Filmosound Amp conversion…

[Buffalo_Bill]

So I pulled out my antique Bell & Howell 16mm movie projector, to have a look at the sound amp, because I've heard about how these old tube amps can be reused for guitar. Bummer, I reused the speaker cord a LONG time ago, so I don't have the right size jack to plug into the speaker out. Looks like a size between 1/8 and 1/4 inch?

In the process, I found an online joint that has a business of rebuilding these from the frame, into very decent Fender sounding amps. http://atmarsamps.com/
But their prices begin at about $998.
Sounds like you have to replace just about everything, to get a good tone.

I dunno, it would sure be easier to just buy a new tube guitar amp.
Could a new Vox AC15C1, sound so bad, for only $480?

Bill

[maxx england]

How loud do you want it to be? I've said it before, for practice/small gig volume, I have a 7w valve Hacker hi fi amp from no later than 1967 with a 12" Celestion I plug in if I need to let it breathe. If I had the Bell and Howell, I'd connect it up, just do a jack in, jack out. Sod paying money when you can have cheap fun.

[Buffalo_Bill]

Sod paying money when you can have cheap fun.

So true Bro!
I remember now your post about that Hi-Fi amp. Do that sound good enough?
This lil' amp says 15 watts on the bottom, that's plenty loud for me!
Bill

[maxx england]

The impedance is different to a guitar amp, so I clean preamp with a pedal. Then you get raw, steamy, old Mississippi tone. It does me OK.

[Buffalo_Bill]

Got it hooked up, and tested some. Sounds real good!

Crackles a bit, like an old AM radio, or LP record…Amazing!

Have to turn the volume up to induce overdrive. The total range of the tone pot is huge.

Great sound for vintage Jazz, my hollow-body Ibanez AG75 sounds great! But every guitar sounds great!

I'm gonna build a cab for it, and already bought a new 12" Eminence speaker, built for the Fender Blues Jr.

Just one question: how can I wire a spring reverb into the circuit, anybody know?

[maxx england]

Not a damn clue.

But doesn't it smell great?

[Buffalo_Bill]

“Burn Baby, Burn!”

[maxx england]

What's the speaker/s?

[Buffalo_Bill]

I found this on eBay for just $35, plus $20 for shipping.
It's a 12 incher, and they said it's new and standard for the Fender Blues Jr.
The Fender home site says the Blues Jr. speaker is made by Eminence and is rated at 50 watts.

FYI, scuttlebutt says: it's a real project to wire in a spring reverb, and e$$$pensive…
Not a problem, I already got a Danelectro Slap-Back echo pedal, that does a good imitation of reverb.
I just don't care for fussing with effect pedals, cords and batteries.

[maxx england]

Shame you're so far away, it would be interesting to compare sounds.
I have a Facebook page if you want to join in the global subversive plot:

http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Altern ... 0199492722

[Buffalo_Bill]

Bummer, Facebook don't like my outdated browser…

Meanwhile…

I built this cabinet for the Filmo.
I spent dinero for the clear pine and the aluminum plate, but everything else was collecting dust in my workshop.
Just stained now, but will begin the first coat of polyurethane today.

[maxx england]

Hot valves, hot wood, steamy rich sound. Get some friends and beer round and life is close to perfect.

[Buffalo_Bill]

Well, I got the amp together and have a demo recorded.
The 12" Eminence speaker is very efficient…The amp gets loud!

Each guitar is plugged directly into the amp.
This begins with a Peavey JF1EX semi-hollow with humbuckers, full overdrive-3/4 volume.
Then a Squier Vintage Modified Telecaster Thinline, clear-1/3 volume.
Finally an Ibanez AG75 archtop with humbuckers, clear-1/3 volume.

These tunes are just for demo perposes.

http://soundclick.com/share.cfm?id=11467452

Bill

[maxx england]

I'd better sort some sound clips of the Hacker. And for a low watt amp, ain't that a lovely big voice?