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

March 28, 2024, 02:48:07 PM

Login with username, password and session length

Recent Posts

 

Early 70's Sears amp Finally found! My very first guitar amp!

Started by galaxiex, October 18, 2017, 04:02:38 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

galaxiex

I never thought I'd see another one of these!  :o
This is exactly like the very first amp I had in the early 70's.

Made in Japan, it is exactly like many of these "Mini Stack" amps that usually came with a 2X8 speaker cab.
I own a few of these, Teisco, Audition, Kingston, Domino, plus I've seen some with other names, some with a 1X12 speaker in the same size cab like the Wabash.

This Sears did not come with a speaker cab, but I have a spare cab that I found on Reverb.

They all have the input jacks on the right, with the exception of the Teisco.
Circuits are not all the same, but there only seems to be 2 different ones.
If it ain't broke I'll fix it until it is.

galaxiex

If it ain't broke I'll fix it until it is.

galaxiex

"My" Sears amp came to me non-functioning and missing the reverb tank.
If it ain't broke I'll fix it until it is.

phatt

Love that guitar :tu: and looks in good condition.
Some of those old guitars now attract rather large prices. :o well at least in Australia they do.
Yours is similar to one of the first electric guitars I played, I think it was a Teisco of some sort. I recall it had a horrible action due to a bowed neck, I doubt it even had a truss rod.
I purchased a les paul copy when in my teens and played it for years but finally realized the fender scale length suited my fingers better. For me I find it hard to play a triad above the 12th fret on a les paul or other short scale guitars. :grr
Swapped the lespaul for a crappy fender copy and improved my playing ability in a short time. ;)

I'm sure a clever chap like you will find another reverb tank that would work for the amp. 8)
Phil.

galaxiex

Thanks Phil!  :)

Yes, this old Silvertone guitar is near mint. A little checking on the finish but not much else.
I have a second one, but it is much worse condition tho still playable.

I started collecting these 60's 70's cheap (when they were new) guitars a while back when the market was in a lull.
Prices were good and some of them are actually decent pieces when setup right.
Usually need a re-fret tho. Stock frets are often very low and flat, even when they were new.

I suspect this Silvertone was made by Teisco, or more likely Kawai. Overall quality seems good for a budget student guitar.
Nice straight neck.

I know what you mean about short scale guitars, tho I rarely play above the 12 fret since I am Rhythm guitar in our band.
Actually, i prefer short scale as it suits my small hands, but my main guitar is a Tele.
I like the Fender 25.5" scale for the sound, but the short scale is way easier for bar chords. Less string tension.

About the amp... yes... I have a plan.  ;)

Will post more soon.
If it ain't broke I'll fix it until it is.

galaxiex

So I found this Gibson G35 amp chassis on ebay.
Seller said non-working chassis only, no cab or speaker.
Power cord and speaker wires cut.

Has a cute little Accutronics reverb tank.  :)

As usual I installed a 3 wire power cord and clipped the death cap.
Hooked up a speaker and it fired right up and sounded way better than I expected.

I wonder if the guts would fit in the Sears amp?  ;)
If it ain't broke I'll fix it until it is.

galaxiex

Think I'm gonna need some heat sinks to put the Gibson guts in the Sears amp.

Found some 1/4" thick copper bar that should work.
Sears amp chassis stripped down.
If it ain't broke I'll fix it until it is.

galaxiex

Wow! this is going to be tight fit!  :duh

More pics...

You will notice that I had to "reverse" the circuit board as the input jacks are on the "other" side.
If it ain't broke I'll fix it until it is.

galaxiex

Moving on with the project...

Got input jacks, AC line and fuse holder, switch and pilot light.

Kinda wondering where in the heck I'm gonna mount the reverb tank.
I did the only thing I could think of.
Mount it right on the circuit board.  :loco
If it ain't broke I'll fix it until it is.

galaxiex

If it ain't broke I'll fix it until it is.