Akai M8 conversion

Hi all!
I picked this up for cheap and want to make a couple guitar amps.
here's the schematic:
The tube compliment is:
ef86, 12ad7, el84, 6x4 rectifier. and couple other tubes that i don't think contribute. There's a left and right each with their own pt ot and chokes for two amps.
I wanted to humbly request any input esp. from someone who has converted one as it's apparently common. I have dld some info and am going to ask a friend for help, but know there are some outright wizards on here who could do it with their eyes closed :)
Outside idea, should I harvest the trannys and make a vox-ish amp? maybe an ac4 (though I have one now...)
Thanks so much in advance!! Anything I learn or do I'll document here for posterity.
*edit if the schem won't blow up much I can email it to any interested parties*

I have a couple of those, except with the Roberts badge. I haven't done anything with them yet.

Here is a web site I had found that covered conversions for these amps (and many others):

http://www.vacuumtubecollective.com/pages/schematics.html

Look at the "Kill-O-Watt" section.

Also a document outlining the changes:

www.vacuumtubecollective.com/docs/ampstoconverttoguitar.doc

I ordered most of the parts, but have other projects that have higher priority.

Yay thanks!
Cool. I'll post any stuff I do :). I'll try and make some headway and a plan this weekend.

Did some scavenging and reading. Mine has ef86s so I may go a diff route. Maybe the WEM Clubman? With diode rectified. Or it all lends to another ac4 maybe no trem and ef86 and top boost? I love these little alnico speakers, still have plenty of kick with battery test.
I put some leads on the OT. Maybe some of the tubular resistors will be useful?

My buddy Harry has a pile of these. He just jumpers his guitar into the signal path, connects to an old Califone phonograph speaker and rocks out.

Harry has every '60s Fender amp known to man in his back room. He's a little light on Champs, though.

My buddy Harry has a pile of these. He just jumpers his guitar into the signal path, connects to an old Califone phonograph speaker and rocks out.

Harry has every '60s Fender amp known to man in his back room. He's a little light on Champs, though.

I know, I should have kept it simple....sigh. Oh well, I've already gotten my hands way dirty :)
It's mostly for the learning, I'll probably give em away.

Omg this thread got neglected.
Update, then I'll let it hang for a while.
I decided for a guitar amp, I'm going to build from scratch using the PT & OT only, so thats on hold. I may make the Kill-o-watt that was referenced earlier, but on a fresh chassis with new parts etc.
With the other amp (the akai m8 comes with a left and right with basically two mono amps and all related stuff) my friend and I are making pre amps per Beyond Insanity Productions step by step tutorial. This is a different friend from Steve Hunter, he's a pedal maker and junior electronics tinkerer, so we are putting our heads together and having fun. I'll report back when finished :)
I may beg for some help on how to use the el84 to drive the vu meter, when we come to that.
It'll be a cool mic/guit/bass pre with a ef86 in or 12ax7 in and input transformers. It'll kind of be just for color as I already have a pair of Neve pres and Univeral audio for serious recording needs.
Over and out.

I may beg for some help on how to use the el84 to drive the vu meter, when we come to that.

JohnnyCrash posted a VU tutorial. It's a matter of padding your signal down to fit the range of the meter.

BTW 1 VU = 1 volt. In audio production 1 VU tends to be whatever the house standard is, wimpy, hot, not... levels are all over the place. How hard can it be? Hit 'er with a 1k reference tone, set your gain so the meters just touch the red and you're good to go.

That's Today's Moment of Zen.

JohnnyCrash posted a VU tutorial. It's a matter of padding your signal down to fit the range of the meter.

BTW 1 VU = 1 volt. In audio production 1 VU tends to be whatever the house standard is, wimpy, hot, not... levels are all over the place. How hard can it be? Hit 'er with a 1k reference tone, set your gain so the meters just touch the red and you're good to go.

That's Today's Moment of Zen.

Lol thanks!!

Keeping the meter would be so cool!

Unfortunately both of mine seem to be broken. The standard chassis on these is a little cramped, but the board is very accessible which makes modding a little easier. The other challenge is replacing the cap can with regular electrolytics, but you can get creative with mounting them.

Probably like you, Andy, I have too many other things on the bench, and no time for this project. Also, my wife is asking me to clear out the stuff in the extra room to make room for our baby granddaughter.

Keeping the meter would be so cool!

Unfortunately both of mine seem to be broken. The standard chassis on these is a little cramped, but the board is very accessible which makes modding a little easier. The other challenge is replacing the cap can with regular electrolytics, but you can get creative with mounting them.

Probably like you, Andy, I have too many other things on the bench, and no time for this project. Also, my wife is asking me to clear out the stuff in the extra room to make room for our baby granddaughter.

Yeah, I see alot of the preamps have a non functioning meter, but kept there for decoration...no good. Well, maybe you can move out HALF the stuff :). Babies are small!
That's the cool thing about doing this with my friend, we are staying motivated together.
Here's the beyond sanity link:
http://www.beyondsanityproductions.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=13:akai-roberts-preamp-mods&catid=18:diy-articles&Itemid=28

I've got an M-8 that I'm still using for old tapes - if you have any parts that you would be willing to part with, let me know! I could use the spares...

oh no :(. Just as I was getting ready to comment on your cool Egnater thread.
One of the channels has been thoroughly scavenged to just transformers and maybe one or two things. The other channel is 2 days into the beyondsanityproductions conversion, and we've thrown away nearly all the superfluous stuff. I can ask my friend if he'll donate the reel to reel mechanical stuff, I trashed mine long ago.
Were there a few key things? I kept stuff like the jacks, and the weird tone and volume knobs.