1961 Gibson GA-2RT Maestro Deluxe Reverb-Echo Restoration, Part 1

A very generous viewer recently donated this amp, in very rough shape, to our channel so that its restoration could be documented in a (two-part) video series. In Part 1, the circuit is repaired so that the power supply, amplifier, tremolo and reverb are all functional. In addition, the corroded control panel is cleaned up and polished.
Extra features include the opening of a big surprise shipment from another generous viewer, cat scans by both Jack & KC, and the final chapter in the War Eagles Car Show tour.
If you enjoy advertising-free videos such as this one, please subscribe to our channel and consider becoming a Patreon patron at: / uncledougsvintageamps or making a PayPal contribution to: [e-mail]. You can also do as this viewer did, and donate vintage parts and gear....possibly to be featured in future videos. Thanks for watching !!!

[@raycochrane3971]

Another pleasurable, educational and amusing half hour or so.

[@UncleDoug]

Thanks, Ray. Glad you liked it.

[@Slugg-O]

Hands down you are STILL the best teacher on YT. Every video is educational and includes a free trip down memory lane. Still awesome, Doug! Really enjoy the amps and hotrods.

[@UncleDoug]

Wow.....thanks so much, Randy. We really appreciate it !!!

[@ProSimex84]

I always look forward to the cat scans, my wife thought it was brilliant

[@UncleDoug]

Thanks so much, PS. Regards to you both :)

[@wegert1]

Brother, I had a '65 Falcon (3 on the tree) wagon in high school... and I was a hockey player so I always had a stick in the back. My shifting linkage would get stuck all the time, and I could grab a hockey stick out of the back and jump out at a stop light, open the hood and wiggle the linkage just right, and be back in the car before the light changed. I bet I could still do 'er! (just not as quick :- ) Thanks for the memory and the great Gibson vid, as always. Your patrons appreciate you!

[@UncleDoug]

Thanks so much, RF. You really had to live in the "good old days" to experience the joy of jammed up shift linkage:) Thanks for sharing.

[@danielthomas3057]

My first car was a 64 Chevy Biscayne 4 door I bought from a friend. It had a tired six with three on the tree and the gears would get jammed up like you mentioned. Fun memories. I had to have a hammer and a big screwdriver with me to unjam.

[@UncleDoug]

Sweet memories of the good old days :) It was really humiliating at the time, however :(

[@richardweinberger2756]

This is a really excellent representation of "closet junk" that is lurking in tens of thousands of garages, attics and Lord-knows-where. Someone wanted to replace the caps but stopped , for reasons unknown- maybe they were bad, but this poor thing was held on to for the right person to come along and wave their magic wand and SHAZAM we now have a nicely working amp with less that ten dollars worth of new parts. Gibson amp with 2 6V6's tremolo AND reverb? WOW, it's gonna be good !! Smaller "golden age"combo amps are all the rage, and I bet Doug will have this one purring and growling very soon. Great job Doug !!!

[@UncleDoug]

Thanks so much, Richard. I am a great fan of tweed Gibson amps, and the Princeton Reverb-like compact size and circuit make it particularly nice, in my book. I hope you enjoy Part 2.

[@josephcote6120]

In high school (77-79) I had a 64 El Camino, which was based on the Chevelle Station Wagon. Only a 283, but that was plenty to get into trouble with. Thanks for another great video.

[@UncleDoug]

You're welcome, Joseph. One of my trucks has a 1962 Chevy 283 and runs like a top......plenty fast for me.

[@snowhyt77]

Wow! I never thought that amp would amount to much when I got it, so I took the chassis out and put it in a box and used it as a speaker in our practice room. It was boxed up for at least 20 + years. Great Job so far. Can't wait to see the end product. BigDave

[@UncleDoug]

I'm glad you're pleased, Big Dave. In Part 2 it will sing like a scalded canary :) Thanks again. Your generosity made this video series possible for all of us.

[@ThePreyMantas]

One of the things I love about your channel is that it's full of positive, mature (for the mostpart :)), decent human beings and that's because of your professionalism and good natured humor, thanks! It's so cool that folks love you enough to send you all this great stuff! Geesh, the shipping was $45 alone on this bequeathment!

[@UncleDoug]

Thanks so much, PM. I'd like to think we're all one big, happy family, drawn together by a common interest. It only makes sense to share and be respectful with family :)

[@roncarter2188]

Kacey has given you the definite go ahead on the opening, in fact it looked like she was gonna open if you didn't. Another great video, well done!

[@UncleDoug]

Thanks, Ron. She must have known there was good stuff inside :)

[@paulcargo4233]

I had an old Chevy van in college with a three on the tree and like yourself was made to look classy due to a bad shift tube many times over.

[@UncleDoug]

I guess it was quite common, considering how many viewers had similar experiences, Paul. I don't feel so bad now :)

[@raxxtango]

I come here to refresh knowledge about tube amp tips...I stay to listen for the amazingly subtle sardonic comments...Always use protection, even when you're soldering above your speaker-cone. during the auto portion...we see here, Two Horns...For Stereo Insolence.

[@UncleDoug]

Glad you came, Rax. We enjoy hearing from you :)

[@WillyMcCoy50]

An amp that would fly under the radar. What a jewel! Love the flathead Ford! The GTO was no slouch either. "Dog House" tach and 4spd!

[@UncleDoug]

Thanks, KM. I agree with all you said :)

[@glenwhatley4125]

I'm really jealous of the great variety of cool old stuff folks send you. I used to get all that cool old stuff from a place called Gravity Music Gear back in Denver when i had my biz Mars Amp Repair. As you've mentioned there's a definite tech visceral response to this old gear esp if it has that mildewy smell the old cabs get. Love the channel...

[@UncleDoug]

Thanks so much, Glen. Yep, I guess I'm showing my age, but nowadays I dream about finding vintage amps instead of lonely women and bars with happy hour :)

[@abelincoln95]

Young Frankenstein: "It's alive"!!! Doogie! You are living the life. Very nice, Sir. Thank you for the video.... Had to edit cause I commented early! Yes, Something many of us old timers did, getting the "dogs" unstuck from a column shift!!

[@UncleDoug]

Thanks, Abe. Those pesky shifter arms were about the only downside to the old "three on the tree" transmissions......that, and a noisy throwout bearing.

[@charlesshaw9090]

Great tip on protecting the speaker cone when soldering.

[@UncleDoug]

Thanks, Charles :)

[@luthravin4774]

Hi Uncle Doug!! What an awesome learning experience for me this project has been!! Part one showed me tips on cleaning the polished steel/Chrome chassis without damaging it beyond relief.. I’m really getting the education I’m looking for here and learning more and more about reading schematics and decoding them.. thanks again for all your doing.. plus the bonus car show footage.. I actually own what must be a mid 50’s Stromberg/Carlson AU-33 PA amp.. I’d like to convert to a guitar amp in the future.. I’ll learn from your videos and more!!

[@UncleDoug]

Thanks so much for all your very nice comments, Luth. Best of luck with your Stromberg-Carlson project.

[@barbmelle3136]

From Leo: Funny you were talking about the column shift linkage on your family's Chevelle. Our 1969 Nova did the same thing, We had a large towel with a pair of long gauntlet welder gloves under the front seat just for when the linkage would jam up at an inconvenient time. We later got a chrome "a/fx" floor shift kit. 230 cu six with 3 very slow speeds on the floor, and snow tires on the back. To complete the package an FM converter was mounted under the dash and a spare set of points and condenser lived in the glove box. The old Chevy did always get us home, even if it lacked pizzaz.

[@UncleDoug]

Getting the shifter arms locked up was one of life's great indignities, Leo, especially in an intersection.....but, as you said, the car would always get you home, eventually :)

[@josephtravers777]

Thanks for the DeOxit product review! I sure could have used the needle applicator recently instead of forming a creek on my PCBs.

[@UncleDoug]

You're welcome, JM. I agree. The needle and the brush/bottle are much more convenient than spraying all over the place.....and use much less of the precious ($$$$) liquid.

[@Finom1]

Bless you for sharing your wisdom with us!!! It's always so exciting to see what is going to happen next. Thank you.

[@UncleDoug]

You're welcome, F1 :)

[@robertcalkjr.8325]

Very nice amp! Thanks Doug!

[@UncleDoug]

Thanks !! You're welcome, Robert.

[@pyrotas]

Studying the schematics along with your explanations is always amazing!

[@UncleDoug]

I'm glad you enjoyed it, Fabio.

[@Bigjoedo66]

Great video Uncle Doug!!

[@UncleDoug]

Thanks, Big Joe. You made it happen :) Thanks again from all of us.

[@montygore]

That Meguiars is some good stuff. I use the ultimate polish compound to finnish out the clear coat on my guitar builds. Perfect finnish. Thanks for another interesting video. I have learned so much about audio amps from you.

[@UncleDoug]

That's good to hear, Monty.

[@jeffbenson6102]

Man, that's a stellar piece of vintage gear. Thanks for sharing.

[@UncleDoug]

You're welcome, Jeff :)

[@rciancia]

Really nice work Doug, as usual.

[@UncleDoug]

Thanks, Ron :)

[@hubbsllc]

This is a very exciting find - looking forward to seeing it finished.

[@UncleDoug]

Thanks, Hub :)

[@gerthalberg9735]

New backplate - be sure to spritz some beer on it to replicate the stains🤘 Ahh yet another new concept today. I just watched Will Gripe about getting a wrong tone battery and now I learn of tone rust. Live and learn🤓 The corrosion on the speaker wil undoubtedly help the tone also😋

[@UncleDoug]

Yes, indeed, rust never sleeps, as Neil Young once said, it just keeps on improving tone :):)

[@jipes]

Once again a great project !

[@UncleDoug]

Thanks, JB :)

[@amoruzz]

Just amazing Doug.. I continue to be blown away. Your patience is commendable. Your like the "Bob Ross" of amplifiers. That 1955 Jensen P12R is interesting, as it's half ribbed. Most of the ones I have had are smooth pulp cones and their my favorite. The early alnico "R" series cone has a nice woody tone to it, imo. Two coincidental mentions. You mentioned your friend that stated that the more rust on the metal of a tranny the better the tone. Well, generally we know that moisture is the enemy of electronics and the majority of those wound trannies have papers bobbins that absorb moisture. Going back to rust and metal. On my dad's (RIP) side of the family they were into dirt track racing from 1954 up into the early 80's, so I got to learn and hear a lot of oddball stories, etc. Well, when dad got out of the Navy he started racing around 1962, if I remember correctly. A 1956 Chevrolet and I think it still had the original 265 V8 in it? Grandad and my great uncles and dad's brother's did the work and dad just drove the car. It was common knowledge up into the 70's that the best engine blocks for rebuilding were the ones that had sat out in the open and had surface rust on the blocks. This was an old tale that I heard many times. It meant that the weather rusting cured the block metal somehow? We had engines that were pulled from wrecked cars laid out all over the country acreage. I was the youngest in the shop, so I did all the grunt work. After I cleaned my hands and arms from grease with GoJo or in the solvent tank before a meal, grandma would still make me go in the basement and use a Lava bar! Do you remember Lava bars? It would take a layer of your skin off! Like washing with sandpaper, lol. The other thing in common was that my folks purchased a 1964 Malibu brand new, gun metal grey, 283 V8 and a Powerglide tranny that would scoot. I still have a picture of me in it. I wasn't old enough to drive it though, lol. Dad put chrome steel slots on it and waxed the car and the rims with carnauba wax. I always preferred MOON rims and caps for that smooth look. Hard to keep the bubble caps from rusting though. You tell great stories : )

[@UncleDoug]

Thanks for you r kind words and for sharing your interesting recollections, Amo :)

[@glenwhatley4125]

Nice that Deoxit had responded to the needs off the field. I also too avoid spraying the Deox all over the place will spray it on the tube pins then work that in and out of the tube socket to clean the socket. Serves two purposes in one shot😊

[@UncleDoug]

Agreed, Glen. They did improve the delivery methods quite a bit.

[@MrBrymstond]

Cat Scan...Great as usual and I can't wait to see that build you got in the mail.

[@UncleDoug]

Thanks, Mr. B. This is one of the two amps I got in the mail.

[@MrBrymstond]

@@UncleDoug The amp with no body

[@ThePreyMantas]

@@UncleDoug That suspected 35w amp chassis is one of the more powerful amps that you'll be working on, is that correct? If not, what is the largest amp your tinkered with and wow, Cassie has REALLY come a long way! And lastly, it was good to hear you saying Rusty a number of times during the chassis inspection. Gone, but never forgotten!

[@tomfrye9037]

@@UncleDoug I checked out Rauland Borg...they seem to be in business still. That was supposed to be used as an amplifier in a system to page nurses and doctors in a hospital. I wonder what it's input impedence is...as there were a lot of "speaker mics" used in intercom type systems over the years...of somewhere around 30 to 50 ohms. Also, I never did determine the output impedence...couldn't get enough piece and quiet around here. But pins 4 and 8 of that extra octal socket are the outputs I hooked too and got a pretty nice sound out of the ol' girl with an old Heath Kit tube type FM tuner. The little 4 pin plug is in a socket that contains B+ and 6.3 volt AC heater voltage...so some aux. tube device could be connected. Elevator music tuner? I couldn't find a schematic anywhere including Sam's or Rauland Borg...so I was going to wring one out on my own. But the more I poked, the more familiar it looked, that is, until I got to the biasing on the 6L6 tubes. Looks a little busy. Possible reasons...the isolation between the chassis and ground...possibly mixed with purpose designed feature, like maybe deliberate feed back for a paging alert tone? "Beeeeeep! Dr. Howard, Dr. Fine, Doctor Howard!" I'm sure that amp was built AFTER that episode of The Three Stooges(8-). Then I hooked up a three wire cord...and promptly cut the green wire. I only got just a touch of 120Hz hum if I touched the chassis, but got constant hum with the green wire connected. I did not try hooking it to the isolated ground "bus" all else is grounded too. Hope some of this helps. Good luck, Professor Doug. I look forward to the video. Oh...one last comment and an observation...that power supply looks like a beast. Note the hefty of the transformer and that rectifier tube(8-).

[@Fixologist1]

Great job, as always, Doug! Great amp.

[@UncleDoug]

Thanks, Brad :)

[@johnqpublic2718]

Perfect. Just got assigned a bunch of busy work at work.

[@UncleDoug]

I hope you enjoy it, Luke :)

[@Mojoman57]

Yes! This looks great. I'm going to wait until this evening to watch so I can enjoy a few cold brews with this. Beer and an Uncle Doug resto video - I must be living right.

[@graxjpg]

Mojoman57 you must be! I didn’t want to wait till the evening to watch this, or drink!

[@UncleDoug]

Thanks, Mojo. Life is good :)

[@jamescarter4175]

Very interesting and instructive. Looking forward to Part 2. Also, enjoyed the cars again. Thanks!

[@UncleDoug]

You're welcome, James.

[@lynnbath6423]

Uncle Doug, you are one lucky man. I wish I had more time to work on my old amps. You are one special person and I enjoy watching you overcome some fairly complicated issues when working on the items that you do. I also appreciate your willingness to do the best job that you can no matter what. Keep up the great work. And thanks for sharing your deep knowledge of electronics.

[@UncleDoug]

You're welcome, Lynn. Thanks for your very kind comments.

[@rhoneranger549]

Back when I was in trade school for Electronics, we had an acronym for the resistor colors that would not fly in todays day and age.. Something about bad boys and a girl named Violet.. Great vid Doug! I love your channel a lot. Not only is it full of information, I love feeling like I am somewhat included in your life, with your love for animals and hard work. Its like spending an afternoon with my father :)

[@UncleDoug]

As a science teacher the colors are easy to remember because they largely follow the wavelengths of visible light......ROYGB......but your mnemonic was probably much more fun. You are always welcome, RR. Thanks so much for joining us.

[@LarryDeSilva64]

Love the cat scans. Good idea using the steel wool on the old chrome. I usually follow that with semichrome polish and then wax but hey whatever works. Thanks for sharing your great work on this video.

[@UncleDoug]

You're welcome, Larry :)

[@ryanintopeka]

I have spent hours watching your videos lately. I have learned a lot of useful things from you that I am applying in my own amp work. I really appreciate the great explanations and humor! I’m also a lover of the kitties so I appreciate that too. All the best Doug!

[@UncleDoug]

Thanks for your very nice comments, Ryan :) Likewise on the good wishes.

[@EngineeringVignettes]

Nice job Unkle Doug. Looking forward to the next video. Lookin sweet. Cheers,

[@UncleDoug]

Thanks, Eddy :)

[@Kilovolver]

I binge watch UD videos. And so do you.

[@UncleDoug]

Yep :)

[@jaymichaels5187]

Great work, Uncle Doug ! I can't wait to see part two of this magnificent Gibson amp being made healthy again.

[@UncleDoug]

Thanks, Jay. Part 2 is almost finished.

[@jaymichaels5187]

@@UncleDoug Wonderful news ! You got one of the best KZbin channels, no doubt about it.

[@UncleDoug]

Thanks, Jay. We try :)

[@bradleysmith4409]

Brilliant! Always a great pleasure to follow your work here Uncle Doug. Can't wait to hear this baby! I'd like to hear it with, perhaps?, a humbuck setup, and also with single coil guitar pickups... Thanks again, so well done!

[@UncleDoug]

You're welcome, Brad. It prefers single coils, but you will hear it both ways.

[@bradleysmith4409]

@@UncleDoug Thanks!!!

[@scottroberts3801]

That old Gibson amp is starting to shape up nicely, and should sound great when finished. Love seeing the hot rods and like how you split it into parts for something extra on your videos. Great job all around as usual .

[@UncleDoug]

Thanks so much, Scott :)

[@moodyga40]

fantastic been waiting for a new video

[@UncleDoug]

Well, here it is, Ian. I hope you enjoy it.

[@audiotechlabs4650]

1961 Gibson beat Fender to the punch on amps with Reverb. The Fender Vibro-verb came out in late 1962 - early 1963, according to Fender history. No tone sucking module in this beauty. My Gibson Hawk had the same footswitch. Great restoration so far Uncle Doug, as per usual! Love the car show, and nice to have 2 kitties to do "cat scans"! Thanxz

[@UncleDoug]

Thanks so much for your knowledgeable input and nice comments, ATL. We'll see you in Part 2.

[@AUDIOETRADIOATUBES]

Excellent video

[@UncleDoug]

Thanks, AeR.

[@edwardhannigan6324]

Found this video of yours Doug, one I haven't seen and still on my quest for knowledge..! Great fix once again and interesting evaluations, of course also with the aid of your two feline friends. That amp came up really nice, especially that control panel..Thanks for sharing..Ed..U.K..😀

[@UncleDoug]

Our pleasure, Ed. So glad you enjoyed it.

[@SkyscraperGuitars]

I'm excited to hear this one blasting the tones of Jack and Casey's supreme guitar playing... As always, I enjoy the hot rod segment.

[@UncleDoug]

I think you will be pleased with the final product, SSG. The furry duo were in rare form for the audio demo :)

[@skycarl]

Very nice little amp for this mini series. Looks like both kitties are now pulling mail call duty. They look great. Good looking cars for the finale. Well Doug, I'll be watchin for part 2.

[@UncleDoug]

Thanks so much, Carl. Part 2 is in the works.

[@SeanKerns]

Wow. Casey and Jack liked that package so much, they were squabbling over it. That must be some good stuff in there!

[@UncleDoug]

Yes, indeed, Sean. They know good stuff when they sniff it :)

[@tiki_trash]

I really like that uncluttered look. I think I'll remove all the filter caps from my amps now. LOL!

[@UncleDoug]

It really helps, TT. I also think removing the knobs and power cord are a nice touch too :)

[@tomfrye9037]

@@UncleDoug @tiki torch Easy, guys! Yer crackin' me up here!(8-).

[@rb032682]

Great tip for soldering speaker lugs. ".........also with your speaker." LOL!

[@UncleDoug]

Glad you liked it, RB.

[@chokkan7]

I'm almost speechless, Unc. What a great job of tracing the steps of the amp butcher and finding all the connections for the missing filter caps. BTW, as someone who's been doing cat scans professionally for the past 15 years, I can attest that the animal behavior and general cattiness of your two budding stars is right on the money...

[@UncleDoug]

Thanks so much, C7. I will relay your kind words to the "sniffers" :)

[@SeanKerns]

Cool amp! I love old Gibsons. Not as popular as a lot of other brands, but they have their own thing going.

[@UncleDoug]

Thanks, Sean. The tweed Gibsons are special. Many of them can hold their own with Fenders of the same era.

[@normjacques6853]

While a Chevy small block is probably the most expeditious way (and maybe the most practical) of bringing a lot of these older cars back to life, I have great admiration and respect for guys that will take the time, effort, and money to restore/rebuild original flathead motors. Maybe a little short on horsepower, but almost impervious to abuse.....and they look as cool as cool can be!! Also, I love the way you take what you've learned working on cars and apply it to refurbishing some of these wonderfully crusty old guitar amps!! While some might be tempted to replace the old Tolex, as long as it isn't torn to shreds I think the staining often has a lot to say about the amp as a 'survivor.' Thanks again for another cool video. :-)

[@UncleDoug]

You're quite welcome, Norm. Thanks for your input. I agree re flathead engines. They cost at least 4x as much as a Chevy to build, and have a fraction of the horsepower......but they are worth every penny in nostalgia, rarity, and appearance. My dream is to find one in an old, hopefully cheap, Ford, and then rebuild it with period-correct speed equipment.

[@SeanKerns]

A '70 Boss 429 was my dream car for a long time. Love the flathead in that '40, too.

[@UncleDoug]

Amen, Sean :)

[@carlmontney7916]

Cool Gibson amp. And that Mustang is Ford Grabber Blue. My good buddy had one the same color.

[@UncleDoug]

Thanks, Carl. The color name does sound familiar.

[@jeremymtc]

That green '40 Ford looks like it still has the original paint on the firewall. Pretty cool. Looking forward to the rest of your series on this amp!

[@UncleDoug]

I really think that the green was the original color, FM. The guy was right to stay with originality......but it's far from my favorite color :) Part 2 should be out soon.

[@UBOOFTB]

Wow!! A real killa dilla! COOL UD!!

[@UncleDoug]

Thanks, UB :)

[@kenhancock8931]

Thanks uncle doug!! great every time. and the little 1's with the cat scan and yes casey look's great!! If you don't have a lot of $ vinager and water in a spray bottle is an wonderful mold killer!! It just disapears!! hope you all have a great day!! oh and thanks for my cobra fix at the end :-) tho I'd take the boss 429 over the cobra. BUT if the cobra was a real 1 it would be a much harder question of which 1.

[@UncleDoug]

You're welcome, Ken. I'd probably take a real 427 Cobra, sell it, and buy the Boss 429......and have several hundred thousand left over for gas and tires :)

[@jackallen6261]

As always another great video and amp! I'm just missing the Anastasia links these days, lol. Just kidding!! Thanks to Tom for the future video fodder and I love the car show clips at the end as well! Keep fighting the good fight!! Thanks for all the informative videos!!

[@UncleDoug]

You're welcome, Jack. Thanks !!! Anastasia sends her regards :)

[@Mojoman57]

Good times. Can't wait for part 2. If I ever have another band I think I call it "Stereo Insolence".

[@UncleDoug]

I like it, Mojo. They should have two singers who take turns yelling insults at the audience.

[@henryhunter5026]

A really nice looking amplifier. I began to wonder what you were letting yourself in for when I saw the bag of removed smoothing capacitors , when you see something like that you begin to ask yourself what else is missing . As it was, aside from the foot switch wiring, the electronics side of the job hasn’t wasn’t too bad compared to some of the old amps you’ve brought back to life . The cabinet is going to be a challenge and I’m looking forward to seeing how it goes in the next episode. I can’t wait to hear what that nice Jensen speaker sounds like when you plug a guitar into the amp.

[@UncleDoug]

Thanks so much, Henry. As you will see in Part 2, the staining of the tweed is impossible to remove, but the surface filth removal really improved the appearance. We also do a full preliminary sound check to see what circuit mods are necessary, and then a full final check. Part 2 should be out soon.

[@Kilovolver]

UD Time, here we goooooooo! Thanks again UD, snack and beer time!

[@UncleDoug]

You're welcome, K. Be sure to save some for us :)

[@tomfrye9037]

I put stuff in a wooden cigar box in there,so it might have gotten to rattling some...but some piecy parts think they're supposed to do that. And...looks like KC is going to try to show Jack that he's not any better at doing cat scans than she is.(8-). Thanks ever so much for Part One of the restore, Uncle Doug...and the car show for "dessert". I'm beginning to feel a little spoiled by all this.(8-)

[@UncleDoug]

Everything arrived in perfect shape, Tom, except the spelling by the Post Office employee who noted the rattling. KC has surpassed all expectations with her precocious cat scanning ability. Thanks again !!!

[@tomfrye9037]

@@UncleDoug Good to know, Professor Doug. Ummm, when can you start spelling classes for postal employees?(8-)

[@UncleDoug]

I'm hesitant to offer such services, Tom. Someone might not like the grade they receive and "go postal" :)

[@tomfrye9037]

@@UncleDoug Dang! Never thought of that. Good thing you did.

[@abjr2010]

Well good for Casey. Finally got involved. Jack is always cool. Nice old Gibby . Nice cars. I'm wondering about that Rauland Borg with 2 6L6's. That's nothing to sneez at.

[@UncleDoug]

Thanks across the board, AB. I agree :)

[@jimraimondi410]

This is great! (Crowd chanting)....Video Series! Video Series!Video Series!

[@UncleDoug]

Hopefully, we'll hit one out of the park :)

[@rheidtech]

Goodie goodie goodie! Uncle doug vid!

[@UncleDoug]

Thanks, RH :)

[@Nickpaflas]

"Reverberation". Classy.

[@UncleDoug]

I like it too, Nick :)

[@bullthrush]

Amp sounds great, so far (most cathodyne amps do). The different tops for the DeoxIT are a good idea. The '40 Ford was sweet even in OD.

[@UncleDoug]

I agree, across the board, Andrew......but the amp is going to end up sounding a lot better in Part 2. Thanks !!!

[@McSynth]

I'd trust Casey. Clearly knows what herr duties are. No disrepct to Jack !

[@UncleDoug]

She has quickly developed into a valuable workshop assistant.

[@phonotical]

Ahhhh, I was just getting into that!

[@UncleDoug]

Be sure you're using protection, P ;)

[@phonotical]

@@UncleDoug I made sure the WiFi was on 😂

[@johnjohnson3221]

Very nice. I own a 1961 Maestro Deluxe Reverb Echo GA RVT 2 mine is grey with sparkle inlay 18 watt I have heard. It is good to see filter caps installed. Mine needs replaced (filter caps)

[@UncleDoug]

Thanks, John. Perhaps you can do the job yourself now, having seen the schematic and circuit up close.

[@airgead5391]

Some real good advice from Uncle: always use protection! (Also with the speaker) LOL! :-)

[@UncleDoug]

Yes, indeed. Just be sure it isn't a Slim Jim wrapper......like Larry the Cable Guy :)

[@airgead5391]

@@UncleDoug :-)

[@michaelogden5958]

Sweet!

[@UncleDoug]

Thanks, Michael.

[@danjohnson4819]

Amps and hotrod's doesn't get much better than that

[@UncleDoug]

Especially if there is enough beer and barbecue to go around :)

[@goodun6081]

At 18:30, the syringe like tip on the applicator bottle looks like it is the type that twists off from the bottle cap and can be changed to another tip of a different diameter or length. It's handy to have a selection of those screw on needle- applicator tips, perhaps some longer ones so that you can reach into tight spaces, and if the cleaner still tends to come out a little too quickly and pour out on its own or with only a minimal squeeze of the bottle, having a thinner and perhaps longer tip gives you more flow resistance and more control over the rate of application of the cleaning solution. I've got a couple of syringes at work that are equipped with needle applicator tips that are about 10 inches long, one of which is filled with a light grade of lubricating oil.

[@UncleDoug]

Thanks for this helpful suggestion, GU. I will check into acquiring longer needles. Hopefully the authorities will not think I am operating a crack-house.

[@goodun6081]

@@UncleDoug , my wife is a nurse, so I don't have any difficulty getting syringes, and I can just cut the sharp tip off the medical grade needles and make them blunt, and safe. Some of them are the same screw on type needle tip and will fit various glue bottles and glue or lubricant applicators such as you might buy online or from a hobby shop. By the way, we have been experimenting with Kroil penetrating oil to free up half seized bearings on turn tables in reel to reel tape decks and other such old electro-mechanical equipment. Kroil seems to work pretty well, but since you do so much work on cars and engines, what are your favorite penetrating oils and break free type products for seized and rusted bolts and bearings and such? A lot of folks apparently swear by a mix of acetone and tranny fluid, but acetone doesn't do so well with anything that might contain plastic or rubber..... I might try an experiment with a fancy and valuable Hickok tube tester that has a half dozen rotary switches with seized shafts due to crusty white galvanic corrosion between the shaft and the sleeve; I think I'll try using six different penetrating oil or corrosion removing products on it, a different one for each switch, and see which one works the best. Perhaps acetone in tranny fluid, kroil for another switch, vinegar for another switch, some Liquid Wench ha ha!, you get the idea.

[@MrCayoCoco]

Good stuff !! (I'd love to have that tube amp)

[@UncleDoug]

Thanks, Mr. CC.

[@itchynads4585]

love that GTO looks just like the one i flipped on the back gravel when i wass about 2 weeks from my 18th birthday my mom still bitches about it

[@UncleDoug]

I agree, Jared. I too trashed an old GTO back when I had even less sense than I do now :)

[@LTJR.]

GTOoohhh! I have a funny story about Shelby.... While meeting my aunt for lunch at a Santa Monica diner, I had arrived before her and as she came up and we hugged she said you know about cars don't you, there's some boys outside with I think they said a Shelby Mustang and it's stalled. Excuse myselfhit the door and across the street I see a bright yellow Mustang so I start heading for it. As I start to pass the alley I see a couple guys with a COBRA, and they're looking befuddled at best. Turns out one of the guys won it at a casino. Sure it was a kit, but it looked fun all the same nice big V8 couple of fours sitting up there. They had killed the battery by trying to start it. It was on a downhill incline and I figured just to push start but they didn't know how to do that, so I offered to hop in if they'd push. HAHAHA. I GUESS I JUST HAVE AN HONEST FACE. They push me and I think it was right about the same time as she kicks over loud and proud that they probably both thought who the hell is this guy and did we just give him this damn car. I wish I could have seen their faces as I gave a thumbs up and squealed it down to the turn and onto the main drag and past the front of the diner, basically around the block, just to come up on them from the back. I wonder if they'd felt that much tension when they were betting. oh my I just had the weirdest feeling that I told the story already... I hope I'm not losing it. If I did please humor me and forget it. I'll go back to drooling over that GTO.

[@UncleDoug]

Wow.....good story, Lawrence.

[@marccarter1350]

That Double cat scan did the trick! Beautiful Early Gibson tweed amp. They're rated higher than a lot of the Fender tweeds by many. Love watching. When is part 2

[@UncleDoug]

Thanks so much, Marc. Part 2 should be out very soon.

[@phonotical]

The red primer car had a roof that looked like all hell, I'd be trying to make that as smooth as possible

[@UncleDoug]

Agreed. It wasn't exactly an epic demonstration of sheet metal work. P.

[@tiki_trash]

I can smell the mildew from here, ha ha ha!

[@UncleDoug]

She's all spruced up now and ready for the big time, TT.

[@bertrodriguez3087]

Grabber Blue on the Boss 9. 1970 was the first year the color was available. Boss 9's were built by Kar-Kraft utilizing the 429 to qualify for NASCAR. I can't remember the number but I think you needed to build 500 street cars minimum to qualify. That was also a nice Split Bumper Z I saw in the background.

[@UncleDoug]

Thanks for the knowledgeable input, Bert.

[@dave691974]

Cool, says Kalamazoo Michigan,that's about 2 hours from my house.

[@UncleDoug]

Yep, that was Gibson headquarters for many years.

[@goodun6081]

@@UncleDoug , and Gibson had a lower-level amp line called Kalamazoo. The Kalamazoo Model One is a plain-jane looking champ-like single ended amp with an EL84 outout tube and a 10 inch speaker, but with fresh caps and the right tubes and maybe a better speaker, that little amp can sound like a Vox AC30!

[@dwightjt]

Back in the early 80s I owned a 66 falcon With 2barrel 289v8 3 on the tree Saginaw 3speed manual trans It gave 20miles to the gallon

[@UncleDoug]

Those were the days, Dwight :)

[@dwightjt]

@@UncleDoug yas in deed I wish I still have that car..

[@Backtothefutureradios]

Hi Doug! Great channel! Enjoy watching these old amps come back to life! I was wondering where I might lick one of these vintage 60's amps up to refurbish? I play guitar, and dont have an amp, but I restore vintage radios. I thought this might be a good project for me to get an amp that was around when I grew up!!! Thanks for any info, Take Care--Larry

[@UncleDoug]

You can try your local Craigslist, garage and estate sales, local guitar/amp shop, antique stores, Ebay, etc, Larry. Good luck.

[@davidsigglekow1349]

Beautiful work as usual! And as I watch your videos, I am becoming more increasingly aware of what my amplifiers may or may not be doing thanks to you! If I may sir! Can I please send you some photos of my currently undated Canadian tube amp. I have 1 question for you of some concern.

[@UncleDoug]

Thanks, David. Photos and inquiries are best sent to my FB messages at Uncle Doug's Vintage Amps.

[@joed2392]

Caig, makes awesome chemicals !!!

[@UncleDoug]

Yes, I use them daily.

[@Dronesword123]

I almost think the reverb tank was in another amp. My grandma purchased a stereo Double neck Gibson in 1960, and it came with the reverb echo, but it came with 2. A larger one, probably the deluxe and a smaller one. The smaller one has a reverb tank in it, but no controls or connections for it. My grandma said that before she sold the bigger reverb echo, the two amps connected and created a sort of stereo reverb effect and worked in tandem with the stereo double neck guitar. My dad did some research and found some old pictures of the double set

[@UncleDoug]

I have heard of unusual double-cabinet systems before, DP. Generally, the "echo" simply refers to a separate speaker cabinet. In this case, there are four screw holes in the bottom of the cabinet corresponding to a 9" reverb tank. Your grandma must have been quite a lady to be buying stereo double-necked Gibson guitars back in 1960. About all my grandma ever bought were doilies and denture cream :)

[@sandienochs6132]

I have found that after using steel wool, come back with a magnet and collect any little bits that may have strayed into the jacks. These little bits are programmed to seek and destroy.

[@UncleDoug]

Good suggestion, Sandi. Scotchbrite pads work well, without the short-circuit residue.

[@williamgregory6684]

I don't know if it would decrease the amp value but Never Dull would clean those chrome components like new but I definitely wouldn't use it on the front panel.It also works with brass and aluminum.It is a wadding with chemicals impregnated in it.You can get it at Advance Auto and possibly at Walmart.

[@UncleDoug]

I used Never Dull when restoring jukeboxes years ago.....it was very effective. Thanks for reminding me :)

[@chaseth]

Try 'tuff stuff's in an aerosol can. Can be found at Walmart on that Tweed. The tuff stuff and a nylon bristle brush really cleaned up a Tweed cab I had. Mine wasn't as bad as yours but mine looks almost new

[@UncleDoug]

The stains in this case are beneath the clear coating on the tweed, C. I really don't see any way to remove them.

[@dennislarson9560]

When you discuss the pots, could you please explain which kind(s) you use. There are linear one, audio ones, and combination pots. I'll bet more than just me don't know the differences between the types.

[@UncleDoug]

Virtually any pot used in a signal chain is audio (i.e. Volume, Tone, etc.). While those used to alter voltage (i.e. Tremolo Speed and Intensity, Reverb, etc.) are linear. If you really want to know the nature of any potentiometer, simply check the schematic.

[@robinbailey3052]

Pretty sure that one knob with the silver reflector cap is original to the amp all the rest are replacements.

[@UncleDoug]

That's the way it always goes, Robin. I'll keep it in hopes of finding its lost brethren.

[@BenPrevo]

I think the concentric trem knob is stock as well

[@robinbailey3052]

@@UncleDoug You May be able to use The Standard Volume and Tone knobs from Philadelphia Lutherie just buff the silk screens off www.philadelphialuthiertools.com/knobs/volume-and-tone-control-knobs/bell-hat-knobs-black-with-silver-reflector-us-set-of-4/

[@hiwatt4007]

22:50 I am happy to see Casey performing 150 % as a sniffing apprentice :-)

[@UncleDoug]

She is an avid learner and willing to go the extra mile :)

[@hiwatt4007]

@@UncleDoug She is stretching out at the rev line :) kzbin.info/www/bejne/jWqaqZiDj7dpeNU

[@DeadKoby]

Aha.... Gibson usually used that Reverb-echo logo on stuff that had Tel-Ray cans in it. GA-4RE being the most famous outboard version.

[@UncleDoug]

Thanks, DK.

[@dougtaylor7724]

What is the process factories use to put the letters and numbers on a switch plate? Would love to see that on video.

[@UncleDoug]

Some were etched......some were screen printed. There may be internet sites that describe the process.