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Anyone know a qualified tube amp tech in CT?

40Hz

40Hz

May 24, 2006
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#1
Lucked out and scored a late 60s -early 70s B-15N at a decent price.

Owner has acknowledged it hasn't been turned on or even plugged in for several years, so I declined to try it out while I was there. It appears to be in very good shape but I need a well qualified amp tech to go over it and let me know what needs to be done to put it back in service. The tube guy I used to use retired a few years back and moved out of state so I need a new guy. And I'd prefer to get recommendations from people who know somebody first hand rather than just google the web for a shop. I'm in Connecticut and I'd prefer to stay within the state if possible, although MA and RI would also work for me.

So...anybody know somebody? Thx!
 
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#5
40Hz said:
Lucked out and scored a late 60s -early 70s B-15N at a decent price.

Owner has acknowledged it hasn't been turned on or even plugged in for several years, so I declined to try it out while I was there. It appears to be in very good shape but I need a well qualified amp tech to go over it and let me know what needs to be done to put it back in service. The tube guy I used to use retired a few years back and moved out of state so I need a new guy. And I'd prefer to get recommendations from people who know somebody first hand rather than just google the web for a shop. I'm in Connecticut and I'd prefer to stay within the state if possible, although MA and RI would also work for me.

So...anybody know somebody? Thx!
Click to expand...


Only a couple of years shouldn't bother it, it's not ideal but doubt that caps would dry up that quick. Did it work when last used? Many people would use a Variac to bring the voltage up slowly over a minute or so it if were supposed to have worked but two years is not like 20 or 30 years.
 
#6
bobyoung53 said:
Only a couple of years shouldn't bother it, it's not ideal but doubt that caps would dry up that quick. Did it work when last used? Many people would use a Variac to bring the voltage up slowly over a minute or so it if were supposed to have worked but two years is not like 20 or 30 years.
Click to expand...

It was more like 10 years plus. He said it worked perfectly last time it was used. I asked when that was. He said “sometime around 2006-2008.” :jawdrop:

I popped it open when I got it home. All the components look to be original. They also appear to be in excellent shape. But that tells you absolutely nothing despite there being no visible leakage or burn marks anywhere. So I’d just as soon have a genuine professional check it out rather than chance ditzing with it even if I had a Variac - which I don’t. I got it for a truly exceptional price because I couldn't test it. Either way it would have been worth it for the cab and CTS square magnet speaker alone. That much I tested when I got home, and that part at least works perfectly.

So even if I rack up a bill getting it back into service I’ll still be well ahead of the game. If it only requires minor serving it’ll easily be second best deal I’ve ever scored. So no point in doing anything stupid to it because I’m being impatient. My background is in computers. I had many a time where I’d need to do a major repair right after somebody clueless “tried to fix” what would have otherwise been a very minor issue. If it were a computer or network device I’d be in good shape. I have the appropriate tools and knowledge to know exactly what to do. But a B-15N isn’t a server or a network switch. So I want a pro.
 
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#7
40Hz said:
It was more like 10 years plus. He said it worked perfectly last time it was used. I asked when that was. He said “sometime around 2006-2008.” :jawdrop:

I popped it open when I got it home. All the components look to be original. They also appear to be in excellent shape. But that tells you absolutely nothing despite there being no visible leakage or burn marks anywhere. So I’d just as soon have a genuine professional check it out rather than chance ditzing with it even if I had a Variac - which I don’t. I got it for a truly exceptional price because I couldn't test it. Either way it would have been worth it for the cab and CTS square magnet speaker alone. That much I tested when I got home, and that part at least works perfectly.

So even if I rack up a bill getting it back into service I’ll still be well ahead of the game. If it only requires minor serving it’ll easily be second best deal I’ve ever scored. So no point in doing anything stupid to it because I’m being impatient. My background is in computers. I had many a time where I’d need to do a major repair right after somebody clueless “tried to fix” what would have otherwise been a very minor issue. If it were a computer or network device I’d be in good shape. I have the appropriate tools and knowledge to know exactly what to do. But a B-15N isn’t a server or a network switch. So I want a pro.
Click to expand...


Yeah, I wouldn't just turn it on after that long either although it probably wouldn't have a problem. Best to bring it to someone who knows what he's doing. This is the guy I've always brought my Ampegs to but it's a ways from you:

Aztech Electronics, Inc., Watertown, Massachusetts
 
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#8
bobyoung53 said:
Yeah, I wouldn't just turn it on after that long either although it probably wouldn't have a problem. Best to bring it to someone who knows what he's doing. This is the guy I've always brought my Ampegs to but it's a ways from you:

Aztech Electronics, Inc., Watertown, Massachusetts
Click to expand...

That’s funny. I lived in Watertown for four months back in ‘75. And I was in a band that used to rent rehearsal space there in between 77-78, although I was living in Newton Centre at that point. And it’s not that far really. New England is pretty small. I’ll add them to my list of possible choices.

Thx! :)
 
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#11
Jeff Stileau at Shoreline Electronics and Sound in Clinton, CT is my guy for amps. I've tried others closer to home and invariably bring each project to him in the end. He's worked on my SVT, 67 Bassman, a ton of SS gear, and my guitar player's collection of 60s and 70s fenders. I have nothing but great things to say about his work.
 
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#13
bobyoung53 said:
Only a couple of years shouldn't bother it, it's not ideal but doubt that caps would dry up that quick. Did it work when last used? Many people would use a Variac to bring the voltage up slowly over a minute or so it if were supposed to have worked but two years is not like 20 or 30 years.
Click to expand...
I was at an antique shop on the weekend, and an old radio caught my eye. It was a Victor, circa 1932, with 6 pin tubes. The seller didn't know if it worked, and said a previous intrested party told her one of the tubes was brown inside and would need to be replaced. She asked if I could look at it; a cursory check showed all the rf and id tubes with a layer of undisturbed dust. The other two were the audio out put and rectifier, which both looked fine. The electrolytic looked original.
I plugged it in and got static, and touching the grid cap of the first rf stage yielded a pop. I noticed someone had connected a bunched up coil of wire to the ground terminal instead of the antenna. The lady had a screw driver, so I moved it to to the antenna terminal.

I raised the volume and quickly tuned into a couple local stations; there was very little 120 hz hum at all.
The moral of the story is "Don't assume parts need replacing just because they are old."

She thanked me for my few minutes of time and asked me if I would be interested in some old tubes. She had a big rubbermaid tub full of boxes of old radio tubes. She gave me the whole thing just for checking the radio.
 
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#15
byacey said:
I was at an antique shop on the weekend, and an old radio caught my eye. It was a Victor, circa 1932, with 6 pin tubes. The seller didn't know if it worked, and said a previous intrested party told her one of the tubes was brown inside and would need to be replaced. She asked if I could look at it; a cursory check showed all the rf and id tubes with a layer of undisturbed dust. The other two were the audio out put and rectifier, which both looked fine. The electrolytic looked original.
I plugged it in and got static, and touching the grid cap of the first rf stage yielded a pop. I noticed someone had connected a bunched up coil of wire to the ground terminal instead of the antenna. The lady had a screw driver, so I moved it to to the antenna terminal.

I raised the volume and quickly tuned into a couple local stations; there was very little 120 hz hum at all.
The moral of the story is "Don't assume parts need replacing just because they are old."

She thanked me for my few minutes of time and asked me if I would be interested in some old tubes. She had a big rubbermaid tub full of boxes of old radio tubes. She gave me the whole thing just for checking the radio.
Click to expand...


Yeah you can't tell if a tube is bad by looking at it unless it's frosty white inside which usually means the vacuum is lost. I've been collecting those since I was a kid.
 
#18
Ditto on Andrew at Bell Audio. Brought him my 73 B25B 6 months ago. I had bought it 10 years ago and it was all original. It had always broke up at 11:00 and I thought that wasn’t right but I really didn’t have anything to compare it to. Now it is wonderful giving me that smooth Jamerson tone through a Gauss 1x15 in my music room. I would love to play it out sometime through. 2x15 at 16 ohms. Can’t wait for live music in NY again.
 
#20
Timmah said:
Jeff Stileau at Shoreline Electronics and Sound in Clinton, CT is my guy for amps. I've tried others closer to home and invariably bring each project to him in the end. He's worked on my SVT, 67 Bassman, a ton of SS gear, and my guitar player's collection of 60s and 70s fenders. I have nothing but great things to say about his work.
Click to expand...

I’ve heard only good things about Jeff’s work since the ‘80s. I’ve sent a few people there, though I’ve yet to need him myself (which is likely to change soon).

I have also heard good things about Mike Whitney working out of Spindrift Guitars in New London. He even builds a line of his own amps.
 
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