love your custom morton shirt :p
That amp whinced when you took those wire cutters to it! Felt it all the way to here in the UK! Your so right about Brussels, thats why we are coming out of the EU. Lovely piece of US electronic history. Love it !
In 1983, the bigger the better. We would haul cabinets that didn't even work just to make our sound look bigger. Today, I'd rather take a little tube amp like this Magnatone and a mic. So it is in life. Big amps and big hair to small amps and no hair...LOL.
Great Job indeed. I am basically a novice, yet have repaired a number of vintage amps for my own personal pleasure . Far as using the transformer bolt for a ground ,is what I have always done , with zero problems :)
I "grew up" as a young engineer for IBM. They were sticklers for equipment grounding, and had a strict rule against using 'functional screws' for grounds. While I understand their thinking there is NO way I would drill a hole in that nice old amp either! If you clean the chassis and use an existing screw you will never have a problem. I would use a star washer. That was another thing I learned at Big Blue.
I agree. I would normally not consider grounding to a component bolt, but in the case of this amp I would make an exception. I would fit a locknut in addition to the star washer.
what is the theory behind not using a "functional bolt/screw" as ground...? ...because it may potentially work loose?
Totally agree with hot glue speaker repair method , I seen it on one of older videos and used it , works perfect as long as one is careful and uses a thin layer
That amp sounds just beautiful. Your playing at the end sent me into daydream land reminiscing about my growing up with music. Thanks for the killer videos.
I have to fight myself from scrolling forward to hear you make her sing. And congratulations on striking a sponsorship deal!
That amp rocks!!
With regards to the "local cap sourcing", beginning in 1948, there was a post-war 'consumer electronics boom', dealers couldn't keep tabletop radios (which occupied most kitchen tables) in stock, because of "tensions" resulting from the inception of the Cold War. By late 1950, housewives were advised to "keep an ear on the radio throughout the day", because of the recent USSR entry into the atomic era. Television manufacturers were also running "in full-blast" production mode. The consumer electronics boom accompanied the housing boom, and the "Baby Boom". Parts shortages were prevalent, as most component manufacturers were contractually obligated to the "big electronics manufacturers"; it was "source from wherever you can find it, or shut down production".
The parts shortage situation began to resolve in early 1952.
You're right about the post war boom in the US. We weren't hit with the austerity seen in Europe and the rest of the world touched by the War. Our factories were still standing over here, and they wen't wild immediately. You see more vintage radios dated 1946 than any other single year.
Also got to keep in mind that the Chicago area was a major electronics production hub in the U.S. until it all up and went overseas and was gone by the end of the 1980s. Zenith, Motorola, various brands sold by Sears, and who knows what else. Only makes sense that most of the components for making all those TVs, radios, and stereo stuff was made in the area too. And it didn't hurt that that the city was (and still is) a major shipping and transportation hub.
Yes, but you're also talking about a time before the interstate highway system and commercial aviation really took off. So shipping from Chicago to LA was a chore.
Route 66. Also, capacitors weighed a lot less than transformers, so sourcing the heaviest parts locally would have been more important.
The "Chicago School of Electronics", the best, anywhere, and at anytime in history. Motorola - nicest construction; Zenith - best designs, excellent quality; Admiral - honorable mention; E.H. Scott (during his working life) "all of the above, produced the best radios of all time".
To see it now saddens me.
Amazing how these little vintage practice/student amps can be crunch monsters.
Would be so nice to have a amp like that. Sounding good, and looks good, specially after you put your "love" into it. Great job, once again Brad. Nice playing by the way, we sometimes forget that you are a good guitarist.
I'm with you on not drilling holes on vintage chassis. You can accomplish the same thing using existing hardware.
this diminutive old amp has some awesome break-up tone
after 70 some years ,has R&D improved what is still so
appealing from small valve amps, ? great work brad,
I really enjoy your channel Brad, that is when I have time to watch it. We're in the same biz but It's hard for me to keep up with my customers and I don't even advertise much less video my repairs. Oh well keep up the great work Dude!
Man...I love this kind of video: old gear in average condition, few parts to be replaced and, when complete, a great sound coming from its guts. Greetings from Brazil.
Me too, Leonardo. Love when a plan comes together!
Man that little amp sounds good! I’ve always been a BF Fender clean/Vox chime/tweed fender blues/Marshall crunch type of guy and would personally take these sears catalog type amps and mod them to fit one of those profiles....but I believe you did the best thing possible for this amp! I need to find me one now to restore!
Excellent episode thanks Brad! Damn, that little thing sounds awesome!
Love the channel , and im always learning new things..love old vintage amps . the insides warm my heart ..cheers
The only thing better than seeing and hearing them is SMELLING them while they're cooking. Love that smell. I should create my own cologne and sell that instead of t-shirts.
Gwen Steffani would kiss you! That is the ballsiest little boutique practice amp! I wouldn't mind owning one myself. Nice job! Reminds me of my estranged Ampeg j-12 R accordion amp. I miss it so. I had speaker issues. Thanks for a thoroughly engrossing tour through the Magnatone. A beautiful sounding little amp. Enjoyed very much!
I couldnt imagine that any guitar enthusiast would be a bad player, but I gotta say.. you always seem to play suit to the gear you repair very well! You`ve got some great tone in your hands let alone the pensil you use to write it through. Bravo man, great content/content coverage!!
Wow, thanks Rory!
nicey amp!!!! super that uncle doug is back in youtube land- in my younger age im working as car electrics+mechanics-specialy old/youngtimers+ soundsystems. i had a vw-kaefer 1200
6 volts-ichanged the komplete electric to 12volts. this was in 1979 -i was 17/18 jears young
hey brad-the last 2 days in vienna the winter comes back-snow and minus 7 degree-
the best time to heat on a tube amp ! i started to get naked outside- in the middle of the street-
to cry +scream long live the guitologist! -but too cold for this! rockn rolly brad!
A Weber Speaker would really open up this amp. They make a Champ replacement that is close to the output transformer and once broken it the champ becomes an amazing Amplifier. Thanks for the restoration.
Thx for showing me the fuse ....out of storage it was somehow misplaced. Nice rebuild!
Brad, you need some "Guitologist" shirts to wear in your videos. You could probably sell them, too.
I´m in for a shirt...already have plenty of EEVBlog, ElectroBBOM, AvE....
I'd buy them!!
I knocked the swag thing around in my head and I'm not really sure about it, but I have another idea I might go with.
A lot of RUclips people use things like Tee Spring so they don't have to hold stock mail it out. Just submit the design and get the royalty payment. Kinda makes sense.
@@TheGuitologist If you decide to do a shirt, shoot me a message.
I will work you up a design in exchange for a shirt.
I've been in design for more than 40 years, so I ain't no rookie.
I had an old grill cloth that I re-purposed onto another amp. I actually did a gentle hand wash in woolite and it cleaned up nice and looked almost brand new.
You can take out old yellowed Fender grills and hose them down on the driveway and get a lot of that gak out of them.
HA I'VE done that before too. A guy gave me one he had still on a baffle board. It was from an early 70s Fender amp and I took the hose to it and it turned out nice.
uncle Doug brought me here.
Uncle Doug is like Merlin.
@@johnnyx9892 the www.yzzerdd(dot)com
Most of the time I'm sitting there in silence, just watching you working, but then you put in those little video sequences and I burst into laugh because they are so on spot funny and unexpected!
Love the tape over the Logos! Nobody Rides For Free! Haha! That amp sounds killer for a 1949 student model, just goes to show the superior tone of even the simplest of tube circuits! Great speaker repair tip too! Thanks Brad!
Yep, fuck 'em. Let 'em walk.
Regarding the ground/earth connection of the power cord, modern product standards require that a fastener dedicated to securing ONLY the ground connection be used. This is to prevent the ground wire from accidentally being removed while servicing the equipment.
In this particular case, I understanding not wanting to drill a new hole in a vintage chassis, but if you're going to use an existing fastener, I would have picked one where it's easy to see whether or not the ground is secure.
Just want to say learned a few great tips today. Paint brush for dusting, hot glue for speaker cone repair. I usually use contact cement and it’s a pain in the ass. Has a toxic smell to it and take forever to dry. Those old Chicago caps suck for some reason. I had a few dielectric Chicago caps either blow out their insides everywhere or start smoking inside the amp, either scenario is a mess. Makes you think Leo knew this and why he used molded caps instead. Thanks for the tips!
Any caps of this age will need to go, pretty much, even the molded ones. They are just way past their use-by date.
Uncle Doug would love that cabinet and covering. Great rebuild😁
Doug has impeccable taste.
Good job all around. I enjoy repairing these old small amps, keeping them being played through. Mark
Love your videos brotha.
Usually it's easy for guitar repairs for me but amps always been more complicated for me.
I've learned to much since I've been watching your videos. 🤘🏿😈
Another gem , sounds great !! For cone tears , it depends on what the cone is made of. Un treated paper then tight bond 2. Treated paper the spacial cone glue. But nothing sounds better than an intact cone. Just ask the Cone-heads !
Love the taped up Logos in the intro. "Make dem suckas pay!!!" Great video!
Chu! Dem Suckas ain't gon know what hit 'em.
dem suckas might not even know it was them! ;)
I wish modern amps had this retro look! So cool and classy! Hey, where's the tape over the head stock! lol... !!! That amp tone is simply wonderful!
Thanks for the reminder! Mustn't lose revenue.
Without stating the obvious, they just don't make shit like that anymore. Love your vids...even though I haven't a clue what you're doing ! therapeutic !
That's a neat little unit. I'd love to hear that with some Sprague and Mullard Mustard Caps. I used to go through the hassle of placing the caps inside the old can. Regardless I like the idea you left the can for looks purposes. Personally I would have been so tempted to hot rod that bad boy but, not wreck the chassis. Let's face it, there are tons of mods one can do and still keep the vintage factory looks. Shhhhh, it's our little secret. Keep it under your hat. LOL
totally true, hotglue is the thing to go for when it comes to repair vintage speakers having a hard suspension...i done this so many times as well....:)
Totally agree with you on not drilling holes in Vintage kit, I'd always Earth to a good chassis bolt.
All those old leatherette,crocodile, alligator combos are BAD ASS, all day long.....
Love watching people who know what there doing! 🤘
What a glorious little amp!!! Had an Esty Mag 1-10 (213?) that i loved. Nice to see something earlier so sweet.
Love how simple that thing is.
And so the student becomes the master:D But seriously what an amp that can be a "Secret Weapon" in a studio with tone for days. Amazing what those once flogged at "Beginners" end up being iconic in retrospective...
You could start up a Stryper tribute band with that outfit!
Speaking of biasing output tubes I was just looking at one of David C. Gillespie's Magnavox mods I'm thinking of building, whose 6V6 output tubes are cathode biased in a rather unusual way, taking their bias voltage off of a 100-ohm phantom center tap at the filament transformer.
Those hairlarious video inserts! I’m on the floor! Another informative and amusing video! Thanks mr Guitologist
Hey man! I just don't know how I endup here, but your videos are too satisfying! Good job!
I put a solder-tab on an existing bolt all the time for 3 prong cords. As long as its tight, it's cool.
Usually I'm not a fan of how those little old amps sound(I'm in the minority, I know), but that's a beaut right there.
Hot glue seems to work good! Years ago before hot glue guns, we used tissue paper and finger nail polish...it worked, lol. Btw...gorgeous guitar!
I'm from Belgum and want to tell you how to ground this amp PM me lol
haha!
Noodle King! Another back from the dead. I had an early 60s Ampeg amp that sounded exactly like this one. Same tube complement and speaker. Great video, by the way! Thanxz
For 1949 technology, that little amp sounds killer. Rocking for its time for sure - we take for granted that, at least to my knowledge, the SLP wasn't even a thing in 49. Awesome job! Maybe you could do a tag on video to show how that one stage was grid-leak biased on schematic which is different from cathode bias?
Because of the deteriorated rubber gasket around the speaker, there are probably graduals of it in between the voice coil and magnet. As it is non ferrous debris, a vacuum cleaner with very light suction should pull that out and then the slight coil rub sound will lessen or even be eradicated. Great to see an artist at work Sir, most informative Video, keep up the good work :-)
Best post in English this month, sir. Inter-synonym Overdrive. "Graduals" is excellent.
The intro is too funny! Love your sense of humor Brad!
Great repair job, customer will love this amp now.
I think so.
What a beauty of an amp.
All of us tech could wright books on the crazy stuff we run in to.
Love this... What a cool little amp. I bet that guy is happy happy happy. Thanks for sharing.
Worth it for the intro alone!
I love it, maybe, you could get a sponsorship from the guy's that make that yellow. tape D'
Someone call them up for me!
I love this shit. Great video. A+ on the editing efforts, too.
I'm liking the new editing.
Man that PRS snarls.I think Im in love.
Hi l have watched heaps of your your shows and l have learnt a lot
I just wanted to say thankyou for your time
The brush you used to clean the input jack can also be found in Chemistry labs/suppliers. There are used to clean the glassware & there are many sizes & forms if anyone is searching for those. :)
I put a link in a pinned comment to something similar on Amazon too. They'll work also.
Ah, ok. Hey, I need to re-cone speakers & I'm currently having difficulties selecting an appropriate, rubbery glue like the original one I've scrapped-off. I've seen all kinds of types and prices on Amazon. Do you recommend hot glue stick for that too? If yes, can you tell me the brand you use for that? I'm afraid of selecting an inappropriate glue that will become dry, glassy, brittle, fall-apart and/or affect performances and I don't want to work in waste, I've got 4 speakers to re-cone, so doing it right the 1st time would be nice...
Hot glue is quite rubbery. It needs a rough surface to stick properly. It will adhere to smooth surfaces but won't stand up to any abuse. I'm sure that hard hot glue exists but it's far from common. Find generic hot glue.
+ Prehistoricman Uhm...Your comment doesn't sound encouraging for a long term solution. Speakers are getting abused, they have an oscillating movement pattern. I don't have a glue gun, so before I even go buy one at Canadian Tire, is that what sound repair professionals use or is it a cheap-arsed idea with a 50%-50% chances of failure? Lol
To stick the cone assembly to the metal frame of the speaker, I would be hesitant to recommend hot glue. Its ability to stick relies on it being melted when the two parts are stuck together. Putting a long line of hot glue on the speaker frame will cool it down way too fast.
If you're repairing a cone, as long as you keep the layer thin, it should be okay. Hot glue can be formed into thinner layers with more heat.
The hot glue isn't wet at all, so it won't penetrate the cone and really bind it. Hot glue will stick to the surface very well, but the surface of paper cones isn't difficult to rip off. Again, having less hot glue on the cone will be beneficial because there will be less mass to stress the connection to the cone.
Brad your the man.Love that remark on the Brussel's Bastards in the EU.We got more of em this side of the pond in Britain. Really enjoying your series really really interesting,riveting in fact. Phil. Wirral England.
Brad, you seriously need the Hayco tool. It is worth every penny. Especially for installing the new one. Carry on. Robert
Love you stuff my friend, have learned a lot thank you. I was wondering how come you never use a bulb limiter ever to test some of these amps?
sound's just like the fender champ clone's i make, nice and simple wiring and only a few component's, which is how i like it as i'm not that savvy with anything more complicated, lol,
nice work as alway's brad,
Thanks, Paul. You can really get a lot of juicy vintage tone out of one of these old SE Class-A type amps.
I dig the yellow tape across the CF Martin logo on your tee.
Great video, no free ads for tshirt or hat company, but maryland usa based prs gets a free plug. I like it
I'd do the same on that ground too. Wow that's a practice Amp.......in the early 70s most practice amps were solid state and you couldn't get that tone out of that no matter how you tried!!!
Yep. Solid state breakup is a different animal. Has its place, but way different feel and character.
Have a lot of friends that worked at or retired from that Delco plant in Kokomo. Nice job Brad, good sounding practice amp.
I used to live down in Evansville. All kinds of stuff made up in Kokomo. Isn't Weber Speakers located in Kokomo?
Sure is. Kokomo was once a booming industrial town. Chrysler's main transmission plant, Continental Steel, Haynes International, Delco Electronics (GM) and Weber Speakers are just a few. Chrysler now has three plants in the area, but are not at full production as far as I know. I used to live pretty much dead center between Kokomo, Lafayette and Indy. I just recently moved to Ohio north of Dayton. I still go back and see my friends in the area a few times a year.
Don't like the power inlet grommet with cable ties as the power cable can still rotate and wires move inside the amp therefore would still be considered as potentially unsafe.
I would suggest that if you want to stick to using grommets you use a sleeved grommet with rubber sleeves on the cable as well so that with the aid of light oil you can force the cable into the grommet then cable tie the grommet inside the amp but between the metal chassis and the grommet's outer ring. When the oil dries out in a couple of hours the cable will be locked.
You can also add a spot of contact adhesive around the inner grommet ring just to make sure the cable can't rotate or even better use a proper cable entry gland that you can screw up tight so the cable will never move and stay locked in place.
Still enjoy the video's though Brad so keep them coming.
I don't know what I like more. The PRS or the Amp.
Glorious! Tone for days!
Looks like a table cover for a picnic table on dat beast
Man, I used those red Panasonic coupling caps are awesome. They were my go to caps and never had one of them fail and I installed at least a thousand of them in high voltage situations. The CE distribution power supply caps may be made in china but they beat the pants off of USA electrolytic capacitors. There failure rate is exponentially lower.
Magnatone has been making amps since the late 30's as a spin off from Estey music company. They made Magnatone and a couple of dozen other brand names. They also made guitars, lap steel's, record players, radios and invented the first electronic hearing aid. Most of the great amp designers of the 50's and 60's started out at Magnatone then went on to design the great amp's for Fender, Gibson, Guild and Ampeg.
Magnatone started out as Dickerson. Became Magna, then Magnatone, then Estey came much later in the 60s when they moved to PA.
@@TheGuitologist I was told it was the other way around. But, That being said, It won't be the first time I've been wrong. Great video though.
I was watching your video where you did the assessment of that 1950's Martin you bought on crag's list . Is there any chance you can replace a broken truss rod on an early eighty's Stratocaster ? I don't know if the rod is broken, or that aluminum end is stripped. When you put an allen wrench to it there is some resistance but it just keeps turning and does not adjust anything. I brought to one guy that screwed it up. It looks like he took a hungry beaver to the rosewood ferrall where you put the wrench in. so that will have to be heated, pulled and replaced as well. If you can do that I can mail you the neck along with payment. Any chance? Might make a good video.
That was some improvement. Well done. Again.
That amp just sounds like Rolling Stones to me nice job!
Kudos Brad on the ground wire positioning.
Thanks, Carl. Sometimes the best policy involves a giant middle finger.
My dad used to repair speakers when I was a kid with clear nail polish and tissue paper. I have since adopted the hot glue method, which works really good. I use it more frequently when a speaker cone separates from its frame. I'd be curious if there is any sound difference due to the weight of the glue ; but I cant seem to tell.
Yes. Adding hot glue to the cone rim has the effect of doping the speaker.
Great work Brad I have been watching since last weekend, very interesting tips on how amp's work. Guitar players should be able to look out for this shit that we get from the guitar shops. I have a Hughes & Kettner 20th Anniversary 20 watt amp 2008 kicking arse with tubes.
Thanks for your reply and tips. Big salute from Anth in New South Wales, Australia.
Love your videos. I repaired one of my speakers with black RTV
That is a pretty crunchy sounding amp for that time period. I agree with you that grounding is grounding. Drilling a hole in the amp makes no sense. Electricity doesn't care what path it takes to ground
Really enjoy most of your videos, my only comment/request: when at the end of a mod/fix/overhaul of a guitar amp you always seem test at the amps "overdrive-end,"- lots of over drive/distortion or whatever so I'd ask that you start with CLEAN tone and "work it up to the "11" :-) I'm always interested in how the clean tone sounds in these old tube amps, even though I'm mainly a blues player and rocker from the late 50's, so I do USE OD/distortion/fuzz, but have been transitioning to "older" jazz (aka the standards ) so have come to appreciate a "clean" amp tone . No matter what keep doing these!
I'll take that onboard. The only reason I don't bother with these amps is because unless I'm miking it up and doing all that mess, it just sounds like a really quiet amp and you end up getting a lot of string noise through the camera mic.
That rascal really growls! What did the bias of that power tube come out to be?
Sounds great, good work!
lovely old amp well done restoring it
You can heat up some mink oil and apply it to the bad spots on the handle then do the whole thing or you can apply some and melt it in with a hair dryer.
Nice little amp, where is the best place to get some caps, I need to clean up my Silvertone 1472. Great video, all the others too, the Epiphone, Gibsons & of course the Fenders great videos showing problems & solutions.
I’m an electrician there’s not a thing wrong with using that transformer screw I wholeheartedly agree “ no more holes”
I imagine the rule is to prevent the ground from being lost if that part is removed for some reason. But you'd hope a tech would notice and put it back.
Brad the badass guitologist.
In addition to being an awesome video I appreciate your little tips like the stripping wire trick at 12:38 :)
Great video as always!
Coming from a guy plays the guitar in the bathroom that PRS/Magnatone combo sounds great!