Silvertone Hi-Fi to SICK GUITAR AMP...A Conversion Love Story

This is a 1958 Sears Silvertone Model 9075 Hi-Fi Suitcase Amplifier. This thing was meant for amplifying record players, reel to reel tape machines and radios of the era, but we have something much more sublime in mind. We will do basic servicing on it like changing caps, then we'll look at the schematic and go over how to convert this into a rockin' little guitar combo.

[@amdelux1]

This is one of my favorite amps that I own, Brad did a great job on it and everyone loves this thing.Ive tried some other newer speakers but went back with the original Oaktron because it has that warm alnico sound and a lot of volume for such a little thing.

[@informationsuperhighway100]

This is gradually becoming the best show not on TV!

[@kendavis8046]

You brought back a very strong memory with that FOMOCO tube. Of course it was Ford Motor Company (I know you already knew that.) But that is not the memory. From late 1969 (when I was a young lad of 10) until he retired from the Air Force in the Spring of 1972, my late father worked at the NORAD facility in Cheyenne Mountain, Colorado Springs, as a computer tech. And the systems then in use at the Mountain (I only heard this years later, as he was under pretty significant security restraints), the systems that could essentially track everything in the sky, were Philco computers, using core memory, and though I may well be wrong about this, as I am getting older myself and this was years ago, each computer had 32 kilobytes of memory. Anyway, Philco at that point was also a Ford division.

[@umac76]

I laughed out loud when you suggested Sears should be selling tubes again, what a surreal notion. It's so fascinating that with the passing of tube giants of the western world, Mullard, RCA, Amprerex, etc, that you're still so firmly entrenched in servicing the great products that they drove. Keep up the good work.

[@yqwgjsg]

Damn son. That wasn’t a repair it was a redesign. I could just imagine you standing over the shoulder of the original designer saying “nope”

[@tomsch5801]

FoMoCo - Ford Motor Company

[@JammyCrackcorn]

Those metal based plugs for them are called Tri-Zerts…They had a special pattern tool that snap them into the holes…

[@roncarter2188]

You know watching your videos is one of my favorite things that I love to watch on KZbin. I'm still a complete newbie when it comes to troubleshooting and modifications, but you have definitely given me some good insight in knowing what to do and doing it right. I appreciate all you do keep up the good work, great job on this little amp, it's now a beast of an amp.

[@fongy200]

Since I've been watching your content Brad it motivated me to start college night courses for a UK nation accredited qualification, 2020 that was because of the Covid it's been postponed until June so looking forward to that. Been studying Capacitor and Resistor values etc.. I'm pretty good at reading the schematics too, always been good at working from drawings .Thanks Brad, just building up my gear, I'm out for a variac at the moment just ordered a Vevor 1000VA.

[@izrael2321]

I absolutely love your video's ,very very entertaining and informative

[@jimbojones5153]

Man you worked wonders with that amp! Sounds absolutely incredible! Well done dude, congrats from the UK

[@papotorres9064]

WOW , what a sound , love it , one of the best little boxes I have seen here , I will be looking for one of those lol , hats off to you , Alfred NYC / PR

[@micha-elcleveland1265]

Well done, for a little while there we were wondering if you would get 'er done, but you did.

[@amdelux1]

Wow , Thanks, this thing is incredible.I was surprised at how loud it is in fact the my ears are still ringing , no

[@brandonkruse6412]

I learn so much from just watching you work on these old amps. I am a bit of a vintage tube nerd myself, so I got a little excited when I saw your collection!

[@kurtweiand7086]

Thanks for showing this! Wow what a blessing to see the way it all started! Rock on!

[@maxwethersfield]

I agree with you about Sears-they should come full circle and sell power tubes and various other parts and accessories online for guitars and amplifiers (maybe even reissue some old Silvertone gear). Sears' new business model could be a cross between Amazon and Carvin.

[@audiotechlabs4650]

I instantly knew it was a Ford tube after working on countless old radios. This is a great example of modding a tube amp for guitar use! Bravo Brad! Your wife must be a saint to let you get away with storing tubes and such in the laundry room. I don't feel too bad about my collection and how I store it! Thank you for sharing not only a look at how to change an amp to play guitar through but a look at the "Mad Scientist" and his work shop! Thankz

[@hardball107]

I am becoming addicted to these video's. In my younger years I collected old radio's and all sorts of amp's and speakers, brings back a lot of memory's and makes me cry thinking about the equipment I let go for peanuts, some just got thrown out like an old Hafler 101 preamp and a 15" Tannoy monitor traded for a 22 rifle. I keep looking for old equipment and trying to play guitar to pass time now that I'm retired. I would love to have you hot rod a vintage piece of equipment to power a 2x12 cabinet, I'll keep watching.

[@shovington67]

Once again, loving Brad's playing on this video, and who would have thought this Silvertone could have ever screamed like that?