Fahey Amplifiers

[J M Fahey]

OK, thanks, let me think about it, it may work some way or another.
I guess the trick here is to redesign something (I do that all day) which fits within the Mail weight and size constraints.
Now I'm very busy with New Year derived work (by Law *everybody* here gets double salary or "13th month" on December 29) so lots of guys have "free" money burning a hole in their pockets, but February tends to be kind of slow, because we are in the middle of Summer Holidays and everybody is either suntanning on the Atlantic beaches , climbing hills in Central Argentina or skiing in our snowy South.
We'll keep in touch and, Joe, I'll see what I can work out.
Thanks again.

[joecool85]

OK, thanks, let me think about it, it may work some way or another.
I guess the trick here is to redesign something (I do that all day) which fits within the Mail weight and size constraints.
Now I'm very busy with New Year derived work (by Law *everybody* here gets double salary or "13th month" on December 29) so lots of guys have "free" money burning a hole in their pockets, but February tends to be kind of slow, because we are in the middle of Summer Holidays and everybody is either suntanning on the Atlantic beaches , climbing hills in Central Argentina or skiing in our snowy South.
We'll keep in touch and, Joe, I'll see what I can work out.
Thanks again.

Cool.  I think there would be a good chance of selling 100w heads or 50w combos.  I don't think a 50w solid state head would sell here.

[joecool85]

Any progress in this, Juan?  I'm waiting to see Fahey Amplifiers in my local shop  :tu:

[Enzo]

Just curious, Juan, when you said the amps cost  US$140, did you mean your cost, or that  was the incredilby low selling price?

And just for the record, are your amps set to run on 120v or 240v mains?


And if you ever need a warranty repair station in Michigan....   

[J M Fahey]

That's the selling cost, FOB Buenos Aires.
Or what pays anybody who rings my bell with cash in hand.
Now, for export, mailing/transport expense doubles it (or more) and things start to change.
Now I'm working on full because I'm showing my products at São Paulo's (Brazil) ExpoMusic (a *huge* NAAM style show), which runs from 21 to 26 September, but I will need to be there at least 10 days before.
I've *just* (as in 10 minutes ago) arrived from my Zinc Plater's shop, with 63 +30 12" speaker frames and frontplates (they had to re-do the plating because of some stains) 

The ones in the back are similar to Jensen's C12N or Eminence Legend or Blackpowder or Weber 12F150, etc. ("Twin" Speakers) and the ones in the foreground similar to Celestion Rocket 50 (Valvestate 8040) or Jensen C12Q or Weber 12F125 , good sounding bur somewhat lower cost than the first ones.
As I said before, sending products in small amounts costs from 8U$S/Kg up to crippling 20U$/Kg, while sending them in a shared container costs around U$250 per cubic meter (=63 speakers=220Kg).
Now you understand why Chinese or similar products, which travel by the full container are so cheap, while the smaller manufacturer can't compete, paying 10X their shipping cost.
I can't sell in the US because of that.
Of course, if I ever did, now I know who can repair them on warranty sevice 
Oh well.

[phatt]

Now you understand why Chinese or similar products, which travel by the full container are so cheap, while the smaller manufacturer can't compete, paying 10X their shipping cost.
I can't sell in the US because of that.

Yeah that sucks man,, as you are obviously a serious contender and you make a good product.

Rare to find a manufacturing setup that makes its own drivers,, a credit to you:  :tu:

Re dirty plating,  
My first Apprenticeship was Electroplating so I'd guess they had not maintained there Vats or they were not rinsing well between the nickel and chrome Vats.
It's a high maintenance job as you have to check Vat ph and clean gear every morning if you want consistent results.
You are constantly adding acids and stuff just to keep going.

It was all many years ago now and I've forgotten most of it but yep ,,I do remember getting roused on for not washing and rinsing in my first year but hey I was just 15 then.  
Phil.

[J M Fahey]

It was all many years ago now and I've forgotten most of it but yep ,,I do remember getting roused on for not washing and rinsing in my first year but hey I was just 15 then.  Cool
Phil.

Well, you seem to remember it very well.
This is Zinc plating, what you usually get on your screws and bolts, many electronics chassis and Celestion speakers.
Any similarity is pure coincidence 
After the process ends (many baths in between: degreasing in boiling industrial detergents, deoxidizing in acid baths, a *very* scary surface cleaning by dissolving the outer "skin" in a boiling CYANIDE bath, plus the actual electro-plating baths themselves.) they need a long bath in clean boiling water, to wash all the residual very chemically active salts used in the process.
I'm sure (although they swore it was not so) that they either avoided the last wash, or cut it short, or never changed that water, because liquid trapped between the frame and the points-soldered back plate oozed later, staining the frame in a very ugly and visible way.
As a side comment: along my career I slowly added in-house all steps needed in manufacturing (that let me survive while others nosedived), including transformer winding, chassis processing and punching, silkscreenin, PCBs, etc. , with one big exception.
I actually *did* setup a speaker electroplating process at home, started it successfully .... and dismantled and sold evrything.
That's one process I'll happily pay others to do.
*All* baths contained Cyanide, in various proportions, it's needed to keep the metal clean (it "eats" everything: rust, grease, fingerprints, even old paint) and get shinu deposits.
No way José!!
I remember getting to those shops (by chance) at lunch hour, and seeing workers *wipe* their hands , wet with poisonous liquids bubbles, and grab their sandwiches . No kidding.
When I told them to wash them they answered "we're not sissies" and laughed. :loco
"Besides, we drink one liter of milk (required by law) a day, to clean our bodies." :duh
Oh well.
My Father, who was a Doctor, showed me their chest X-Rays.
They had caverns in their lungs a mouse could live in, no kidding.
At 35 to 45 they looked 65 or 70.
At 65 you say??
Don't know, I very much doubt any of them ever reached that ripe age.
So Phatt, keep enjoying your solder fumes , don't think they can be called healthy, but they don't kill you either.
You made an excellent career switch, early in your life :tu:

[phatt]

Arrh Yes,,,Now I see it. We call it *bright zinc* which when done well does have a similar hue to Blue Chrome.

Yep After a serious road crash which left me with several skull fractures and little to no sense of smell or taste,,,(add in coma for 1 full day)
my Dear Mother suggested I take a new path. :grr :trouble

A good call on Her part as not being able to smell much and working in an Electroplating plant was no place for me.

Yeah Cyanide serious stuff,, a Trace Element so really dangerous. (cumulative)
We used to do Gold plating as well and that used Cyanide.
Yes Even I understood the washing of hands when working around all that nasty stuff.

I ended up becoming a very good welder, fitter,,jack off all trades.
Even delving into cnc operated stuff. (CNC, Automatic multi head turret punching sheet metal)

Sadly I have been inflicted with a degenerative backbone issue and my body is likely still full of toxic waste stuff from all the other industries I've worked in over the years so with limited health those industries where no longer for me.

I'm pensioned off now so electronics (Though not my field) is mostly sitting at the bench and fiddling with little things so I can handle that.
But at times I miss working on big industrial stuff.

I never had the opportunity to learn the higher maths which one needs to go onto University but Now that I've had the time to focus on learning/reading I've finally got some grasp on the finer art of sending electrons down a wire.
Though I will never know it all I'm at least now able to make things that work and don't go up in smoke.

Cheers, Phil.

[jcgss77]

I'm checking and an international "Small Package" (the ones with the large green stamp) costs very reasonable U$22 for 1Kg/2.2 pounds and U$36 for 2Kg/4.4 pounds.
Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmhhhh, the little wheels in my head are turning.

Mr. Fahey,  would you consider sending just a board, a board with the parts, or a populated board?  I am interested and am wondering what you would charge for this.  I am in the northeast USA.

[J M Fahey]

Hi jcgs.
Let me think about it.
I´ll ask for a few prices, and I´ll come up with a number.
Are you trying to "revive" a dead amp with a new guts transplant or building from scratch?
Because the main idea behind these kits is saving perfectly good cabinets, speakers and transformers (the most "difficult" parts for home builders) from the landfill, while providing a practical solution to the musician.
Not to mention it can be a very enjoyable experience.
Just now I'm flying to São Paulo, Brazil with a truckload (literally, 500 pounds) of speakers which I think will sell there very well , they're having a *huge* NAMM style trade show http://www.expomusic.com.br/2011/profissional/en-gb/index.asp but I'll be back in Buenos Aires about October the 10th .
Good luck.

[morgoth2006]

Hello Juan.
I would also be interested in a kit with parts. My pcbs and soldering skills have been improving gradually but my power amps still they don't sound good to my ears. Also some of the parts like some transistors and MOSFETs can be quite difficult to find here in Portugal.
The speakers would be nice too but their weight is sure to make the shipping quite expensive.
The woodwork is not a problem for me, in fact it's something that I enjoy doing since learning it from a fellow carpenter. I'm currently trying to find a good design for a guitar combo with 10'' speaker, something easy to carry but strong enough to take some abuse.
Good luck with your brazilian adventure!  :tu:

[jcgss77]

JM, That is great.  I have a long dead amp with a perfectly good transformer that would love the heart transplant.  I find your work very professional, and would love to hear what your amp sounds like.  I will be waiting to see if you are willing!

[J M Fahey]

Thanks a lot to both of you.

jcgss: please tell me the AC voltage(s) supplied by your power transformer.
Knowing the speaker impedance will also help. If not, don't worry.
What was the original amp rated?

morgoth: I'll see what I can do.
Aren't Italian MOD speakers available trhere?
A C10Q would be nice for what you need.
If not available or too expensive, I have a similar one which sounds good, stands any 50/60W amp (hint hint: LM3886 or similar) and is quite lightweight.
When I come back I'll ask at the Mail Office.

[joecool85]

Juan, please keep us posted on this thread - it is very interesting to say the least.

[jcgss77]

Juan, the amp is a 40 watt amp, but I will get the actual voltage measurement of it later.  This is very exciting!  I prefer to purchase musical equipment from enthusiasts, keeps this hobby alive!  I sure wish I could get a whole amp from you.  Do you have any sound clips of your amps on here?  I might also be interested in a 100 watt model as well, I think I have another dead 125 watt amp laying around here somewhere...too many projects around here and no work getting done!