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Post subject: Need Advice: Old Airline/Valco Amp
Posted: Fri Jun 29, 2012 2:13 pm
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About 6 months ago, I found a 1966 Airline (Montgomery Ward) 62-9032 amp at the Goodwill for $5.99. It is just a small 5 Watt amp with a simple circuit; similar to a late 50s/early 60s Fender Champ (6V6-5Y3-12AX7). I have finally gotten around to fixing-it-up.

My father owned a TV/Radio sales/repair shop when I was growing-up (1960s). I worked in the store when I was still in elementary school, so I have some experience with electronic gear from that time period. However, it has been a long time, and I would appreciate advice from any electronics wizards on these boards.

I found a schematic for a Gretsch 6150 Compact (mid 1950s-1968). The circuit seems to be exactly the same as my Airline except that my Airline has a tone control/circuit and the Gretsch 6150 doesn't. I suspect my airline has the same circuit as the Gretsch 6151 Electromatic Standard (mid 1950s), but I can't find that schematic online (only the 6151 Compact Tremolo). All these amps were probably made by Valco.

I will add a three-prong cord.

My question concerns the filter capacitors. This amp has one of those capacitor cans. The values on the can are 10-450, 10-450, 20-450. This circuit was designed for 117 volt household current. The wall voltage in my place is running about 122 volts. Not a big difference. I might need to replace the caps with higher values due to availability issues. How high would you go (volts-mfd.)?

The capacitor in the tone circuit is .05mfd/400 volts. What would you recommend as a replacement?

I know this isn't brain surgery, but I like to be careful. I really like these little, 5-watt, tube amps since I just play at living room volumes.

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http://www.notecannons.com/schematics/v ... 0_767w.jpg

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Post subject: Re: Need Advice: Old Airline/Valco Amp
Posted: Sat Jun 30, 2012 1:41 am
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Yeah Jaurr, I put a 20, 20,20 525vdc cap can in my '55. Of course it didn't fit the ft slot, so adjustments were necessary. I went with .02 pio tone caps, but my guy runs two 6SN7's in the pre amp. Also drilled dedicated ground connections for the AC and power tube situation. Actually, installed new terminal strips and rewired(rebuilt) the whole amp. Was able to retain the OEM X-formers. Play this amp every day!!! These guys are gems! Art

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Post subject: Re: Need Advice: Old Airline/Valco Amp
Posted: Sat Jun 30, 2012 2:44 am
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Thanks, Art. That is good information.


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Post subject: Re: Need Advice: Old Airline/Valco Amp
Posted: Sat Jun 30, 2012 3:47 am
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Jaurr, I'm pretty much of a down stream ground guy. So ground locations are important to me.Seems like you've got the AC in hand. Keep in touch! Art

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Post subject: Re: Need Advice: Old Airline/Valco Amp
Posted: Tue Jul 03, 2012 9:29 pm
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Jaurr, My bad!!! Just checked the scandal sheet. I did use (4). 05uf 600V, PIO caps in the tone zone. (2) 50uf/50V, (1)40uf/50V, (1)10uf/500V caps. 330ohm2watt(cathode) & 7.5Kohm2watt metal oxide resistors. The rest of the resistors were 1 & 1/2watt cabon comp. Kept the guy stock! Hope I didn't goof you up! Art

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Post subject: Re: Need Advice: Old Airline/Valco Amp
Posted: Wed Jul 25, 2012 5:34 pm
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My favorite old amp is a 62-9035 Airline I bought in the late 60's, (used). I rediscovered it a few years back, and got it running again, (a few caps, resistors, and a new output tube). (The circuit is similar to the Gretch/Valco 6152). I checked the cap can with my meter, and reused it. Sounded so good, I recovered it, and installed one of Ted's speakers. One thing I did was chase down a hum that it always had, it was just a matter of slightly moving a couple of wires apart. It's dead quiet now!
http://images.lilypix.com/displayimage. ... 2616&pos=1


Last edited by Bill Moore on Thu Jul 26, 2012 5:39 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Post subject: Re: Need Advice: Old Airline/Valco Amp
Posted: Wed Jul 25, 2012 6:01 pm
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One thing that helps these single-ended amps is to lift one of the heater legs off ground (chassis) and run two twisted pairs to each tube. Most of the SE amps of this era (including the Champ and VC) used a single wire to each heater pin and the other grounded to the chassis.

You may need to play with the heater connections to the pilot lamp, if that is how the lamp is powered.

Photo is of a BF VC with twisted pair of heater lines:

Image

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Post subject: Re: Need Advice: Old Airline/Valco Amp
Posted: Wed Jul 25, 2012 8:25 pm
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Very cool, Bill. My '55 is also dead quiet(but I went through six NOS 6SN7's). Beemer, your point is well taken! Pilot light? My guy didn't even have a fuse. Now, at least it has the 3-prong and a fuse, after the rebuild!!! Bill, I'm actually using two Weber 10" Alnico 8ohm speakers, pine amp cab and ext cab(no tolex). Art

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