Solid State Guitar Amp Forum | DIY Guitar Amplifiers

Hi, this is very basic.  I just bought a couple of old Ampeg solid state amps from the late 70s which have been neglected.  I've cleaned the pots and got them sounding good.  They're pretty filthy outside and in.  Is there any basic maintenance that should be carried out, like the replacing of filter caps on a tube amp?  Would it be a good idea to try to clean the PCB, or should I just leave it alone?  Finally, the power cords definitely need replacing.  Any special issues about replacing power cords on these?  3-prong?  Thanks for any guidance.

If they are working well, no need to worry about cleaning them other than for aesthetic purposes.

As for the power cord, I'd replace them with a 3 prong.  My favorite way of doing this is to use an IEC power jack w/fuse like this: http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?Partnumber=090-443

Then you can use any regular PC power cord and it puts the fuse where it is easily accessible.  If you already have an external fuse holder, you can get the IEC jacks without the fuse in them.  What's nice about this is if you ever have an issue with your power cord, you just get another cord and plug it in, rather than having to take the amp apart to solder in a new wire.  Also many times if someone trips on the cord, it simply unplugs it from the amp instead of knocking it over.

Thanks for the response and the info!