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Thursday, August 21, 2014
Thursday, April 3, 2014
1955 Fender 5F1 Tweed Champ rebuild
I recently acquired a 1955 Fender Tweed Champ. It was basically just a shell (cab+chassis).
So began the restoration process. I "found" some '50s fibrous board. Two required.
Drilled holes in appropriate areas for the layout, top board only. Added solder lugs.
Sizing it out it looks pretty close. Some other NOS parts thrown in.
Coming together. Again "found" some '50s transformers, the PT required removal of one of the bell covers. Some old Sprague and Astron caps, bakelite pointer knob, brown backed RCA.
Wiring in components with '50s cloth wire. All electrolytic caps were "restuffed" with new caps. Resistors mostly new, of carbon composition.
Tube sockets are vintage, NOS from a kit iirc. Polarized three prong A.C. cable is a good safety update. Star ground as much as possible.
4 ohm speaker from an old '50s tube radio.
Early Champs had a 6" speaker. It's an 8" I found but fit just fine.
Fired up for band practice.
Seriously fired up for band practice. Sole amp replacing two blackface Fenders and a Marshall Plexi. I pumped it into a 2x12, it was more than able to keep up with bass and drums. I was floored. I even power soaked the output a tad and kept the volume control on 12.
Rockman soak to the right.
The speaker had a distorted rub so I purchased two old stock '50s alnico 6", 4 ohms.
Sounds great, project complete.
Will YouTube a demo soon.
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