Amps that have been on my bench
1959 Califone
This 1959 Califone started life as the original Karaoke machine, spin your favorite 45 and sing along with it. It turns out they make a great guitar amp too! New electrolytic capacitors and a grounded power cord gave this Califone a second life.
Sears Silvertone 1484 “Twin Twelve”
This amp from 1967 was found in a second hand store and was completely original. After some very deep cleaning and a grounded power cord it sprang back to life. The 1484 has a unique nesting design with the amp stored below the original Jensen speakers.
1965 Fender Bassman
This Bassman amp came to me with low output and loud buzzing. The output transformer had been incorrectly repaired years ago. After a new transformer was installed and some other modifications were corrected, the amp once again put out 50 watts as the factory intended.
Since this amp had been heavily modified in the past the client requested a different voice on the Bass channel more suited to guitar. A third gain stage was added along with a post phase inverter master volume.
Temporary output transformer testing.
Vox AC15 Hand Wired
This hand wired vox came in for modifications to bring this amp’s tone in line with the original AC15. Many components were changed or added to allow the amp to compress and have great touch sensitivity. Grounding issues were also corrected that allowed the amp to be whisper quiet.
Fender Deluxe ‘64 Reissue
This amp came in because of low power and distortion. A failed power tube screen resistor was the culprit. Since the amp was open the client took the opportunity to replace the electrolytic capacitors for many more years of trouble free operation.
Bassman Reissue
After a power tube shorted this Bassman needed a quick repair to get back on the showroom floor at a local shop. After a new set of tubes, a couple of replaced resistors and setting the power tube bias, this amp was ready to play some gigs.
Dr Z Carmen Ghia & Z Verb
After nearly 20 years of use it was time for some new electrolytic capacitors. Now the reverb and the amp operate perfectly and run dead silent.
Occasionally I get the time to make an amp just for myself. I have a stash of one of my favorite tubes, The 6K6GT used in CRT Television set in the 50s. These tubes can be thought of as a mini EL34. This little amp makes 8 watts. Paired with the right speaker the volume is low enough the amp can be turned up for natural distortion and compression without being too loud for the venue. I liked the results so much I’m turning this amp from a prototype into a new model, the Magnolia.
southbound amps prototype “magnolia”
1962 Mcintosh Hi-fi
I fell in love with this hi-fi. These units had been in storage for decades. First they received a thorough cleaning then all the electrolytic capacitors were replaced. The coupling capacitors in all the units were found to be leaking voltage so these were next for replacement. The original resistors were all measured and none were out of spec so, fortunately, these could all be saved.
I traveled to the clients home to set the system up and wire the speaker crossovers appropriately. When we spun the first record I was beside myself with the incredible sound!
1948 Supro chicago 51 supreme
This rare beauty needed to be returned to working order. An amp like this has obsolete parts so creativity is the rule. The three prong capacitor cans used in this amp are no longer made. In order to keep the chassis original, turret strips were added inside the chassis to allow modern capacitors to be used. This leaves the exterior to be visually vintage. Previous modifications using automotive grade parts were returned to the original specs and a grounded power cord was added. These old amps are always a fun adventure to work on.
