Amplifier Conversions / rebuild
Want the sound, feel and dynamics of an original but find your reissue lacking? Solution: replace the circuit in your reissue. All the cheap stuff stripped out, all new everything: US-built transformers, added a rectifier tube in this one, new board, all-new jacks, pots and switches, all hand-wired with top-quality caps, resistors and components. A great time to add features like selectable NFB, improved Mid control, post-PI high frequency cut control, improved speakers, better reverb tank, more.
Contact me for details and let's begin the discussion!
Mid-'90's CVR amplifier, chassis completely stripped out and all new high quality components hand wired to original AB763 circuit with reverb and bias vary tremolo. Added the rectifier tube socket, external bias test ports, 3-position NFB selector and post-PI high frequency cut control for added flexibility The difference in tone, reduced noise, dynamics and low-end is huge!
The CVR with no NFB, no rectifier tube and PCB components sounded nothing like the original.
Getting the voltages closer to original-design specs, using 6L6GC's with a GZ34 rectifier, improving the grounding, ditching the PCB and installing a new hand-wired board and using high-end components (capacitors, jacks, pots and resistors) brings the amplifier much closer to the original, highly desirable design.
Kept the mint cabinet and upgraded the speakers.
Amp Conversions
Early '90's reissue, chassis completely stripped out and all new high quality components hand wired to original 5F6a specifications, best currently-available US-made replica transformers, original-schematic voltages running 5881's or 6L6GC's.
The difference in tone, dynamics and volume is huge!
The reissue, running significantly higher voltages than the original, produces a lot of volume to get to the sweet spot and overall anemic tone.
Getting voltages down to original-design specs, using 5881's with a GZ34 rectifier, improving the grounding, ditching the PCB and installing a new hand-wired board and using high-end components (capacitors, jacks, pots and resistors) brings the amp much closer to the original, highly desirable design.
Kept this road worn cabinet and upgraded the speakers. Incredible tone and dynamics, the grandfather of many amps to follow..
Traditional 5F6a circuit, GZ34 rectifier at +/- 432 V, 5881's or 6L6GC's, 12AY7 up front and 12AX7's. Adjustable fixed bias with external bias test ports. With optional 2-4-8 ohm selector switch, optional 3-way NFB selector and optional boost switch (bypass cap for V2A). Traditional brass plate, all CTS pots, Switchcraft jacks and Carling switches. Soft-fail diodes on the rectifier socket, 1st stage filter caps on hot side of standby switch for better startup, dead quiet at idle.
Four Kendrick Blackframe speakers.
Original chassis and cabinet but everything else is new. Upgraded power and output transformers, gently upsized filter caps, will run current-production tubes but loves NOS.
Contact me for details about how we can bring your reissue to life.