So I Did some Re-Capping This Weekend...

[Nostalgic Distortion]

So I bought this Bassman 50 a few weeks ago for a song!!! When I got it home it sounded okay but not great, kinda like it was biased too cold? So I opened it up to find that the amplifier was in 100% original condition, & pretty much immediately realized what the issue was, all those old capacitors!!!

Since I had so little money into it I figured I’d give re-capping it a shot. So I figured out what I’d needed, ordered some new caps & resistors, then got to work....

 

[Nostalgic Distortion]

Re: So I Did some Re-Capping This Weekend...

As you can see they were pretty far gone!!!

 

[jimilee]

Re: So I Did some Re-Capping This Weekend...

So, how does it sound?


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[Nostalgic Distortion]

Re: So I Did some Re-Capping This Weekend...




Now here she is with some new stuff, F&T for filters, Sprague, a couple Mallory 150’s, SOZO Mustards, & Orange Drop 716 series capacitors....

I’ve got to say I was mostly concerned with safety when I started this project but she’s much happier now & it sounds soooo much better!!! While I was in there I figured that I’d also change the screen grid resistors because the originals were looking a little toasty.LOL, my only real screw up was in this area...

Apparently I ordered the wrong parts? I also quickly found out that there’s a big difference between a 470ohm resistor & a 470K resistor!!! Like 1000X the resistance so it sounded fantastic... for a 5W amp!!! After digging through my bag of tricks I was able to find a couple 3W 470ohm metal oxide resistors to use in they’re stead. They might not be Carbon Comp but I think they sound great & they certainly work better than the carbon comp 470K’s!!!

 

[Nostalgic Distortion]

Re: So I Did some Re-Capping This Weekend...

So, how does it sound?


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I think it sounds phenomenal, especially as far as Bassman 50’s go!!! They can be pretty brittle & thin sounding on the bright CH as well as a little too muddy on CH 1, however jumping the CH’s together will usually get you a pretty decent clean - mild breakup tone that works great for a pedal platform.

Here even though I didn’t really alter the circuit too much it does seem to have more midrange & cut than before. Of course that also could be attributed to the fact that it was leaking voltage like crazy & it isn’t anymore? Personally I like to think it was something about me that made it so much better, LOL....

 

[JMP/HBE]

Re: So I Did some Re-Capping This Weekend...

Why did the lead dress on 60's & 70's Fender amps always resemble a rats nest ?
Did Fender not have talented builders or were they in a hurry or what ?

By contrast the Marshall JMP's looked & sound so much better.

 

[SAguitar]

Re: So I Did some Re-Capping This Weekend...

Well done! I'm glad to see another old Bassman that is ready to rock again.

 

[Big Mike Blues]

Re: So I Did some Re-Capping This Weekend...

Looks good.
Curious why you changed all the signal caps, most of those are still fine after all these years, I completely agree with changing the doghouse caps.

 

[jeremy]

Re: So I Did some Re-Capping This Weekend...

i was wondering the same thing

 

[Nostalgic Distortion]

Re: So I Did some Re-Capping This Weekend...

Looks good.
Curious why you changed all the signal caps, most of those are still fine after all these years, I completely agree with changing the doghouse caps.

Mostly just to see if I could...

Originally I was just going to do the filters and white Mallory Electrolytic’s as those are your usual trouble spots, but I already had the SOZO’s from another project so buying a few Orange Drops & Mallory 150’s didn’t seem like a big deal?

I’d never done an entire capacitor overhaul before & now I have!!!

 

[Big Mike Blues]

Re: So I Did some Re-Capping This Weekend...

Gotcha. Probably changed stuff you didn't need to is all.
Different strokes...

 

[beaubrummels]

Re: So I Did some Re-Capping This Weekend...

Why did the lead dress on 60's & 70's Fender amps always resemble a rats nest ?
Did Fender not have talented builders or were they in a hurry or what ?

By contrast the Marshall JMP's looked & sound so much better.

Yeah the original wiring looks like they just dropped all the parts in there and soldered where it landed.