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I just bought this dead amp and was wondering if anyone has heard of this manufacturer. I can't find anything on the internet. It's a combo amp with two 12 inch Jensen C12R speakers. It has a preamp with four 6eu7s in the top of the cabinet and a power amp with four 7591s, two more 6eu7s, and a tube rectifier on the floor of the cabinet. The power amp has two output transformers - each one is hooked to one speaker. It looks to be a stereo amp with tremelo. The function switch has four positions: standby, channel A, Channel B, Channels A&B. The speakers and transformers were manufactured in 1961 and everything appears original. I'll post some pictures of this thing tomorrow. I could really use a schematic, but I have a feeling it's unlikely I'll find one. If the transformers are good, my plan is to bring it back to life. Unless someone tells me it's a bad sounding dog of an amp...... Then I may use it just for parts.
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Looks to be 100% dinosaur vintage parts and point to point wired. I was hoping there might be a schematic inside.....no such luck. I'm thinking that I'll replace all the e-caps, but I won't use the twist lock cans because of the high cost.Comment
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It kind of looks like a Magnatone.Comment
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Yes you're right. The wiring and layout does look like a Magnatone. I was hoping I'd find some of those Magnatone varistors inside and have the pitch shifting vibrato, but they're not there. It's cathode biased with a 190 ohm resistor for each pair of 7591s. If I believe the tube specs, this thing could put out 56 watts, cathode biased with 450 volts on the plates.Originally posted by olddawg View PostComment
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OK, I got a great ID on this amp from Mr. LeonC......check out his youtube videos of a Magnatone 213.
Anyway, this amp isn't a Magnatone, it was built by Lectrolab in Cicero IL.
The funky two different colored knobs, dark red and black, and the screen printing style all match up to Lectrolab, as does the point to point wiring style and brands of caps.
I'll claim this is a "high end model", because the cabinet is real wood, not particle board. I still haven't found anything similar in the tube complement.Comment
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I recapped the power amp and replaced some filter dropping resistors for the screen grid supply. A 3.9K filter resistor on one side had zero resistance. I tested the rest of the resistors, and they're all within 10%, so I left them in place. I replaced all the tubular caps because of the funky beeswax sealant.
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I got the amp working, but it made some strange noises with the volume cranked up. Something was going microphonic in the power amp near one of the phase inverters - a little tapping on the chassis and it would howl and screech. I took the shotgun approach, and replaced nearly all the resistors and caps in the power amp. I was too lazy to draw up a schematic and calculate voltages everywhere - it was easier just to solder in new components. I increased the bias resistors from 190 to 250 ohms because the 7591s were drawing a lot of current at idle. The amp works great and has beautiful tone and a singing overdrive. It is a stereo amp. Plug a guitar into channel A and you can select ST or AB or A or B on the function switch. ST sends the guitar to one OT and one speaker, AB mixes channel A&B and sends the signal to both OTs and both speakers, A takes the channel A's signal and send it to both OTs and both speakers. By switching between ST and A, the amp goes from half power (2 output tubes and one speaker) to full power (4 output tubes and two speakers). The Tremolo works well, but it isn't a pitch shifter like the Magnatones. I'm going back to Craigslist to hunt for another oddball amp like this one.Comment
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Fantastic looking amp! I hope you got a great deal on it. A few thoughts...
I run the blog/website devoted to Lectrolab amps. See it at:
Lectrolab Guitar Amplifiers | Obscure, but cool
I'm not sure the Capital was made by Lectrolab.
The inking on the control panel is similar in design and color to some Lectrolabs, but not identical. See the header image on every page at my site for an example.
The Capitol appears to have a similar covering to some Lectrolab Models: "Irish Linen".
On the other hand, it is a far more complex amp than Lectrolab was known to have ever produced, and exhibits greater design effort. Never seen on a Lectrolab:
- Multiple Output Transformers
- Channel Switches
- Seperate power and pre-amp chassis
- Five-sided chassis box construction
- 7591 output tubes
- Vents in the chassis
- Any handles other than leather Fender tweed type (or a flat metal hande on thier "S" series)
Still, I can't deny I get a Lectrolab "vibe" from this thing...
The seperate power/preamp, and the dual output transformer configuration was used by Valco on quite a few amps, including some they made for Gretsch and Harmony. I think that may be a clue.
But who knows? Maybe Valco contracted the manufacture of the thing to Lectrolab during a busy period, or maybe it was made by a spinoff company with people from Lectrolab or Valco or both, or ?
It would help to know what channel "Capitol" sold through. Were they sold in music stores, or a mail order catalog, or ?
But, hey! The important thing is it works, it sounds great, and it makes music!
George AlexanderComment
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Thanks George for your input on this amp. I've checked out your blog and all the schematics and can't find anything similar to the Capitol. I paid $50 for the amp plus another $40 in parts, and I'm pleased as punch. I was surprised that the old 7591s still are going strong. If you think the Capitol should be on your website, feel free to post up my pictures. Here's a link to my photo album.
Capitol Amp Large Photos - Album - TinyPic - Free Image Hosting, Photo Sharing & Video Hosting
1961 Capitol Guitar Amp - Album - TinyPic - Free Image Hosting, Photo Sharing & Video HostingComment
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I dragged this amp and another one over to loudpseakersplus in Manteno IL, to try out some speakers in their tone chamber. Funny thing is the shop owner(?) recognized the Capitol amp before I even brought it in. He also owns a Capitol (different model). He confirmed it's built by Lectrolab - Sound Projects. His has a single 8 inch speaker, but the same funky wall-paper like tweed tolex covering.Comment
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Hmm. I wonder how he knows it was built by Lectrolab? I'll add a page on the blog for this amp. Maybe someone else will chime it!Comment
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I'm not sure, but I assumed his Capitol also had a label for either Lectrolab or Sound Projects besides the Capitol badge on the front. I didn't see his amp, and I really was shocked that he recognized my amp immediately.Originally posted by alexage View PostComment
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I saw one of those old Valco stereo Gretsches and it was very different from this. fwiw.Comment
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