This Ol' Amp

[Bob_Vila]

Hi. I'm Bob Vila. Some of you know me as the home improvement guy from tv, but you may be suprised to learn that I am also an accomplished guitar player. In fact, my two guitar instructional videos (Bob Vila's Speed Metal Workout, and Fret Shredders Vol.3) are top selling in their respective fields. Some of my session credits include Yngwie Malmsteens Rising Force album, as well as backing tracks for the Sugarcubes.

On today's edition of This Ol' Amp, I'm looking for the collective knowledge of the audience to help identify an old garage sale item picked up last year that I'm finally dragging out of the attic to re-tube.

The problem: I don't know that the existing tubes are factory spec. I want to replace them all, but other than the faded, almost non existant markings on the tubes themselves, I have nothing to go on.

Here's what I do know.

It's an old ARC tube amp.

2x12" low wattage speakers (small magnets.. they ain't like the Celestions mom has in her MesaBoogie)

2 inputs

4 knobs (vol/on, tone, rev, trem)

rev and trem are foot-switchable.

6 tubes... 4 are preamp, two are power (i think)

one was a 6L6, and one was a 5T5.. does that make sense? is the 5T5 like a crossover tube or something? what class amplifier would this be?!

I'll try to post a pick.

any help would be greatly appreciated.

[bradm]

You might try the Tube Data Sheet Locator:

http://tdsl.duncanamps.com/index.php

My guess is that the 5T5 is in the power supply; the 6L6 would be a power tube, which leaves four more, probably two pre-amp, and one each for the reverb and tremolo drivers. The most common pre-amp (and driver) tube is the 12AX7.

I don't know of shops in Hamilton, but if you can get to Toronto, you might try Songbird Music's repair shop; take the tubes in (and any paper bits from inside the amp; often there'll be a layout diagram of which tube position needs which kind of tube) and see what info they can provide. A little time on a tube tester might prove invaluable.

Aloha,

Brad

[GWB]

Tubes???? i found these ones in iraq

could be missle tubes. I am raise the terror alert of this thread to [color:"orange"] orange

[Bob_Vila]

yes. 5T5 power supply.. its all coming back to me.

now they are not 12ax7 on the pre side. not sure what they are, but i believe you are right in that one is for each of the nobs

and there are no 'bits o paper' anywhere.. not even a model number.

where do you look for vintage amps online? i want to know more about ARC. any suggestions?

..and..as an afterword.. there was a time that this little girlie amp woulda got a headstock thru the speaker with its single little 6L6. i mean really! everyone knows its 4 or nothing!

,..but in my old age i have mellowed some and now its all about that vintage tone.. and man does this ARC ever have it.

[TheGoodRev]

The guys at Songbird have proved invaluable to me, too, for gear repair. They come highly recommended.