Vibro Champ Amp Modification

[ampdan]

And another one bites the dust...

[Thom]

Ian...thanks! Seeing you are from Canada...I just ran thru the intro of a song by one of my most heart felt, favorite groups.....RUSH! Limelight is a go-to song when I need to feel better? Not just saying this because you posted....but I LOVE Canada. One of our daughters-in-law is Canadian!

One more thing about this amp that I thought might be interesting to a Fender crowd.

As I said, this amp (bought new from a music store), and a used, but good condition Stratocaster, was given to me by my Mom when I was 12. She wanted me to accompany and sing with her while she played the piano. I did that for a number of years. I also played with friends when we would get together to jam. My mom hated Rock...but May she Rest In Peace if I play Highway to Hell a few more times I my life!

Anyway....this champ amp has a SN: A06643. Inside the box, a paper states: Production 12, AA764. It came with a factory printed schematic that is also AA764. HOWEVER, I found out in the past couple weeks that in fact it is wired as shown in the AB764 schematic that I downloaded online. I’m betting my box was built and then newer electronics was actually installed before it shipped out the door. No big deal. I just thought that was interesting.

[Mark]

I wired my own Manufacture dual input, single output audio matching transformer to the two audio input jacks, and installed it.....thus replacing the existing resistive divider input.

Why did you do this mod?
It seems a lot of work.

[TUBEDUDE]

Ian...thanks! Seeing you are from Canada...I just ran thru the intro of a song by one of my most heart felt, favorite groups.....RUSH! Limelight is a go-to song when I need to feel better? Not just saying this because you posted....but I LOVE Canada. One of our daughters-in-law is Canadian!

One more thing about this amp that I thought might be interesting to a Fender crowd.

As I said, this amp (bought new from a music store), and a used, but good condition Stratocaster, was given to me by my Mom when I was 12. She wanted me to accompany and sing with her while she played the piano. I did that for a number of years. I also played with friends when we would get together to jam. My mom hated Rock...but May she Rest In Peace if I play Highway to Hell a few more times I my life!

Anyway....this champ amp has a SN: A06643. Inside the box, a paper states: Production 12, AA764. It came with a factory printed schematic that is also AA764. HOWEVER, I found out in the past couple weeks that in fact it is wired as shown in the AB764 schematic that I downloaded online. I’m betting my box was built and then newer electronics was actually installed before it shipped out the door. No big deal. I just thought that was interesting.

Still have the Strat? What year?

[Thom]

[quote=Thom post_id=416877 time=<a href="tel:1600299225">1600299225</a> user_id=21401]
Ian...thanks! Seeing you are from Canada...I just ran thru the intro of a song by one of my most heart felt, favorite groups.....RUSH! Limelight is a go-to song when I need to feel better? Not just saying this because you posted....but I LOVE Canada. One of our daughters-in-law is Canadian!

One more thing about this amp that I thought might be interesting to a Fender crowd.

As I said, this amp (bought new from a music store), and a used, but good condition Stratocaster, was given to me by my Mom when I was 12. She wanted me to accompany and sing with her while she played the piano. I did that for a number of years. I also played with friends when we would get together to jam. My mom hated Rock...but May she Rest In Peace if I play Highway to Hell a few more times I my life!

Anyway....this champ amp has a SN: A06643. Inside the box, a paper states: Production 12, AA764. It came with a factory printed schematic that is also AA764. HOWEVER, I found out in the past couple weeks that in fact it is wired as shown in the AB764 schematic that I downloaded online. I’m betting my box was built and then newer electronics was actually installed before it shipped out the door. No big deal. I just thought that was interesting.

Still have the Strat? What year?
[/quote]

It is either a late 1968 or early 1969. It has several cigarette burn marks and it had been rebuilt by the time my mother purchased it used. It needs new pickups and the vol pot is noisy as heck, even after a good quality spray cleaner. I’m going to send it off to be repaired. I could do probably do it to some degree, but I want it to be as good as it can be.

[TUBEDUDE]

Nice. Mine's a '66, love the big headstocks.

[didit]

It needs new pickups ...

Why so?

Best .. Ian

[Thom]

Somewhere the D string is not being picked up on occasion. When I push on the middle pickup itself with a screwdriver, I get huge static crashes. There has got to be an open in there somewhere. I can’t believe the switch could cause that. I also don’t think all three pickups are bad, but l’ll let someone who knows what he is doing figure that out. I can’t believe it is rocket science, but I’ve not done much work on a guitar beyond strings. The amp....that is easy stuff.

Neither my mom or I had much experience with electric guitars back then. Acoustic, yes. I also ended up with a Mustang (cousin bought it and never used it....long story) that I used more as a young kid. The Strat had been beat up and then fixed to good condition, and it was just too much guitar at that age, in my opinion. I’ve been picking both recently to build up my fingers once again. I also have several old homemade pedals that have been fun as well.

The reason behind all this is mainly because of two things. First, I recently retired after fighting terrorism for many years and I’m stressed out. I need a release and this is perfect. I have not touched my gear for many years. This has been a HUGE release in life. Second, 20 years ago or so I jumped out of a helo with my finger in the trigger guard (really, really stupid move on a number of levels), and I tripped on something, fell over and bent the crap out of my finger. I’m lucky someone didn’t get shot as a result. I recently had surgery to fix all that. During therapy I asked the therapist if playing guitar would help....she nearly jumped out of her chair with a YES! So, here we go! Fender (and a few AC/DC riffs) saves the day!

[didit]

Troubling story, but sounds like a fine next phase. Get repairs or perhaps rewind. Those late 60s pickups are underrated and special.

Best .. Ian

[pompeiisneaks]

Somewhere the D string is not being picked up on occasion. When I push on the middle pickup itself with a screwdriver, I get huge static crashes. There has got to be an open in there somewhere. I can’t believe the switch could cause that. I also don’t think all three pickups are bad, but l’ll let someone who knows what he is doing figure that out. I can’t believe it is rocket science, but I’ve not done much work on a guitar beyond strings. The amp....that is easy stuff.

Neither my mom or I had much experience with electric guitars back then. Acoustic, yes. I also ended up with a Mustang (cousin bought it and never used it....long story) that I used more as a young kid. The Strat had been beat up and then fixed to good condition, and it was just too much guitar at that age, in my opinion. I’ve been picking both recently to build up my fingers once again. I also have several old homemade pedals that have been fun as well.

The reason behind all this is mainly because of two things. First, I recently retired after fighting terrorism for many years and I’m stressed out. I need a release and this is perfect. I have not touched my gear for many years. This has been a HUGE release in life. Second, 20 years ago or so I jumped out of a helo with my finger in the trigger guard (really, really stupid move on a number of levels), and I tripped on something, fell over and bent the crap out of my finger. I’m lucky someone didn’t get shot as a result. I recently had surgery to fix all that. During therapy I asked the therapist if playing guitar would help....she nearly jumped out of her chair with a YES! So, here we go! Fender (and a few AC/DC riffs) saves the day!

I know the feeling. I am a combat veteran, served in the infantry in the 3rdID in OIF I. Playing always helps me in a multitude of ways, glad you've found this out!

~Phil