The debate over whether to recap old gear vs. replace it entirely after my late 80s amp started humming

I tried just replacing the big electrolytic caps in a 1987 Marshall from a pawn shop in Denver but the small signal caps were so far out it still sounds muddy, so now I'm wondering if you folks strip everything or just swap what's obviously bad and call it good enough?

2 comments

2 Comments

finley_harris522d ago

Just do the whole electrolytic section and check those plate resistors too, it saves time in the long run.

saraho4823d ago

That 1987 Marshall from Denver is a classic amp, but I bet it's got those old carbon comp resistors too. I learned the hard way with a silverface Fender that just swapping the big caps is a band-aid if the small signal ones have drifted like crazy. You really gotta gut the whole electrolytic section and check every ceramic disc and film cap with a meter for tolerances, they dry out or change value over time even if they look fine. Then you also need to look at the plate resistors, especially if it's a PCB board, because those can drift and make the tone muddy too. I'd rather spend a weekend replacing everything methodically than chase ghosts for months after a half-assed recap.