Hi DeadSpeaker,
So, you are saying that the pilot light came on and the lamp in series didn't? Or, did you pull the diodes and tubes and plug it in with the pilot light coming on?
Either way, that's good. There are two things you can do now. Plug it in and leave it on for a bit. See if the transformer gets really hot after a bit (a little warm is okay). The other thing is that you can accurately measure the diodes now. So leave things as they are until you get your new meter.
Can you afford $100 ~ $200 at least on a new Fluke?
-Chris
So, you are saying that the pilot light came on and the lamp in series didn't? Or, did you pull the diodes and tubes and plug it in with the pilot light coming on?
Either way, that's good. There are two things you can do now. Plug it in and leave it on for a bit. See if the transformer gets really hot after a bit (a little warm is okay). The other thing is that you can accurately measure the diodes now. So leave things as they are until you get your new meter.
Can you afford $100 ~ $200 at least on a new Fluke?
-Chris
I plugged it in for about 10 minuets and it got warm. The light was on and all the tubes were out. It started to make a smell. I wouldn't say it was a sweet smell or an ashy sort of smell. It smelled like cardboard. I think it might be that the dust got warm and gave off the smell. Some tubes have numbers on them with '65' next to them. This would make sense because there is a sticker on the chassis that says 65 as the year that it was "accepted." I'm looking at Flukes on ebay. I'm pretty tight with my money I guess.
Hi DeadSpeaker,
GE made good tubes. Right on!
-Chris
Edit:Hi ThSpeakerDude88,
I just talked to a guy that lucked into a working Hitachi 100 MHz dual trace 'scope for $20. Nice. He is buying a new Fluke next. I wouldn't saddle anyone with a cheap meter until they knew enough about meters and their shortcomings to be able to use them intelligent. I also have a "DT-830B", make unknown. I use it for very rough measurements. Cheap meter are useful as long as you can deal with their shortcomings. Like each range being out save one.
GE made good tubes. Right on!
-Chris
Edit:Hi ThSpeakerDude88,
I just talked to a guy that lucked into a working Hitachi 100 MHz dual trace 'scope for $20. Nice. He is buying a new Fluke next. I wouldn't saddle anyone with a cheap meter until they knew enough about meters and their shortcomings to be able to use them intelligent. I also have a "DT-830B", make unknown. I use it for very rough measurements. Cheap meter are useful as long as you can deal with their shortcomings. Like each range being out save one.
nice! I wish I could get deals like that. I am using a friend of mines HP ocilioscope- his father is an engineer at rolls royce aircraft division so he brought one home. 
lucky kid.
Anyways... GE did make good tubes! If those 6L6's are in good shape GM wise ( transconductance) then they are definatly worth something, and probably sound very good!
It is also a big plus that they are original to the unit. Sometimes this is not the case, but it usually means the unit was not used much. They could either be very worn out, or they could test like new. Provided you don't have any major problems with the amp, they are probably in very good shape.
lucky kid. Anyways... GE did make good tubes! If those 6L6's are in good shape GM wise ( transconductance) then they are definatly worth something, and probably sound very good!
It is also a big plus that they are original to the unit. Sometimes this is not the case, but it usually means the unit was not used much. They could either be very worn out, or they could test like new. Provided you don't have any major problems with the amp, they are probably in very good shape.
OT stuff split off to here : http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=105600
Back to fixing an amp.
-Chris
I've been on ebay looking at flukes. I just don't think that it will be reasonable to by an expensive multimeter. It would be great to own one if I had a bunch of broken amps and I was planing on fixing them and then selling them or had a carrier in electronics, but I just don't see my self using one after I get his thing fixed up. Sorry if that offends any one
So for this project, what is the best crappy multimeter that will get the job done? I've been looking on Amazon.com and have seen some cheep ones, but I don't know which is most accurate.
So for this project, what is the best crappy multimeter that will get the job done? I've been looking on Amazon.com and have seen some cheep ones, but I don't know which is most accurate.
Time to rethink this
Hi DeadSpeaker,
Save the money and use what you have, the best you can. I also think that trying to repair this amplifier for $30 is unrealistic too. This is sad because what you do have is what could be a really nice amp.
Why not just sell it to someone who will do a good job and pool all your money on an amp? This may be the better way for you to go to be honest with you. I'm very serious about my comments and not in any way making a comment about you. I just think that repairing this amplifier is not what you should be doing. It doesn't make any financial sense.
-Chris
Hi DeadSpeaker,
All bets are off man! A meter in that price range may be worse than what you have on average.
Save the money and use what you have, the best you can. I also think that trying to repair this amplifier for $30 is unrealistic too. This is sad because what you do have is what could be a really nice amp.
Why not just sell it to someone who will do a good job and pool all your money on an amp? This may be the better way for you to go to be honest with you. I'm very serious about my comments and not in any way making a comment about you. I just think that repairing this amplifier is not what you should be doing. It doesn't make any financial sense.
-Chris
I agree with you. I started out trying to power a large speaker cabinet and got involved with repairing an amp(that I can't afford to fix up right now and soon woun't have extra time to do it in). What I really need to do is find out if the speakers work and buy an amp that can drive them. Do you think people would be more interested in the whole amp or just the tubes? And I thank everyone for the time they spent helping me.
Hi DeadSpeaker,
Right now I believe that the only problems for you are time and money. I think this amp would make an awesome vocal amp, but that is only my opinion.
I do really want you to succeed with this, but I can't see that happening right now. To be honest with you, the tubes aren't worth anything. They are just a good make (there were many) but are not special.
If you know someone who likes to repair amplifiers and is used to tube units, consider either giving it to them complete or for a very low sum of money. Like an old car with rust, it has potential but not until someone puts some time, energy and money into it. If you can see yourself motivated to repair it later when you have more money and are willing to make a commitment to doing this, hold it until later.
I am trying to keep this amp from hitting the dust bin (garbage). If you can't see yourself repairing it, brighten someone else's day.
-Chris
Right now I believe that the only problems for you are time and money. I think this amp would make an awesome vocal amp, but that is only my opinion.
I do really want you to succeed with this, but I can't see that happening right now. To be honest with you, the tubes aren't worth anything. They are just a good make (there were many) but are not special.
If you know someone who likes to repair amplifiers and is used to tube units, consider either giving it to them complete or for a very low sum of money. Like an old car with rust, it has potential but not until someone puts some time, energy and money into it. If you can see yourself motivated to repair it later when you have more money and are willing to make a commitment to doing this, hold it until later.
I am trying to keep this amp from hitting the dust bin (garbage). If you can't see yourself repairing it, brighten someone else's day.
-Chris
aye, I just sold a 63 falcon to pay for my new '64 fairlane. Didn't bring much because it was a 4 door and needed help...
BOT: Some of the tubes could be worth something, like any 12ax7's, 12au7's, 12bh7's and ef86's, and the 6L6's might be worth something too if they are matched and test good. However since the tubes appear to be original to the amp it is probably worth more as a whole. Its like buying a car: When I look for a classic car I look for one that has not been messed with which means all oiriginal, including paint, interior, chrome, etc.
Keep the tubes in it and its worth more. You do have a really nice amp there, and it is in good shape. I reccomend looking at a thrift store for a solid state amp which you can usually pick up for cheap. Keep the tube amp and put it in a closet and read up a bunch on tubes if you want to restore it sometime.
BTW: I seem to have decent luck picking up receivers and the like at thrift stores. I picked up a 50wpch aiwa for $5 because the cd player didn't work!!! I use it whenever I need a PA system or loud music at a party. You can usually find a good deal on a receiver or something. Don't pay more than 30 bucks for something though because it might not work. Test it before you buy it if you can , a lot of stores let you do that.
You should get a multimeter to have around. I find it usefull for the strangest things- such as my mom wanting batteries tested, or me suddenly needing to check a sparkplug wire's continuity in my car, or checking to see if a fuse is blown or not. Regardless of what brand you buy , spend more than $30 on one. You can get a cheapie but it will break a lot easier. My rat shack meter is far superior to my craftsman, and is all digital auto ranging, and has dual fuses ( one for the 10 amp and one for the 400ma). It also has auto batt off and some other features.
BOT: Some of the tubes could be worth something, like any 12ax7's, 12au7's, 12bh7's and ef86's, and the 6L6's might be worth something too if they are matched and test good. However since the tubes appear to be original to the amp it is probably worth more as a whole. Its like buying a car: When I look for a classic car I look for one that has not been messed with which means all oiriginal, including paint, interior, chrome, etc.
Keep the tubes in it and its worth more. You do have a really nice amp there, and it is in good shape. I reccomend looking at a thrift store for a solid state amp which you can usually pick up for cheap. Keep the tube amp and put it in a closet and read up a bunch on tubes if you want to restore it sometime.
BTW: I seem to have decent luck picking up receivers and the like at thrift stores. I picked up a 50wpch aiwa for $5 because the cd player didn't work!!! I use it whenever I need a PA system or loud music at a party. You can usually find a good deal on a receiver or something. Don't pay more than 30 bucks for something though because it might not work. Test it before you buy it if you can , a lot of stores let you do that.
You should get a multimeter to have around. I find it usefull for the strangest things- such as my mom wanting batteries tested, or me suddenly needing to check a sparkplug wire's continuity in my car, or checking to see if a fuse is blown or not. Regardless of what brand you buy , spend more than $30 on one. You can get a cheapie but it will break a lot easier. My rat shack meter is far superior to my craftsman, and is all digital auto ranging, and has dual fuses ( one for the 10 amp and one for the 400ma). It also has auto batt off and some other features.
That's what is wrong with the world these days.
Some kindness can go a long way. I honestly do not understand the need for scrapping every penny out of every object.
Sell it cheap, or give the unit to someone who can repair it. Someone who may not have a lot of money. You'll be surprised at how small the world is. We are talking about an old amp that needs to be rebuilt, not a pristine, desirable audio product.
-Chris
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