Difference between a circuit board and a turret/eyelet board??

[JJP]

Greetings,

It's been a very long time since I last logged in here to seek your sage advice, but alas, here I am! My profile says that I'm a new member, but actually I joined about fourteen ears ago, right after I got into electric guitars. However, I changed my email address supplier a number of years ago and I couldn't figure out how to fix that, so I just opened a new membership.

I was reading a thread on tdpri.com concerning the Fender Custom '64 Hand Wired PR. Someone posted photos of the guts of one that he just bought. He said he wanted to see how the amp looked compared to the publicity shots by Fender. Overall, he seemed to feel that it was well done. A few replies later, someone chimes in stating that "apparently hand wired no longer means no printed circuit board". I have no idea what he is referring to because that amp is very clearly hand wired. It is not PCB. I Googled the difference between circuit board and turret board, and I got zero results. The response kept bringing up PCB compared to turret boards, which of course does not apply. So, I'm asking, if any of you can clarify, what is the apparent gripe that the poster has, suggesting that it's PCB, when it is clearly not? Secondly, is there a difference between a hand wired circuit board and a hand wired turret board, or is it just a question of what the board is made from?

Cheers, Jared.

[Tom Phillips]

...I was reading a thread on tdpri.com concerning the Fender Custom '64 Hand Wired PR. Someone posted photos of the guts ...

It will help you get participation in this discussion if you include the subject photos and a link to the article.

[JJP]

It will help you get participation in this discussion if you include the subject photos and a link to the article.

Thanks, I'll see if I can copy the photos.

https://www.tdpri.com/attachments/20...3-jpg.1206184/

Not sure if you'll be able to access this file if you're not a member at tdpri? If you can, it's plain to see that the schematic, including what part goes where is printed on the board, but that is not the same as PCB, in my understanding. There's no copper wire etched/laid into the board, from what can be seen.

[Mick Bailey]

I saw the thread, but ignored the comments. There's a small satellite PCB/eyelet board with a couple of components, but that's it. The rest looks to me to be eyelet.

https://www.tdpri.com/threads/fender...#post-12343477

[JJP]

I saw the thread, but ignored the comments. There's a small satellite PCB/eyelet board with a couple of components, but that's it. The rest looks to me to be eyelet.

https://www.tdpri.com/threads/fender...#post-12343477

That's what I thought. Printing the schematic/layout on the board does not constitute PCB. BTW, which image had the small satellite PCB/eyelet board? This one: https://www.tdpri.com/attachments/20...4-jpg.1206196/

Or this one: https://www.tdpri.com/attachments/20...6-jpg.1206199/ ??

Regards, JJP

[g1]

Possibly the poster insists that point-to-point is the only 'true' hand wired?

[JJP]

Possibly the poster insists that point-to-point is the only 'true' hand wired?

You'd have to bore yourself with reading some of the comments. It wasn't the poster who implied that it was pcb. It was a respondent. I have no idea what the qualifications of these people are.

[g1]

It wasn't the poster who implied that it was pcb. It was a respondent.

I meant the poster of that particular comment, not the 'OP'. Some people insist point-to-point is the only way. Especially those who don't have to do a lot of repairs on p-t-p gear.

[JJP]

I meant the poster of that particular comment, not the 'OP'. Some people insist point-to-point is the only way. Especially those who don't have to do a lot of repairs on p-t-p gear.

Ah. Got it. Yes, I think you've nailed it. If the board is new, and doesn't look 70 years old, it's not turret according some. I don't know what it's made from, but it's not the same as what they were originally made from. I had an early 70's PR, and that board was quite warped, and somewhat flexible. The new board Fender is using is more rigid. Might be some kind of composite fibreglass? They are bound by multiple safety concerns with every country they ship to.

[Mick Bailey]

RT1 and C34 are mounted on a board that appears to me to be a PCB with eyelet connections for the flying leads. Necessary because these are PCB mount components. The board isn't present in original amps.

I've had a few hand-wired modern Fenders in for repair and the board material is far superior to the old waxed fibre and looks to be FR4 or similar spec epoxy-glass.

[JJP]

RT1 and C34 are mounted on a board that appears to me to be a PCB with eyelet connections for the flying leads. Necessary because these are PCB mount components. The board isn't present in original amps.

I've had a few hand-wired modern Fenders in for repair and the board material is far superior to the old waxed fibre and looks to be FR4 or similar spec epoxy-glass.

Thanks for that explanation. I realize designs change, but any idea why this new incarnation of the PR would have these two independent satellite boards - which weren't present on the original design?

[Chuck H]

Thanks for that explanation. I realize designs change, but any idea why this new incarnation of the PR would have these two independent satellite boards - which weren't present on the original design?

I think they were going for a minimalist (read tidier) appearance for the main board. One peripheral board is the bias circuit. There's no harm getting that off the signal/power supply board to make room for a more ideal audio path layout. The other looks to be voltage spike protection not included in the original design in '64. And the same applies. It's better off not being present on or interfering with the layout for the audio/power supply board.

[JJP]

I think they were going for a minimalist (read tidier) appearance for the main board. One peripheral board is the bias circuit. There's no harm getting that off the signal/power supply board to make room for a more ideal audio path layout. The other looks to be voltage spike protection not included in the original design in '64. And the same applies. It's better off not being present on or interfering with the layout for the audio/power supply board.

Thanks very much for that explanation. When in doubt, go to music electronics forum!

[g1]

There was a thing with the trem. LDR's where Euro or (Calif?) banned them and they had to come up with an electronic replacement for the Cad element. I wonder if this little board could be that?
(edit: sorry, missed post #12)

[JJP]

There was a thing with the trem. LDR's where Euro or (Calif?) banned them and they had to come up with an electronic replacement for the Cad element. I wonder if this little board could be that?
(edit: sorry, missed post #12)

You got me! It's a fabulous sounding amp, and appears to be very well made. Some people gripe about the IC caps and the clip on connectors on the switches, but I found no fault with it in terms of build and performance. Mind you, I'm not an amp tech either. I think on this one, Fender did well.