I'm an old EE and was trained to solder by an older lab manager, so I was trained to heat the wire, not the solder. You're one of the few electronics techs I've seen here on TH-cam who demonstrates the proper technique in performing this simple but essential task.
Lyle, no groan, your "Gentle Bend" got an old fashioned belly laugh out of me. I'm a little past a decade older than you, what you watched as reruns I saw in primetime and the grade school reading list must have been pretty universal across "fly-over" country for late "Boomers" and early gen X. Keep up the good work its much appreciated.
Ya gotta love it when you find an extraneous bit of something conductive loose , or wedged, inside the amp *before* you put it back together. Yesterday at work I put a big Nakamichi power amp back together, tipped it up on it's back-panel feet for a final cleaning (lots of grungy dust in-between the massive heatsink fins, always a pain to clean such beasties), and heard a "ka-clunk" inside, so I had to open it up again and fish a tab of aluminum out of it. No idea where it was hiding --- I had both heatsink assemblies and output boards completely off of it at one point ---- and it's not anything I recognize, not part of the contruction of the amp. Must have been left there by the previous servicer. Glad I found it before the amp shipped back out *to another country*.....
Yeah, all ten of us are old enough to remember Gentle Ben and not have dementia to the point of having seen the TV show and forgotten all about it. I have used GEC (Hammersmith Genalex) KT66s in Fender amps but I have to put in the spring clamps or the Rasta Farti hat tube holders. I'll bet that internal tooth lock washer has been lost in there since the 1970s.
Lyle, great videos - I´m also a big fan!!! I´m interisting in making some modifications to the "ultraliniar" Silverface Twin series amplifier. Is there a chance to make some easy changes to the circuit board to improve the sound quality of this amplifier? Greatings from Germany, Patris
I have an Engineer brand solder sucker, one of the Japanese surgical tubing style ones. I absolutely love it, it sucks really well and I've only had to clean it once after about a year of heavy use. I recommend it! The surgical tubing really helps with suction in the spot you actually want
I like to play hide the tool…….I have played that many times building engines. Also played hide the new parts especially the smaller ones. It was very funny to hear that.
These particular type of videos of yours are so invaluable to us hobbyists and aspiring techs. Thank you so much Lyle. Great stuff here. Question for you. What lead to the spaghetti wire madness? Did fender just completely gut their original production force by the 70s and replace them with semi skilled labor? Seems like such a huge shift in wiring quality.
I’ve been wondering something about soldering to chassis. If you were building an amp, would it be feasible to just weld a bolt or turret to the chassis in strategic places to facilitate the grounding? I feel like that would be a snap. Only thing I can think of that might be a problem is galvanic corrosion if the metals are too different.
I have a SFTR with a MV. It's the 135 watt model. Is there an easy way to troubleshoot a hiss. On both channels. Could a tube be involved? Just played a couple times lately it sat for some years. I only used it in home and not much. It was serviced 1 time since I bought it and that was maybe in mid 90s. I have no idea if there was any hissing least time I played it a few years back. I have volume control on 2 or 3 and that's loud as hell. Brite switch off as it increases the hiss. Thanks for any knowledge...
Lyle, what kind of iron do you use for chassis grounds? And primary iron? I know I heard this mentioned in another video but I can’t for life of me find it. Thanks!
One of 2 acting gigs Clint Howard ever played where he wasn't a weirdo. The other was a no speaking lines, PB&J eating Leon on The Andy Griffith Show, acting alongside his arguably more famous brother Ritchie Cunni..er....I mean Ronnie Howard...just Ron. And although Grizzly Adams had a bear named Ben, it wasn't the same one.
Thanks for another great video. Why not a little bit of loctite to keep those nuts securing the transformer in place? Just curious if I should be avoiding it in that type of situation. PS: I'm guessing that many more of us get your subtle references then you might imagine. Keep 'em coming.
Lyle, I've become a big fan of the channel in the last couple weeks. What you're doing is very cool. I'm curious if you've had any Swart amps on your bench and if so what your general impression of them is.
Thanks Austin. I have not. I don’t know whether this means not a lot of people in Memphis have them or if they are just bullet proof. But all amps eventually come my way.
That is why it's not allowed per the NEC to make ground connections with solder alone. They have to be mechanically connected, and solder can be used to freeze the connection. Studs, ground lugs, and nuts are the usual way to go.
This is not a new production amp. I’ve never had a failed chassis connection in a pre-‘65 Fender. In a modern amp, yes, you’ll see me put in machine screws and lock washers and nylock nuts etc.
@@PsionicAudio I've found multiple failed soldered-in to chassis grounds on silverface and blackface Fenders. I won't trust that method for safety critical grounding. Never in the power supply. Power cord grounds ALWAYS get grounded with a stud, ground washer, and nut.
any thoughts on using a terminal strip for grounding? I've seen a few other good (IMO) amp techs using this method. I trust your opinion & as any smart person would I at least listen to what folks have to say & I've learned a lot.
Lyle, would adding 'spring tube retainers' work better than the 'bear trap' tube holders? If so, why don't you use those? Love the videos - keep 'em coming!
I heard Lyle say that one was microphonic so no good for a combo, maybe in a head depending how bad it is. Also, he got the beartraps to grip. I'd be afraid the springs would rub the over-sized glass bottles causing noise and/or not fit correctly. Not to mention it defeats the old school "coke bottle" look. They would be great in a stereo audiophile amp and not be hanging upside down. Think that's what they were primarily made for. Or an amp head.
I've a '73 DR that came used with an SS rectifier which I swapped out for a 5U4. But the 5U4 was big and loose so I fitted a spring retainer. But the retainer's ring was too close to the 5U4 plates which then arced thru the glass to the retainer to ground. Fortunately I caught them at it and no damage done. Moral: bear traps ftw.
I got one of those japanese solder suckers and they work really well for circuit board stuff but they are too small for amp work and just get jammed up
@@Murry_in_Arizona Haha yeah! Even as a kid it used to make me chuckle how the kid would 'talk' to his respective animal sidekick for a couple of seconds, then come out with some impossibly long sentence. "What's that Ben? Old man Rivers is trapped down the mine shaft, has two broken legs and is in urgent need of a winch and medical assistance? And he has a pacemaker fitted which is nearly flat?"
@@michaelmoore7975 oh yeah! Loved that one especially "boy" Tarzan in the middle of Africa somehow hooks up with a 10 yr old latino with a East LA Chicano accent! Lol
Retensioning those sockets made a huge difference for me! Have to be gentle... speaking of... watch the second half the 2 minute video with this title. I think your groan may turn into a chuckle Flipper & Gentle Ben (Live)
Perhaps, but isopropyl doesn't cause cancer. It's also not nearly the fire hazard that naptha and naptha-soaked rags or paper towels are. Cheers, Alan Tomlinson
I'm an old EE and was trained to solder by an older lab manager, so I was trained to heat the wire, not the solder. You're one of the few electronics techs I've seen here on TH-cam who demonstrates the proper technique in performing this simple but essential task.
Lyle, no groan, your "Gentle Bend" got an old fashioned belly laugh out of me. I'm a little past a decade older than you, what you watched as reruns I saw in primetime and the grade school reading list must have been pretty universal across "fly-over" country for late "Boomers" and early gen X. Keep up the good work its much appreciated.
And here I am. Buying new mouse for laptop because an old one have wires messed. You are doing god's work!
Ya gotta love it when you find an extraneous bit of something conductive loose , or wedged, inside the amp *before* you put it back together. Yesterday at work I put a big Nakamichi power amp back together, tipped it up on it's back-panel feet for a final cleaning (lots of grungy dust in-between the massive heatsink fins, always a pain to clean such beasties), and heard a "ka-clunk" inside, so I had to open it up again and fish a tab of aluminum out of it. No idea where it was hiding --- I had both heatsink assemblies and output boards completely off of it at one point ---- and it's not anything I recognize, not part of the contruction of the amp. Must have been left there by the previous servicer. Glad I found it before the amp shipped back out *to another country*.....
Vampire Tools solder sucker, made in Japan. Sold on Amazon for $20. You're the man!
If I ever need a pacemaker, or need a replacement...I'm going to hire you to do it😉😎👍
Your humor is one of the many reasons I follow this channel.bear with me, lol
Yeah, all ten of us are old enough to remember Gentle Ben and not have dementia to the point of having seen the TV show and forgotten all about it. I have used GEC (Hammersmith Genalex) KT66s in Fender amps but I have to put in the spring clamps or the Rasta Farti hat tube holders. I'll bet that internal tooth lock washer has been lost in there since the 1970s.
Keep talking to yourself (us) to stay clear headed Gentle Ben(d)! We are here!
This is quickly beginning my favorite amp repair channel. Thanks to the algorithm for putting these in my feed
Another fantastic video and learning experience, thank you!
If that's Gentle Bend, you must be Grizzly Ampman.
I anticipated 4 things you said in this video about a second before you said them.
And I anticipated you were not going to say what they were before you didn't say what they were by the time I got to the number 4.
Lyle, great videos - I´m also a big fan!!!
I´m interisting in making some modifications to the "ultraliniar" Silverface Twin series amplifier. Is there a chance to make some easy changes to the circuit board to improve the sound quality of this amplifier?
Greatings from Germany, Patris
I have an Engineer brand solder sucker, one of the Japanese surgical tubing style ones. I absolutely love it, it sucks really well and I've only had to clean it once after about a year of heavy use. I recommend it! The surgical tubing really helps with suction in the spot you actually want
They even showed Gentle Ben(d) here in the UK...I'm afraid I don't think I ever watched a whole episode...did I miss a classic? ;-)
Only if you're a huge Clint Howard fan.
Nah....but maybe one of the only roles played by Clint Howard (Ron's brother) where he wasn't a weirdo.
I like to play hide the tool…….I have played that many times building engines. Also played hide the new parts especially the smaller ones. It was very funny to hear that.
These particular type of videos of yours are so invaluable to us hobbyists and aspiring techs. Thank you so much Lyle. Great stuff here. Question for you. What lead to the spaghetti wire madness? Did fender just completely gut their original production force by the 70s and replace them with semi skilled labor? Seems like such a huge shift in wiring quality.
my roomie has an early 70's deluxe reverb. it has a 50watt pyle driver in it. it's one of the best deluxes i've ever heard. is it the speaker?
i've been using a solder sucker pump by Jonard Industries, model DP200. it's about $25 at mouser, and it works wonderfully. highly recommend.
I’ve been wondering something about soldering to chassis. If you were building an amp, would it be feasible to just weld a bolt or turret to the chassis in strategic places to facilitate the grounding? I feel like that would be a snap. Only thing I can think of that might be a problem is galvanic corrosion if the metals are too different.
Gentle Ben....6 of 10. 👌⚡🔈🔉🔊🎵🎶
I have a SFTR with a MV. It's the 135 watt model. Is there an easy way to troubleshoot a hiss. On both channels. Could a tube be involved? Just played a couple times lately it sat for some years. I only used it in home and not much. It was serviced 1 time since I bought it and that was maybe in mid 90s. I have no idea if there was any hissing least time I played it a few years back. I have volume control on 2 or 3 and that's loud as hell. Brite switch off as it increases the hiss. Thanks for any knowledge...
We use Soldapult solder suckers where I work. They work really well and hold up too.
One lasts about a month for me. And that's being optimistic.
@@PsionicAudio oh man. I suppose you use the living shit out of them
Lyle, what kind of iron do you use for chassis grounds? And primary iron? I know I heard this mentioned in another video but I can’t for life of me find it. Thanks!
One of 2 acting gigs Clint Howard ever played where he wasn't a weirdo.
The other was a no speaking lines, PB&J eating Leon on The Andy Griffith Show, acting alongside his arguably more famous brother Ritchie Cunni..er....I mean Ronnie Howard...just Ron.
And although Grizzly Adams had a bear named Ben, it wasn't the same one.
Thanks for another great video. Why not a little bit of loctite to keep those nuts securing the transformer in place? Just curious if I should be avoiding it in that type of situation.
PS: I'm guessing that many more of us get your subtle references then you might imagine. Keep 'em coming.
A cranked keps nut can already resist more force than blue loctite.
Lyle, I've become a big fan of the channel in the last couple weeks. What you're doing is very cool. I'm curious if you've had any Swart amps on your bench and if so what your general impression of them is.
Thanks Austin. I have not. I don’t know whether this means not a lot of people in Memphis have them or if they are just bullet proof. But all amps eventually come my way.
That is why it's not allowed per the NEC to make ground connections with solder alone. They have to be mechanically connected, and solder can be used to freeze the connection. Studs, ground lugs, and nuts are the usual way to go.
This is not a new production amp. I’ve never had a failed chassis connection in a pre-‘65 Fender.
In a modern amp, yes, you’ll see me put in machine screws and lock washers and nylock nuts etc.
@@PsionicAudio I've found multiple failed soldered-in to chassis grounds on silverface and blackface Fenders. I won't trust that method for safety critical grounding. Never in the power supply. Power cord grounds ALWAYS get grounded with a stud, ground washer, and nut.
any thoughts on using a terminal strip for grounding? I've seen a few other good (IMO) amp techs using this method. I trust your opinion & as any smart person would I at least listen to what folks have to say & I've learned a lot.
I bought a assortment of stainless dental picks that work great for retensioning tube sockets off EvilBay- China made of course.
Lyle, would adding 'spring tube retainers' work better than the 'bear trap' tube holders? If so, why don't you use those? Love the videos - keep 'em coming!
I heard Lyle say that one was microphonic so no good for a combo, maybe in a head depending how bad it is. Also, he got the beartraps to grip. I'd be afraid the springs would rub the over-sized glass bottles causing noise and/or not fit correctly. Not to mention it defeats the old school "coke bottle" look. They would be great in a stereo audiophile amp and not be hanging upside down. Think that's what they were primarily made for. Or an amp head.
I've a '73 DR that came used with an SS rectifier which I swapped out for a 5U4. But the 5U4 was big and loose so I fitted a spring retainer. But the retainer's ring was too close to the 5U4 plates which then arced thru the glass to the retainer to ground. Fortunately I caught them at it and no damage done. Moral: bear traps ftw.
Which website do you recommend buying tubes from?
I bearly keep myself from spewing coffee on my laptop. NYUK -NYUK.
Wasn't there going to be a "amps under a 1000" video? Kind of waiting 4 it.
Maybe some day.
Maybe today.
@@PsionicAudio Well, that worked out!
Thanks, now on to the amp store💲
Hi Lyle, could modern Fender 'spring and cap' valve retainers be used to replace these old 'bear claw' retainers?
Yeeessss, but they damage tubes and cause microphonics. Bear traps are better for octal sockets.
@@PsionicAudio OK, thanks for the info.
I've noticed some channels advocate for replacing sockets. They say bending the contacts is only a temporary solution. Thoughts?
Did they make a recommendation....I mean advocate to advertise?
All is temporary in this world. ;)
Depends on the socket. These split Us usually retension well.
But I’ve replaced a lot of octal sockets in my time.
@@michaelmoore7975 The may have had a recommendation, but I don't remember what it was.
What iron do you use for soldering to the chassis?
why only run 2 tubes, will it break up at a lower volume
I got one of those japanese solder suckers and they work really well for circuit board stuff but they are too small for amp work and just get jammed up
What's that Ben? There's a ground lug loose in the Fender amp that needs fixing and I have to hurry?
Or was that Flipper or Lassie?
"Yes" to all three though Mr Ed's (or Francis, with an "I" the talking mule/ Chill Wills) reply would be much less useful and far more snarky.
@@Murry_in_Arizona Haha yeah! Even as a kid it used to make me chuckle how the kid would 'talk' to his respective animal sidekick for a couple of seconds, then come out with some impossibly long sentence.
"What's that Ben? Old man Rivers is trapped down the mine shaft, has two broken legs and is in urgent need of a winch and medical assistance? And he has a pacemaker fitted which is nearly flat?"
For some reason I want to watch the Tarzan series with Ron Ely.
@@michaelmoore7975 oh yeah! Loved that one especially "boy" Tarzan in the middle of Africa somehow hooks up with a 10 yr old latino with a East LA Chicano accent! Lol
Steel... is it not aluminum?
I gotta say, most of the time I've re-tensioned those bear traps, at least one of them has usually snapped on me...
I understand they are showing "Hide the Tool" in elementary schools now. So don't worry about corrupting the kids, they're already jaded. 😭😭😭
Retensioning those sockets made a huge difference for me! Have to be gentle... speaking of... watch the second half the 2 minute video with this title. I think your groan may turn into a chuckle Flipper & Gentle Ben (Live)
For some reason I want to watch the Tarzan series with Ron Ely.
Good evening
Reunited - sounds so good.
Gentle Ben you Gentiles
OK Dan Haggerty....The word for that leftover flux and junk is called SLAG.
I spray WD40 in my solder sucker, it makes it almost instant in removing.
I find Naphtha works better for cleaning flux than isopropyl alcohol.
Perhaps, but isopropyl doesn't cause cancer. It's also not nearly the fire hazard that naptha and naptha-soaked rags or paper towels are.
Cheers,
Alan Tomlinson
I get the tool blindness thing. Where is it! Where the eff is it! for about 5 minutes - then realise its right in front of me!
That pair of new Tung-Sols sure look a lot like KT66s, with that tube base shape and plate structure and all. Are you sure they’re not KT66 repros?
They are 6L6GCs made to 6L6G cosmetics. Real 6L6Gs wouldn't last ten minutes with the voltages in a Twin Reverb. ;)
I got it and i’m groaning.
I think you're seriously underestimating the, uh... maturity of your audience if you think we're not going to get gentle ben references