Columbia 360 K2 record player, Is it suitable for a conversion to a guitar amplifier?

"This Columbia 360 is a '56 model. It’s a little stripped down from the original in that it is line operated and uses push-pull 50L6 output tubes, a Ronette ceramic cartridge and electrostatic tweeters. It has a voltage doubler power supply so the B+ runs above 200 volts giving it higher power output. I replaced the original Ronette cartridge with an Electro-Voice 5010 tracking at just under 4 grams. The amplifier has 2 a.f. amp stages so there was more than enough gain to use a lower output cartridge."

"Bill and I are curious to see the 6V6 amp, because the Columbia 360's with a PP
amp came with either 2 x 35L6's, 2 x 50L6's, or 2 x 50C5's."

https://antiqueradios.com/forums/vi...sid=12be893a540131ba13ee36ca1fb10189&start=20


I have a P-P OT from a record player that used a pair of 35L6's. Guessing the one you have is a P-P amp also with a 12V tube and two 50L6's. Like the use of a doubler.
 
Gainclone circuits are designed to have short signal paths, and lots of headroom, so a close approximation to tube sound.

You want to play with a widow maker from 70 years back, with aged parts, high voltages and poor joints?
If that is your idea of fun, go right ahead.
And bear in mind that you may not have the tools and experience, and what happens when a high voltage part needs replacement?
Tubes are getting hard to get as well, and those need periodic replacement, a consumable part.

I think solid state is a better choice if you actually want to use an amp, particularly for amateur and traveling use.
 
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It NEEDS an isolation transformer to be non-lethal.

The linked schematic is not a voltage doubler.

It wants one more stage to play electric guitar well. (The ceramic needle had higher output than g-pickup.)
 
Gainclone circuits are designed to have short signal paths, and lots of headroom, so a close approximation to tube sound.

You want to play with a widow maker from 70 years back, with aged parts, high voltages and poor joints?
If that is your idea of fun, go right ahead.
And bear in mind that you may not have the tools and experience, and what happens when a high voltage part needs replacement?
Tubes are getting hard to get as well, and those need periodic replacement, a consumable part.

I think solid state is a better choice if you actually want to use an amp, particularly for amateur and traveling use.
This would be sound advice if it was for hifi - but guitar amps are a very different beast. We want distortion - mostly we use amps close to or into clipping, and valves sound very different from transistors when they clip. We don't need headroom or short signal paths.

I take your point about reliability though 🙂