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Fender deluxe 90 rebuild

Started by Dwknjh6, June 21, 2025, 02:01:04 AM

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Dwknjh6

Hey all, I appreciate the add to the forum. I debated where to post this, but I am new to the board and just starting out with this repairing and rebuilding older amp thing so here won out. I picked up this 1999 model fender deluxe 90 for $50. Missing all the knobs, every pots is noisy, mismatched speaker, and some of the 1/4" jacks are not working. I thought the reverb tank was bad but it's testing good but the rca cable was not, so that's a plus. I'm cleaning all the pots multiple times, currently on the lookout for a 12" 4 ohm replacement speaker that's affordable(best deal new that I've found so far is a Celestion hot 100 for $80 plus tax shipped. If I can't find used I'll go that route. I've found replacements for the jacks if reflowing them doesn't work. Knobs were discontinued a long time ago but the knurled style are the exact same size, just don't fit the d style pots, but I still think I can make them work. Which brings me to the next biggest issue, cap replacement.

I'm leaning towards an order from mouser or possibly Newark , but I just want to make sure I have everything right. Here's a list of everything I need
QTY
DESCRIPTION
REFERENCE DESIGNATION
2
CAP AE AX .47uF 100V 20%
C17, C40
1
CAP AE AX 1uF 100V 20%
C15
4
CAP AE AX 2.2uF 50V 20%
C18, C34, C44, C47
2
CAP AE AX 10uF 35V 20%
C45, C59
6
CAP AE AX 22uF 25V 20%
C10-11, C32, C39, C61-62
2
CAP AE RDL 10uF 50V 20%
C57, C60
2
CAP AE RDL 47uF 50V 20%
C55-56
2
CAP AE RDL 100uF 50V 20%
C75-76
2
CAP AE RDL 4700uF 50V
C71-72

Mouser has everything matching the values I need in Rubycon and Cornell Dublier.
As long as I'm matching my cap values, should I have any issues replacing them? Should I be looking at any other brands. Mouser is about $34 shipped for everything. Newark is working on a price for me. Any other suggestions? Any else I should be looking at on this board while I have it out? Thanks for any input.


g1

Why do you want to replace all those caps?
Internet commandments about shotgunning electrolytics 'while you're in there' is most often just bad advice.  It sounds like the amp is generally working ok with no major hum issues.  Unnecessary repairs/parts replacement quite often creates new problems, especially for beginners.  Traces are delicate and can be broken, wires and cables can be damaged from just flipping the board over.  Solder bridges or poor solder joints, etc.
 
If this is not 'replace all electrolytics' but rather a targeted selection of caps, can you post the schematic and list the schematic designations for the caps to be replaced?

As far as other things to look at, I would be more concerned about bad solder connections.  Vibration and heat cycling can loosen up solder joints, especially around heavier components, or things doing physical work, like pots and jacks.
When these amps were current, and we worked on many of them, you would get to know which joints would commonly go bad, and just re-solder them as routine maintenance.

Dwknjh6

I probably should've been a little more clear on the amp, yes it powers up and produces sound. Input 1 doesn't work at all and is actually loose on the board, hoping it's just broken solder joints. I put 2 barely works, but is scratchy, hisses and pops, looses contact pretty easy. Every pots dial was horrible and did the same thing, and the overdrive button was the same. Honestly it's impossible to tell what the amp really sounds like until those issues are addressed. The caps are actually look fine with no physical evidence of swelling, leaking, or bulging, so I did wonder if maybe at first I just replace the filter caps. As they are 26 years old. I really didn't want to have to pull the board multiple times I guess is the main reason I had for going ahead and replacing all the caps. When I'm finished I'll be selling the amp. Just wanted to send it on its way knowing it was good. I only have the layout of the board, nothing on actual signal path.

I actually had question to myself replacing all of them.....

Jazz P Bass

Here is the schematic for the Deluxe 90 (non DSP).

g1

All your faults are typical pot/jack cleaning and re-soldering issues.  None of them indicate any faulty caps.
I doubt doing a re-cap will increase the value of the amp, meaning I expect you will get the same money for it either way.  For an amp you are not going to keep, it is a fair bit of extra work, with potential for creating issues, but that's just my opinion and I don't mean to discourage you.

J M Fahey

Quote from: Dwknjh6 on June 21, 2025, 05:58:52 PMI probably should've been a little more clear on the amp, yes it powers up and produces sound. Input 1 doesn't work at all and is actually loose on the board, hoping it's just broken solder joints. I put 2 barely works, but is scratchy, hisses and pops, looses contact pretty easy. Every pots dial was horrible and did the same thing, and the overdrive button was the same. Honestly it's impossible  I did wonder if maybe at first I just replace the filter caps. As they are 26 years old.
 I really didn't want to have to pull the board multiple times I guess is the main reason I had for going ahead and replacing all the caps. When I'm finished I'll be selling the amp.
Nothing to replace unless it spewed its guts out or is smoking, those caps are fine.

Repair it for your own use, or donate it (working) to a School or Church, it is NOT a "business".

That is a killer amp, Celestion 100 speaker is a beast, but if you want to keep cost down any "good family" Guitar speaker, meaning a Craigslist/garage sale $15/20 (tops) speaker will work fine.

I mean a house brand "pull" from Fender/Crate/Peavey/etc. which 90% of the time is an OEM Eminence, only with a fresh "brand" sticker, such as blue Fender Special design, Randall Jaguar, whatever Carvin Acoustic Laney Ampeg etc. use.
Lots of preople replace Factory speaker by an "improved" Celestion or Eminence, and have no use for the old one, so sell it for peanuts.

You can use an 8 ohm speaker there, only reducing power from 90W to still very loud 50W or so.