FIXED - Carlsbro PA 60

So, that Carlsbro PA 60 I took on from Mr. Foxen all that time ago is finally all fixed.

I got a big new resistor to replace the one that was smoking, wired everything up, put the valves in and tested it with the nearest convenient cab, which was a Peavey Deuce VT combo.

It crackled like Rice Krispies while Snap and Pop are on their hols. That was a shit metaphor but I'm keeping it, okay?

Anyway, fast forward past the eating lunch and doing the weekly shop and I lug the chassis upstairs to test it with my Orange OBC 115. And it appears that the thing actually works. Pots are a bit scratchy, but that's no biggie. It has a nice, warm clean sound and does not appear to drive the preamp by itself so that would need a booster. I ran my Retrovibe RVT-40 into it via my Nine of Swords Burial at Sea and it sounds pretty good running fuzz. I think with the right booster and right fuzz this amp could doom pretty hard.

Once it's been all cleaned up it will be put up for sale.

Carlsbro PA60 Blues and Retrovibe RVT-40

The Carlsbro amp still isn't working. Having sorted the filter caps and the HT fuse (which it turns out needed to be slow-blow) the choke resistor (basically a great big resistor that sits between the power transformer and the rest of the circuit) is duff, smoking when the power's on and reading about twice as much as it is supposed to. Sigh.

I've also rewired my Retrovibe RV-4 to roughly approximate the wiring of a Peavey T-40 bass. Thus, Retrovibe RVT-40. I got all excited when I finished it and forgot to get a picture of the wiring, but here's the outside of the bass with classy-looking new knobs and a wee switch that does phasey stuff to the bridge pickup (in theory) and the T-40 wiring diagram.

I can't test that it works until tomorrow, on accout of it being quarter to eleven at night... but once it is tested I'll report back either in celebration or lamentation.

Project: Carlsbro PA 60 Head

As mentioned previously Mr. Foxen of Ampstack has given me a Carlsbro PA 60 to work on.



From what I can tell from info-mining the internet this is a early-mid 70s model, probably a late Mk II. All other Mk IIs I've seen pictures of are point-to-point wired whereas this is on PCB, but I cannot find any reference to a Mk III so kind of assuming that at some point during the Mk II being in production it was changed to PCB construction.)

I have done initial solder refreshing and resistor testing. During the course of this testing I learned that sometimes resistors in circuit test at a lower ohmage than they are rated for and that by popping one end out of the board you can make sure they're sound. One of the resistors is duff (cheapo non-original, natch) plus the HT fuse has blown so that needs replacing. There was also a bodged in power cable which I've now removed.





Next I'm going to clean up the valve sockets, pots, input jack, etc. and after that is powering up with no valves to check voltages.

Finally here is a bit of random human interest stuff. The amp was apparently built by Trev and tested by people who as far as I know exist only as initials.

Things are afoot...

So, it appears to be all go here at Atomic Tangerine.

Not only am I soon to take on my second non-personal guitar upgrade, but I've taken on a project from Mr. Foxen.

The guitar upgrade is a simple electronics and pickups replacement for a dude who wants a bit more punch and versatility from his Epiphone SG. Pickups will come from IronGear.

The project from Mr. Foxen is a Carlsbro PA 60. Basically a 60 watt all valve amp head originally intended for PA use. Pretty much a win-win situation as I get to do more learning and Foxen gets more of his to-do pile finished.