Welcome to Solid State Guitar Amp Forum | DIY Guitar Amplifiers. Please login or sign up.

February 07, 2025, 11:07:00 AM

Login with username, password and session length

Recent Posts

 

Fender Frontman 25R op amp replacement

Started by DavesNotHere, February 03, 2025, 01:49:34 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

DavesNotHere

Hi, newcomer here. I've got a Fender Frontman that I'm upgrading. I replaced the reverb tank and am replacing a bad pot next. While looking up other mods, I saw that replacing the op amps is popular for upgrading the sound and reducing the noise floor, so I'm planning to do this using the NE5532 op amp. I'm pretty experienced with microelectronics, and have done a lot of wiring on guitars and other micro projects, but this is my first time working on an amp. I've seen the process for desoldering and replacing the stock op amps, it looks pretty straightforward, but I've also heard there can be problems with messing up the board, etc. I'm pretty confident in my skills but don't want to brick my amp. What tips or other advice do you have for me? Is this as straightforward as it looks, or should I just leave it alone?

thanks,
-Dave

Jazz P Bass

Personally, I don't think a 5332 op amp is going to drastically change the amp sound.
I would recommend NOT replacing the IC's as board damage is a given.
The traces are paper thin.
If you really want to change the dynamics of the amp , look at a better speaker.

DavesNotHere

I already dropped a Raging Cajun in. Big improvement in sound but it's still noisy at the floor. The op amp replacement seems to be pretty popular. I would desolder rather than pull.

J M Fahey

Being popular means nothing.
people copy each other ... the blind leading the blind.

5532 will have a *somewhat* lower noise floor, but pull twice as much current, have lower in put impedance (bipolar vs FET), in all not much advantage, if at all.

Not sure about your "desolder rather than pull."

In my book both go together.