Is this worth anything? (tube amp on ebay)

[Joecool85]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=ADME:B:EOIBUAA:US:72&Item=5858443098

Is it usable as a guitar amp?  with some light modification?

[petemoore]

A tube amplifier in good physical condition but electrical working condition unknown. Tube complement: 6SJ7, 6SL7, 6L6, 6L6, & 5U4.
  Of the tubes listed...well...I saw many empty tube sockets in the picture.
  Weights about 17 pounds [cheaper by the pound ]
  HArd to say from just the descript, I'd look up those non 6l6 [output tubes] and 5u4 [rectifier tube] numbers, see what the data sheet says, I would guess the two 6SXX tube are either preamp tubes or drivers for the power amp...either way can be cool...if it is a 'power amp' and anything like the DYNA ST70 I just sold, it'll sound sorta loud [and I think very good] driven with a boostor Fuzz, but about...Alot louder using a preamp/
  I'd guess it's a power amp, I didn't see knobs/controls.
  IF you can get it working, all the troubles in the world are probably worth it.
  Old tube amps may need...like...?totally rebuilt ?
  oh...for guitar...well you'd be good for finding that out, generally I like whatever dern tube job I ever had [just about] and the ability 'to tweek @9v'...great asset for coaxing tones from any tube amp.
  I wouldn't use this as set in stone last word...someone else might know more about those tube types, or recognize the type of amp from the pic etc.
  At best you pop new tubes in and it works 'ok'. then replace caps that look less than sorta new or...
  At worst you have a frame, *probably a tranny or two that work and can be used for something...parts for whatever you'd like to install there...
  I gave up on 'patching' tube amps...I like it better when everything on it is in excellent condition.
  Whatever the case, most likely you're talking about a BIG project, fairly drawn out...HV and all, or at least that's what I see with the 'glance' of info available on it.
 

[Joecool85]

Thats kinda what I figured, but I thought I'd ask.  I really like the idea of getting a small tube amp, but I don't really like the idea of dealing with the 320volts or so that goes along with making one.  I'm thinking about paying someone to build me a firefly/buying someone's already made firefly.  Granted, this is not a big concern yet because I don't have the $100+ to buy one.

[phostenix]

It looks to have a Bass, Treble, and Volume knob, so I'd say that the pre-amp is there. A quick google of Victor Animatograph turned up a bunch of stuff that you might want to wade through if you're serious about understanding this thing. It looks like it was a 16mm film projector. I didn't find anything quickly that said what the power output of the different models is.

Here's a clip from one of the sites (if you like historical info  ):

Biographical Note

Alexander F. Victor was born on June 20, 1878 in Bollanäs, Sweden (Denham, 1). As the son of an army officer, he spent many of his early years traveling throughout Sweden. When he was 12, his family moved to Nassjo, where Victor met Solomon Andree and was introduced to physics. Victor excelled in physics where he failed in most other subjects (Denham, 1).

At the age of 15 Victor became an assistant editor for a local weekly newspaper. In 1894 Victor saw his first magic show. A few months later Victor ran into the same magician, "The Great Stephanio," and coerced him into hiring him. The next year, while traveling in Paris with Stephanio, Victor saw his first motion picture, and was enthralled. Motion pictures were incorporated into the magic show, and allowed the show to continue after Stephanio's death in 1895. Victor then traveled to India with the magic show, thus becoming the first to bring motion pictures to that country. Victor stayed in India for three years, becoming an accomplished magician (Denham, 3). Victor brought his show to America in 1900, and continued to work in show business until 1908 when a fire in a Toledo, Ohio warehouse destroyed all of his magical paraphernalia.

Victor then moved to Davenport, Iowa where he invented the first electric washing machine for the White Lily Company. His love for film also pushed him to invent an amateur Motion Picture Camera and Projector (also known as the Animatograph). Alexander F. Victor founded the Victor Animatograph Corporation in Davenport, Iowa in 1910, the same year he began his association with Samuel G. Rose. The world's first 16mm motion picture camera was manufactured by Victor Animatograph Company and sold to Mort Forber of Davenport, Iowa on August 15, 1923. The world's first 16mm motion picture projector was manufactured by Victor Animatograph Company and sold to J.H.C. Petersen of Davenport, Iowa on September 1, 1923. The Victor Animatograph Corporation consolidated with the Kalart Company of Plainville, Connecticut on May 31, 1957. Sam G. Rose continued to act as the president. The Victor Animatograph Corporation soon became a leader in the field of motion picture technology. Victor died on March 29, 1961, and in 1964 was named posthumously to the Society of Motion Picture Engineers Honor Roll.

The Ferd Haak Building, also known as the Victor Animatograph Co. was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983. Available at: http://www.nationalregisterofhistoricplaces.com/IA/Scott/state3.html.

Grace and peace,

Steve

[Paul Marossy]

With a 6SJ7 and 6SL7 (which could be the preamp section, if it isn't already) and a pair of 6L6 power tubes, you're looking at a potential 50 watt tone machine! 

[Joecool85]

Really?  So it could turn out to be a sweet fixerupper??  Maybe I will place a bid 

**edit**
Well, I put in a bid for $25.  If it goes too much higher I can't do it because I simply just don't have the money lol.

[AL]

I wouldn't go much higher on that. It could be a great little amp - and then again... You just don't know at this point. If the transformers are working you should be in decent shape. The caps look old so those will need replaced. Revoice the tone stack and away you go... in a perfect world. It's a crap shoot but definitley worth a try if you can pick it up on the cheap. I've two old Stromberg Carlson tube amps that have been converted and they sound great.

AL

[phostenix]

I don't know much about film audio, I think it could either be magnetic strip or optical. Either way, I would assume that it would provide a very small signal off the head or transducer or whatever is involved. That would suggest an amp with a lot of pre-amp gain available, something like a phono amp, so it might have some real potential as a guitar amp. Then again, it might just be a loud, clean amp that farts when you overdrive it.  

Grace and peace,

Steve

[Paul Marossy]

Well, I built an Octal Fatness with a 6SJ7 on the input, and it has some real nice, "complex" distortion. I think that ebay amp has the potential to be a great guitar amp, with some tweaking.

[Joecool85]

cool, if I lose out and someone outbids me I will inform you guys so that you guys can bid on it if you want.

[Joecool85]

Wow, did a little research on it and found out it has some strange aspects to it.  Namely the jacks on the front:



The one on the left with the two prongs is for power, and the ac style outlet on the right is the audio input!  How odd!

If I win it I think I will re-case it or something and change it to a computer style power jack and obviously a 1/4" jack for input.

[phostenix]

I sent the seller an e-mail earlier asking about the knobs & jacks on the other end. No response yet.

[Joecool85]

Well, inform me if he writes back.  I'm curious as well.  But not enough to make me not want to win it 

[Dave_B]

It would be nice to have a good shot of the insides.  I salvaged a tube amp from a curbside record player a few months ago.  It was all direct point-to-point wiring with no eyelet board.  It's a bit of a rats nest, but the price was right. 

[Hal]

my friend's "Silvertone" sears amp had AC style speaker output...

[GreenEye]

I probably sound like a broken record, but I always have to chime in when people are discussing old tube amps off ebay.  I constantly do searches for "tube pa" and "guitar tube pa" - I have several old tube PAs that have been modded into guitar amps.  I stick with ones that only require new input and output jacks, and 3-prong power cords.  You don't have to stick with traditional guitar tubes, but I'd steer clear of things like the 7868s...as great as they sound they are too rare and expensive.  Don't forget that some old tubes can be "modernized" by simply buying yellow jacket tube converters. 

What I do is look at the tube compliment, then pop over to tubesandmore.com and see how much they go for (new old stock that is).  I often shun my Line 6 Flextone and Carvin X100B heads for my little Bell 10-watter.  It's like a mini Marshall.

[Paul Marossy]

Yeah, I hear what you're saying GreenEye, I wouldn't look at anything with weird tubes in it, either. But, 6SN7 and 6SJ7s are still pretty available and pretty inexpensive, too. 

[phostenix]

The seller posted his response to my questions.

[petemoore]

  I think the paint job and the knobs themselves look good enough combined with the 'construction technology' [the thing looks like a piece of military hardware] of the day...very cool looking, you could make it into a wolf in sheeps vintage clothing...cool...

[Joecool85]

Q:   Hello, In your first picture, what are the two knobs (?) on the side of the unit. One silver & one black above what looks like 2 jacks. What are they labelled? Is the schematic complete? Thanks. Grace and peace, Steve
Jan-26-06
   
   A:   Hi, one of the knobs (black) is volume. The silver knob is really a cover to adjust PEC voltage. The two inputs are for phono pick-up and microphone. Yes, the schematic is complete. Regards, Jim

So, the volume on the back must be the master volume control and then you normally just control volume on the front via preamp?  Also, what is PEC voltage?  And, WAY cool about the schematic!  Although when I noticed it in the pic I just automatically assumed it was complete...but still, its nice to have that so if I need to repair/replace/modify stuff I know whats going on in there.