National Valco 1953 Tweed Amp

[nickb]

I'm trying to find out more about the National Valco 1953 tweed amp. Some decent photos, gut shots, anecdotes and schematics. My guess is that the guts are the same as the 1215 model based on what I've read. Anything you can share will be appreciated.

Nick

[soundguruman]

I'm trying to find out more about the National Valco 1953 tweed amp. Some decent photos, gut shots, anecdotes and schematics. My guess is that the guts are the same as the 1215 model [ATTACH=CONFIG]21624[/ATTACH] based on what I've read. Anything you can share will be appreciated.

Nick

Dating Valco Instruments
Your Valco Amplifiers
It's sometimes better to draw a schematic from what you have, then match it to a known schematic...
there are a lot of valco schematics, and look through to find the exact one. You will be looking through a bunch to find the right one.
It's hard to say if it's the same unless you compare the amp to the schematic side by side.
I mean these guys made a lot of different models.
I can recall I used to have a major stack of schematics.
Try to narrow it down by serial number to find the exact year, look at the tubes compliment, etc...
Sams Photofact schematics may have the one

Is it like that one? or can you post the pictures?
I think the one with field coil speaker sounds killer...but it is not that one.

[nickb]

Ah ha! If I had one I would do just that. I had looked at the Valco pages previously and I did learn that it was rare and also about the tube lineup and the active tone controls. That info tied into the 1215 schematic. They were made w/o a model number which makes it a little harder. I'm pretty sure they have there horizontal slots for the speaker and the logo at the top left, a bit like this:

[soundguruman]

Are you trying to build one? Or what? Where you going w/ this?
The main disadvantage being that octal preamp tubes are getting scarce, harder to find good ones.
Too bad really cause I like them better than 12AX7s. The JAN metal ones I think are the best.
There is "some" production in China, Russia, and not many are showing up here.
Valco, to me, represents some of the first guitar amps ever made, along with Rickenbacker.
(Fender did not invent the guitar amp, for sure)