Ampeg B15N Serviced

[cj1973]

After I acquired this a month ago from a good buddy who had it since brand new in 1966, while I was using it on the day I purchased it, I noticed some sparks and smoke inside it. I switched it off and then took it to Bob DiXon at Amphole in Burbank California. Luckily it wasn’t a transformer but a couple of old resisters and it had triggered a spark.
He addressed the issue, did a bunch of minor updates, 2 tube replacements and updated the power cable to 3 prong, to bring it all back to basically excellent to flawless sounding and she is back home.

 

[S-Bigbottom]

Very nice.

 

[JimmyM]

After I acquired this a month ago from a good buddy who had it since brand new in 1966, while I was using it on the day I purchased it, I noticed some sparks and smoke inside it. I switched it off and then took it to Bob DiXon at Amphole in Burbank California. Luckily it wasn’t a transformer but a couple of old resisters and it had triggered a spark.
He addressed the issue, did a bunch of minor updates, 2 tube replacements and updated the power cable to 3 prong, to bring it all back to basically excellent to flawless sounding and she is back home.

She looks it, too! Glad it's back in service for you. So what tubes got replaced? Personally, I've always found that B-15's sound better with old 6SL7's vs newer ones. New power and rec tubes work fine in them, but newer preamp tubes just don't seem to have the balls of even the cheaper old stuff from RCA and Sylvania and the like. I've heard that Tung Sol has a newer 6SL7 that's supposed to be really good, but I haven't tried one yet since I'm sitting on a small stash of Sylvanias.

 

[jnewmark]

I've owned two in my life. Why I ever sold them is still a mystery to me.