OMG why did I decide to recap this thing. This guy is a PITA to recap. Like 6 hours later, I only have the can caps in, and one board done. There is like no room for your fingers in this thing, and no room to snip off the old caps. Forget desoldering everything from the lugs, I would destroy the carbon resistors in the process. Ugh, I will work on it some more tomorrow. Still have to test all the tubes, and maybe refinish the cabinet.

Can anyone help me out with the diodes? I want to replace them why I am in there, but there is no voltage reading. The parts list just says 1.1A. I seen on ebay that a rebulider uses 3a 1000v diodes...I couldn't find any of them at the rat shack...wondering if I can use something lower or should I order them.

Oh and I have noticed a number of the BB's are cracked

Cracked Bumblebees, eh?

Sell 'em to some fool, and say they're broken in.

Wanna do a re-cap of a Pioneer SX-1250?

LOL!

Hey I just may list them for the fun of it

I am okay with that, thats why I never keep in of the high end silver face guys I get....I get scared just looking in them..

Well its done...PITA...but its done.

I don't know whats going but I'm getting 500v off the rect when I should be getting 330v...and my tester decided it didn't want to test the 12AX7's...but it is playing fine and sounds pretty darn good.

This cracked me up big time!

You pretty much nailed it (and I'm a guitarist).

Nice work Cooljjay!

What really "cracks me up" is the plethora of websites and discussion blogs concerning guitar amp "mods" and tube rolling, among tons of DIY schematics.

If these bumblebees are so worshipped for their original sound, how come they've got to modify the amps, mess with the bias, and redesign "tone stacks"?
It would seem kind of contradictory to change original designs to suit, yet praise junk parts.

But then again, I've never met a musician who wasn't somehow "off" in their way of thinking, anyway.

I guess I'd better not mention that at my advanced age I'm studying piano, and my wife is studying violin!

-David

No no, wait for it. They're going to say guitar isn't a "real instrument".

Of course it's a real instrument. The problem is finding someone who treats it that way.
If they'd simply quit trying to make noise with it and actually explore its potential, it is capable of at least as much expression as an acoustic (i.e. classical) guitar.

By the way, you aren't likely to find many real musicians at the techno-illiteracy havens described by RT above. The usual specimens who infest those websites haven't yet learned that music involves rather more than noise strewn along a timebase. Worse yet, they have no intention of learning.

Their philosophical ancestor, having finally got his guitar in tune, proceeded to weld the machines...

Keyboards since 1968 and COUNTING

Larry

What you may think of as noise may be regarded by others as a beautiful orchestra of harmonic content. That's what makes human nature great. Due to our unique nature many different views are held about a single item. There's little benefit in trying to be critical or debasing about one's view. Instead, be accepting and respectful of one's views or opinions even if you may not agree with them.

I knew something was "funny" about you...

My dear C-20 remains all original, except for a can I replaced about 30 years ago. I thought about re-capping the thing, but will wait for a problem to show up. It sounds absolutely great to my ears, so if it ain't broke, I ain't gonna "fix" it.

I would go in and check the voltages if anything. After the recap, I noticed 25% of the BB caps were cracked open. So yes it works but how much damage you can do with it running with old caps is a question for the universe.

25% cracked, 75% failed in some way that happens to be less obvious. Just say NO to bumblebee caps!

Brett

It's really simple.

When running such equipment with AGED capacitors, it causes stresses.
Leaky caps allow DC into the grids of output tubes.
This now causes the tube to run HOT, drawing more current.
This increase in current helps to elevate output transformer temps.
Eventually the tube fails - taking out anything in the B+ line.


Old power supply 'lytics load down the rectifier, in turn loading down the power transformer - eventually cooking it.
Bias supplies with aged caps and selenium rectifiers also tend to fail, causing output tube failure due to elevated currents.

With this knowledge, why would ANYone continue to use equipment with a ticking time bomb in it?

Makes no sense, unless you like spending lots of money on expensive transformers due to negligence.