Broken - 5C3 - what to do?

[reverbbb]

My friend has an original 5C3 that he bought some where around 1957. He bought it from his Louisiana guitar playing buddy that bought it earlier in the '50s. I think the paper S/N is like 2024.

The thing is ragged. The original Jenson was replaced with an unmarked speaker sometime back in the '50s. The leather handle was replaced with a metal handle some time in the mid '50s. The original small transformer was replaced, but the original is still laying in the amp. The glass of one of the 6L6 tubes moves around (I suspect the vacuum is lost). The tubes all apear to be original GE Electrolitic (?). All the capacitors and resistors are original. One of the capacitor leads to a preamp is broken at the solder joint.

I asked him when the last time he plugged it in and turned it on, and he said 30 years ago. That is when he said it stopped working. I asked what did it do? He said that the power tubes glowed a very bright red.

He wants to hang onto this amp due to the keepsake value of it. But he would also like to see it working again. He plays saxophone, so he does not have much use for it himself. However, one of his son's plays guitar and lives in Austin.

I think the first step is to solder the broken capacitor lead back on. If the thing powers up, then we can start to assess how much or how little he wants to do to the amp. I think for sure, that some of the caps need to be replaced. I advised him to be careful about swapping any more parts because it will effect the collector value of the amp. But we realize that some things will have to be replaced to get it to a stable and playable state again.

Any suggestions on how to approach this amp? I'm open for suggestions on vintage amp techs too. I know there is a guy in Dallas named Bill Banks.

[rmconner80]

The 6L6 may be ok. The glass probably isn't moving - the bakelite base may be. The pins and glass of the tube are connected, the plastic base is just loose relative to the glass envelope.

Before you fire it up, make sure that the amp has the correct size fuse in it... Actually, I probably wouldn't fire it up anyway, the electrolytic caps in the amp are probably long gone. Why risk it? Take it to a tech and let them figure it out. At very least the amp needs to be gone through to correct broken solder joints as described, and the electrolytic caps need to be either reformed (if possible) or replaced.

I don't think new electrolytics should deduct from the 'collectors' value of such an amp, especially in that condition.

Would you pay top dollar for a 65 Mustang that had been running on the original motor oil ...?

[logman]

I would highly reccomend sending it to David Allen at:

[/url]http://www.allenamps.com/http://<br /> <br /> he is a fende...<br /> logman

[skiraly017]

Have him send it to me, I need a foot rest for my sofa. :D

[Smokey]

Odds are there's an amp tech in your area, have the guy take it in.

Otherwise steal the amp, send it to me, I'll give ya fiddy bucks 4 it.

[jjmantele]

Don't plug it in. The caps are so old you don't want to take a chance. It needs to be treated as if every component is shot which a competent tech will do. He'll bring it up slowly with no tubes in after changing the caps. Keep every old part. If the power transformer is shorted there's no need to go further until you have it re-wound. Mercurymagnetics can do this. They can also re-wind the original tranny that's floating in the amp. Some people insert new caps into the old paper covers to keep the original look, assuming the filter caps have the paper covers. It's a 1954 treasure that should be treated as such.

[zane]

Reverbb, there is a cat over in "the bellum" Slimmonds Amps. Does good work .I had him work on 3 of my amps. I'd go there again.