Search found 568 matches
- Wed Feb 03, 2021 5:02 pm
- Forum: Technical Discussion
- Topic: 5F1 CHAMP SCRATCH BUILD - NEED HELP with 2 PROBLEMS
- Replies: 27
- Views: 2725
Re: 5F1 CHAMP SCRATCH BUILD - NEED HELP with 2 PROBLEMS
My first impression is that you may be picking up an oscillation due to the layout. Normally you would want to keep the inputs and outputs separated as much as possible on the chassis. It looks like your speaker connector and input jack are very close together? Also, the placement of the tubes vs. t...
- Wed Dec 16, 2020 5:09 pm
- Forum: Garage Talk
- Topic: still breathing
- Replies: 24
- Views: 6518
Re: still breathing
Reel! Wondered where you went. I thought maybe you had just had enough of us.
Glad you are back in circulation. Sorry to hear of your misfortune. Best wishes for your recovery.
Glad you are back in circulation. Sorry to hear of your misfortune. Best wishes for your recovery.
- Mon May 25, 2020 11:22 pm
- Forum: Technical Discussion
- Topic: Solder getting into a 9-pin socket?
- Replies: 13
- Views: 961
Re: Solder getting into a 9-pin socket?
I have had that happen. If you use too much solder, it will definitely run down into the hole. No amount of trying will ever clean it out satisfactorily, as far as I could see. The only solution for me was to replace the socket. For a while after that incident, I always inserted a dead tube in the s...
- Thu May 21, 2020 5:27 pm
- Forum: Fender Discussion
- Topic: 5e3 stopped working - blows fuses
- Replies: 17
- Views: 2519
Re: 5e3 stopped working - blows fuses
Power transformers often turn out to not be the problem. I think a lot of PT's get changed without curing the problem. I would not feel comfortable spending money on a new PT until I tested it with all the primaries disconnected as Lou mentioned above. If you are not getting any high voltage with th...
- Sun May 17, 2020 11:41 pm
- Forum: Technical Discussion
- Topic: Resistor size/value for discharging filter caps
- Replies: 11
- Views: 933
Re: Resistor size/value for discharging filter caps
Remember that we are not dealing with steady-state DC. The voltage across the cap drops very rapidly as it discharges. If I recall correctly, the voltage drops about 63% every time constant as it discharges. The time constant (in seconds) is equal to R times C, where R is in ohms and C is in Farads....
- Mon Apr 06, 2020 2:28 pm
- Forum: Technical Discussion
- Topic: Mains connection parts?
- Replies: 18
- Views: 1155
Re: Mains connection parts?
Someone recently turned me on to using a sheet metal nibbler for IEC and transformer cutouts. Works very well, although it does still take some practice and patience.
- Wed Apr 01, 2020 8:01 pm
- Forum: Garage Talk
- Topic: COVID, recessions, earthquakes...
- Replies: 49
- Views: 7225
Re: COVID, recessions, earthquakes...
There was a good sized earthquake in southern Idaho yesterday. From a geological point of view, the quakes in SLC and Idaho just indicate that the Earth is readjusting its trousers to get more comfortable. From any other viewpoint, it makes us wonder if the apocalypse is at hand, with the virus and ...
- Sat Nov 16, 2019 6:30 pm
- Forum: Technical Discussion
- Topic: Pin 2 to 3 Short
- Replies: 5
- Views: 619
Re: Pin 2 to 3 Short
I know it is a common failure, and I had the impression it was caused by a bad tube. I have an amp on my bench now with a carbon track on one of the sockets. The B+ fuse was blown, but the filament fuses were OK. The owner told me he was just playing it, minding his own business, when he saw a FLASH...
- Sat Nov 16, 2019 4:01 pm
- Forum: Technical Discussion
- Topic: Pin 2 to 3 Short
- Replies: 5
- Views: 619
Pin 2 to 3 Short
I've seen the ole "Pin 2 to 3 Short" many times, but never understood what is going on with that type of failure. In a 6L6 or EL34 or the like, an arc between pins 2 and 3 means the filament shorted to the plate? That seems unlikely, doesn't it? Is all the action going on inside the tube? Or across ...
- Thu Aug 01, 2019 5:00 pm
- Forum: Technical Discussion
- Topic: Dropping Voltage on Old PT's
- Replies: 8
- Views: 1113
Re: Dropping Voltage on Old PT's
Thanks guys, that was the kind of info I was looking for! I knew I had seen an article about this once, but couldn't seem to find it.
- Fri Jul 12, 2019 6:34 pm
- Forum: Technical Discussion
- Topic: Dropping Voltage on Old PT's
- Replies: 8
- Views: 1113
Re: Dropping Voltage on Old PT's
Thanks! I've heard of the bucking transformer, and it might just be the best solution. It would be nice to be able to mount it inside an existing amp as a permanent mod, rather than having an extra box outside the chassis. I think that should be feasible.
- Fri Jul 12, 2019 4:38 pm
- Forum: Technical Discussion
- Topic: Dropping Voltage on Old PT's
- Replies: 8
- Views: 1113
Dropping Voltage on Old PT's
What would be the preferred method for scrubbing off some voltage on old equipment that was designed to run on 110 VAC? I see guys doing refurbs on old gear without any concern for the higher voltages that will result from running the old transformers on modern wall voltage. I know you can lower B+ ...
- Fri Jul 12, 2019 4:05 pm
- Forum: Garage Talk
- Topic: being sober blows
- Replies: 40
- Views: 10726
Re: being sober blows
Hey cbass, let me know how the sober thing goes. Good luck, man. I've been toying with the idea of giving up beer myself, but I like beer too damn much to stop. I only drink a couple beers each evening, but I do it every singly night of my life, almost. I went without beer for 5 days last month on a...
- Tue Jun 04, 2019 11:07 pm
- Forum: Garage Talk
- Topic: Learning to play guitar - all over again
- Replies: 16
- Views: 2746
Re: Learning to play guitar - all over again
I quit playing guitar for about 10 years once, and it took me about a full year to get back to where I left off when I picked it up again. But it was all fresh and new again, and to this day it is really the one thing that keeps me somewhat sane. It does come back.
- Tue Nov 13, 2018 4:15 pm
- Forum: Garage Talk
- Topic: Problem with selling amps is...
- Replies: 40
- Views: 4499
Re: Problem with selling amps is...
This thread has been a great read! I can relate. I have given up my starry-eyed vision of building and selling amps for all the reasons above. Now I just do it for me. And by special request (which is rare). I follow some of the facebook amp pages, and it seems like amp building has become a "thing"...