Peavey Classic 60/60 - cleaning/refreshing/upgrading?!

[daemonsgr]

hi all,

I just reconnected with this dear old 'friend'
My father pass it down to me around 1995 (?!) and for the last 15 years it was at my family house in Greece collecting dust (photos in a bit!!!).
As I had a lot of luggage space I though Ill have to take it home and properly give it all the love I can. Im not sure what people think about this Amp but its more about the sentimental value to me and the learning process! (priceless )

My plan is:
a) basic dust clean and packaging the tubes and the amp. Ill take it inside the plane with the tubes separate (I have read a lot of post that say to remove tubes... I remember abusing this amp way more as a youngster ) You'll see photos! Ive never seen more dirt/dust.. hehe

Is there something I have to be careful? Ill document where every tube is sitting so I can replicate the imbalance, if this the tubes. (below)

Then back home in the UK Ill properly clean everything IPA wash etc? Right?

b) I remember that the amp had a good imbalance between the two channels so Ill try to troubleshoot this from the reading Ive done and centrally post questions here.

c) From the links/post I have found about this amp I can do a proper refresh of the components (like the blog post below at least). ie resistors/caps.

d) Get new tubes?! What do you think? (even if the tubes are OK). JJ?Sovitek? I have no idea!
Im not going to use the Amp for a guitar etc. Normal music.

e) Any comments or audio upgrades related to the above? or other recommendations? output transformers? The specs are 40hz-20k even though I remember the sound very full and low. Audio upgrade will be super Wellcome.

Thanks! (photos before and after the compressed air dusting attached)

Peavey Classic Series 60/60 - Under The Hood - Mooselander

Peavey-Classic-60_60-schematic

Peavey-Classic-Series-60_60-Manual

Enzo-Campagnola-Peavey-Classic-60-60-Restoration

PHOTOS!!
Classic6060 photos

 

[JonSnell Electronic]

Vacuum it out by all means, can't hurt. Check for bulging electrolytic capacitors, main smoothing etc. Don't replace anything unless it is damaged.

I would use a variac to bring the voltages up slowly. If you do that, there is nothing else worth doing to it if it works.
As far as the imbalance is concerned, maybe a low gain valve. Nothing else apart from the anode load resistors on the 12AX7/ECC83's. Check the Feedback Loop is connected on both amplifiers.

The second portion of a 12AX7/ECC83 has more gain than the first.

 

[daemonsgr]

photos attached here (manages to get them up with lower res)

 

[daemonsgr]

Vacuum it out by all means, can't hurt. Check for bulging electrolytic capacitors, main smoothing etc. Don't replace anything unless it is damaged.

I would use a variac to bring the voltages up slowly. If you do that, there is nothing else worth doing to it if it works.
As far as the imbalance is concerned, maybe a low gain valve. Nothing else apart from the anode load resistors on the 12AX7/ECC83's. Check the Feedback Loop is connected on both amplifiers.

The second portion of a 12AX7/ECC83 has more gain than the first.

Without any test equipment (lets wait until its in the test cave, in the UK next week) the amp seems to working as I remember it. Ok, with the nice channel imbalance (like 10-20%? if I could remember the input pots. completely unverified as it didn't want to test further)

I don't think I see any 'visually' failed component (with my level of experience of course). If you see something in the hi-res photos in the first post please let me know.

Ill follow the signal path with proper equipment and Ill post back.

Regarding upgrades, I was looking for tips to get a bit more out of it in terms of 'quality'. Tubes? Caps (ok no snake oil quality... I work with illusions and psycoacoustics) just a little step up maybe or a clear extension in the freq response. It seems to be 40-20k from factory. (ok my ears probably can't go over 15k any more heheh... but Im a basshead for sure)

-I have seen 'upgrades' with the addition of a choke too.
-and I have thought output transformers as people in the forum say they are more important than the tubes sometimes.

Thanks

 

[MAAC0]

Apart from vacuuming, cleaning and lubing and capacitor replacing...
I don't like jacks for speaker outputs, You'll never know when You feed them to a mixer line input. I would in order not to compromise the front aesthetics, install some sort of switch in the backside and some Speakon connectors.

 

[daemonsgr]

Apart from vacuuming, cleaning and lubing and capacitor replacing...
I don't like jacks for speaker outputs, You'll never know when You feed them to a mixer line input. I would in order not to compromise the front aesthetics, install some sort of switch in the backside and some Speakon connectors.

Hi,

Yes I was really thinking of changing the speakers terminals with the 'normal' ones (bananas). (I didn't say something as its just aesthetics).
Im not going to change something in the front for sure. I might get a lazercut light-tinted plexiglass top cover and try to see (with your help probably) if I can get away without an active fan if I have an 'open' top or something.

What to do you mean my 'lubing'?
What sort of Caps do you recommend? (and resistors if something need replacing for the imbalance?)

Thanks