Advice Needed: Vintage Danelectro Cadet 122.

[CaseyJones]

Looks like the same pictures.

Yeah, how 'bout that? I expect that's because it's the same amp.

"leavitalone", I'm talkin' to you, Buster:

Fifty bucks shipping on that thing is a rip-off, plain and simple. According to your item description you know very little about that amp. Seems to me you know enough to cut the cord off so when the end user installs another cord and electrocutes themselves with a transformerless amp you're shielded from liability. Seems to me $200 over what you paid for it is a tidy profit plus whatever else you pocket on shipping. Seems to me you'll make a couple extra bucks on the handle.

SEEMS TO ME we're gettin' played here... if you want to create an online buzz over yer stuff why doncha hike over to The Gear Page?

[leaveitalone84]

Looks like the same pictures.

They are the same pictures. The guy lists everything locally on craigslist and then lists stuff on Ebay to catch the suckers for more $$$. He got the amp from some guy locally in a bulk purchase of amps. I am suprised he has not taken it off yet and I will send him an e-mail.

Yeah, how 'bout that? I expect that's because it's the same amp.

"leavitalone", I'm talkin' to you, Buster:

Fifty bucks shipping on that thing is a rip-off, plain and simple. According to your item description you know very little about that amp. Seems to me you know enough to cut the cord off so when the end user installs another cord and electrocutes themselves with a transformerless amp you're shielded from liability. Seems to me $200 over what you paid for it is a tidy profit plus whatever else you pocket on shipping. Seems to me you'll make a couple extra bucks on the handle.

SEEMS TO ME we're gettin' played here... if you want to create an online buzz over yer stuff why doncha hike over to The Gear Page?

Casey I am not selling that amp. My Ebay handle is SK2359. Why are you acting so confrontational and agressive towards me? All I wanted was a little help with this amp but you're acting like a jerk towards me. The amp is in my care right now. I am not planning on selling it. If you looked closely at the original description I said the pictures were taken before I picked it up.

I don't like The Gear Page. I came here because I thought it was a little more friendly. I guess I was wrong.

Oh c'mon, your user I.D. is "leaveitalone" so leave it alone! Seriously, if you want enough junk to get a good start on a clone I'll be happy to send you a box of parts. Box o' junk would include a chassis punched out for three miniature tubes, a handful of 50C5 and 35W4 tubes and maybe a couple 6" speakers. Run four of them in series / parallel for a psycho bargain bin mini-stack!

Casey, a box of junk parts would totally be cool. A 4x6" faux bassman el cheapo amp would be kinda cool! Let me know. Do you have any similar Output transformers like the one attached to the speaker? If I do swap the baffleboard + speaker I would like to keep the original OT on the speaker and sub in a new one.

Put me down for a bet on 500k audio taper.

Hmmm, I'll have to use a mirror and look at the side of the pot again.

These were never meant to be "blues" amps! Maybe they ended up in the hands of a bluesman or two out of poverty and the sheer inability to buy something else.

"Blues" came along a lot later. Well a lot earlier actually but it took guys like Page, Beck and Clapton to discover blues and re-introduce them to the U.S.. The Brits are also largely responsible for the explosion of popularity of guitars starting in the mid-'60s.

The Allmans always had killer gear. They were so far ahead of their time tone-wise it isn't even funny.

Well maybe they weren't mean't to be blues amps but the thing sounds killer for it.

I meant lil baby Allmans when they were starting. It was more tounge in cheek than anything. But the point is the player is the key part, it doesn't matter what you are plugged into. All gear does is to help get your point across, and sometimes that shitty gear sounds great by accident.

If you can put a tool in your hand; you can usually get it done. It all depends on how good you are with the craft. A beginner plugged into a Mullard'd Marshall is still gonna sound like a beginner. But a master pluged into this Dano will still sound like a master.

Last I heard BB King still plays through solid state.

Tubetwang:

I probably won't sell it. It is too freakin cool. I have a good collection of vintage/modern gear which I lend out to friends and local players for studio time. Which is the reason I want to make it safe.

[CaseyJones]

Yeah, how 'bout that? I expect that's because it's the same amp.

"leavitalone", I'm talkin' to you, Buster:

Casey I am not selling that amp. My Ebay handle is SK2359. Why are you acting so confrontational and agressive towards me? All I wanted was a little help with this amp but you're acting like a jerk towards me.

Yup, you're close to 100% correct. I'm bein' a jerk. I'm confrontational and agressive 'cuz that's just me. Please accept my apology.

Oh c'mon, your user I.D. is "leaveitalone" so leave it alone! Seriously, if you want enough junk to get a good start on a clone I'll be happy to send you a box of parts. Box o' junk would include a chassis punched out for three miniature tubes, a handful of 50C5 and 35W4 tubes and maybe a couple 6" speakers. Run four of them in series / parallel for a psycho bargain bin mini-stack!

Casey, a box of junk parts would totally be cool. A 4x6" faux bassman el cheapo amp would be kinda cool! Let me know. Do you have any similar Output transformers like the one attached to the speaker? If I do swap the baffleboard + speaker I would like to keep the original OT on the speaker and sub in a new one.

Sure. PM me your mailing address and junk is on the way later this week. Yeah I have cheapo OTs, IMHO they're too small to be of any use to me except maybe for reverb drivers.

You can corner the market on transformerless clones. I thought about doing it but I don't want to deal with the liability. Besides, I have close to zero people skills which tends to be an impediment.

Tubetwang:

I probably won't sell it. It is too freakin cool. I have a good collection of vintage/modern gear which I lend out to friends and local players for studio time. Which is the reason I want to make it safe.

I'd hook Twang up with enough junk to build one of these except... shipping said junk to Canada would cost more than it's worth. Besides, as I understand it Twang wants one of those Dano guitars not the amp.

[leaveitalone84]

CaseyJones:

Apology accepted, don't worry. I try to be the least likely of indaviduals to start drama or hold grudges. So from my P.O.V. we are totally cool.

I'll send you a PM soon for the junk. I'll even throw you a few bucks too to make it worth your trouble.

For everyones reference: I have just sent a message to Rick who still has my amp listed on Ebay. I informed him that it worked when I replaced the cable. So if he does not remove the amp soon, I'll take no responsiblity. It's out of my hands at this point.

[xtian]

I got given a Danelectro Cadet model 122. I replaced the electrolytics, and it works. No hum, tone is fine, just not very loud.

It has a two-prong power cord, and when polarity is reversed, there is 120vac on the guitar strings. So I want to put in a three-conductor cord, and earth the circuit ground for safety, but I'm not familiar with transformerless designs.

I confirmed that the neutral wire connects to the negative ends of the reservoir caps. That seems like a likely place to connect the earth wire. But the ground of the guitar input jacks is +10vdv with respect to the reservoir ground. And really, it's the guitar strings I want to be at zero WRT earth.

Where should I connect the earth wire?

[David Root]

Beats me how it was ever legal to be sold! I know this low cost construction was common back in the day however.

Maybe they got away with it because it would only electrocute poor folks.

Personally I wouldn't be comfortable with it however it was wired, and I'd keep it on a high up wall display shelf so the kids couldn't get at it.

[Phil_S]

...Where should I connect the earth wire?

You shouldn't.

If this amp is an old time All American 5 tube amp running straight off the mains, that isn't something you want to 3-prong and ground. Likely the 4 or 5 tubes' filament voltages add up to around 110 and that's the design. Read back in this thread. It is necessary to install a 1:1 (or 115:115) isolation transformer. That is the one that gets the 3-prong plug and grounded to the chassis.

[xtian]

Phil, this is a three tube model, exactly as shown by OP at top of this thread.

I played it a bit today, first measuring to make sure there was no voltage on the guitar jack.

By installing a three-prong plug, I can ensure, FOR MYSELF with my properly wired outlets, that I'm plugging it in the right way. And by connecting the earth wire, I hope that if it is ever plugged in to a badly wired socket, it will throw the breaker quickly, because hot will be connected directly to earth.

So, I will do an iso transformer, if that's the only solution.

[Phil_S]

You might install a 2 prong polarized plug to prevent accidental reversal of polarity, but that won't mitigate the basic dangerous situation, which is that most of that amp is plugged directly into the mains. If you look closely the 50V and 35V tubes are on the mains. The 12V tube heater is isolated by what must be a pretty dinky transformer. The only way you can ground this thing is by using an isolation transformer. This is a relatively inexpensive item and for the measure of safety it provides, it is a true bargain. Given the age of the amp, if you are able to find a PT that give a little step down, it might be a good idea, something like 120:100 if there is such a thing. Japan is on 100V...a little search turned up this beauty which will handle your situation nicely http://www.surplussales.com/item/_tp/eit-5410u.html however, you will need a pallet jack to move it around.

More realistically (an affordable), look at Hammond 169C. I think you'll get to tune your voltage for a decent price.

[Stevem]

If you want to make the amp at least shock proof when holding the and playing the Guitar then install a isolated plastic input Jack who's hot and ground is coupled back to the Amp thru a .47 uf 600'volt cap.
Oh, and also those two red paper cased filters need to get replaced before they let the smoke out and or pop fuses on Ya!

[Phil_S]

Another hair brained thought, maybe more trouble than it's worth...
Troll eBay for a cheap power transformer that will meet your supply needs, which are quite modest. I'm thinking about $20. Rewire for 6.3V tubes; 6x4 rectifier, EL95 power (maybe something else like a 6AQ5) tube, 6AU6 input pentode. The choice of rectifier is largely unimportant...a solid state rectifier would do fine, but 6X4 is a suitable 7 pin tube. 6AU6 is the 6v equivalent of the 12AU6. The only real point of minor concern is the choice of the power pentode and I'm doubtful in a low power amp if it will make much difference. Tubes might run as little as free and not more than $20. With this, you'd have a safe amp and it won't cost you an arm and a leg. If this was my amp, I'd be giving this serious consideration.

I've got several 6AU6 and 6AQ5. Probably a couple of EL95. If you go with solid state rectifier, PM me and I can give you a few tubes.

For a PT, you'd need 6.3V @ 0.5A or 0.75A depending on the pentode, and a PT that's about 180-0-180 +/- 20V. The 6X4 requires 6.3V @ 0.6A additional.

[johnnyreece]

If you're doing a scratch design, here's a link to a thread I made a while back that didn't get much traction:

https://tubeamparchive.com/viewtopic.php?t=27927

Nothing fancy, but for $50? I can't beat it (well, unless Casey wants to send me a box-o-parts for free, too ). The key for that is the cheap-o transformers, and the $1 cake pan chassis.

[xtian]

Deja vu, just like earlier in this thread. Not interested in messing with it much, as it won't ever be anything better than a cardboard box. Thanks for the advice y'all! Cadet, over and out!