WOW things people do

[evink1]

OK I am working on this old Magnatone Custom 440 tube combo amp tonight and I get the chassis out of the cabinet and flip it over. First thing I find is in this picture I am attaching. The black wire I circled is not a part of the design. Some yahoo decided to jumper the fuse since it was blown.

This all while using the old two wire power cord so it has no grounds on it to protect you. This and the power Tranny has a broke bracket so they ran bailing wire through the chassis and back around the power tranny. On closer look I see the bailing wire almost against the bare point to point wiring close to the fuse and mains area. You can see part of this bailing wire just crossing over the orange and green caps just above where I marked the jumper wire. Nice piece of work indeed.

I wonder why the fuse blew?

A new owner now has this amp so I am going to fix it up right but holy cow I am just wonder how the old owner is still alive.

Just had to share this stupid human trick with everyone.

 

[rynnce]

Potential Darwin Award winner?

 

[RockStarNick]

I'm no amp expert. but that looks ridiculous dumb and dangerous to do.

 

[EWSEthan]

Probably something I would do if I tried to work on an amp! Kevin, I read that whole thing and had no idea what you were talking about! Its probably the same way when I try to explain computer programming to people.

 

[aeroic]

Probably something I would do if I tried to work on an amp! Kevin, I read that whole thing and had no idea what you were talking about! Its probably the same way when I try to explain computer programming to people.

I could understand you fellow computer geek I also understand Kevin, since I have a EE minor .

Eric

 

[EWSEthan]

Probably something I would do if I tried to work on an amp! Kevin, I read that whole thing and had no idea what you were talking about! Its probably the same way when I try to explain computer programming to people.

I could understand you fellow computer geek I also understand Kevin, since I have a EE minor .

Eric

I have a cognitive science minor, but I think the EE still makes you a bigger nerd than me.

 

[aeroic]

Probably something I would do if I tried to work on an amp! Kevin, I read that whole thing and had no idea what you were talking about! Its probably the same way when I try to explain computer programming to people.

I could understand you fellow computer geek I also understand Kevin, since I have a EE minor .

Eric

I have a cognitive science minor, but I think the EE still makes you a bigger nerd than me.

Yeah..mix computer technology (degree from purdue) and EE...and yeah..you get me...a big geek...not nerd...only Computer Science ppl are nerds...hhahahaha

I'm just guitarded

 

[evink1]

Got this amp all fixed up and running. If you ever need a schematic go to schematicheaven.com. They even have an old Egnater TOL schematic there. This amp I worked on was built in 1963 and has a great blues tone even grits up when dimed but it is no Egnater.

I am sure it would record great on the clean side but the distortion is from purely overdriving the power amp side. There is no real gain in the pre-amp stages, as far as dirty goes, so it is a really warm distortion lacking the rich harmonics the Egnater's have.

All in all they are selling for around 600 to 650 bucks when you can find them all original like this one. Sold for 245 dollars new back in 1963. So the guy is going to be putting it up for sell once I get it back to him.

At least it won't kill you now just by turning it on. I played through it for about an hour doing nothing but bluesy stuff. Made me long for my Egnater which is all set up in my recording studio and I have been away from there for over a week.

Might have to go get her and bring her home. I need a tone fix for sure.