Marshall 1959SLP restoration

[bill bokey]

I traded an old (and great sounding) Carlsbro CS60TC Twin combo for this (badly) modified 1959SLP :



Something was totally wrong with it, it sounded so bad and the solder joints looked so bad I thought it best to remove everything and start from scratch. I rewired the heaters with 18AWG for the power tubes and 22AWG for the preamp. Probably overkill ... but I couldn't help myself !



Then I made a turret board (UK sourced Phenolic) :






Apart from a few AB carbon comp resistors (the long 820s, 100k and the dropping Rs) and the 'chicklet' cathode caps I only used new components :



Tried to keep it as tidy as possible






I have not yet had the time to plug it in but I will asap and then expermient with various OTs and PT. I have 2 Marstran (C1998 and 1202-119) and an early 70's Drake 1202-99. Should be interesting to hear the difference between these OTs...

[neikeel]

Fantastic work.

I will be fsacinated to hear the differences in the OTs (will you be recording like-for-like clips?).

The Marstran and the old Drake -99 should be equivalents.

I did a back to baclk on a 71 SL with a -99 and a Dagnall 2668 and found the Drake a bit crisper in the mid range before saturation, but still quite similar. I think the 1998 is better for the saturated tones?

[bill bokey]

Fantastic work.

Cheers Neil !

I will be fsacinated to hear the differences in the OTs (will you be recording like-for-like clips?).

I'll use a reamp box and will measure the pots so the settings are exactly the same

[bill bokey]

The amp ended up with Classic Tone transformers and choke. First time I used them and I must say they are a great value for money !! I did not find the time to record any A/B clips (I recently moved to a new house and my recording gear has yet to come out its box) but I compared it to my '68 clone (w/ Pihers, Iskras, ABs, Mustards, Lemco micas etc... and Marstran trannys) and it's scaringly close with the same settings and similar (but not identical) tubes.

Here are a few videos (camera sound only) :







Needless to say these videos don't do the amp justice
Tone is great (in the room) but most of all I really enjoyed the PT/choke sag. I could hardly stop playing !

Hopefully I'll find time for the OT shootout with the next Super Lead build.

[danman]

Those clips sounded great! Nice work!

[bill bokey]

Thanks ! Glad you like em

[rgorke]

Yeah, that sounds really good. So both OT and PT are Classic Tone?

[bill bokey]

OT, PT and choke are Classic Tone.



I sold the amp locally so hopefully I'll be able to borrow it and compare it with other OTs I have in stock. At the moment I have 3 C1998 clones (Marstran, Metro and M e r r e n) and a Drake 1201-99. I just need more time

Thanks for watching !