Got The Report On The Frankenstein Amp Today

New info...

It's a Valco, (AKA Oahu), but a later prototype, that does not have a field coil speaker. Could have been an unfinished one, or one that was built out of Valco parts, but mostly Valco. Late 1940's after they stopped using field coils. Without a doubt, a Valco Chassis. They also manufactured these for National.
Just for trivia sake--- you are looking at a guitar amp design that predates Leo Fender. Leo is said to have invented the first guitar amp, but we know from examples built by Valco and Rickenbacker, that this simply is not true. Valco and Rick guitar amps came about 10 years before Leo built his first (or even earlier). The original face plate (now missing?) had inputs labeled: "Microphone or Instrument," and therefore, "instrument" input makes it an actual guitar amp.
The Valco 51 which is quite similar, with a field coil speaker, is probably one of the sweetest sounding amps ever made. At least I think so.

http://www.valcopages.com/Schematics.html
Click to expand...

EG
 
are you still planning on having it rebuilt? If it is as rare as that dude says, is it something that you want bob the amp guy ripping into? Sounds like its time for some research.
 
k4df4l said:
are you still planning on having it rebuilt? If it is as rare as that dude says, is it something that you want bob the amp guy ripping into? Sounds like its time for some research.
Click to expand...

That's what I'm thinking. Ron got sick a few weeks ago and hasn't been working, so he hasn't done anything to it.
I sent some pics to a guy who's known for fixing Valco amps. I want to hear what he says.

EG
 
Have to wait til it runs to find that out. :lol:

Ron called and said one of those shematics from Music Electronics Forum matches! He's digging around now. Hopefully, I'll know something concrete soon.

I got a PM from another member over at that forum, talking about the guy who was making the Valco prototype claims. Sounds like Mr Valco is known over there for spouting crap. That angle appears to be mere interwebz chatter.
I made inquiries to known Valco nuts and they say they don't recognize it as one, though it looks to be a cool circuit.

I believe I want to make it into a head/cab setup with a cab that looks like this...

old_guitar_speaker_cab_100_columbus_8537594.jpg


EG
 
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