Anyone ever rebuilt a vintage cap?

[Scott_F]

When I start the Gibson restore project, I'm going to rebuild the caps to keep the vintage look. Looks to be pretty time consuming, but the results ought to be worth it. Essentially, you melt off the wax, hollow out the inside of the paper core and then stuff it with a modern cap of equal value. Then fill up both ends with wax and you're good to go. Modern cap, but encased with the original to look vintage.

There's this one rather large electrolytic (mutlisection) that is about the size of a toilet paper cardboard tube. I think there's three caps inside there. Same thing, wax covered on the outside.

Just gotta finish up a couple of other things first. Never enough time.

 

[krankguitarist]

Re: Anyone ever rebuilt a vintage cap?

hmmmm...interesting idea :scratchch

I wonder if I could pull something similar to that off with the Mallory paper caps I yanked out of my showman. Would be a fun project.

 

[Scott_F]

Re: Anyone ever rebuilt a vintage cap?

Heck, if this works out like I think, I can completely overhaul the caps and use SoZo's and Spragues and get the amp completely up to date and still looking vintage. Seems like a win/win deal here.

 

[Scott_F]

Re: Anyone ever rebuilt a vintage cap?

hmmmm...interesting idea :scratchch

I wonder if I could pull something similar to that off with the Mallory paper caps I yanked out of my showman. Would be a fun project.

Here's a link I googled. Looks time consuming, but not too difficult.

http://www.earlytelevision.org/cap_replace.html

 

[firebirdV]

Re: Anyone ever rebuilt a vintage cap?

Heck, if this works out like I think, I can completely overhaul the caps and use SoZo's and Spragues and get the amp completely up to date and still looking vintage. Seems like a win/win deal here.

Well all of the vintage gear guys will be telling you they don't sound the same. I can't really comment because I haven't really tried any vintage amps.

 

[Scott_F]

Re: Anyone ever rebuilt a vintage cap?

Well all of the vintage gear guys will be telling you they don't sound the same. I can't really comment because I haven't really tried any vintage amps.

Agreed, they wont' sound the same. But, for me, it's all about the electrolytics. If the coupling caps, etc. sound fine, I'm not touching them. But, the e-caps in a 1951 amp are going to need replacing. No two ways about it. But , if a tone cap is not acting right or not up to spec, this would be a good method for replacing it and keeping the aesthetics.

 

[firebirdV]

Re: Anyone ever rebuilt a vintage cap?

Agreed, they wont' sound the same. But, for me, it's all about the electrolytics. If the coupling caps, etc. sound fine, I'm not touching them. But, the e-caps in a 1951 amp are going to need replacing. No two ways about it. But , if a tone cap is not acting right or not up to spec, this would be a good method for replacing it and keeping the aesthetics.

I see, safety definitely comes first. I've never done what you are speaking of (fairly obvious), but I have read about it on quite a few antique radio pages, which is where I would search for methods of doing. Although it sounds like you already have a procedure.

 

[kevlar3000]

Re: Anyone ever rebuilt a vintage cap?

Have you checked antiqueelectronics.com ( I think that is it) they have a bunch of old stuff, might have some goodies for that amp.

 

[the guy who invented fire]

Re: Anyone ever rebuilt a vintage cap?

My dad did it a few times, he did a good bit of work on some amps for this one guy and he wanted the amps to still look stock...it wasn't too much work but IMO it was getting close! I felt like it was a waste of time personally...but thats just me, I would rather an amp function 100% over it looking "correct", but not everybody's the same.

 

[Scott_F]

Re: Anyone ever rebuilt a vintage cap?

But if it's working 100% and it's got that "cool" vintage factor still preserved, I dunno, seems like a cool thing to try. I might do one and get irritated and that'll be it!

On the e-caps, it's not a safety thing, it's a tone thing. When the caps are more than 10 years old, they're going to start to wear out. Next thing you know, the amp loses power and you wont' get high enough voltages where you need them. It's like changing the oil or tires on a car. (I know that is an oft used analogy, but it's accurate). Something that just has to be done periodically if you feel like playing the amp.

 

[Rushfan2112]

Re: Anyone ever rebuilt a vintage cap?

Plus gear snobs could play it and talk about how it has that vintage cap mojo when you know it's really rebuilt!

 

[More-Gear-Than-Skill]

Re: Anyone ever rebuilt a vintage cap?

I think, sadly actually, theres a company doing the very thing these days. I think it's cool to maintain the look, while ensuring the functioning is new and good. When i recap my 64 fender i am planning to take a bit of extra time to do "disguise"

I think the guy is called "luxe" and he's on the bay
see: http://cgi.ebay.com/Astron-Minimite...hZ019QQcategoryZ47076QQtcZphotoQQcmdZViewItem

 

[LesStrat]

Re: Anyone ever rebuilt a vintage cap?

So I take it that you decided to keep the Gibby?

 

[Scott_F]

Re: Anyone ever rebuilt a vintage cap?

I'm going to give OOPS a chance to do what is right. If they don't, I'll be asking the guy for a partial refund.

 

[lastwinj]

Re: Anyone ever rebuilt a vintage cap?

this process is used quite a bit in restoration. works like a charm.

 

[krankguitarist]

Re: Anyone ever rebuilt a vintage cap?

I think, sadly actually, theres a company doing the very thing these days. I think it's cool to maintain the look, while ensuring the functioning is new and good. When i recap my 64 fender i am planning to take a bit of extra time to do "disguise"

I think the guy is called "luxe" and he's on the bay
see: http://cgi.ebay.com/Astron-Minimite...hZ019QQcategoryZ47076QQtcZphotoQQcmdZViewItem

Brilliant idea there...as far as a business venture goes. You know some people are gonna fork out the cash for that stuff.

 

[Scott_F]

Re: Anyone ever rebuilt a vintage cap?

Brilliant idea there...as far as a business venture goes. You know some people are gonna fork out the cash for that stuff.

Some guys will, but you really don't know what you're getting inside. Also, it looks to me by appearances that he's making up the outside tubes from scratch. Maybe I'm wrong. But for 16 bucks a cap, I'll just do it myself.

 

[lastwinj]

Re: Anyone ever rebuilt a vintage cap?

But for 16 bucks a cap, I'll just do it myself.

more fun that way, too.

decided anything on the potentiometers?

germ