kidsmoke Posted November 30, 2012 Share Posted November 30, 2012 Well, took a little longer than intended, but I finally got my mitts on a handbuilt quality amp Lots of photos in this thread, inside and out. So I won't add too much to it. http://www.heritageownersclub.com/forums/topic/19724-seek-input-5f1-experience/page__hl__champ to review, A friend of mine is a moderator at BYOC, an EE and long time hobbyist. His clone pedal business grew too big for real life, and he's backed off, no longer selling as a business. He still builds everything that the BYOC sells, as a troubleshooter and "editor" of build sheets and schematics. Long story short, Dude knows his stuff. This was his personal build of the BYOC 5F1 kit, with a Mojotone Tweed cabinet and a custom 10" baffle...the only mod to the kit, in this case, being the 10" Weber Sig 10AS 8 ohm alnico speaker, shoehorned into the cab. this is the third piece of gear I've purchased from him, all built by him. He does excellent work. Showed up at work yesterday. looking like this. Problem is, I'm an El commuter (subway, for all intents and purposes, for those of you not familiar with Chicago Public transit. If you ever watched ER back in the day, you know the "El") So for the commute, we traveled like this I released the leather handle, left it wrapped. So couldn't thoroughly inspect til i got home. I was reservedly optimistic. Reason being these amps are known to favor single coils. I've got a tele, and hope to have P90's in the stable soon, but I love my buckers, and hoped this could become my everyday amp. Early returns are, it will. I am having one issue with it however, and I've contacted my friend. at bedroom level you can hear a rattle. After much tribulation, it appears that low notes cause a vibration in the chassis. If I press up on either the Sovtek 5Y3 rectifier tube or the JJ 6V6 Power tube, the rattle greatly diminishes. If I press both simultaneously, it disappears. These are essentially new tubes. Seller and I agree, that it's not the tubes, but something closely associated with the mounts that is loose. Anyone else have a theory? Gut shot for reference.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DetroitBlues Posted November 30, 2012 Share Posted November 30, 2012 Nice amp, I think KBP will chime in, but I believe some people will hot glue or use some sort of adhesive to keep it still. Silicone maybe? By the way, Killer amp! Congrats Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
212Mavguy Posted November 30, 2012 Share Posted November 30, 2012 Two, three ideas... so let's look at your clues... low notes, yup, that can rattle around things more than high notes. Press up on power or rec tube noise diminishes.. Pressing both kills it The pin grippers within most tube sockets are free to move around a little bit within their holes... I notice you have base grippers on your sockets, you have those gripping or loose? The ceramic piece, how does it sit in the metal mounting ring? When the mounting rings are snugged up tight to the chassis, can the ceramic inset assembly move at all or is it also gripped tightly? Remove those tubes and check, Does any of the amp back baffle contact the back rim of the chassis or sit within a few thousanths of an inch? That's the highest point on the chassis in your pic, there is no padding. Microphonic tube? It's not always a preamp tube, and newness means nothing these days. Does the same kind of rattle happen with a light touch to the power, rec, or preamp tube with side of wooden pencil while the amp is running? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pressure Posted December 1, 2012 Share Posted December 1, 2012 Fab amp Kid. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PunkKitty Posted December 1, 2012 Share Posted December 1, 2012 Nice! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
schundog Posted December 1, 2012 Share Posted December 1, 2012 4 Things Here.... 1.) I can't wait to hear clips/see pics of this bad boy; Congratulations! 2.) I don't know what to tell you about the rattle, but.... 3.) 212Mavguy REALLY seems to know his stuff; I'd do what he says. 4.) The Red Line (EL) is one of my 10 year old daughter's favorite parts about our trips to Chicago; Little does she know Daddy is too cheap to "Cab it" anywhere, haha! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brentrocks Posted December 1, 2012 Share Posted December 1, 2012 CLIPS!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gpuma Posted December 1, 2012 Share Posted December 1, 2012 Looks fabolous! Can't wait to meet in person! Lots of new stuff lately on your side Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
H Posted December 1, 2012 Share Posted December 1, 2012 Great to have a piece of hand-wired goodness on hand for those moments when you want to make a bit of noise Sorry to hear about the small issue, I'm sure it will be resolved quickly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RhoadsScholar Posted December 1, 2012 Share Posted December 1, 2012 Had a weird problem similar to yours. It turned out to be the seating of the speaker to the front baffle. At first touch, it was tight, however if I held down on the front of the amp, the rattle (which I swore was something loose it went away) I unbolted the speaker, added some washers, and tightened it firmly being careful not to go to tight. Bingo fixed it. I then went around to all the screws, chassis, handles etc., backed them out, then retightened . Not a problem since then. These kinds of things are hard to track down but something is doing it. You will be rewarded with Tone nirvana once you figure it out. One of fenders best amp circuits. Good Luck. looking forward to some clips. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
212Mavguy Posted December 2, 2012 Share Posted December 2, 2012 RS...Wow! Excellent! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
big bob Posted December 2, 2012 Share Posted December 2, 2012 I would look for any loose, or better not all the way tight connectors. Is bolts, nuts, washers, etc. probably not the tubes but pushing them in might push something else snug. Looks like a cool amp. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
koula901 Posted December 2, 2012 Share Posted December 2, 2012 CLIPS!!!!! X2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steiner Posted December 2, 2012 Share Posted December 2, 2012 "How often do the trains come by?" "So often, you won't notice them..." Kool amp Kid; I hope you resolve the noise quickly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DetroitBlues Posted December 4, 2012 Share Posted December 4, 2012 X2 X3! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kidsmoke Posted December 4, 2012 Author Share Posted December 4, 2012 Wake Friday, Funeral Saturday, Worked Saturday night, family time sunday, month end reporting today....no forum time and nearly no guitar time. I did poke around in the amp with a chopstick...no loose nut, octal tube sockets and bear traps all solid. I really think its the rectifier tube. I figured out the short term solution.....VOLUME Man this thing sound sweet. Better than expected with my buckers too. The bridge Tribute on the 535, with this thing dimed....er....dozened, is just a stellar lead rock tone.Once i get this rattle eliminated, I'll set up the -57 and get something through my mbox, but in the meantime i'm still happy. Just a small nuisance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
koula901 Posted December 4, 2012 Share Posted December 4, 2012 Wake Friday, Funeral Saturday, Worked Saturday night, family time sunday, month end reporting today....no forum time and nearly no guitar time. Oh, I'm sorry. Did someone close to you pass? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kidsmoke Posted December 4, 2012 Author Share Posted December 4, 2012 Oh, I'm sorry. Did someone close to you pass? good friend and neighbor for 20 years. Sweet woman. Close to my family. It's cool, it was time. She refused to take care of herself of late, chose her time, in my opinion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kidsmoke Posted December 8, 2012 Author Share Posted December 8, 2012 problem solved! Rectifier tube was bad. It worked, but apparently the mechanism can become loose in the base. I found out about a little shop here in Chicago, like a scene from a movie. Old Factory building, antique elevator "til it stops". Long haired bearded man with a limp meets me as the outer set of elevator doors open, shakes my hand, weaves me around a couple pool tables and faded smokey upholstered furniture into a back room shop. Amplifiers, stereo tuners, old Rhodes keyboards scatter the room. Oscilloscopes and meters everywhere, a flat panel monitor is perched precariously on a stack of phone books, and a schematic casts a glow. What dya need? 5Y3GT Rectifier? NOS is nice but I'm not a cork sniffer, not looking for a telefunken or anything.... Walks into an aisle with 8 ft shelves on either side, full of bins, reaches up grabs one, and I hear the sound of glass on glass. Puts it on his desk, probably 20 tubes, half in boxes, none made outside the US, or remotely new Ended up with an old RCA, in a Westingouse box, tested good. Said while I'm at it, how bout a 6v6 and a couple ax7's? Repeat. Ended up with USA RCA 6V6, a USA Westinghouse ax7, and a Chinese no name ax7 "Guys are diggin' these" 4 tubes, $40.00 Happy Birthday to me! So right now the Champ is running all Dusty USA tubes. The Rectifier appears new, the 6V6 DEFINATELY not. and the Westinghouse looks new. The amp sounds amazing. That's what matters. Clips forthcoming. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DetroitBlues Posted December 8, 2012 Share Posted December 8, 2012 Good deal! Looking forward to the audio clips! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
schundog Posted December 8, 2012 Share Posted December 8, 2012 Dude, I SO want to go to that shop with you some time! It sounds way too cool. I'm glad you got the problem fixed, and the Champ is running like a, well, Champ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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