Fender Vibrolux Reverb DIY

[CJ]

I bet you are using the bias tap with a reversed diode,

Got 6 vintage amp chassis for repair in today that got flooded with salt water, oh my

 

[CJ]

here is what a super reverb looks like after a salt water submersion, check the roller coaster fiberboard>

 

[Tubetec]

No better man CJ !
that will keep you chomping at the bit for a week at least ,
I doubt a salt encrusted fiberboard will hold voltage very well , nor the transformer windings/insulation impregnated with salt .
Hard to even start figuring out whats salvageable and whats not .

 

[AnalogPackrat]

Hose it down good then bake it out in a hot attic for a month. Then fix what's crusty.

 

[fazer]

What a bummer. Conductive salt water on the fiber board. Prone to numerous problems

 

[Matador]

here is what a super reverb looks like after a salt water submersion, check the roller coaster fiberboard>

In my experience they end up looking like that anyways, even sans the salt water.

I've lost count of the number of those boards that eventually become conductive to the point where high voltage eyelets start to bleed voltage outwards towards other components. It may literally be the worst material to use in a high voltage tube design, especially after 70 years.

 

[CJ]

yes especially with the brass panel under the pots,

cloth wire does not do good in salt water either, so we got wire, boards, switches, new pots and rca jacks coming in along with bright switches and input and speaker jacks

going to clean up the tube sockets and reuse as nothing is as good as those cinch sockets,

 

[Tubetec]

Spray that with wd-40, put it in a bin bag a day or two ,then scrub away the crust with wire wool soap and hot water, apply a layer of clear laquer to inhibit any further corrosion , you know the old saying ,what doesnt kill us only makes us stronger ,
What happened anyway did the guys wife throw his amps off a pier?
Surf's up dude , your amps are in the wash
I know a guy , when he split with the ex she poured a jar of Dolmio into his acoustic guitar , what a f**ing mess

 

[CJ]

it was high tide, a lot of rain and a record low atmospheric pressure,

the low pressure can raise the tide by 2 1/2 feet,

amps were in the basement, had a hammond c3 down there as well, and some leslise speakers,

Deoxit seems to work well, got some scotchbrite and some 320 grit ,

 

[AnalogPackrat]

That's a major job. Hope the transformers aren't ruined. Make Leo proud with the resurrection. Sea foam tolex would seem appropriate for this one, too. Or maybe kelp brown.

 

[Tubetec]

Salt sea air is corrosive inside amps , Ive see vintage fibreboards with a kind of fur coat from salt deposits ,

My guess is the transformers are useless now too ,
salt crystals will destroy the insulation . You could check it with a megger meter , Id say it will snap crackle and pop if it ever sees mains power again ,you could bring it up on the variac or use the drummond lamp , probably only end up stinking up the workshop .

 

[CJ]

Some transformers are potted with tar like the ampeg portaflex so I am hopping they will be alright, the fender pwr XFMR seems like it is sealed at the lead breakout but they used cloth wire which might be a problem

Always wanted to take apart one of those fender powers anyway.