Vox AC30 1963 Tone Control + Vibrato/Tremolo Channel noisy

[pielle]

Hi,
I had the chance to get an old JMI Vox AC30 from 1963 copper pannel esthetically in really good condition, but internally it needed a bit of maintenance.
I had the name of a guy here in Turin (Italy) and I decided to bring it to him to let him have a look - as yes I have knowledge in terms of electronics but not really great experience (and not so much time) with old amps and also I don't have all the tools and spare parts that I might need.

He changed few caps on the board and the 2 bigger one (grey and blu one in the pictures), he replaced the socket for the El84 as he showed me that they were really weak on clamping the valve and replaced all the tubes with Sovtek.
Also, he told me that some Bright and Normal input internal cables were replaced as they were not shielded originally.

Once I had it back home I just noticed that:

• The Tone control should work in the opposite way - clockwise add more treble and anticlockwise cutting the treble.
  I have a 78 vox and the Tone is working as I mentioned - clockwise add more treble and anticlockwise cutting the treble. Is that the correct way for the 63 models as well?

• All the 3 input channels are having, after servicing, surface (background) noise. The noise was present before servicing but it was much higher. For Brilliant and Normal the noise is more present when the volume is going after 3/4 o'clock, but for the Vibrato/Tremolo this noise is starting much more earlier - around 1 o'clock and once the Tremolo or the vibrato is in I really can hear the noise pumping true the channel - With the tremolo in pumping nouse is much more present. Also when I try to blend Vibrato with Brilliant, adding and taking off with the volume of the Vibrato, I noticed that the Vibrato channel is making the sounds a bit muddy cutting some high frequency. It seems that the tone is not really effective the Vibrato at all. Is this should be normal.

I tried to go back to the guy but he told me to take my time to try the amp, and in the meantime, he will try to find another model from the same era to do some comparison.
Can I have some second opinion? whats do you think? Do you think this Vibrato channel behave is normal?

PS
Attached some pictures after the servicing

[ChopSauce]

A guy you wrote...

He ... replaced all the tubes with Sovtek.

Did you kept the old ones?

[pielle]

Yes absolutely!!! It was my first request.
He gave me back all the tubes and the old parts replaced (pics attached).

[quote=ChopSauce post_id=414420 time=1594202338 user_id=17108]
Do you think it was a bad decision?

[ChopSauce]

Great amp, by the way...

Do you think it was a bad decision?

Come on man...

-*-You-*- wrote "a" guy...
(not the guy, but I suppose you're like me: struggling with the subtleties of the english language)

... well, has he something to tell about that?

Anyway, my comments were mostly suggested by one thought: if the EF86 is not already microphnoic, it may be well worth keeping it. Cos' the new ones might not support the settings so well.
(dunno, really)

NB : Tube Town seems to have NOS Sed which at least looks much the vintage ones but so far I haven't used it much so I can't tell how it behaves in the long term.

[pielle]

Hi Chop, there is no EF86 on the back. In the preamp section, there are 4x 12AX7 and 1x 12AU7.
I don't get your comment... yes sometimes I struggle with English.

[quote=ChopSauce post_id=414423 time=1594208281 user_id=17108]

Anyway, my comments were mostly suggested by one thought: if the EF86 is not already microphnoic, it may be well worth keeping it. Cos' the new ones might not support the settings so well.
(dunno, really)

[ChopSauce]

... yes sometimes I struggle with English.

Me too ...
(& sorry for the mistake about your amp tubes... )