NOS Mallory capacitors for Rhodes Piano

[The Dude]

The same with modern radial tyres on my car. The handling is terrible - it brakes, stops and steers perfectly and is so sterile.

Now, those old crossplys from the 60s with their hardened sidewalls and goofy tread pattern are just what I'm looking for. They have character and mojo, and bring back the excitement to motoring. In fact, they bring the excrement back as well.

Hell, why even put the caps back in! If high ESR and dried up/low capacitance is better, how 'bout infinite ESR and zero capacitance!

[nosaj]

[ATTACH=CONFIG]42667[/ATTACH]

Hell, why even put the caps back in! If high ESR and dried up/low capacitance is better, how 'bout infinite ESR and zero capacitance!

Nos caps can be like nos tires. The aged rubber speeding on an interstate is not something I'd gamble on.

nosaj

[Justin Thomas]

[RANT MODE ON]

Just another GREAT reason to <NOT> shotgun-replace every $&@#ing cap/resistor/tube/WTF-else in an amp until it's PROVEN to be BAD! You know, I don't do it to my amps, and I don't really notice any radical or drastic changes in tone that piss me off. So, I don't know... Maybe there's something to NOT CHANGING OUT EVERY DAMN PART IN YOUR AMPS!!!

Okay, I'll go back into my closet now and STFU...

[Rant Mode OFF]

Justin

Edit: this wasn't aimed at anyone in particular, just addressing a "fashionable trend." Unless you are the tool who stole all the Mallorys from my '62 Concert. If you did THAT cat job, I will be SO happy if you come forward...

[Mick Bailey]

I had a Silverface Twin Reverb that had none of the original components - not a single one. All metal-film resistors and orange-drops. It was straight from the hands of one of the amp 'Masters'. May as well have been brand-new build. All that and an eye-watering price tag.

[J M Fahey]

You are teasing us

You tell us everything BUT its sound: is it cold clean analytical soul less or warm fuzzy creamy dark mojofull?
Inquiring minds want to know

I think metal film parts must give it a metallic sound, think cheap saccharin aftertaste, and Orange Drops must give it a sweetish citric flavour, so the combination must taste like effervescent Vitamin C pills, while original one must taste like real just crushed orange juice ... the only problem being that said orange sat on a shelf for the last 40 or 50 years

[Mick Bailey]

It sounded like any other decent Silverface, and I get plenty for comparison. No better or worse than a re-cap and re-tube would have produced. Well, except it didn't - hence it coming my way. There was a lead trapped between a pot and its star washer. Sometimes the lead would contact the chassis and it would cut out.

[Tom Phillips]

...There was a lead trapped between a pot and its star washer. Sometimes the lead would contact the chassis and it would cut out.

Good Job! Yet another example of why the first approach should be to troubleshoot the root cause of the problem(s) rather than jump right into shotgun parts replacement. This kind of work does require a key item of troubleshooting support equipment which some self described techs do not seem to use...One's Brain.

[danman]

You mentioned earlier that you wanted to buy a multimeter to check your caps. Most multimeters will only test a cap for capacitance at a very low voltage. This can be useful in some situations but to properly test the cap for ESR and leakage you will need more than a multimeter.

[Enzo]

I check caps by their action in a circuit. if the problem is no sound, I already know that the value of the cap isn't the problem, a 40uf cap that has turned into a 1uf cap will still make sound. Likewise ESR, if the ESR goes sky high on a filter cap, the amp will still make sound. If a coupling cap is leaky or shorted, it will let DC pass. If open, it interrupts the signal path.

[J M Fahey]

I check caps by their action in a circuit.

The old Country Doctor approach: far from large centers, he must rely on his analytic and observation powers (and HUGE experience) to diagnose patientīs illness.

I already mentioned my Country Doctor Dad: in the middle of the Pampas (meaning in the middle of nowhere, 30 miles of dirt/mud "roads" to the nearest rural town, 60 to 100 to a large properly equipped city Hospital) he had to mkake do with what he had: thumping chests and backs with his middle finger, also liver, bladder, stomach, pregnant woman belly, you-name-it and listening through his trusty (passive of course) stethoscope he performed wonders of Diagnosis.
Think of it as some kind of primitive Echography and you wonīt be too far.
Also pressing certain body points for presence/absence/type of pain, numbness, smelling Patientīs (bad) breath, looking at his yellowing or bloodshot eyes, colour bands on nails, etc.
Boiling a few drops of patientīs urine in a table spoon, heated by a match or candle, "caramel/candy" smell would indicate Diabetes; mixing some drops of blood with lemon juice or vinegar showed "something" I never learnt, also clearing of turbid urine with same "reactives" ... with an incredible success rate.

The point being that measuring instruments are *really* needed, nobody denies that, but experience and a sharp mind can immensely extend their usefulness.