How to Repair Fender Deluxe reverb tube guitar amp smoked filter caps

Just finished a repair for a cool guy from Chicago. This amp is a 1972 silver face. No signs of past maintenance. It has been in my shop for about 1 month. Have been working on it here and there between other projects. Finally complete. Wow! what a quiet smooth machine. No issues with noise, snaps, hiss, buzz, etc. Next step, is have the owner play a demo for you. At the end of this video, I happened to be invaded by a SKYPE call. Took me by surprise! Turned out to be my son & daughters playing DnD. I watched for w few hours while puttering around in the shop. I will be posting the link for the Master volume mod soon. Hope you enjoy! Here is the link for the Customer pick-up: • Vintage Fender Deluxe ... Here is the link to a simple Master volume install for Fender amps. • How to install Master ...
The amp repair turned out super. Sounds bold/clean/quiet.

[@sski]

HA-HA! Love the ending of this video. Feels like home. Nice job on the Fender. I'm looking forward to the play test.

[@n8nkqrp595]

So Terry.. was listening to an old goat on 80 last night near 3.675. He was an OLD goat, mind you.. not like us.. and he said, and I quote "I've got 'em all. Do mostly AM these days. Static made me hit the little button and go LSB on 80 till things settle down. And I'll tell 'ya... the new 7300 sounds better than 'em all. I mean on YOUR end. Best audio of 'em all. Better than any Johnson and way better than a Collins". He didn't even sound drunk. What gives, Mr. D-Lab? I figure you'd know. 73 OM

[@juansimon5802]

So bitchin. No pcb or silicon, just good ol hand wired through hole components. I love it

[@preiter20]

D-Lab living dangerously! I think you should sell a D-Lab wine (Michigan wine of course) and call it "Cap Juice". Great work Terry, as usual.

[@d-labelectronics]

Thanks Paul we had fun putting this one together

[@johntmcguirejr8526]

Lol how many bottles of CAP JUICE did it take to put this one together.

[@dwightjt]

You guys are funny Marsha cat calling In the back ground.

[@8xlaxx]

Terry- You make repairs look so easy. Keep up the videos. More Ham gear!

[@danielsanchez82]

I enjoy all your videos as always. I learn and laugh a lot. Keep it going! thank you Terry!

[@pneumatic00]

Excellent Deluxe-Reverb hose-down Terry. Last thing is to cut out the two 1200 pf ceramic caps from grids to ground on the 6V6 outputs. Now you have an AB763 Deluxe Reverb and you be stylin'. And once again; if you have hiss, replacing the carbon comp 100K plate resistors with metal films will achieve magical results. You might not have noticeable hiss since the existing 100K plates R's are 1-watt so they will be less cooked than your usual 1/2 watts. Still. I don't care how low the noise floor is...you WILL hear a difference going to MF 2 or 3 watt R's for those 100Ks. Take the $3 challenge!

[@ferraridinoman]

Young Terry The Man! Nice to see he always has that red wine under control! (Good man!)

[@tracyc7813]

The Deluxe Reverb is my favorite amp of all. :)

[@petedazer3381]

As a long time player (and amp tech) I can tell you a master volume in the rear of the amp is a bad idea. This is one amp I would never add one to, it’s a beautiful blues and soul, funk or jazz amp just how it’s designed but to each their own. Nice video as always

[@DeadKoby]

In general, I don't like to mess with original circuits... However, since it's a reversible mod, I'm not too upset.

[@elwrongo]

Customer requested it. It's reversible.

[@amoruzz]

Is that Sharon Osbourne talking at you in the background? Have her start calling you "Ozzy" in a British accent, just for fun. Fun video, thanks.

[@rayhogan4174]

Glad to see you using a signal generator and a scope.

[@justinpaquette224]

I actually really love having my AC plug on the back. I use it to power my pedal board, so I end up just needing 1 outlet to power my whole rig, which can really save your ass at a gig

[@Bigjoedo66]

Another great video Terry!!

[@lroy730]

I dig that Tek T032 Scope ! That model was in the 1985 movie Real Genius staring Val Kilmer. Great advice, always change the Bias Cap. I try to go higher voltage bias caps if it can fit.

[@fostexfan160]

Another brilliant video. Well done Terry. Very professional job

[@marekgitarzysta5193]

I love your videos! I learned a lot from them and they are pure joy to watch ;)

[@yomommaahotoo264]

That master volume is dope!

[@a.h.9663]

Always entertaining!

[@stephanebureau5299]

Terry for president ! We don't learn a lot with Donald.

[@Tonetwisters]

I just opted for a repair on my linear '77 Deluxe Reverb, which included a correct output transformer, not that beast of a thing. New preamp tubes and a bunch more, and $700 later, I have an incredible sounding DR!!

[@renegade44040]

A spring retainer for Marsha 🤣

[@SwanseaTitanFan]

Yet another great video Terry,.

[@d-labelectronics]

Thank you my friend

[@jeffbrooks7246]

Love you folk! Great advise too.

[@haroldsparkman6008]

Another good one Terry. I need some red wine then maybe I will be brave enough to try some repairs!

[@daleburrell6273]

...well, there was a first time for EVERYBODY!!!

[@russellesimonetta3835]

That,s a nice amp!!

[@dannyclifford7874]

Quality Job

[@bcarr3116]

You guys Rock!

[@williamthrasher8540]

that amp sounded very good on the scope

[@elwrongo]

Silverface Deluxe Reverb with Catcalls, awesome!!! 😂

[@walzyie]

Hey Terry. Great video as always. Do you have a preferred way to wire the 3 prong cable and bypass the ground switch? Looking to do this for my 1964 Vibroverb

[@johnsimoes2172]

Ahh the joys of marrage I know it well Im with you buddy nice job

[@dwightbehm2886]

The 5U4 has a 5volt 3amp filament. Question. Would it be safe to replace it with a 5AR4 GZ34? And if the high voltages go a bit higher can you just change HV power node resisters to a little higher values to compensate. Being the GZ34 is more efficient & has a lower current draw for the filament. It would be easier on the power transformer. Filament voltage Supply.

[@Nirky]

Marsha is a hoot!

[@d-labelectronics]

Yep, she was letting me have it!

[@estebannieves8830]

Pardon my ignorance with this question, but did you discharge the caps before working on them? I don’t think I saw you discharge them in the video. Did I miss it or did you just not need to do it in this amp? Thank you for all the content you put out. I’m trying to learn all I can about tube amps and your videos have been super helpful for me.

[@DustInTheWindAZ]

I see it's been a year since I last saw and commented on this video. I still would like to know where I can find the grounded accessory receptacle. ANYWAYS... This time around I caught something I missed before - it seems you didn't need to move the fuse holder. since you had to rotate the master volume pots for clearance, it looks that if you put that pot in the old ground switch hole, you could have rotated it the other way where the solder points would have been in virtually the same place (except inverted, of course). Any issues with doing it that way? Seems to be an either/or situation...

[@RobertKohut]

Nice!!

[@gingercat777]

I'd use a OD pedal before a master volume set up any day.

[@Turboy65]

Actually, those blue Paktron capacitors are very good. It's the dirty brick brown caps that suck. I've put Paktrons into Fenders to improve the tone.

[@VIDS2013]

They sound really good. And rarely go bad.

[@Cavemannspace]

You need one of our new hats to go with that shirt! Come over and visit us sometime. Nice video. Enjoying the videos!

[@audiotechlabs4650]

Great Terry! Your wife and you are fantastic! You guys sound like my wife and me! Love the channel. Hey, I noticed that some of the wiring is wrapped with purple colored wire to make it a bundle. Is that purple wire being used as a coil in circuit or is it just a way to secure the wire? In your master volume video the same purple wire is being used. I could not find a reference to a coil in the schematic for either the Deluxe or the Bassman. Great videos! Thanxz

[@daveogarf]

COOL! The output tube is 'wearing suspenders'. :-D

[@jfkesq]

Why add master volume? Does it allow you to drive the amp at lower volume, like a pre-amp pot?

[@jesuscardben5140]

Hi Mr,in which part of circuit its put the oscilloscope probe for meassure that wave sine? Thanks

[@abelincoln95]

Terry- I just had an interesting exchange with 'Mr. Carlson's Lab". He was working on an old radio with a speaker on the side. he highly suggested to cover the speaker to keep from poking it with a finger or a tool. BUT, he didn't cover the speaker. He didn't cover the speaker because "he has worked on hundreds of radios". Question is - "Wouldn't you take your own advice if you thought it was important enough to include it in your narrative"??? Couldn't even a seasoned technician make a mistake & puncture a vintage speaker during a repair??? I don't expect you to throw Mr. C under the bus, but I didn't get not taking precautions you highlight yourself....

[@ronnielawson8276]

Smokin filter caps is bad for your health terry

[@drock55551]

I'm pretty sure this just happened to my '74 twin reverb. There was a loud pop, then a puff of smoke. Amp still works though.

[@DustInTheWindAZ]

As I was watching this video, I noticed that this amp started out with a 3-prong grounded accessory receptacle (before you replaced it with the banana-plug bias test points. I have been looking for such a grounded receptacle (or two) for when I upgrade my power cord on my Silverface Pro Reverb and Bandmaster Reverb amps (that I've had since the 70s). Where can I find such a receptacle?

[@Turboy65]

The power tubes are mismatched. That alone can cause a fair amount of hum. ALWAYS replace power tubes in pairs.

[@randymoyer5351]

I say that was a good video,.. hows the skype working out Is it easy to use?

[@ablacon64]

So that extra volume control is acting like an attenuator?

[@daleburrell6273]

5:20...YOU'RE RUNNING A REAL CLIP JOINT!!!

[@langhilau]

Terry you and Marsha sound like the battling Bichersons, LOL

[@mrGoesto11]

Lol, nothing goes together like a bottle of wine & high voltage. Why didn't you leave the fuse in the original space and just put the rca jacks in the old ground switch hole? That way you would have only had one space misnamed. Other question is when you were measuring the negative bias, you stated values in mA but your dmm was set on mV. Did I miss something?

[@Tonetwisters]

Best way to fix a hum in an amp, is to teach it the words! heh-heh!

[@strangequark420]

I'm a novice, so forgive me. But why would you replace a 16uf cap with a 22uf cap? Wouldn't that cause some sonic change? Is it possible to get new caps with the same specs as original?

[@srtamplification]

What was the reason for not leaving the fuse holder where it was and just putting the MV pot in the ground switch spot?

[@d-labelectronics]

Yes, to position the Master volume pot as close to the output tubes as possible

[@srtamplification]

@@d-labelectronics I understand that, but had it gone in the ground switch spot and the terminals turned to the other side, it would have been virtually the same distance and after you took the AC receptacle out, you wouldn't have had the power from switch to fuse crossing back over or under it.

[@apollorobb]

And yes he said Jobber !!

[@d-labelectronics]

Yep, just slips out!

[@GTEK-LAB-TECHNOLOGIES]

👍🏻

[@Brandon-youtube]

bet money someone says "dont you mean millivolts!" regarding the bias check. To proactively answer the question: he has a 1 ohm resistor which simplifies Ohms law to voltage = current (non technically speaking)

[@cbmikey]

And I would have been "That Guy" had you not posted this!

[@Brandon-youtube]

@@cbmikey glad i could help out

[@dennispeake1877]

Terry, Remember the happy wife so you can have a happy life. LOL, you're given her a hard time mate!

[@daleburrell6273]

...he's only "fighting fire with fire"!!!

[@leejamestheliar2085]

I have some laney ti100 and vox ac30 amps that I bought new, I don't play anymore so they are just sitting. Is that a problem? Thx. Purchased in 2012 or 13 ,no real use. Keeping as....memories of.. Lee's museum of rock... X navy et and a old guy.. Will the caps survive? Good temperature and 50% or lower humidity.

[@MuscleDad420]

Power them on and out of standby every few months to re-form the electrolytics and keep them from drying out. They don't have to be on for long. Worst thing a tube amp can experience is lack of use.

[@leejamestheliar2085]

@@MuscleDad420 thanks, I seem to remember something like that now that you mentioned. I better get busy!

[@peterjmcgee4680]

You need moisture in the background more often it's like having Burns and Allen on television all over again comedy duet

[@johntmcguirejr8526]

LMAO

[@EngineeringVignettes]

Nice repair. Have you considered putting a tone control on Marsha? Cheers,

[@tiki_trash]

And a master volume while he's at it!

[@jackneff179]

Marsha is a hoot...lol

[@jeffmitchell9214]

Cool vid except it really fell apart at the end.

[@ricklittleton7677]

You said 30mA but your meter is set on DC volts and your prob is in Volts?

[@d-labelectronics]

Yes, the shunt converts ma to mv direct

[@ricklittleton7677]

D-lab Electronics thank you for clarification. Awesome job btw.

[@terencekaye9948]

LOL,, Good one Ter,, LOL

[@roberthurless4615]

It sounds like you will be sleeping on the couch tonight. Lol

[@d-labelectronics]

Just having fun, alls well here at D-Lab

[@roberthurless4615]

I know you were.

[@fmercer54]

Sleeping on the couch? Well you get some sleep between you. It seperates the snorers. Nice one Terry baby !!

[@buildstoys]

.

[@bobbarcus8310]

Oh no wonder you drink

[@blackdotpatrick]

Not so interested in the family drama.

[@kayciecarryl3366]

Have you ever thought of tuning a guitar to a chord so even you could could play guitar.

[@histopixelfilms6778]

No Knob cleaning on the video's please.........

[@Turboy65]

And another previously unmolested Fender Deluxe gets unnecessary modifications, thus destroying its originality forever. What a shame. All for bias check points that are only a convenience and not necessary, and adding a master volume pot that is totally unnecessary. Totally not loving this hack work.

[@weschilton]

Did it occur to you that the owner might have ASKED for these mods? Who are you to pass judgement anyway, its not your amp.

[@JoaquinMercado1]

I am the owner! The amp is better than it was originally. I wanted to be able to get the amp to break up without blowing anyone’s ears off. Thanks to people like EVH , we are all better off because of modifications!