Category Archives: Electronics

Harmony H500 Solid State Guitar Amplifier Repair

Posted on October 10, 2014 by jwk

And now for something a little different, this time it’s a vintage guitar amplifier: the Harmony H500. The owner sent it to the shop out of the cabinet to be serviced since it quit putting out any sound. It’s a … Continue reading →

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DIY Replacements for Vintage Couplets and Printed Electric Circuits

Posted on October 9, 2014 by jwk

Starting in the ’50s, they’d figured out how to start miniaturizing components. “Couplets” and “printed electric circuits” started showing up in equipment around then. These components were combinations of several resistors and capacitors in a single package. Like most components … Continue reading →

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Phase Linear 2000 Pre-Amp Overhaul

Posted on October 6, 2014 by jwk

I had a Phase Linear 2000 on the bench for a repair recently. It was running okay, but had some pops and clicks and the controls weren’t all that smooth. Time for an overhaul before anything worse cropped up! This … Continue reading →

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What do you get from a $25 multimeter?

Posted on October 4, 2014 by jwk

Fred Clift wrote over on his blog about why it’s worthwhile to pick a more expensive multimeter. He’s comparing a $200 Fluke to a $6 Harbor Freight multimeter, which really is a no-brainer. I’m not sure the Harbor Freight model … Continue reading →

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New Toy: HP 130C Oscilloscope

Posted on September 29, 2014 by jwk

I’ve been looking for a nice balanced input oscilloscope to use as a bench audio scope for a bit, and I do enjoy some vintage test equipment…so I recently ended up with an HP 130C oscilloscope. This early ’60s tube … Continue reading →

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Steampunk USB Vacuum Tube Flash Drives

Posted on September 26, 2014 by jwk

I ran across these very cool steampunk-inspired USB flash drives drives built around a vacuum tube while looking for some tube shields. They look like they’re really well built and are a clever use of an old vacuum tube. I … Continue reading →

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NordeMende Globetraveler 7/601 Rebuild

Posted on September 23, 2014 by jwk

This rare and valuable example of late 1960s German engineering came through my shop recently, the NordeMende Globetraveler 7/601. Marketed as the Globetrotter in Europe, RCA already marketed a radio called the Globetrotter in the United States and so the … Continue reading →

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Marantz 2245 Stereophonic Receiver Rebuild

Posted on September 19, 2014 by jwk

An iconic piece of kit from the golden age of hi fi just came through my shop: the Marantz 2245 Stereophonic Receiver. This fantastic receiver is in pretty good cosmetic shape, but its owner reported that it started acting up – it’d take … Continue reading →

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Getting Started With Vintage Radio and Electronics: Basic Tools for the Hobbyist

Posted on September 18, 2014 by jwk

A few people have asked me variations of  “What tools do I need to fix my first radio?”, “What do I need to put together this soldering kit?”, and such. It’s not as simple as you might think. There’s a … Continue reading →

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HP 1405A Plug-In Mystery: Which Is It?

Posted on September 1, 2014 by jwk

I’m fixing up an HP 143A Wide-Screen Mainframe Oscilloscope, which has a very big selection of plug-ins to provide a variety of functions. The oscilloscope has symmetrical vertical and horizontal circuits, so it can be used as an X-Y amplifier … Continue reading →

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