Help! Danelectro Leader Widowmaker

[Cygnus X1]

I have stared at this and studied similar circuits until my head hurts.
From what I can tell this is a Danelectro Leader amp.
Absolutely no markings anywhere but the cab fits the description.
I have purchased a Triad iso transformer to get it working
but the wiring to the 25Z6GT rectifier doesn't seem to match the schem.
Some of the wires were broken off but I can sort of tell what went where.
The rectifier is lower left.

The other tubes are (2)x6SL7 and (2)x25L6GT.
I know this follows the "5 tube" radio setups but they don't match either.

So, pix and schem...should I just wire it according to the schematic and go from there?

I offered to do this as a charity Christmas gift from a son to his Dad.
But now I'm thinking of just scrubbing it and building a Champ on the chassis instead!

[JHow]

To your question about the rectifier not matching the schemo, is it just a case of the diode pairs being switched? It is very hard for me to tell looking at a picture, but it looks like pin 3 and 8 are tied, instead of 5-4, and it looks like the big filter cap positive end runs to pin 4, etc. The tube has two diodes and I don't think it cares which pair works in what position in the circuit. It does look like nothing is on pin 2 heater, which of course means the heater string is broken. The heaters run in one long string from tube to tube, so that is probably one of your loose ends. As for re-wiring it, I don't see how you avoid it. It looks like a lot of bare wires in there. This looks like a lot of happy winter nights with solder sucker and de-solder tool. You mentioned the AA5 radios. I have a few of those restored and you pretty much have to go tube by tube and pin by pin.

I know you already bought a 1:1 transformer, but I'm also wondering if you couldn't just use solid state for the diodes and get a 6.3V transformer for the heaters and run 6v6s in the output? I'm sure the gurus will spot the flaw in my thinking. What is the B+ supposed to be here?

[Cygnus X1]

Thank you J.
Yes connection is broken at pin 2.
3 to 8 are tied.
Not enough B+ from the iso transformer to run 6V6's IMO,

[Prairie Dawg]

I had one of those for a while.
6SL7s would be wrong because the tube lineup was 2x6SJ7-25L6-25L6-25Z6. An interesting setup and a good sounding amp.

[Enzo]

How much voltage do 6V6s "need"? MY RCA book has circuit values for plate voltage as low as 180v. So the thing won;t be in the same league as a Deluxe, so what? A few watts is all it would be making anyway, so 6V6s ought to loaf through it.

I like restoring things myself, but in looking at this, all those wax caps will have to be replaced, and the electrolytics will all be dried out at this half-century mark in their lives. I see cracked wires that will have to come out. You are going to be close to gutting it anyway. SO I'd say a little champish amp sounds like a good idea, or maybe an old Champ front end with a smallish push pull output stage.

If your amp is close at all to the drawing linked, the B+ transformer provides isolation for the power supply, and an added 6v transformer for the heaters would take care of that, no 1:1 needed. The 6SJ7s could remain, they are a nifty combination phase splitter/gain stage as is, come to think of it, and the 6V6s installed all off a 6v transformer, and a couple solid state diodes, and voila. If you are worried about low B+, the diodes will restore some of the voltage lost to a rectifier tube.

WHat sort of AC is coming out that power transformer anyway? Or is that where the schemo falls short? I only spot one transformer. Is the OT attached to the speaker frame, or is there only one transformer?


Look at this one:
http://www.webphix.com/schematic%20h...no_special.pdf

Uses two 6SJ7, one as a PI wired in triode. The other providing all teh gain, and it is a 6V6 amp.

[Cygnus X1]

To close the loop on this...
Talked to the owner and we decided it was easier, and cooler to go with another similar-vintage circuit.
So I had the proper iron to do a nice Champ 5C1 without having to cut any holes except the trafo mounts.

Turned out wonderfully, a cool circuit.
I added a tone control but not in the same style as the Princeton.
Used a 6SJ7 for the preamp per original and it is now in the mail.

Thanks for all the suggestions!

Now what to do with that iso transformer I bought...

[Cygnus X1]

El Double'