D-Lite Rebuild....

[glasman]

I got a D-Lite 22 in for installation of the Iron Sounds Loop. Opened the amp and it scared the hell out of me (no offense meant to the original builder). The customer let me rewire the amp. While it was here I added relay switching for OD and Boost.

I added a voltage doubler to drive the relays (the tranny had an unused 5V tap).

Thought I would share the before and after....

Gary

[10thTx]

I mean this question respectfully with a genuine curiousity .........

Does it sound "better" tonally after the rewire? Or even sound different? Can the owner hear a difference tonally?

Or is the primary benefit a greatly improved layout and wiring.
Which is a excellent reason for the rewire.

With respect, Tubenit

[ChrisM]

Looks good!

Tbh the original was bad but Ive come across way worse. Were the heaters real bad? I see they are removed in the first pic.

[glasman]

I mean this question respectfully with a genuine curiousity .........

Does it sound "better" tonally after the rewire? Or even sound different? Can the owner hear a difference tonally?

Or is the primary benefit a greatly improved layout and wiring.
Which is a excellent reason for the rewire.

With respect, Tubenit

A lot reasons.

1. A lot of the wiring in the power supply area was unsafe.
2. Wiring between stages not separated
3. None of the pots were grounded to the chassis.
4. Tape instead of heat shrink on the cables
5. Preamp and Overdrive stages grounded to the buss bar instead of the star point.
6. Lastly, the amp can now be easily serviced.

Yes it sounds better, more dumbly, less hum etc etc.

For me it is also a pride thing. I WOULD NOT have worked on the amp and let it go out looking like that, it was not a statement of my workmanship. Anyway, would you have wanted to try adding an effects loop and relay switching to that layout?

[glasman]

Looks good!

Tbh the original was bad but Ive come across way worse. Were the heaters real bad? I see they are removed in the first pic.

The heaters were interesting.. Two pieces of 14 gauge house wiring separated about 1" with 2" wires dropping down to the tube sockets. They had to go at a minimum to make space for the Loop board.

Gary

[10thTx]

You've listed a bunch of great reasons to it, including personal professionalism and pride.

Thanks for the tone review. Less hum and more Dumbly would definitely make it worthwhile.

I appreciate the response!

With respect, 10thtx

[dcribbs1412]

Thanks Gary
I've now got to revisit my 1st build(D'lite)
and check out the wiring, and grounding
Hopefully I've learned from you and others here to
do it safer/better and tone-fully...



Darin

[glasman]

Thanks Gary
I've now got to revisit my 1st build(D'lite)
and check out the wiring, and grounding
Hopefully I've learned from you and others here to
do it safer/better and tone-fully...



Darin

Stop by anytime if you have any questions. I am out in the east valley.

Gary

[dcribbs1412]

Much appreciated Gary

Darin

[grtamp]

Good job ,but I would replaced those IC capacitors !

[M Fowler]

There is nothing wrong with using IC caps.

Mark

[glasman]

You've listed a bunch of great reasons to it, including personal professionalism and pride.

Thanks for the tone review. Less hum and more Dumbly would definitely make it worthwhile.

I appreciate the response!

With respect, 10thtx

I had my son (Travis) play the amp last night and he was amazed at the difference in the amp. He had played it before I tore the amp apart. His comments on the initial amp were thin and lifeless. After fatter and as he describes it "more push".

The one thing he could hear was the .05uf mid cap and 100K mid control. He is a straight up .01uf 250K skyliner type of player and noticed immediately the difference.

[glasman]

There is nothing wrong with using IC caps.

Mark

I agree, I know a lot of pro builders and repair people that swear by the IC caps. I recapped my 66' Super Reverb with IC's and it sounds great.

Gary

[glasman]

Thanks Gary
I've now got to revisit my 1st build(D'lite)
and check out the wiring, and grounding
Hopefully I've learned from you and others here to
do it safer/better and tone-fully...



Darin

The one thing I would do, if not already done is to move a few of the supply grounds.

1. Move the ground for the Clean, Overdrive and PI to the star point at front right corner near the input jack.
2. Move the board grounds from the buss rail to the front star point.
3. Move the HV Cap ground to a point near the power input jack
4. Move the screen cap ground near the first power tube (I used the ground for the Bias tail resistor.
5. Rework the PI ground and move it from the buss bar to the ground connection on the speaker jacks. I drilled two hole in the board and installed two ne eyelets to mount the 390 and the 1uf presence cap.

They all add up in the end.

[renshen1957]

There is nothing wrong with using IC caps.

Mark

Hi Mark,

Not to re-open a can of worms old topic or hi jack a thread; I know some amplifier companies that haven't had the best of luck with IC E-caps and do not trust them. One company's principal has published this in his books on tube amps. Some individuals observations: the same can be said for F&T and Atoms, search posts in ampgarage. It only takes one bad experience or embarrassment under warranty/repair to form an opinion. If this occurred more than once, it will permanently poison your attitude toward a product.

Fender uses IC E-caps, which would be reason enough for me to avoid them like the plague, every component in Fender's PCB tube amps that I have encountered has been the cheapest and lowest quality available that I have ever encountered. I seriously doubt that these componests are made in the US. Other than the E caps and the PT and OT (hard to disguise the country of origin on the largest components) who could tell otherwise on the generic consumer grade resistors, diodes, etc. as to the parts being made in the US (at least 75% to qualify). Better quality components would cost from pennies to a dime more at mfg quantities instead of fractions of a cent parts Fender uses and wouldn't be so inclined to go up in smoke.

The MBAs (Master Bean counting Asses) at Fender would have conniption fits if cost cutting (corner cutting) didn't drive the design. This fact has pervaded the company's entire line of products, from MIM guitars, MIA guitars, and custom shop products.

I for one would rather pay (or recommend a friend for purchase) $20 to $50 more for an amp (based on cost times 4 for the increased parts price ). Fender could have lesss endorsee or one or two less self-aggrandizing advertisment or paid magazine article to cover the cost.

In fairness to IC E-Caps, I have never had to replace an IC E-cap in my own amps (because I don't use them) or in a repairs, including Fender PCB amps (usually something else fizzles or burns first and takes out a PT's heater winding).

Frankly, I don't see how IC can support a price for a US made axial cap in a market that is primarily driven by computer monitors (radial caps). Where is there sufficient demand to produce these caps in quantity? Not in the Guitar market, Hi-Fi Tube amps, or DIY builders, the market is too small.

End of rant.

Best Regards,

Steve

PS IC film Polyprop caps are of excellent quality.

I don't use Polyprops film caps as to my ear they sound harsh.

PPS Don't get me started on Bugera tubes or amps.