Recapping Vintage Guitar Amps - When is "Killing the Mojo" OK? (1959 Epiphone Century EA-25T)

[@TheGuitologist]

Someone asked what kind of shielding tape I used. The stuff I used was HFT branded from Habor Frieght, but this stuff or the 3M stuff should all do just as well. 3M will be most expensive. If you don't have shielding on the back door of your amps, they NEED it! amzn.to/2wBKPmM

[@TheGuitologist]

BONUS! This stuff also makes great liner for your favorite hats. ;)

[@5argetech56]

I use regular Heavy duty foil........... I use a glue stick to stick it on the wood... works fantastic!

[@TheGuitologist]

Just make sure if you glue in foil that you use a very good adhesive that wont deteriorate under heat. You don't want it coming loose and shorting anything.

[@haasjeover123]

Also staple it ;) staples trouh the overlaps also ensure better contact.

[@DeepPastry]

I decided to just go with the Amazon brand, Tapes Master, with conductive adhesive. It's cheap and way less questionable then other Chinesium offerings.

[@marcusheawood8560]

I simply cannot believe the idiocy I'm reading here, this amp was built down to a price and made to be played, what Brad has done is put it back to factory fresh using modern more durable components. Leaky caps don't add tone, they make noise. You try and go buy a 1959 Corvette still on its original tyres or original brake linings, some components are consumables and have to be replaced periodically because they age badly. Remember that when you hear classic recordings from the 50's and 60's, the equipment being used was brand new and factory fresh, it wasn't vintage gear back then. The pickups were fresh and their magnets strong, the tubes new, the caps and resistors in spec. and the speakers crisp and clean. For every 'Holy Grail' '59 Les Paul that was made there are a thousand tons of junk guitars that didn't make it through time to us, the reason that LP got here is that it was as well made as a skilled luthier could manage, using the best woods he could select, and even then there were plenty that didn't make it. Time weeds out the weak. These guitars and amps were made well enough to have survived, that's why they're deservedly famous and also why modern mass-produced gear will not survive, especially digital stuff. This vintage tone obsession is retarded, stuff that is in tip-top condition sounds better than old, clapped out crap. I betcha if Brad made a clone of this amp from all the best quality brand new components using that exact same Epiphone circuit diagram it would sound even better than this nice old one does.

[@satchmodog2]

It's the same argument these dipshits make with vintage pickups. Vintage pickups sound like thin assed shit and anyone who has really heard them and wants that sound for anything other than 50s twang music and country is a fool. I swear to all that's holy and unholy, guitarists are the biggest pack of lemmings.

[@yqwgjsg]

You are totally correct. If you were going to put something in a museum so people could look at it and observe how things were built way back then, then yes, it should stay original. However if you are going to play the damned thing, like you said, it’s like not replacing tires and shocks on a 1950’s car. Still pretty but drives like shit. So many damned experts on KZbin who don’t have a channel but know how everything should be done. I was watching a medical procedure yesterday and was floored by the number of people who knew the doctor was doing it wrong.

[@PrinceWesterburg]

I heard a good recording of Fleetwood Mac from their early days when they where a blues band, playing brand new amps and it sounded like you where playing a modern valve amp. Speakers can age nicely, vibration makes wood resonate better so guitars and cabinets can actually get better or at least more 'characterful' however I totally agree on components. If you where'nt right we'd all scour fleabay for 70 year old death caps for our amps! XD

[@isaacg6967]

@@satchmodog2 unless it's N.O.S. maybe

[@timmooney7528]

The comparison to a classic car is spot on. A show car is cool because it's parts are factory installed, however you wouldn't want to take that car around the track or use it as a daily driver with 60 year old dry rotted tires. If a person is asking to get an amp fixed, I assume it's worth more to them operational than it being factory stock.

[@davemassie3726]

Beautiful Brad, Congrats on new home. Amp sounds killer! Great repair & upgrade. Thanks

[@TheGuitologist]

Thanks as always, Dave. Yeah, can't really wait to get into the new digs. I'll do a tour video when we close on it.

[@telecasteroil]

That amp sounds so awesome Great video again .

[@TheGuitologist]

Thanks for watching.

[@djefferson5669]

Every time Brad says "trem-molo" you must take a shot!

[@KleyDeJong]

Cool update. I'm on board for updating the caps. It is an amp that should be played, not a museum piece that should be collected.

[@TheGuitologist]

I agree, this one wants to rock out. But I can also see the collectability of it. It's a 1959 Gibson, after all. :D

[@donrutter6550]

I have seen guys take vintage capacitors apart and put newer ones inside of them to look original, so take that into consideration. The part that faces the board is open so you don't see the opening.

[@TheGuitologist]

I think re-stuffing caps is crazy. I don't get it.

[@lroy730]

What about the $115 a pair of Fake Gibson Bumble Bee's sold by Gibson..>Skip to about 1:min.look >kzbin.info/www/bejne/jpa5nJKFgdZ_hck

[@TheGuitologist]

I can understand stuffing electrolytics. That's a different story. In that case, there is a real reason to do it. Single electrolytics are cheaper, for one. Sometimes you cannot find the exact combination of values in modern cans, and stuffing the old cap can means saving space inside the chassis. All valid technical and economic reasons. Not so with re-stuffing vintage caps for appearance sake alone.

[@MikeGervasi]

Nice job. I like how you kept thinking it through and realized how much replacement was reasonable for the future and keeping a balance. I think it sounded killer at the end. Really look forward to your vids.

[@Wildman9]

Once again I'm watching you old stuff that apply today . Great fun.🎸🎸🎸🎸

[@simonkormendy849]

It's definitely a good idea to replace old caps in a guitar amp with brand-new ones as long as they are adequately rated for the job, there's really no point in having an amp 100% original and with all it's original components in place if some of the original components are faulty, or are in the process of going faulty if they have a negative impact on the functioning of the amp, I'd rather have an amp 80% original and functional than an amp that's 100% original and non-functional, amps are meant to be used, so they need to be fully functional like they were the day they left the factory, so if it means replacing some original components with brand-new ones just to get it functioning properly, so be it.

[@TempoDrift1480]

Simon Kormendy same

[@TheLuckymod13]

I really enjoy watching your process. I am a self taught circuit nerd and was kind of excited to see you poking a live circuit with a chopstick. I do the same thing, not realizing it was a "thing" that is done by others. I always wanted a job like this, diagnosing and repairing old tech. Cool video, keep 'em coming mate.

[@TheLuckymod13]

P.S. Holy COW. You can really shred!

[@TheGuitologist]

The chopstick is my oscilloscope. Keeps me from having to dig out my actual oscilloscope.

[@CountSpatula666]

This is a great amp to repair. Love watching this show to see some different amps out there. And love seeing the work that goes into troubleshooting the issues. Great job and great Electric Six t-shirt!

[@mickgentry8128]

Nice Amp and nice playing, dig your rebuild vids, Cheers From Australia!

[@TheGuitologist]

Thanks for wtaching, Mick.

[@brushcountrybob5347]

This amp is a tone monster! Thanks for all you do Brad and sharing these kick ass tubers with us.

[@TheGuitologist]

Thanks to all the people who keep bringing them to me and to those who watch and make it worth my while to do it.

[@cattleprods911]

Killer amp and playing, I learn so much from watching your videos, thanks! Also, the pentode channel has a Matchless vibe.

[@PhilDavisFilms]

The series of resistors and caps after that pentode is called a shift network, it's working to get the phase tweaked a bit for the tremolo to work more effectively. I learned about this working on my Vox AC30/4 that I built a while back.

[@TheGuitologist]

Thanks for the comment.

[@jegr3398]

Whoa, that's interesting

[@rebelcat420]

Another great video! Always enjoy them!

[@TheGuitologist]

Thanks for watching, man. Appreciate the comment.

[@Chuffin_ell]

Just seeing those old caps gives me goosebumps. I swear I can smell that vintage smell old boards give off...

[@anthonydallarosa8314]

As someone who's been getting into amp and pedal repairs and mods I have to say your channel is amazing. I really appreciate your methodology and love the shit post fridays.

[@michaelcrawley5211]

I don't see how you do what you do. I have watched a ton of your videos and you truly have a talent and it really is fun to watch. I was able to mod my Epiphone Valve Jr not to the extent you did it but is sounds amazing now. Keep posting these videos they are so helpful and is there any word on the string change challenge?

[@merqury5]

Im regarding these vids almost as tutorials and I'm warming up to get into my peaveys that are loosing volume. Watching these vids bring back the urge to repair again.

[@JimijaymesProductions]

Having vintage amps serviced is a must! I grew up playing my dads early 70s VOX AC30, one of the greatest amps, Ive played through. I didnt think there was anything wrong with it except the normal channel was a bit too dark for my tastes. He got it serviced (had changed the tubes himself plenty of times but never a full service) by a tech that knew a lot about VOXs. The amp was great before, it was amazing afterwards, just better in everyway especially the normal channel which sounded like a completely different circuit from before.

[@TheGuitologist]

A lot of times guitar players get so used to setting their controls a certain way to get "their sound", then once the amp is serviced properly, those positions move and you have to find them again.

[@JimijaymesProductions]

Yeah guitarists can be super lazy, I tell you what though in the guitar world everything changes. If you move your amp you'll have to change the control based on room acoustics!

[@MegaTubescreamer]

good work brad, & a fine sounding result, some wicked noodling to showcase it all,, thankyou for posting 😎

[@LanceisLawson]

Unlike guitars guitar amps don't get better with age. Eventually things get weak out of spec or fail outright and you're left with an unusable amp. So much for Mojo. Mojo is for uptight babyboomer males sitting in their dens. Replacing tubes and caps unless you're a total klutz brings the amp back to what it originally sounded like. Old untouched equipment is great but it's useless for working touring musicians who need reliability. A lot of the guitar heroes onstage with vintage equipment are in effect playing fully reconditioned units that just happen to look old. IMO you do what you have to do to keep it working and reliable. Good call you made.

[@benasanceris4299]

Lance Lawson You're wrong.

[@Ferretsnarf]

How is he wrong? It's a simple fact. An untouched amplifier does NOT sound the same as it did when it was new, or hell, even when it was half the age it is now.

[@donrutter6550]

Correct. I have David Allen Coes old Twin cabinet with a new board and tube sockets, it gives the appearance of vintage but with the same mojo, thanks to nos 50's and 60's tubes. I use Svetlana winged C tubes which are closest to the RCA blackplates on the 6L6 which were always the best. Regular Svetlana 6l6's are just sovteks so get the winged c. Preamp tubes that are nos are still affordable and better than the Chinese tubes available today.

[@benasanceris4299]

Ferretsnarf Amps sound better with age, because of component degradation and other stuff. It makes the sound more natural and dynamic. Original 59 bassman is probably the best sounding amp. Reissues don't even come close, but then again you have to learn to get a good sound from an amp first and only then say how old amps are worse.

[@brushcountrybob5347]

How is Lance wrong?What good is an amp with original leaking failing caps?Which will no doubt further the problems and cost a heap more money to repair in the future.Sounds like the owner wants a playable amp to enjoy for another 50 years,and not a vintage doorstop that's "cool" to look at.

[@monkeyxx]

When you cranked it up with the humbuckers it was so good. Also learning a lot from your repairs.

[@LPCustom3]

I have a 1960 Gibson GA20 "Crest", No tremolo, Tweed covering. Great sounding amp. I replaced the electrolytics 7 years ago. and installed a 3-prong AC cable. It's in 9 out of 10 shape.3-12AX7's, 2-6V65's & a 5Y3. all the caps and resistors are on one side of the board Be nice to give it a new home if anyone's looking to buy one! I just don't play it enough as I have around 15 amps

[@SteverRob]

Nice work. When it comes to those old bumblebees, I usually replace them. They're getting over 50-60 years old now. I've worked on quite a few old tube ham radios, too. They're full of 'em.

[@TheGuitologist]

I don't mind them too much in low voltage areas like tone circuits, but they definitely don't need to see ANY measurable DC.

[@SteverRob]

I don't know why I do this, but I can't get myself to simply throw them away, though. So, if you ever need any... lol

[@ProphetForProfit]

This amp is fantastic sounding at the end. Good work.

[@TheGuitologist]

Thanks, man. I agree. Would have been even better had I not forgotten to at least turn on the overhead mic a little to pick up ambient room noise. I prefer that to straight close micing, but eh. It sounded ok still.

[@emmanuelmeyermeyer1083]

Very well done. Very informative to helps us all out fix our vintage gear.

[@DetroitWrecker666]

This could ONLY be a major improvement! Great videos! New sub

[@TheGuitologist]

Thanks for the sub. Welcome to my nightmare! :D

[@Ferretsnarf]

I don't understand people who insist on untouched vintage amps, at least when they mean to actually play them. An untouched amplifier is almost not even the same amplifier. You can easily bring it back into spec, with components that are likely to stay in spec for longer, and make it a safer piece of equipment while you're at it.

[@MrJohnnyDistortion]

Safer? It should be more dangerous.

[@whynotme5926]

I think that is one of the best sounding amps I have ever heard.

[@ronsbeerreviewstools4361]

This is a very good video. That Epiphone amp. sounds good. 1959 amps used a lot more cloth and Jensen speakers .Now youve got me thinking of doing a video of my 3 different amps. Suggestion, I noticed two guitars with four pickups, on the wall behind you, you should do a video on them. chers !

[@TheGuitologist]

Thanks for the suggestion. If you do your vid, link me and I'll check it out.

[@ronsbeerreviewstools4361]

Yes I will, thanks. cheers !

[@blkjckgtr3075]

Nice repair Brad and great playing,nice amp!Cheers

[@TheGuitologist]

Thanks for watching.

[@DavidMFChapman]

I have no intent ever to work on equipment like this, but I find your videos informative and interesting.

[@MrUltraworld]

I don't think what you did was controversial at all. With 2 bad caps, you know the others are right behind them. You've taken the amp apart once and now the customer won't have to worry about it anymore. And you put the caps in the right place. I have a pair of '70 Plexi's I bought in '82. A few caps went bad & I had both of them recapped. They sounded as good as ever now. Great work! But what a beautiful amp, in excellent condition too. The Tremolo is lush. I Love the way ch2 breaks up so gracefully, very touch responsive. The character of the guitar shines right through. I buy amps like this one all the time, lots of low watt age fun.

[@HC_GUITAR]

Brad your videos are so interesting every time, I love the content you are providing and the expert knowledge you are sharing. Keep em coming. cheers.

[@TheGuitologist]

Thanks, Hugh. Will do.

[@yrussq]

wow that input shielding thing at 26:15 is crazy! learned something

[@valsteppe7754]

I worked on a National Professional once that had triode strapped 5879's in both preamps. That amp had a sweet overdrive sound when it was cranked

[@TheGuitologist]

50s Gibsons and 50s Nationals are my favorite rock and roll and blues amps. I think it's impossible to truly understand what good tone is without having played a few of each.

[@bradleyard4195]

I keep imagining that second channel with a Les Paul or an SG going into it. Very reminiscent of early AC/DC to me. I dig it.

[@JohnDoe-pq8yw]

I think I need shielding on my silvertone 1483, for flippin' sure. That thing is wide open. Another excellent video Brad, thanks again for teaching us noobs.

[@TheGuitologist]

Thanks for watching. Yeah, get that thing shielded.

[@TheMachinefish]

Moldy Tamales! I want that amp... Ive seen that Epiphone badge on older Casino guitars. Nice guitar work too.

[@TheGuitologist]

Thanks for watching. Yeah, this is the amp to have.

[@curtisfranklin6830]

Great Job man. Sounds just simply awesome!!

[@roscoefoofoo]

As always, interesting and well done. Thanks!

[@TheGuitologist]

Danke, Roscoe.

[@roscoefoofoo]

You're quite the modern Renaissance Man, dude. Your playing is as impressively soulful as your problem-solving is sharp. You got the muse and the logic both. And as much as I love vintage Fenders, you also do a great job reminding people that amp history is richer and quirkier than just Fenders. That said, I hope you'll post more of your playing on rehabbed vintage Fenders!

[@scottbrowder4967]

enjoyed the video... almost as much as listening to you jam for the demo. Seriously, nice playing..

[@TheGuitologist]

It's weird. The whole time I was doing the demo I was thinking, man I'm totally sucking here. None of this is going to be usable.

[@WillyMcCoy50]

Fantastic Brad and cool amplifier. The badge is a little suspect. By this time Epiphone was using the "e" logo as seen on the Casino pickguard. I have seen that badge plate on 1940s - 1950s headstocks though. Good luck with the new house and I hope it has good current!

[@TheGuitologist]

It's the original badge. This is REAAAAAAAALY early in the Gibson/Epi amp run. They may have still been using up old parts they got in the Epi deal, or experimenting with cosmetics still.

[@markkinney5030]

For a old amp now that you repaired it that thing rocks!

[@zadvitskyguitarpedals]

Great tips on noise source detection. Thanks a lot for your videos. Wow this is very cool sounding amp.

[@Mojoman57]

Awesome video as always. Thanks for pointing out the logo. It caused me to look up the roots of "epi" and "phone" and guess that this loosely translates to "superior sound". All these years...

[@TheGuitologist]

Epiphone is named after Epi Stathopoulo, who was the company's founder. He was originally from Greece.

[@Mojoman57]

Oh, I guess those are "facts" you got from the internet, right?

[@Thomasdgolden]

That bullhorn logo I love it. They are donning this logo on some guitars now.

[@phoenixlandingstudio6594]

Great video as usual! To my ears this amp sounds like it's meant for studio recording? It could be the way you have mic'd it or it could be You Tube's compressed sound, but the amp sound super crisp and excellent quality on the signal. Great work!

[@wingracer1614]

Crisp is right. I liked the channel one cleans but was hating channel two until he broke out the Ibanez with the humbuckers. That warmed her up nicely.

[@TheGuitologist]

That Channel 2 really likes humbuckers. Normally in my videos, I have the close up SM57 mic and an overhead room mic on. In this video, I forgot to turn on the room mic, so you are getting everything straight off the SM57.

[@robinaldred3255]

Sounds to me like mojo has been added. Big time!

[@JohnIainMcFarlanewaspfactor]

Fabulous job and No,I don't think you killed the mojo.I have no problem making a great old amp more reliable and easier to work on in the future if it needs it.Bad design in part,improved by relocating key components seems to me to be doing future techs a favour,and the tone is still ALL there.Lovely job Brad.Thank you for sharing.

[@waynegram8907]

Most amplifiers back covers don't use shielding or aluminum shielding tape. I wonder why these input jacks were picking up more noises compared to a fender amp or marshal amp that you had to add aluminum shielding tape on the back cover. The First capacitor of the Sequence is an Astron Capacitor and then Sprague Bumblebee Capacitors for the "tone shaping network". I think they used the Astron Capacitor for frequency response differences, like you mention that ceramic capacitors add an edgier tone. When pulling removing out V1 tube from a fender amp or this epiphone amplifier it increases the gain but also the "loading impedances changes" because V1 pulls down the plate voltage loading it down as well as the loading of the tubes resistance of the plate resistance of the V1 tube.

[@azzuro195]

I watched this vid as an action movie with happyending :) Thanks Brad.

[@TheGuitologist]

My next blockbuster the body count will be higher.

[@millstap]

This is the point that scared me to death when I bought my vintage 1959 Fender Tweed Bandmaster. I wasn't sure I could trust anyone so I had to learn how to repair the amp myself. Now, if I had the Guitologist in my area, I would have taken the amp to him but only under the condition that we only replace absolutely what is necessary. I have no trustworthy amp techs in my area that I know of. I have since bought 1959 and 1960 Tweed Bassmans that I feature on my channel. They were both original and I performed their first electrolytic cap jobs. Almost everything else is original including all of the Astrons. Although, I did learn the hard way what a bad cap can do. I took both Bassman amps to a gig and before we even started playing I notice there was no sound coming from the 1959 and the drummer asked "what is that smell." I broke out into a cold sweat because I had just bought the amp. A friend of mine at Area 51 Audio Design helped me troubleshoot it. It turned out to be a shorted .1uF/400v cap in the phase inverter section and the 5881 grid had 235 VCD on it for a while thus the smell. That amp has been super strong ever since I replaced both the .1 uF's with matching NOS Astron PIO caps I bought from the Netherlands. Short story long, I have experimented with almost every boutique cap out there including the Sozos and every time I cringe because they do not sound as good as the old Astrons. I really need to find a good replacement and all I can think of now is to find some good NOS Astron PIO caps. They are getting rare too. I tried a few in the coveted .02 uF positions and they still didn't sound as good. I guess, from a players point of view, no one in the audience will ever know the difference but when you are trying to preserve the old tones that we heard on the old recordings, it becomes more important. Maybe in the recording studio is where the biggest difference will be noticed. I just don't like the idea of shotgun cap jobs but when you are in the business of repairing amps in a timely manner, it is probably the most practical approach. I've spent years coaxing the tone out of my Tweed and Blackface amps and an amp tech with time constraints just doesn't have that luxury. That is why I think it is good to learn as much as you can about amp repair. Wow. Long comment but this has always been a touchy subject for me. The 1959 Bandmaster is still completely original minus the old electrolytics and it still sounds great. Thanks for reading this.

[@JJ-JOHNSON]

Sweet amp, sounds great, that's some fine picking there Brad, oh by the way I enjoyed the video as usual, keep them coming. JJ

[@TheGuitologist]

Thanks, JJ.

[@riansettles2506]

Great job. Sounds fantastic

[@theearstohear]

Good fix. Being emotionally attached to old caps because they are "original" might be find for a museum piece, but for a player it's as silly as trying to play a 57 strat with original strings on it. A definite improvement that will allow that little Epi to make music for many years to come.

[@JasonWaltonDriveAlong]

Taking out the old and putting in new is a bit of a sacrifice and necessary. Ever thought about putting the old components in a baggy attaching it the inside to show what was in it originally. Just a thought.

[@TheGuitologist]

That's commonly what I do.

[@JasonWaltonDriveAlong]

The Guitologist I am glad, keeping the original with the original, even if they're not used anymore.

[@Starcrunch72]

and it keeps your shop space clean of worn out parts...

[@zrkn1]

Sounds great ,would like to hear it plugged into a 4x12, i bet it would crank. Good work man.

[@TheGuitologist]

I think paired with that nice, worn in Jensen, it's just buttery good.

[@jeremypoythress1218]

Mojo revival with a boost. My philosophy on the mojo is Keep what you can and change what's necessary to keep it working. The onboard tremolo effect on my harmony guitar started leaking electrolyte and had a busted battery stuck in it. started working after I cleaned it restored the battery compartment and rewired it without changing much.

[@johngeddes7894]

Learning more all the time. Great stuff.

[@drthndr911]

Awesome job. As usual. ☺

[@movinginstereo40]

Gorilla aluminum shielding tape........... Of Course !!!! Man Brad, I was thinking of that opening lick of Fly Me Courageous when you was playing that second channel wide open. It would have been most appropriate through that second channel. It's like hearing your kid say Gas - Gas - Gas !!!!!!!!! Great vid on the Century.

[@AMStationEngineer]

A very nice end result; those Bumblebees have bitten me in the tail more than once (in radio and TV circles), I've just shotgunned those for the last decade. One thing which I am having difficulty in comprehending, why are so many of the carbon comps complete with "jig - bent strain relief" on one end, and not the other?? I instructed Mil Std 2000 Cat "C" electronics practices for 15 years in an avionics plant, and am viewing the practice from that perspective. Many thanks, Tim.

[@TheGuitologist]

I would guess only one bend would be necessary to compensate for expansion and contraction. It's a bit extreme unless you're taking the amp to the South Pole or Space though.

[@marccarter1350]

I have only ever seen them in photos. We don't see these in the UK, at all, if ever. It's far bigger than I first thought. Love the colours, I think it sounds great. I would love one of those in my life. My Vox AC15 would have issues thou if i arrived home with her :-) Nice work as always. Did Epiphone make amps before Gibson bought them out?

[@cpfs936]

Can't believe how warm & "non-icepick" that bridge Tele pup sounds.

[@gregwolking]

27:05 I'm curious, did you ever replace that obviously microphonic tube -- the one you put the silver shield over? That thing was ringing like a bell any time you touched it, and that can't be good. For that matter, did you replace *any* of the tubes? If so, which ones, and why? The amp sounded great once you got it all buttoned up, so I was wondering if you did anything about the tubes or I just missed you mentioning it in the video 'cause I'm old and my mind wanders sometimes. ;)

[@danielsperry8114]

Great video Brad , the guitar riffing at the end was the icing on the cake and i could listen to it all day . Brad have you ever done a video on " how to use a variac to get the brown sound " ? I've heard that a variac can damage your amps transformers and tubes ? I'm not an amp tech just a guitar player . Thanks for any info ....

[@TheGuitologist]

A variac? Damage? Nah. If anything, you're running everything much cooler. Your tubes will last LONGER run in this mode. Some people will repeat anything they read, and one of the hysterical things that gets said is running at low voltages will cause "cathode stripping", but this is just BS. But anyway, no, I have not done a video on using a variac in that way. There are so many better ways to get overdrive these days, I would sooner recommend just buying an amp designed to get that sound out of the box, or modding something to get that sound.

[@danielsperry8114]

Thanks for the quick answer Brad !

[@TheGuitologist]

Thanks for watching, Daniel.

[@cantyouhearmeknocking1961]

@@TheGuitologist Now you can buy an EVH 5150iii 15 watt lunchbox amp & get just about every EVH sound. Cool, EXTREMELY high gain amps, but no clean channel to speak of. No variac needed..

[@ChurchOfTheHolyMho]

What interesting timing for this. I just recently was wondering if capacitor / component branding made a difference in tone. In the process I read this week that EHX had a limited run on a pedal because of old stock sourcing issues... ...and that Arp hand selected certain transistors in the 2600. No idea if these are true, but very interesting indeed. Thanks for sharing your thoughts on the matter. Always great to watch you work. In the event that I ever start building musical circuits - it'll be your fault... :)

[@TheGuitologist]

I refuse to accept any of the blame! That's my one caveat.

[@my1after909]

Great stuff! I'd appreciate any pointers, as to how I could go about learning electronics.

[@TheGuitologist]

For one, keep watching this channel and eventually you'll pick stuff up via osmosis. Second, get one or more or ALL of these books and read them while on the toilet. amzn.to/2wPJKZY amzn.to/2xjYHVF amzn.to/2wPp1Wd

[@mischef18]

Amp sounds great bro. ATB

[@TheGuitologist]

Thanks, Ken. Glad you dug it.

[@mischef18]

I have a Rockit 60amp which are made here in NZ which I have not used for 20 odd years but worked well the last time I used it with my Fernandes strat

[@tonyduncan9852]

Wow. That tone is _perfect._

[@JoseSanchez-br5kk]

the problem is: capacitor shift usualy to lower valueswhen they age so, on the signal path that means less bass... and less bass is good when overdriving the amp (less blocking distortion). So replacing caps to original values may be a very bad choice ! When remouving old caps, always mesure it and write this information down on paper so you can restore same values but with new caps. Filtering caps on power supply: may also change the sound A LOT, but reduce the noise also. It's an art !

[@justinbouchard]

My opinion about changing old stuff for nostalgic or whatever else the reason, is that if you had a 19 whatever canvas covered airplane with holes in the canvas would you just fly it like that? Always watching you at some point while repairing if not for information for entertainment. Love from north of Lake Superior.

[@stevehogan8829]

Very cool looking old amp. Love the suitcase handle...Tremolo is very nice feature... Man that is a beauty. The demo of the Gibson counterpart was fantastic. Is it possible that the only issue is the tremolo? Sounds very nice... funnny how stuff tells you how it wants to be played. Thanks.

[@orange70383]

Those orange drops don't look to have the foil end identified, you have to connect the foil side to the negative or else it's going to be un-shielded and all kinds of noise will get into the circuit from external sources. You can identify and mark the foil lead each cap very quickly and easily with any cheap oscilloscope.

[@miguelroldao6939]

That bullet thingy in the logo looks just like their truss rod cover.

[@audiotechlabs4650]

So in the final analyses, do you find the pentode channel would sound louder and distort easier than channel 1? Channel 1 seemed very clean(like a Fender) and channel 2 sounded more British.. Thankz

[@TheGuitologist]

Yes. Channel One would breakup as well with a 12AX7, but Channel Two has more gain still. Get the most gain out of this amp by pulling the V1 tube out of the amp and running into Channel Two. Crank up with some humbuckers and you're bordering on classic heavy metal.

[@LM5629]

The Guitologist What about jumping both channels together ?

[@stevenconrady1990]

What a really cool find!

[@bartnettle]

Nice playing! Wow! Good fix! Trem sounds nice! IS that high gain really come the amp?

[@TheGuitologist]

Yes. No pedals. Just straight in and cranked. It would break up even more if I had pulled the V1 tube also.

[@MarkTillotson]

Perhaps adding a high value good cap is series with vintage, possibly leaky, caps would allow the originals to stay in place with the modern cap stopping any leakage (ie you remove the large dc voltage from the old caps, possibly slowing down their deterioration in the process?) - just a thought...

[@Dan79istheman]

Brad great video again mate! Considering the nuances of using a pentodes in the input stage, if you ever built your amp from scratch, would you use one, or stick with trusty triodes? In your opinion, do they offer a contrast in sound that is that distinguishable to the triode? I have not had much experience with pentodes in the input area. I do have a bunch of EF86's in my stash and have considered them. Just curious for your thoughts. Cheers Bud!

[@TheGuitologist]

Pentodes on the input are worth it. I've built stuff with them before and I've modified triode stuff to pentode before, as I did in another recent video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/moSnqHpqg7Ggb5o If you want the best of both worlds, consider something like a 6GH8A, with a pentode and triode in one envelope. Then you can use a switch or blend knob to switch between them on the input. I have designed an amp that did just that as well: kzbin.info/www/bejne/fWXCn5x_fdh3pLs

[@enorbet2]

Any manner of "mojo" that comes from old components, especially from leakage, can be measured, documented and recreated by adjusting values to get to the same accidental place on purpose if the client so desires. So, no, you most certainly didn't kill the mojo. Amp sounds great and you did due diligence by discussing options pros and cons with the owner. He should be extremely pleased. I certainly am.

[@bucyruserie1211]

What a cool amplifier! Sounds awesome...the diversity of tones. Looks great too. Brad I was wondering if you took off one lead of any of the bumble bee caps, and checked them whilst you had the board free? I get you figured the astron took the dc hit 1st, but its age right, that takes its toll on those caps? Just curious.. Great repair job, I liked you allocated caps to top.

[@Zelleram55]

Bucyrus Erie12 I was surprised he didn't move bumblebees to the top too just in case there were problems.

[@kenb.1829]

I LIKE Sprague Orange Drops. Reliable, predictable, and cost effective. Fender liked polyester caps, too, in the early 90'S. I used them back then in my audio amps and guitar amps.

[@TheGuitologist]

They hold up well. I usually use the smaller red Panasonic type polys standard, because they are even cheaper and work in even more situations where smaller components make a better fit.

[@thats2kewl]

Another great video...that amp sounds awesome!!! Love Epiphone stuff...the poor man's (me) Gibson! They still use that emblem on some guitar lines. What a PITA have the caps under the board...what were they smoking when they designed that?!!? Lastly, I was wondering if maybe that orange drop cap by the input was causing the noise..."Mr Carlson's Lab" put out a video on how these do have a preferred direction of installation...have you ever experienced this? Thanks for all the great knowledge you share with us!! :)

[@TheGuitologist]

I'm aware of that video and the concept of outer foils. In this amp, I did observe the foil polarity during installation, but for the most part. a well shielded amplifier won't matter whether your install signal caps backwards. Modern caps are usually smaller than their vintage counterparts anyway, so the surface area is lessened (smaller antenna). And unless the amp is just designed on the very edge of stability or is high gain, like a Trainwreck or Marshall, the polarity will be negligible. Shielding is the real key. That and lead dress.

[@thats2kewl]

The Guitologist Thanx for the reply. I saw that video a few weeks ago and, after beging aghast by what he showed, took a bunch of new caps to the scope... couldn't reproduce his result...it didn't make a difference which way they were placed, same small noise signal from touching them for both directions.

[@scott729]

Another really good video Brad. Cool amp too! I was wondering... probably been discussed before, but where do you like to get your electronic components (caps, resisters etc)?

[@handmadeindustrial]

At what point do get concerned about speaker damage with those old Jensens. I acquired a 61' Epiphone Challenger, sounded great until the speaker cone started tearing up. Had to get it reconed...

[@TheGuitologist]

No reason to be concerned. Just try to keep climate controlled as much as possible. Don't let the cones dry rot, get moldy or wet, and they should be fine. Eventually they all need a recone anyway so I just jam the hell out of them.

[@spacemanspiff9780]

that amp is sounding killer.

[@scole901]

I wish you would have played the first tele at the end. the amp sounded much warmer before the repair.

[@TheGuitologist]

Some of what you're hearing there is also the difference between the onbaord camera mic with compression and the Shure SM57 close mic'd. I usually leave an overhead mic on during the final demos, but forgot to turn it on for this one.

[@scole901]

so what is the tele you started with, it looks quite vintage.

[@anything7441]

Took some listening to. And by the time i started dreaming while spacing. By direct result of your mellowness and tone. I could go all the way inmy thought process and bring thst growl charm right back home. Good mod. I could fall into it woth an amp like that.Gone over by hand would be a silver lining of reaasurance that it got nighted by brits. Yall don a good tang maang.

[@CrimFerret]

Keeping it original might have made sense if it wasn't going to be used, but it would have been a shame for it not to be used as good as that sounds. It needed the overhaul. Gibson didn't design the circuit boards to be pretty, they were designing them to to perform the function and used the components they had available at the time. The way I look at it, if they'd had access to the quality of capacitors we have now, they'd probably have used them. You kept the circuit working as close to intended as possible and that's what really matters.

[@TheGuitologist]

Thank you for the comment. We are in agreement.

[@michaelneal900]

Hey have you ever seen a Gibson Maestro? A friend of mine had one. Small amp. Totally rocked.

[@FirstNameLastName-mo9li]

The mojo was already long gone. Any original caps that might have still been good surely would have failed in the very near future, resulting in a return visit by the possibly angry customer. Replacing all of the caps was the right thing to do in this case. The mojo is back - that amp now sounds great again!

[@Music10161]

It's so quiet now. The owner better be stoked, that amp sounds amazing.

[@TheGuitologist]

I think this owner will be happy. He's waited a while for it, but I think the outcome is very nice.

[@scotthewitt6047]

Wow that thing sounds awesome and you play awesome

[@johnstrange6799]

When replacing a multi section cap with individual caps can the voltage rating of the individual caps vary from one another? That is to say I need three caps at 150v each, but I only have two 150v and a 450v on hand. Will this work?

[@matthewf1979]

The Jupiter caps are great too, and they don't look out of place in tweed era amps. No bullshit about break in time either 😵

[@TheGuitologist]

Those do look the part. Here's an example of a past amp I've had with those in: kzbin.info/www/bejne/iZi6fHSZd6l6mac

[@DAVIDGREGORYKERR]

New Old Stock Phillips Vacuum tubes might work in there, some electronic engineers seem to prefare the Polypropylene capacitors to any other types for use where non electrolytics are used.

[@TheGuitologist]

Polypropylene and polyester type caps both hold up well over time.

[@donrutter6550]

A lot of nos phillips are rebranded GE's, and the bugle boys also give a great glassy tone. Telefunkens are awesome in the marshall sound.

[@TheGuitologist]

I did a tube rolling experiment recently: kzbin.info/www/bejne/pnSsfIuIh8lriLs