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excelsior amp from the 60s?

- Rated: 1 ↑
Aug 6, 2008 11:45 a.m. dkian:

I got this amp -sadly there´s no sound . does anybody here know this amp? I wonder if it could be a good guitaramp if it got fixed?

If someone knows this amp I would sure like to hear what they think Ian

http://s36.photobucket.com/albums/e29/dk-ian/?action=view&current=Billede032-1...

http://s36.photobucket.com/albums/e29/dk-ian/?action=view&current=Billede035-1...

http://s36.photobucket.com/albums/e29/dk-ian/?action=view&current=Billede022-1...

http://s36.photobucket.com/albums/e29/dk-ian/?action=view&current=Billede024-1...
- Rated: 22 ↑
Aug 6, 2008 6:49 p.m. MrAstroJet:

What's the tube compliment? It looks like it was one of those transformerless amps- looks like an isotransformer in the bottom of the amp. The tube heaters were in series, like Christmas tree lights. One filament burns out, none of the tubes will heat up enough to work. Does the power light come on or do the tubes heat up?

Edit: Maybe not. Something similar was threaded here http://music-electronics-forum.com/showthread.php?p=54063

Might be a fifties model, if those are ovtal preamp tubes. I you could post bigger pics, that would help.
- Rated: 2 ↑
Aug 6, 2008 7:06 p.m. Mike P:

It's from the mid 60's. I had one exactly like it. Lots of overdrive, very little to no headroom. Drop me a line if you decide to sell it.
- Rated: 1 ↑
Aug 7, 2008 10:39 a.m. dkian:

Thank you for the answers so far. right now the amp is in a local guitarshop here in Denmark., they will try to find out why there´s no sound.

Its funny MrAstroJet they link you posted--- The amp cab looks the same as mine handle,footswitch,same top -panel and mine also "missing" one side.

So right now the amp can be dated to 1959-69? Mabey it´s a Gibson amp in disguise?

When I get it back I´ll take some more pics. of it

Ian
- Rated: 22 ↑
Aug 7, 2008 9:27 p.m. MrAstroJet:

I don't think it's a Gibson. From what they were saying, it was a New Jersey based company. There were a lot of small amp manufacturers at the low end of the market. I have a Hilgen that was made in North Jersey and I can tell you, it is it's own beast- it doesn't look like a gibbie, fender or ampeg. I had no idea you were in Denmark! That explains the transformer in the bottom of the cabinet
- Rated: 5 ↑
Aug 20, 2008 1:19 p.m. teleharmonium:

I've played through a few Excelsior amps. I think they were made by Sano; they are definitely in the Ampeg/Sano/Hilgen NJ universe. They were mainly marketed as accordian amps and were intended to be loud and clean, but just like Ampegs and Sanos, the earlier ones have less headroom and are good for guitar as long as they are well maintained. Some of them had USA made cabs and speakers with chassis made in Japan (easily recognizable by the parts). The larger ones tend to have separate chassis for the preamps.

I routinely recommend old Ampegs or Sanos to players looking for great vintage tone on a budget. Excelsiors are usually in that ballpark, but like Sanos and some Ampegs, some of them use weird, PITA tubes so watch out for that unless you like a challenge.
- Rated: 1 ↑
Aug 24, 2008 1:47 p.m. dkian:

What are PITA tubes?

is there a way that I can see what year this amp was build?

I´ll have it back in 2 weeks -the repair will cost 1250 danish kroner that is about 250$ or in Denmark a 1/5 the price of a Gretsch 5120

Thanks for the answers so far
- Rated: 5 ↑
Aug 27, 2008 2:04 p.m. teleharmonium:

PITA=pain in the ass ! Meaning, hard to find, not your usual guitar amp tubes. From the pics, it looks like a typical 2 x 6V6 amp with 12AX7/ECC83 preamp tubes, so no problem there.
- Rated: 1 ↑
Aug 28, 2008 2:03 a.m. dkian:

ok..he...he... I learned something today PITA!!!!

Is there a way I can tell when the amp was build?

There are of course the numbers on the Jensen p12r speaker, but what else?

if it´s a old American amp imported to Denmark at some point--is there something I have to watch out for, thinking of my own safety, is it save to play? don´t wanna get fried in a middle of song?

Keep rockin

Ian
- Rated: 1 ↑
Sep 7, 2008 10:59 a.m. dkian:

So is it save to play the amp?

That´s my concern right now

It´s got a transformer in the bottom of the amp and a fuse in top. Is there anything else I should watch out for?

Rock´n´roll

Ian
- Rated: 5 ↑
Sep 8, 2008 3:28 p.m. teleharmonium:

Your amp needs to be checked out by a competent repair person. The basics for safety are a grounded power cord and healty electrolytic capacitors. Those caps are old and are probably already dried out; if they work at all now, they most like wouldn't for long. They can short out high voltage to the ground path which is very dangerous if the amp is not grounded through its power cord. When a large amp does that it can be lethal.

The added transformer in the cabinet is most likely a stepup/down transformer. The amp wants to see 120 volts/60 cycles AC; what is your AC voltage ?

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