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Got a new amp today!

  • 05-05-2009 7:11pm
    #1
    Dord
    Closed Accounts Posts: 10,817 ✭✭✭✭


    I mentioned recently that I was waiting on a new amp, well it finally arrived from Chris Guitars. :)

    harmonyh303a.jpg

    harmonyh303a-rear.jpg

    Here it is, a little Harmony H-303A tube guitar amp from about 1962. It's an odd little thing that has just one volume knob and a few jacks. It certainly won't win any prizes for versatility but it does sound very nice.

    Thankfully whoever owned it before did some upgrades to bring it up to scratch. It has a nice new Weber 8" ceramic speaker, 3 prong plug and a speaker jack. The amp responds well to attack and breaks up very nicely. It seems to bring out the natural character of the guitar a lot. :)

    I tried it out a little with my booster pedal but at that stage some other people had gotten home from work and I couldn't turn it up full. Hopefully I'll get to do that soon. From what I heard... I liked! :D


Comments

  • #2
    Alanstrainor
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 23,157 ✭✭✭✭Alanstrainor


    It certainly looks bitchin Dord! If it sounds half as good as it looks it's bound to be awesome! Can i have it!:pac::pac:


  • #3
    Dord
    Closed Accounts Posts: 10,817 ✭✭✭✭Dord


    Alanstrainor wrote: »
    It certainly looks bitchin Dord! If it sounds half as good as it looks it's bound to be awesome! Can i have it!:pac::pac:

    Errr... no! :pac: :D


  • #4
    johnboy8
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 271 ✭✭johnboy8


    that looks great.you have to love those types of amps,just plug and play.any more info,power rating,valve types,what type of money did you pay(if you dont mind me asking).


  • #5
    Dord
    Closed Accounts Posts: 10,817 ✭✭✭✭Dord


    johnboy8 wrote: »
    that looks great.you have to love those types of amps,just plug and play.any more info,power rating,valve types,what type of money did you pay(if you dont mind me asking).

    I prefer simple guitars and amps, less messing around with twiddling knobs and stuff. More playing. :)

    I'm not sure of the power rating, a lot of people have said 4watts... some said as high as 8watts. It's unknown. There are three tubes: one 12AU6 input pentode tube, 35W4 single rectifier tube and one 50C5 output pentode tube. Bit of an unusual bunch that I think was common in old radios. I got a spare set on eBay just before the amp arrived. They're NOS RCA & Slyvannia.

    I just had a peek in the back and the tubes in there are made by Westinghouse. I've never heard of them... but some searches showed that they were popular "back in the day" and pretty much just rebranded whatever tubes they could find. These could be originals... I may swap them out and see if its any better.

    As for the price, well it came in just over 200quid shipped from NY, USA. I think most chinese 5w amps cost more.


  • #6
    Alanstrainor
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 23,157 ✭✭✭✭Alanstrainor


    Dord wrote: »
    I prefer simple guitars and amps, less messing around with twiddling knobs and stuff. More playing. :)

    I'm not sure of the power rating, a lot of people have said 4watts... some said as high as 8watts. It's unknown. There are three tubes: one 12AU6 input pentode tube, 35W4 single rectifier tube and one 50C5 output pentode tube. Bit of an unusual bunch that I think was common in old radios. I got a spare set on eBay just before the amp arrived. They're NOS RCA & Slyvannia.

    I just had a peek in the back and the tubes in there are made by Westinghouse. I've never heard of them... but some searches showed that they were popular "back in the day" and pretty much just rebranded whatever tubes they could find. These could be originals... I may swap them out and see if its any better.

    As for the price, well it came in just over 200quid shipped from NY, USA. I think most chinese 5w amps cost more.

    Bloody hell that's a great price! Off i go to Chris Guitars to see if i can cure some GAS.


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  • #7
    fish-head
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,896 ✭✭✭fish-head


    Gasp! Fab!


  • #8
    Dord
    Closed Accounts Posts: 10,817 ✭✭✭✭Dord


    I'll try bring it along to the next meetup... will have to be careful though. The cabinet is made out of compressed cardboard. :o :pac:


  • #9
    johnboy8
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 271 ✭✭johnboy8


    200 quid.jaysus.that sounds like a bargain.i am leaning the same way myself as reguards to amps myself(have a 2watt volume and tone amp myself)and your right less whistles and bells,more playing.what was your man chris like to deal with,i enquired there myself and never got a reply about something and lost interest.that was very smart getting replacement valves before you bought it,you must have been in the scouts or somthing.:D


  • #10
    johnboy8
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 271 ✭✭johnboy8


    sorry another question.what are the other inputs like to play into.are they different gain levels or just different inputs for microphones and the like.


  • #11
    Johnny Storm
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,992 ✭✭✭Johnny Storm


    johnboy8 wrote: »
    ...what was your man chris like to deal with,i enquired there myself and never got a reply about something and lost interest.....

    LOL, a few years ago Dr J used to talk about ChrisGuitars the way he now talks about Bacchus and the Ishibashi UBox :rolleyes:
    The only way I ever got through was to phone him.


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  • #12
    Doctor J
    Closed Accounts Posts: 11,848 ✭✭✭✭Doctor J


    A few years ago Chris only had a few hundred thousand hits after a few years. Then he went to a few million hits in a few months with the inevitable impact on his responses.

    Phew.


  • #13
    Dord
    Closed Accounts Posts: 10,817 ✭✭✭✭Dord


    johnboy8 wrote: »
    sorry another question.what are the other inputs like to play into.are they different gain levels or just different inputs for microphones and the like.

    The left one is high gain mic/harmonica input, the middle is low gain/low noise (guitar) and the right was a medium gain input but someone converted it to a speaker jack. Damn handy, it means I can use it with a bigger cab if I want to. :)

    Oh and about Chris,.. I got a reply within 4 hours of sending my mail. He has two other guys working with him now so replies are quicker and they're getting more gear up on the site more often. :cool:


  • #14
    Paolo_M
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 880 ✭✭✭Paolo_M


    Jazuz Dord, you got yourself a real bargain there. Those Westinghouse valves would sell for close to €200 to some of those whacky ham radio guys on eBay.

    Now all you need to do now is could holes for two/three more preamp valves, install a bunch of channel/tone switches, maybe a few push-pull pots, replace the valve rectifier with SS, fit a choke, put in a 50W push pull output transformer (might need to upgrade the power transformer too), install a set of 6L6GCs, maybe a graphic slider, get a 2 X 12 with V30s loaded and get rocking with your favourite EMG loaded geetar...:D


  • #15
    Dord
    Closed Accounts Posts: 10,817 ✭✭✭✭Dord


    Paolo_M wrote: »
    Jazuz Dord, you got yourself a real bargain there. Those Westinghouse valves would sell for close to €200 to some of those whacky ham radio guys on eBay.

    Now all you need to do now is could holes for two/three more preamp valves, install a bunch of channel/tone switches, maybe a few push-pull pots, replace the valve rectifier with SS, fit a choke, put in a 50W push pull output transformer (might need to upgrade the power transformer too), install a set of 6L6GCs, maybe a graphic slider, get a 2 X 12 with V30s loaded and get rocking with your favourite EMG loaded geetar...:D

    Wow... I didn't think they'd be worth that much. :eek:
    I'll check to see if there are any date codes on them later.

    LOL @ your recommended upgrades. :D

    Here's a schematic if you're interested in having a look. This one has been changed around a little in terms of the inputs and speaker though.

    http://www.schematicheaven.com/bargainbin/harmony_h303a.pdf
    Apparently there's an error on the schem too, R4 should go to B - not ground.


  • #16
    Paolo_M
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 880 ✭✭✭Paolo_M


    Dord wrote: »
    Wow... I didn't think they'd be worth that much. :eek:
    I'll check to see if there are any date codes on them later.

    LOL @ your recommended upgrades. :D

    Here's a schematic if you're interested in having a look. This one has been changed around a little in terms of the inputs and speaker though.

    http://www.schematicheaven.com/bargainbin/harmony_h303a.pdf
    Apparently there's an error on the schem too, R4 should go to B - not ground.

    Well maybe not that much, but there is a single Westinghouse NOS GZ34 going for €45 at the moment and you know yourself; with the right buyer....

    R4 is the screen dropper for the 12AU6 and should be at a positive voltage alright. There probably should be/is a cathode resistor in there for that valve too.
    I'd guess the amp is more like 2.5 (ish) watts. According to the GE datasheet the max plate dissipation for the 50C5 is 5.5 Watts, Class A usually produces just under half that value in actual output power, exactly half being the max.

    I'd love to hear some clips if you can post some, I'd say it sounds the beezneez. :)


  • #17
    Dord
    Closed Accounts Posts: 10,817 ✭✭✭✭Dord


    Paolo_M wrote: »
    Well maybe not that much, but there is a single Westinghouse NOS GZ34 going for €45 at the moment and you know yourself; with the right buyer....

    R4 is the screen dropper for the 12AU6 and should be at a positive voltage alright. There probably should be/is a cathode resistor in there for that valve too.
    I'd guess the amp is more like 2.5 (ish) watts. According to the GE datasheet the max plate dissipation for the 50C5 is 5.5 Watts, Class A usually produces just under half that value in actual output power, exactly half being the max.

    I'd love to hear some clips if you can post some, I'd say it sounds the beezneez. :)

    It was just a guess from what others posted on different forums.. but just under 3w would make sense.

    I'll try post up something at the weekend when I can crank it up with a booster. My playing isn't the best though... I mainly play bass. :pac:
    I'll see what I can do though. ;)


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