Working on the Klipp

Plenty wrong with this, once I’d pulled out the valves (appear to be all original Mazdas), had a dust and a proper look underneath. Definitely plenty of history, lots of different resistors and caps. Main thing was the 8+8uf caps in place of 33s (see previous Klipp pics). So they needed replacing with some I have in stock.

Two totally not attached legs on the dual caps. Obviously soldered in one, then stuck the other to it once in place, and the spring and dry joint detached them shortly after. Look out for this because if it stays stuck, the spring in it flicks a bit of molten solder off when it melts. Right way is to attach them together, then install.

First new cap went in fine. Second one, when I sucked the solder out of the tube the legs is in, I hear the ping of wires freeing themselves:

This has dropped off the bottom of the turret. Ballache, ’cause now I have to get the whole board out to put it back. Held in by a bunch of nuts on the board side, all easy to get at but small. Only two wires needed to come off to free it, which is a huge relief, not like the Carlsbros where it is all the controls that need to come off. In case someone ends up doing the same and needs a reference to put it back, here they are:

The red one, and:

this green one that comes off the transformer and is very tight, and pretty thin, likely one to pull off accidentally.

Looking a bunch tidier than it was, but I didn’t line the caps up too neatly now I look. Biggest remaining issue is the big silver dual that is glued down to various components under it. Also weird is the blobs of grease on the power valve bases, great for attracting the sort of dirt that causes arcing, cleaned that off, cleaned sockets, need to fit the IEC socket an secure the lead better inside, the old cable tie type thing isn’t up to the job.

Bit more Carlsbro work, and another Sound City!

For some reason the prospect of flipping over the PCB in the Carlsbro massively intimidated me an I put off doing it for ages. But here it is:

PCB is a bit more of a pain to work on as you have to flip it a few times due to the solder and the component being on opposite sides. Crusty old solder and old electro out, poke the new one through and solder back on.

Here is a close up on the new solder, plus the previous repair involving the new resistor an a piece of track replaced by wire, also, scorch mark:

 

Few others to go, some of the new ones are bigger than the old ones, so might get bodgy again (had to go quite a bit too high on the voltage to get right capacitance). Here’s the first, pretty sure its the bias capacitor:

 

New toy arrived today (cheers Dad)

Should be easy enough to get running tip top with no preamp, is a fair bit smaller and lighter than a full 120, Hopefully the VT bass will have the juice, plus slaving it off my Burman should be sweet.