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Post subject: A free Hot Rod Deville 410......
Posted: Tue Jul 08, 2008 1:27 pm
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Ok, so now that I have your attention! :lol:
Before I get into why I titled the thread this way, let me give a short introduction....

My name is Keith and am 52 years young..... born and raised in New Orleans and still here. I am just getting back into playing guitar after almost 30 years away from it... and by the way, it isn’t like getting back on a bike! Just before high school I had a department store guitar for a while, then bought a 65' Fender Mustang and about the same vintage Fender bassman stack both used.... I used the heck out of that till about 1980 and sold the whole lot. A decision I still regret to this day! :oops: Other hobbies are photography and since I am a HAM radio operator, I love restoring old tube radios and HAM transmitters from the 50’s and earlier.

So, a few months back I bought an Ibanez as73 semi hollow just because I liked the way they look and little Marshall solid state amp, but was always drawn to the sound of tubes... I just changed the pups in the as73 to Gibson burstbucker pro in the neck and Gibson 498t in the bridge... very nice!

So on to the subject.... I now have a Deville 410 I couldn’t pass up. Basically I got it for free for some computer work I did for a guy. I traded him a couple of older windows based servers to be used as web servers that I had doing me no good and sitting in a closet that I had gotten for free a while back…. By trade I am an IT admin for a law firm here in New Orleans.

This 410 is just about mint as they come. I really don’t think it could be more than a couple years old and not a mark on it anywhere. So I think considering the price, I did ok… ya think?? Anyway, when I cranked it up, I noticed a slight crackle while it warmed up. A sound that I’ve heard before doing radio repair of a faulty tube socket. I remember reading solder joints in this thing not being the best, so I turned it off and opened up the back to take a look. Well, where one of the 6L6 sockets solder to the PCB, there was three pins that had hair line cracks to the point of them being loose. (first I had to borrow my wife’s reading glasses to see the cracks… LOL!) :roll:
I inspected the rest of the PCB and everything else looked good with no heat related problems. The cracks look like they were caused from vibration and not cold soldered joints. But who knows….. So, I broke out my adjustable temperature soldering station (a must for doing delicate soldering!) and resoldered all the socket points on all tubes. I fired it back up and the noise was gone. It plays wonderfully for a free amp! :shock:

So the bottom line is, I may keep it for a while and maybe trade it for a tube amp that is more my size. For now, I’m happy with it!

One thing I've found is this thing is LOUD!! I built one of those volume boxes that go from the Pre Amp Out to the Power Amp In from here: http://www.fortunecity.com/marina/newland/2081/id3.htm and works like a charm to turn the volume down while still keeping the tube sound in the house.... 8)


Later,
Keith


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Posted: Tue Jul 08, 2008 1:39 pm
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I'm betting you just solved my problem with my Blues Deville.

Sure wish I lnew how to solder and what to look for.

I have been trading tubes for a couple of weeks now thinking that was my problem.

it pops cracks and when I plug in and get it up to about 3 it howles and screams like a crazed lunatic.

any suggestions ?????

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Post subject:
Posted: Tue Jul 08, 2008 1:45 pm
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blues bondsman wrote:
I'm betting you just solved my problem with my Blues Deville.

Sure wish I lnew how to solder and what to look for.

I have been trading tubes for a couple of weeks now thinking that was my problem.

it pops cracks and when I plug in and get it up to about 3 it howles and screams like a crazed lunatic.

any suggestions ?????


soldering isnt that hard at all.... a little practice is all. I would definitely take the back off and look at the solder joints... from what I've read these amps are somewhat prone to faulty joints with very small cracks that form. Just reheat the joints very lightly and reflow a little solder and it will fix that..... just be very carfull around the filter caps. Even with the unit off, they still have stored high voltage in them.

Keith


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Post subject:
Posted: Tue Jul 08, 2008 3:44 pm
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Thanks for the info.

I did take the back off and cant see any faults in any of the joints, however it seems as if somone prior to my owning the amp has done a bit of modifying, there is a loop of fine wire soldered to a point on the board between v2 and v3, you can tell its not supposed to be that way, there is a broken fine uncovered wire bent back where the original conection would have been.

Lord knows what thats all about ????

any way when the screeching takes place if you thump v2 or v3 it stops for a bit.

sure wish I had an electrician in the family.

anyone know a good tech in Nort west Indiana ?????

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2004 50th Ann. Limited edition AMSE Stratocaster
2017 50's Baja Telecaster BSB

1968 Bandmaster with 2X12 cab C-rex speakers
VHT Special 6 Ultra combo

Visual Sound Route 66
Cmatmods Signa Drive


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Post subject:
Posted: Wed Jul 09, 2008 9:11 pm
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ITS FIXED !!!!!!!!!!!

My buddy an electricla Engineer came by and re soldered the whole board and now she is as quiet as she's ever been.

My tone machine is back !!!!!!

Thanks for you great suggestions, you saved the day

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Keepn' the Blues Alive

2004 50th Ann. Limited edition AMSE Stratocaster
2017 50's Baja Telecaster BSB

1968 Bandmaster with 2X12 cab C-rex speakers
VHT Special 6 Ultra combo

Visual Sound Route 66
Cmatmods Signa Drive


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Post subject:
Posted: Thu Jul 10, 2008 8:43 pm
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blues bondsman wrote:
ITS FIXED !!!!!!!!!!!

My buddy an electricla Engineer came by and re soldered the whole board and now she is as quiet as she's ever been.

My tone machine is back !!!!!!

Thanks for you great suggestions, you saved the day


I'm glad you fixed it! :) Like I said, these amps seem to be somewhat prone to bad/cracked solder joints on the tube sockets. Its an easy fix just to reflow it. Fender made it easy to get to... Hmmmm.... you think they knew something?? :lol:


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Posted: Fri Jul 11, 2008 10:52 am
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Just so glad to have it back in operation!!!!!

its even quieter than ever before, always had a little pop and crackle.

after a week of only haing my Cyber Twin to play, plugging in the the Deville gave me goosebumps, The Ct is great at what it does, the Blues Deville just nails that sweet tone I have allways had in my head.

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Keepn' the Blues Alive

2004 50th Ann. Limited edition AMSE Stratocaster
2017 50's Baja Telecaster BSB

1968 Bandmaster with 2X12 cab C-rex speakers
VHT Special 6 Ultra combo

Visual Sound Route 66
Cmatmods Signa Drive


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Post subject:
Posted: Fri Jul 11, 2008 11:11 am
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I thought about this after I send that first post.... the other thing to check (in the future..) is the tube sockets could also get dirty. every great once in a while, I take the tubes out and spray some contact cleaner on the pins of the tube (I dont spray into the tube socket) and gently work them back in the socket. A dirty socket will also cause pops.....

just as an FYI....

BTW... what tubes do you have in your 410? I have the GT's in mine and wanted to change them to something else....

Thanks!
Keith


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Post subject:
Posted: Fri Jul 11, 2008 12:02 pm
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The 12AX7 tubes are Fender Branded China tubes

the 6L6 power tubes are GT Blue graded for a little faster breakup.

and when they say a little, their not kidding, still gotta go up in the numbers to get much.

I tried GT 12AX7Rs and found them too harsh, The china tubes had a bit softer attack but more warmth.

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Keepn' the Blues Alive

2004 50th Ann. Limited edition AMSE Stratocaster
2017 50's Baja Telecaster BSB

1968 Bandmaster with 2X12 cab C-rex speakers
VHT Special 6 Ultra combo

Visual Sound Route 66
Cmatmods Signa Drive


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Profile
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