Sunday, January 22, 2012

Pine amp video demo

Here's a video I stumble on while researching you tube. Quick one but nice playing that suits the snarly character of those little amps. Be sure to check our video section and share any video you'd make !

Friday, May 6, 2011

OVERHAUL !!!

Here's a nice little Trend combo that's refurbish by Paul Logan,  one of our reader: 1967 Trend Amp, completely rebuilt, all new capacitors, added standby circuit, new tolex, grill cloth, piping, corners, feet, and handle.   Try not to drool! 

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

A cool one !



Here's a nice catch: a picture of an old Operating Instructions that comes with a little combo (801 chassis - see our schematic ). Funny how generic is the text and presentation. Could be used for any stencil branding.

Thanks to Martin Dumont for sharing !

Friday, November 26, 2010

3 prong conversion - shocking question

I receive a lot of e-mails about 3 prong conversion, death cap and the usual 'my amp zap'd me'. We have some info in the archive section of this site, but here is a link on a nice thread that cover most of the topic - and also address the 'isolation transformer' to be or not to be.


http://www.jcfonline.com/threads/97770-A-Shocking-Old-Tube-Amp-Question

And here's another cool link that summarize the topic quite nicely (at least for us players) and there's a walk thru for the DIY conversion.

http://www.netads.com/~meo/Guitar/Amps/Kalamazoo/Mods/safe.html


Sunday, November 14, 2010

Another brand from Pepco ?

I've been receiving new pictures. Notice the AGS brand...an addition to the growing list of Pepco 'stencil' amp trademarks ?????? Well, not really....

Cosmetically, it shows a lot of similarities with Pepco, but a closer look at the CSA number shows that it belongs to the Kiel family (Kitchener electronics limited).


Thanks to Martin Dumont for the picture !

Saturday, November 13, 2010

Garnet stencil amps and Pepco

When you collect info about Pepco and other canadian tube amp builders from the 60's and 70's, you start to understand the "stencil amp" concept.

"The concept of a 'stencil-line' is relatively simple: the amplifier maker produces amplifiers
for 'wholesale' to virtually anyone who asks, and puts the buyers name on the panel.
Usually, it is the same amplifier produced over and over again - only the front panel name is changed."


Another prolific maker was Garnet. Besides their well renown line of amplifiers (thanks to BTO), they did a lot of stenciling. Here is a nice site with a lot of info on the different brands that came out of this activity.



Note that some of these brands were also produced by Pepco (raven - supreme - stagg - etc...). Is there a cooperation that used to take place between the two manufacturers.......was the layouts and/or schematics common.... Who  knows !



Friday, November 12, 2010

A Hot Rod mod for an old 725

I stumble on this while browsing: Alerich Amplifiers. The guy modified an old Riviera 725 into a hot rod machine. Nice description/photos and some schematics (before and after the mod). Really helpfull !