Vintage Gibson GA-20T Combo Tube guitar amplifier repair Tremolo Tips D-lab Electronics 2026-09-22 | Vintage Gibson GA-20T Combo Tube guitar amplifier repair Tremolo Tips
Electro-harmonix Phase Shifter Pedal test #shorts #audio #pedal #vintage #repair #fender #music D-lab Electronics 2024-05-10 | Test of a Phase shifter pedal after repair. The Carling 112P foot switch was defective. These switches are very pricy, around $20, but you need to use the exact replacement due to terminal orientation. For the test, I utilized a Leader audio generator and Tek Oscilloscope. Cool vintage pedal ready for action
WRL Globe Chief Deluxe tube Ham CW transmitter PTT system function switch problem solved D-lab Electronics 2024-05-09 | Problem with vintage transmitters, worn out rotary function switches. When the switch fails, it is very difficult to locate, and very pricy when you do. To resolve this issue, I sell PTT relay systems which takes the stress off the rotary switch. These were intended for AM transmitters, so PTT stands for "Push to talk". These modules are quite popular. Over the years, I have had many requests for a similar system that would work on CW transmitters. Yes, the function switch gets the same wear & tear in that mode. So, D-lab set out to develop a PTT system for CW transmitters. For the initial test, I acquired a Globe Chief deluxe. It has a rotary function switch which is also well known to fail. The new system works great! Now, PTT stands for Push to transmit! If you would like a K2 PTT module, contact me. d-labelectronics.com or patreon.com/dlab_electronics
Centreville, MI Fair grounds Garage Sale Crazy show Lots of cool people and items for sale D-lab Electronics 2024-05-04 | Crazy sale in Centreville, MI. I attended this after a hamfest at the same fair grounds. Had lots of fun. Didnt buy anything. I was more in tune with the weird people hovering around.
Sansui AU-717 Stereo amp Parting out #audio #repair #vintage #amplifier #stereo #music #antique D-lab Electronics 2024-05-03 | Tour the Sansui AU-717 80's vintage home stereo integrated amplifier. This one does not work. Powers up, but no ones home. No signs of past maintenance. I evaluated the unit and decided that it was not worth the numerous hours required to repair. Therefore, I am putting it out there for parts. What do you need? I will not ship overseas. Clean unit, no smoke paths. Would be a good donor for yours in need. Contact me thru d-labelectronics.com or patreon.com/dlab_electronics
Supro tube guitar amp cap replace #shorts #audio #fender #vintage #repair #reverb #hamradio #repair D-lab Electronics 2024-05-01 | Vintage Supro tube amp. Came in, Instrument channel & tremolo dead. Lots of hum! Changing out the old wax caps brought these functions back to life! There is much more work required. I will be launching a full video soon. If you have a Vintage amp in need of repair, contact d-labelectronics.com or see: patreon.com/dlab_electronics
Vintage Supro tube amp Test #shorts #audio #music #amplifier #fender #antique #reverb #tremolo #old D-lab Electronics 2024-04-29 | Initial Test before repair. Power supply has hum (expected) Instrument channel dead. Tremolo dead. My guess, a complete cap job is in order. Also, tubes are suspect. This should be a fun project.
D-Lab Custom 6DQ6A Tube guitar amp #shorts #radio #audio #amplifier #fender #hamradio #radio #music D-lab Electronics 2024-04-28 | Test of a unique 6DQ6A Guitar amplifier. The tube line up may concern you, however this amps performance will shock you! Plus the tubes are dirt cheap! Unlike the typical line up of 12AX7 and 6V6. Take a look on line. The design is simple and efficient. I have designed many amps featuring the Vertical output tubes. This amp can be run as is, bench top, or you can build a cool cabinet for it. I have this amp featured on Reverb.com. See: reverb.com/item/77801304-d-lab-sweeper-vertical-output-class-a-6dq6a-boutique-tube-guitar-amplifier. If you would like more details, schematic, etc, see: patreon.com/dlab_electronics You can contact me direct thru d-labelectronics.com
Heathkit HD-15 6AQ5 tube Guitar amp test #shorts #amplifier #vintage #audio #radio #hamradio #repair D-lab Electronics 2024-04-28 | Test of the Junk Box special 6AQ5 amp. This little 2 watt amp is housed on a Heathkit HD-15 Phone patch. Pretty much a worthless item, but now it has a new life as a neat table top guitar amp. Perfect for apartment playing. Achieve crunch at low volume. Very basic design, class A, Volume & tone. Complete build details + schematic found at: patreon.com/dlab_electronics
Heathkit conversion to 6AQ5 Guitar 2 watt amp! #shorts #amplifier #audio #vintage #hamradio #radio D-lab Electronics 2024-04-27 | Mission accomplished! The conversion was a huge success! Construction was a bit tricky. I was very happy with the low noise floor and super distortion. Plate voltage came in around 175vdc. So, I would guess it is around 2 watts of power. Sorry, I can play the guitar, but you should be able to hear the performance. This would be a nice little apartment practice amp. Detailed build info can be found: patreon.com/dlab_electronics
Browning Golden Eagle Vintage tube type 23 Channel CB transmitter 23s9 repair broken plate cap D-lab Electronics 2024-04-26 | Transmitter had no output. During a initial inspection I noticed that the plate tuning capacitor was damaged. Plates contacting each other. Which would short the RF signal to ground. Lucky, I had another, same mount, same value. I was able to replace the old one with some minor modifications to fit. I also found that the On the air lamp had burnt out, which is used as a RF output fuse! Now the transmitter works. Have some wrap up to do but looking promising!
Johnson Ranger transmitter audio test CB and Ham #shorts #hamradio #radio #repair #vintage #audio D-lab Electronics 2024-04-26 | Test of a recent repair. Another clean Johnson Ranger tube transmitter. This one came from ebay. Of course it had multiple problems. The ebay ad stated it was plug and go! haha, far from that. Best thing it had going was its looks. very clean, no exposure to smokers. A nice unit to get back on the air.
Crown ic150 stereo preamp grand tour #shorts #amplifier #vintage #audio #music #crown #repair #radio D-lab Electronics 2024-04-24 | Tour of a vintage Crown IC150 home stereo preamp. This unit will need to be repaired/restored. It powers up, but no other testing has been performed. I have it listed on Reverb.com: reverb.com/item/78440426-crown-ic150-vintage-home-stereo-preamp-project-made-in-usa You can also contact me thru d-labelectronics.com. Check out the other cool tube amplifiers I have listed on Reverb. If you want to deal, contact me direct. All proceeds go toward supporting my shop activities. NOTE: The preamp has SOLD. Thanks!
Johnson Ranger ham transmitter Mod test #shorts #hamradio #vintage #audio #amplifier #repair #radio D-lab Electronics 2024-04-22 | Test of a 1950's Johnson Ranger transmitter after repair. The audio section and power supplies were completely rebuilt.
2024 Centreville Michigan Hamfest Vintage Ham CB radio swapmeet D-lab Electronics 2024-04-21 | D-lab tours a small Michigan hamfest at the ST Joseph fair grounds, Centreville. This was their 5th show. Yep, small event, but still fun to see the guys & radio equipment. It was about an hour drive for me. I hope that after this video airs, they might get more attendance. I did not buy anything, just went for the content. I plan to visit more hamfest's this year.
Browning Golden Eagle R-2700A CB band Receiver dead arcing IF can bad power supply caps repair test D-lab Electronics 2024-04-19 | Not normally on the D-lab bench. Testing the receiver for a friend. He was hopeful that it would be straight forward. Nope, someone had their fingers in there which caused the repair to turn major. I did what I could, however the fired IF can would be very hard to locate. Guess this one joins the bone yard!
How to fix hum Mojotone 6G15 Reverb #fender #shorts #amplifier #vintage #tube #repair #audio #music D-lab Electronics 2024-04-18 | Here is a quick fix to the hum issue with the Mojotone 6G15 tube reverb kit. I have read several hum complaints in forums. Many crazy ideas floating around of how to eliminate this problem. Well, its a simple ground loop caused by the amps ground vrs reverb unit. You dont see this issue with the vintage Fender unit because they used a 2- prong cord. There is no safety issue here as the patch cord allows for ground connection to the amp.
WA1FFL DDS digital VFO keying interface module Ham tube transmitter isolation protection device D-lab Electronics 2024-04-16 | DDS Modified Johnson VF-122 VFO. Great VFO module. To safely operate with a tube transmitter, you need to ensure that key line voltages are isolated from the sensitive processor pin (23, Key). This pin has a 5vdc pullup. Grounding it keys the VFO. If you connect a transmitters key line direct the higher voltage can destroy the DDS chip! The D-lab Opto-key module solves this issue. I have been informed that most operators, free run the VFO, shift the VFO frequency while in receive so not to interfere with the receiver. Some have tried using relays for keying, but that introduces clicks on CW mode. So I set out to design a fast response keying & isolation circuit. Works great. Hook-up is simple. Small easy to interface. Other designs are in the works. Example Heathkit (DX-60) plus other popular models. If your interested, let me know. Right now only the Johnson Viking II model is tested, ready.
Johnson Transmitter VF-122 VFO Test #shorts #hamradio #radio #repair #vintage #antique #frequency D-lab Electronics 2024-04-10 | Test of a EF Johnson tube type Ham band VFO. This one was full of modifications. After returning it to stock configuration, it took off running.
How to make a custom shunt resistor Instruction to modify create for your application radio repair D-lab Electronics 2024-04-07 | Have you ever needed a custom value shunt resistor, maybe to scale an analog current meter? Well, it is expensive to order various values from part houses and hope you hit the correct one. So, here is a method you can use to create your custom resistor, dial it in for the application. I have utilized this method many times, fixing Ham radios or designing a cool power supply. I hope this info is of use to you. For more of D-lab's designs and tech tips see: d-labelectronics.com or patreon.com/dlab_electronics
Johnson Ranger Ham tube transmitter audio test #shorts #hamradio #audio #amplifier #vintage #radio D-lab Electronics 2024-04-06 | Just finished re-capping and completely rebuilding the audio section of the transmitter. The audio section was the worst I have ever seen. Every resistor and capacitor was wasted. Numerous cold or unsoldered connections. A very poor assembly job. I dont know how this Ranger ever operated. Well, it sure sounds great now! Many hours on the work bench. Still lots to do, but very promising at this point. Another Ranger lives on!
Johnson Ranger Ham transmitter inspection test #shorts #hamradio #vintage #antique #repair #audio D-lab Electronics 2024-04-05 | This Ranger comes form the estate of an original owner. It has not been powered up in several decades. Dusty, old drippy capacitors, smoked resistors. Will require a full rebuild. Hard to believe, it came to life. Has output but no modulation. This will be a fun project.
3 build tips Mojotone Fender Princeton Reverb tube guitar amp #shorts #vintage #repair #amplifier D-lab Electronics 2024-04-04 | Last of the Mojotone build tips. The amp is complete and on its way back to the owner. Sorry I did not do a full build video. Just am pinched for time these days. This amp really came out nice, no noise/hum. Sounds very close to the real thing! I enjoyed the project. Hope these tips are of use to you. D-lab will complete or troubleshoot your kit amp build. See d-labelectronics.com or patreon.com/dlab_electronics
Mojotone tube guitar amp recommended updates #shorts #fender #amplifier #repair #vintage #audio D-lab Electronics 2024-04-03 | 3 recommend improvements for your MojoTone kit amp build. I have experienced these problems on many repairs + builds for customers. Save yourself a future repair or malfunction.
Build Tips Mojotone tube guitar amp clones #shorts #fender #amplifier #repair #audio #vintage #old D-lab Electronics 2024-04-02 | In process of building the Mojotone Fender Princeton reverb clone kit. Thought this would be a good opportunity to share a few tech tips. These kits are well constructed, just could use a few minor refinements. Not bashing this kit or others. These are just tips to make the kit easier to build + ensure a good outcome. D-Lab can finish those abandoned kit builds for you. See d-labelectronics.com
How to repair/upgrade Tenma 72-1095 bench Variac to separate Simpson analog meters D-lab Electronics 2024-03-30 | These are great Variac's (when they work), however they are reported to have a high failure rate of the V/A meter + driver board. Unfortunately, these are made overseas. There is no documentation available. Parts are not easily located. So, when they fail, it leaves you in a lurch. I have one here which has the open meter. Instead of searching and installing another poor quality meter, I decided to modify the Variac with dual Simpson 1257 series meters! The project turned out great. I love the smooth operation and not needing to use the cheap switches to monitor voltage & current. If you decide to do this mod, buy the meters on ebay. They range around $20ea. If you buy them new, they are $130ea! I will be posting more updates to this unit in the near future. Enjoy!
Test 100Khz Crystal Calibrator National NC-183D #shortwave #shorts #hamradio #radio #repair #audio D-lab Electronics 2024-03-29 | This is a custom 100Khz crystal calibrator for the National NC-183D shortwave receiver. National never offered a calibrator for this model receiver. There is a need for it, especially when operating on the Ham bands. I recently had a request to build one, so I thought you all would like to see the final testing. D-lab electronics creates many unique Ham radio accessories.
Fender Vibro champ guitar amp oscilloscope test #shorts #fender #audio #repair #vintage #music #old D-lab Electronics 2024-03-26 | Test of a Fender silver face Vibro champ after repair. New capacitors installed, Preamp gain enhancement, re-biased. The oscilloscope shows a pure output signal plus the vibro action. This is a great little amp. Ready to rock again!
D-Lab Basic Training Fender 5F1 Clone kit tube guitar amp noise issues poor build D-lab Electronics 2024-03-23 | Yes, Basic training is back. Sorry its been a while since the last. I have been very busy clearing backlog repairs. Have to keep the customers happy. This 5F1 came in with noise/build complaints. The eyelet board was pretty messed up. All solder connections were merely tack soldered on. For instance leads were just laid against tube socket terminals and a drop of solder added. Same with most eyelet terminations. These old amps and other vintage electronics need a mechanical connection, then proper soldering to ensure longevity. Solder is not glue. It appeared that this build was completed quickly. May have just been inexperience, I dont know. The rebuild process took about 4 hours. Now it is a great sounding amp and should provide reliable service. BTW, I believe this is a Mojotone kit.
MojoTone Fender 5F1 Guitar amp noise #shorts #fender #amplifier #tubeamp#repair#audio #music #audio D-lab Electronics 2024-03-23 | Kit Fender tube guitar amplifier. Came to the shop noisy & sensitive to vibration. Cause, poor construction. Bad solder joints, loose connections. Just a poor attempt of building the kit. I will gut it and rebuild. More to follow.
Ham radio Dow Key replacement #shorts #hamradio #radio #antenna #vintage #cb #amplifier #repair D-lab Electronics 2024-03-20 | My solution to replacing the old Dow Key antenna TR switch. The Dow Keys have been around over 60 years. Due to age, they are failing, bad coils, worn contacts, etc. Replacing them is pricy. When you do find them, your rolling the dice on how they were treated, plus how much life is left. Another consideration is line voltage. The maximum coil voltage I have seen is 115vac, most are 110. So, I set out to make a replacement. Had to be rugged, plus use currently available components. Goal was to duplicate the function of the famous Dow Key. Bonus of this new design is the open frame Potter & Brumfield relay has a 120vac coil. Operation is smooth and reliable. I have sold 20 of them. Hams are using them with Johnson, Heathkit, B&W plus other transmitters. No problems reported. I make these to order. Currently have a few of each model in stock. As time allows, I have enough parts on hand to make 30 more. Contact me if your interested in one. Price for each model, 4= $110, 5= $120, 6= $135. You may think this is high, however parts are $50 ea, plus 2 hours for assembly. The model 6 more due to the 3 pole relay and layout differences, which add to the build time. Shipping is USA only. I will consider Canada, since the postal rate is acceptable. Other overseas, you will need to use a US shipping agency to handle the paperwork required. Thanks all for the shop support. My contact info is on d-labelectronics.com or you can reach me thru patreon.com/dlab_electronics
Ham radio Dow Key replacement D-lab TR switch antenna change over relay system D-lab Electronics 2024-03-20 | My solution to replacing the old Dow Key antenna TR switch. The Dow Keys have been around over 60 years. Due to age, they are failing, bad coils, worn contacts, etc. Replacing them is pricy. When you do find them, your rolling the dice on how they were treated, plus how much life is left. Another consideration is line voltage. The maximum coil voltage I have seen is 115vac, most are 110. So, I set out to make a replacement. Had to be rugged, plus use currently available components. Goal was to duplicate the function of the famous Dow Key. Bonus of this new design is the open frame Potter & Brumfield relay has a 120vac coil. Operation is smooth and reliable. I have sold 20 of them. Hams are using them with Johnson, Heathkit, B&W plus other transmitters. No problems reported. I make these to order. Currently have a few of each model in stock. As time allows, I have enough parts on hand to make 30 more. Contact me if your interested in one. Price for each model, 4= $110, 5= $120, 6= $135. You may think this is high, however parts are $50 ea, plus 2 hours for assembly. The model 6 more due to the 3 pole relay and layout differences, which add to the build time. Shipping is USA only. I will consider Canada, since the postal rate is acceptable. Other overseas, you will need to use a US shipping agency to handle the paperwork required. Thanks all for the shop support. My contact info is on d-labelectronics.com or you can reach me thru patreon.com/dlab_electronicsNOTE: Only 2 of the Model 4 left
How to tune EF Johnson Viking II transmitter on 11 meter CB Band Peak Grid dip plate 6146 power D-lab Electronics 2024-03-18 | Demo of the simple tune up procedure. Yes, all of those knobs can look intimidating, However once you've use this transmitter it will become Childs play. The Viking II is considered one of the greatest transmitters ever produced. Very reliable. Many are still in use. Made around 1952, still performing, sounding great. You cant beat the punch of plate modulation!
Johnson Valiant Ham Transmitter Test after repair #shorts #hamradio #repair #vintage #audio #radio D-lab Electronics 2024-03-15 | Testing of a Johnson Valiant after repair. This is a factory wired unit. Unfortunately, it landed in the hands of a modifier. Lots of cobbling, poor modifications. I was able to reverse most. There are holes drilled on the front panel that need to be addressed. Electronically, operating great! The owner will be pleased. Crystal clear audio!
Johnson Valiant Ham Transmitter problem #shorts #hamradio #vintage #amplifier #radio #repair #test D-lab Electronics 2024-03-14 | Assistance/thoughts on this Johnson Valiant transmitter fault. History, it is a factory built unit, but was treated rough. When the owner acquired it, there were 4-6146's in the final! The modulation transformer shows signs of stress, wax pooling around its base. The 3B28 tubes were shorted, fuses blowing upon HV activation. The Low voltage transformer was missing, now replaced. As shown in the video, plate pegs the meter, no dip, same problem on 80 or 40 meters. Things I have checked. Radio is on freq selected. Final bias OK, Loading caps OK, yes the 3 section mica one too. All power supply filter caps are new. Negative bias is OK. Tested HV power feeds for shorts. Verified HV is reaching the 6146 plates. I do not want to shotgun this problem. I suspect the modulation transformer may be leaking HV to chassis? I verified the winding resistance per the manual, looks OK? What am I overlooking? Any ideas? Another fun repair. Thanks for your help.
Johnson Challenger AM CW Transmitter test #shorts #hamradio #vintage #shortwave #amplifier #radio D-lab Electronics 2024-03-12 | Test of a Johnson Challenger utilizing the VFO-122
2024 Crossroads Hamfest Vintage Ham Radio transmitters receivers tour the event Tube equipment D-lab Electronics 2024-03-11 | March 9th 2024. Great event at Wings stadium, Kalamazoo, MI. Lots of cool old radio gear, test equipment, Tubes, parts, etc. I saw a lot of old friends. Many approached me with repair needs. There were quite a few nice boat anchors. Prices were right. Hamfest season is upon us! I will try to shoot more of these events this year. Hope you enjoy. de n6tlu
How to fix Vintage Johnson Messenger 1 tube type CB No modulation or audio Yep another stupid cap! D-lab Electronics 2024-03-09 | New project. Back in the day (1962) Johnson sold the Messengers. They were used for base or mobile operation. The messenger 1 was a 5 channel crystal controlled 27Mhz CB. Many of them were converted to the "Business band" and utilized in Taxi cabs, plus other small business applications. When used in a vehicle, the Messenger used a vibrator power supply, switching the vehicles 6 or 12vdc system to generate the CB's power requirements. These days, the radios are pretty much worthless, since there are so many new small transceivers on the market. So, my friend Scott and I brainstormed the subject. He has one that we will be converting to 10 meter AM band, utilizing a DDS VFO. His will run as a transceiver using the offset function of the fancy VFO. The offset is required to shift frequency 455kc's for the receive section. I am changing mine over to the 40 meter band, AM and CW. My Messenger will only be a transmitter. With some tweeking, this little guy can put out 10 watts! Heres another fun fact, The messenger oscillator does not multiple frequency. Therefore when it was a CB, the transmit crystal was cut for the actual channel, ex: 27.085 (channel 11). So, as a 40 meter transmitter, it will use the direct frequency from the VFO. Ex: 7.290 Mhz. Using the Johnson VFO-122, this transmitter could be used on the 40 or 80 meter band. A cool monobander transmitter! I will be playing with this project and posting more info. Yes, this is far from a guitar amp, but gives you some insight on modification of old obsolete electronics!
Is it a Watch or Glimpse A Phone or Tricorder Generation Gap Emi and Grandpa debate D-lab Electronics 2024-03-04 | Visiting Emi In TN. We knew everyone would like to see our typical sparring match. subject matter this time, differences in technology that share the same name. Watch the great debate and decide for yourself. Is that really a watch? Is that really a phone? Thank you all for understanding why I shoot these videos. Emi has always been a big part of D-Lab electronics. Hopefully she can take over when the old gray guy is done.
Johnson 500 Ham transmitter test #shorts #hamradio #amplifier #vintage #radio #repair #cb #antique D-lab Electronics 2024-02-27 | Test of my second EF Johnson 500 tube transmitter. These are a true classic. Not many around. I have decided to sell my 500s. Just do not use them. They need to be in a station in use. Mine just sit on the shelf like eye candy!
Convert Johnson Tube CB 40 meter transmitter #shorts #hamradio #radio #repair #tubeamp #vintage D-lab Electronics 2024-02-26 | New project. Back in the day (1962) Johnson sold the Messengers. They were used for base or mobile operation. The messenger 1 was a 5 channel crystal controlled 27Mhz CB. Many of them were converted to the "Business band" and utilized in Taxi cabs, plus other small business applications. When used in a vehicle, the Messenger used a vibrator power supply, switching the vehicles 6 or 12vdc system to generate the CB's power requirements. These days, the radios are pretty much worthless, since there are so many new small transceivers on the market. So, my friend Scott and I brainstormed the subject. He has one that we will be converting to 10 meter AM band, utilizing a DDS VFO. His will run as a transceiver using the offset function of the fancy VFO. The offset is required to shift frequency 455kc's for the receive section. I am changing mine over to the 40 meter band, AM and CW. My Messenger will only be a transmitter. With some tweeking, this little guy can put out 10 watts! Heres another fun fact, The messenger oscillator does not multiple frequency. Therefore when it was a CB, the transmit crystal was cut for the actual channel, ex: 27.085 (channel 11). So, as a 40 meter transmitter, it will use the direct frequency from the VFO. Ex: 7.290 Mhz. Using the Johnson VFO-122, this transmitter could be used on the 40 or 80 meter band. A cool monobander transmitter! I will be playing with this project and posting more info. Yes, this is far from a guitar amp, but gives you some insight on modification of old obsolete electronics!
Sold my Vintage EF Johnson 500 Ham transmitter Downsizing my Ham station Goodbye old friend! D-lab Electronics 2024-02-25 | Yes, today was the day. I finally sold my museum quality Johnson 500. I purchased it many years back. Played with it a few times, but it mostly sat unused. This transmitter came from the original owner. Completely stock with the exception of fresh filter caps. Hated to see it go, but cannot take them with you. Plus I'm sure no one would build me a pyramid for my toys. So, its best to let a Ham operator enjoy & use it. 73's J-500 de n6tlu
Whats on D-Labs workbench? Vintage Ham tube type transmitter cleaning controls with Caig Deoxit D-lab Electronics 2024-02-23 | Whats on D-lab's workbench? Cleaning Vintage electronics. This time a 1950's Johnson Viking II transmitter. Switches/controls/sockets/Potentiometers. For this task, Hands down, the best cleaner out there is the Caig Deoxit series. Believe me, I have tried them all. Restoration of rare transmitters and expensive guitar amps require the best parts and cleaners. In the past I have had cheap cleaning sprays actually lock up or disintegrate control devices. Never an issue with Caig. I'm a fan. After cleaning the controls, I take time to clean the chassis, lube switches, control shafts and of course the roller inductor. This transmitter has been a fun project. It leaves this weekend to a new Ham home.
Beware low quality Fender tube guitar amp octal socket replacements Dont ruin your investment! D-lab Electronics 2024-02-20 | Hello all. I normally do not like to bash quality of components, however this needs to be addressed. These overseas made tube sockets are showing up in many amps, plus guys are using them for new builds. Then in a short period of time the amps fail, usually taking out very expensive output tubes. When an amp shows up in my shop, and I see these installed, the first thing I do is get them out! Many of the newly manufactured boutique amps come with these standard. The main issue is contact material quality. Their metal cannot retain tension, therefore bad pin connection & catastrophic failure. The 12AX7 (9 pin) sockets that are 2 piece ceramic have a corrosion issue. Taking the sockets apart, reveals gray pitted pin material. Poor quality, waiting to cause you heartache. Best to use Belton Micalex or NOS USA sockets (Cinch, Amphenol). They are a bit more expensive but will ensure you get some longevity out of your classis tube amp! Another to avoid is CELANEX 8 pin Octal Vacuum Tube Sockets. They advertise as drop in high quality replacements, made of bakelite! No, they are made of a soft ABS plastic and cheap contact material, which fails in short time. Do your research before jumping at what appears to be a solution. The vintage sockets can still be acquired with a little looking around. I find them quite often on ebay. Sorry if this may upset some out there. With the high cost of vacuum tubes, you have to be diligent.
EF Johnson 500 Ham Transmitter Test #shorts #audio #hamradio #repair #radio #vintage #antique D-lab Electronics 2024-02-17 | Test of a minty Johnson 500 transmitter. A true classic
How to test audio Johnson Viking II Ham transmitter D-lab Electronics 2024-02-17 | Test your Viking II audio preamp section without turning on Plate. I just finished rebuilding the audio section. All new resistors/caps and audio interstage transformer. I always use this method to verify alls well before moving forward.
Fender Bassman guitar amp repair Hammond Transformer #shorts #amplifier #music #guitar #repair D-lab Electronics 2024-02-17 | Fender Bassman, overheated power transformer, open filament center tap resulting in buzz! Solution, install a Hammond 290EX. Yes, it may not be original, however it ensures longevity. Also, a big bonus, the Hammond has a primary winding rating of 120vac which agrees with current line voltage. The original transformers were made back in the day of 115vac, so they are under more stress. The Hammond drops right in, no modifications necessary. The old crusty transformer can be used as a door stop.
D-Lab Electronics True Fender Guitar amp repair #shorts #amplifier #music #guitar #fender #repair D-lab Electronics 2024-02-16 | Do you want your amp fixed correctly the first time? Do you want honesty and integrity? How about real time updates on progress, then a personal demo video of your amp operating? Thats what I do for every job. I'm not out here trying to pull the wool over your eyes. D-Lab is the real thing. No need for drama, dancing skirts, No gimmicks, just true repair. This is what I do, have done it all my life. D-lab is your goto shop for Fender repair. Check me out d-labelectronics.com.
Johnson Viking Transmitter test RF Audio #shorts #audio #hamradio #radio #transmitter #vintage D-lab Electronics 2024-02-14 | Testing a Johnson Viking II Ham transmitter utilizing a Clean RF-AM1K interface module. Great device to check percent of modulation plus verifying the transmitter produces clean audio. This device is very handy when troubleshooting vintage tube type transmitters.
Dont do this to your Vintage Fender guitar amp #shorts #guitar #amplifier #music #vintage #repair D-lab Electronics 2024-02-13 | Wow, Why would anyone do this type of cobble work to a vintage Fender guitar amplifier? More effort went in to rework rather than just putting in the correct parts. Plus this type of maintenance degrades the value of the classic amp. Moral of the story, Take your time, do it right.
Fender Bassman Guitar amp Fried transformer #shorts #guitar #amplifier #music #vintage #audio D-lab Electronics 2024-02-13 | Just in. Fender Bassman 6L6 tube guitar amp. Reported problem, buzzing in the audio. Upon initial inspection, I noticed the main power transformer looked overheated. Checked the 6 volt filament leads, yep, open center tap.Discussed with owner, he opted for a new transformer. I will be installing a Hammond 290EX. Bonus for the new transformer is the primary is designed for current 120 vac line voltage, which will reduce stress on the amp. Lately, I have noticed more transformer failures. Age is catching up!
