It is currently Mon Mar 16, 2020 9:01 am

All times are UTC - 7 hours



Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 14 posts ] 
Author Message
Post subject: Cap jobs
Posted: Mon Feb 11, 2008 6:54 am
Offline
Amateur
Amateur
User avatar

Joined: Thu Aug 09, 2007 6:23 pm
Posts: 191
Searching other places on the internet they say you should recap amps every 15 to 20 years. I have a 30 year old twin and a 25 year old deluxe reverb II. I just had the twin in to be checked over and recapped if needed, the amp tech said the caps were fine, all it needed was a cleaning of the pots and sockets. It has been working great since I got it back very quiet and sounds great. Am I taking a chance by not getting it recapped.
Thank you,
filerj


Top
Profile
Fender Play Winter Sale 2020
Post subject:
Posted: Mon Feb 11, 2008 8:39 am
Offline
Aspiring Musician
Aspiring Musician
User avatar

Joined: Wed Jun 20, 2007 11:31 am
Posts: 940
Yes. IMO, you not only need new caps, you need a new tech. 30-year-old electrolytics are not performing at spec even if the amp hasn't been used.


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Mon Feb 11, 2008 12:22 pm
Offline
Amateur
Amateur
User avatar

Joined: Tue Dec 25, 2007 1:15 am
Posts: 103
Location: St. Augustine, FL
If I were you I would not turn on either amp until all electrlytics are replaced. My '79 Twin has 7 caps in the dog house and 6 on the chassis board and I replaced them all when I bought it last year. When the chemicals inside the caps age they turn into a hard paste and don't function as intended. Some blow up causing major amp damage. My guess is that's why Fender puts the most dangerous ones in a dog house. Small caps sound like large firecrackers when they go off, I'd hate to be around when a large one blows.

_________________
The 5er Driver

Now Annoying In
((((((Stereo))))))

Plug that beotch in an' let her rip! >>>>> Crank it and Spank it!


Top
Profile
Post subject: Don't touch it!
Posted: Mon Feb 11, 2008 2:01 pm
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist

Joined: Sun Jan 13, 2008 10:20 pm
Posts: 22
Have to disagree with the feedback so far. I have owned tons of very old vintage amps and I only touch electronics IF they start acting up. If it sounds good leave well enough alone. If you do need to replace an old cap do your best to find the original part to replace it with. It will reduce the worth of your amp to do otherwise. If it ain't broke don't fix it!


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Don't touch it!
Posted: Mon Feb 11, 2008 6:01 pm
Offline
Aspiring Musician
Aspiring Musician
User avatar

Joined: Wed Jun 20, 2007 11:31 am
Posts: 940
blondeguitarman wrote:
Have to disagree with the feedback so far. I have owned tons of very old vintage amps and I only touch electronics IF they start acting up. If it sounds good leave well enough alone. If you do need to replace an old cap do your best to find the original part to replace it with. It will reduce the worth of your amp to do otherwise. If it ain't broke don't fix it!


Disagree all you like, but please don't tell people it's good idea to run a 30-year-old amp with the original caps, because that's a lousy idea no matter what you "believe."

Nobody wants or expects original electrolytics in a vintage amp, your lucky experience with tons of them notwithstanding.

Also, as 5er Driver and I have both pointed out, those vintage caps have gone out of spec just sitting in a drawer, so seeking out oringal parts is probably a bad idea... only a sucker would pay extra for parts that don't work as well as new replacements.

The thing is, it's not the parts that made those vintage amps sound so great: it's the circuit design. You can build one from a kit that will sound just as good a a 50s or 60s Fender. No magic in the caps or transformers... it's in the circuit.


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Tue Feb 12, 2008 7:11 am
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician
User avatar

Joined: Mon Jan 28, 2008 5:53 am
Posts: 1686
Location: Brooklyn NY
I hate to ask a dumb question but it`s been a long time since I turned my vintage amp on. I have a Princeton from `63, I never heard about replacing caps and don`t even know what they are. I`m about to have the plug changed from 2 to 3 prong, is the amp still at risk if the caps are left alone ? I`m getting a small shock through the on and off toggle switch, is this related to the caps also or just the plug ?...thanks for any help


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Tue Feb 12, 2008 7:31 am
Offline
Aspiring Musician
Aspiring Musician
User avatar

Joined: Wed Jun 20, 2007 11:31 am
Posts: 940
JPD wrote:
I hate to ask a dumb question but it`s been a long time since I turned my vintage amp on. I have a Princeton from `63, I never heard about replacing caps and don`t even know what they are. I`m about to have the plug changed from 2 to 3 prong, is the amp still at risk if the caps are left alone ? I`m getting a small shock through the on and off toggle switch, is this related to the caps also or just the plug ?...thanks for any help



The shock through the switch is probbaly due to the lack of grounding, which the new cord should fix. But have the tech replace the electrolytics (if it's never been done) while he's doing the conversion.... the amp will last longer and sound better.


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Tue Feb 12, 2008 7:49 am
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician
User avatar

Joined: Mon Jan 28, 2008 5:53 am
Posts: 1686
Location: Brooklyn NY
Gravity Jim...thank you very much for the reply. I`ll have it looked at, the caps were never changed.


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Cap jobs
Posted: Tue Feb 12, 2008 9:11 am
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist

Joined: Sun Jan 13, 2008 10:20 pm
Posts: 22
filerj wrote:
Searching other places on the internet they say you should recap amps every 15 to 20 years. I have a 30 year old twin and a 25 year old deluxe reverb II. I just had the twin in to be checked over and recapped if needed, the amp tech said the caps were fine, all it needed was a cleaning of the pots and sockets. It has been working great since I got it back very quiet and sounds great. Am I taking a chance by not getting it recapped.
Thank you,
filerj


Pay no attention to Gravity Jim and 5er Driver. Let them carve up their vintage amps and replace caps and trannies all they want. Listen to your tech. He's right. Your amp is not going to explode and you will not die if you leave the electronics as Leo Fender made them. Leave your vintage amp vintage. As you said "it's been working great since you got it back" there's your proof. Stop worrying and keep on rocking!


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Tue Feb 12, 2008 9:55 am
Offline
Amateur
Amateur
User avatar

Joined: Tue Dec 25, 2007 1:15 am
Posts: 103
Location: St. Augustine, FL
Yeah - Keep on rocking, but safely. Trannies don't need replacement until they're blown. Blown caps produce blown amp parts. Kinda like automobile tires, you want to change them before they blow. The older they get , the more likely they'll blow.

_________________
The 5er Driver

Now Annoying In
((((((Stereo))))))

Plug that beotch in an' let her rip! >>>>> Crank it and Spank it!


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Fri Feb 15, 2008 9:15 pm
Offline
Amateur
Amateur
User avatar

Joined: Mon Nov 19, 2007 9:47 am
Posts: 116
---


Last edited by tinker tech on Wed Jul 29, 2009 10:15 am, edited 1 time in total.

Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Tue Apr 15, 2008 7:09 pm
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist

Joined: Thu Jul 05, 2007 9:13 am
Posts: 4
I'm gearing up for a recap of my '61 Bandmaster piggyback (6G7-A) but I'm having trouble identifying the correct modern equivalents for the existing (original?) caps. I'm going with Sprague Atoms and these (http://thetubestore.com/ca-at-20uf-500v.html) appear to be the proper replacement for the filter caps, but what about the other electrolytics in the circuit? Has anyone recapped a 6G7-A, any suggestions?

Thanks,
Steve

see the amp at: http://www.geocities.com/singlespeed@sbcglobal.net/bandmaster.html


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Wed Apr 16, 2008 12:54 pm
Offline
Rock Star
Rock Star
User avatar

Joined: Tue Aug 07, 2007 2:19 pm
Posts: 8827
It's cheaper to replace caps than all the other hardware they can take with them when they fail.


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Mon Apr 21, 2008 3:14 pm
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician
User avatar

Joined: Tue Jul 17, 2007 3:08 pm
Posts: 2889
I know its not a Fender but it fits this thread at least a bit.

I just picked up a 1960's Kalamazoo at a local auction (cheap) and all it did was hum loudly when I turned it on, my local amp tech said it need caps/filters and that it would be a cheap and easy fix.

I also have an original 1993 Blues Deville 4x10 that probably has the original caps, Should I consider a cap job on it also ????

Man I wish I had the technical knowledge to do the job myself !!!!!
why didnt I study in electronics class 25 years ago ???


Top
Profile
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 14 posts ] 

All times are UTC - 7 hours

Fender Play Winter Sale 2020

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 2 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum

Search for:
Jump to: