|   Newbee Needs Help!!!! | Bobby Blacklight
May 8, 2002 5:47 PM | | I found an old tube set-up from 1950. That is the date on the tags. They are Leak Point One preamp and a Leak Stereo 50 amp. I have not powered it up. It has been stored under a stair case for over 20 years. What do I need to do before I power it up?? I have heard stories of Caps drying out and did not want to take the chance. The tubes are all Mullards from England with 4 EL 34 as the outputs and 2 ECC83 as the Inputs?? Any advice would be apreciated.
Thanks Rob |
| Dropkick the amp... keep the tubes | Mwalsdor_cscc_edu
May 8, 2002 8:10 PM | | The British Leak amps are way over=rated. They were budget gear and poorly done at that. Your real prize may be the damn Mullard tubes. You say the amp is from the 50's. If the EL34s are from the same era you have some killer tubes there. First let see if they are real Mullards. Do they have a hole in the centering pin? Are there echted four digit codes on the glass (toward bottom, next to base)? What kind of "getters" do they have "O" or "D" shaped? One or two? Is there any visable printing on the glass? Are they the "fat base" bake-o-lite xf1 Mullards? Or the "metal-base"? Both are highly prized! Are the inputs Mullard as well? If you want to keep the amp, do not power it up BEFORE you have it serviced, especially with those Mullards in there. My advice is have the amp checked out, have the tubes checked for gas', shorts, transconductance, plate current. Only you can decide if the cost of refurbishing is worth it.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=869208313
MikE |
| Dropkick the amp... keep the tubes | Bobby Blacklight
May 8, 2002 9:19 PM | | Hello Mike
They were my fathers original stereo amp. The date is 1959 not 1950. He used to go to England all the time so yeah they are original Mullards. The EL 34'S are all bakelite and they have a small hole in the center pin. They have etched letters in the glass above the bakelite bases. The getters, rings at the top of the tubes where the silvering is? are O shaped. There are 2 of them. The inputs are also Mullard ECC83 and have no base. I am in the New York area any Ideas on service??
Thanks Rob |
| Dropkick Me | Mwalsdor_cscc_edu
May 8, 2002 10:02 PM | | Rob -
Sorry about knocking your Father's gear (don't I feel like an idiot). I'm sure they are nice vintage pieces. What are the ecthed codes, can you read them? "O" getters... hmmmm, I was hoping for the "D" variety. Even though Mullard put the EL34 into production in 1949, they didn't really push the tube till '53, so it was unlikely the EL34-based Leak was a 1950 unit. I'm afraid I don't know anyone that services tube gear in NYC. Maybe RL could help. I would think finding someone in the city not hard, hell there is an old guy just down the road from me that still has an old tube garage where he works on tube stuff. He is very forgetful about searching his stash for anything I mention though! OLd koot, wants to keep it all for himself.
MikE |
| Don't be silly thanks for the help!! Units are from 1959 not 50. | Bobby Blacklight
May 9, 2002 4:08 PM | | Thanks for the help. I will try the vintage and bottlehead forums too. |
| Dropkick the amp... keep the tubes | Mike-T
May 10, 2002 8:55 AM | | "I am in the New York area any Ideas on service??"
Try Blackie Pagano, at: http://www.tubesville.com/services.htm . I haven't dealt with him personally but have heard nothing but good things. He's sort of a part of the whole New York tube audio underground--the people who sponsor NYNoise every year.
One place to stay away from, as far as possible really, is Analogique. I had an awful experience with them and won't go back there again.
Hope this helps.
Mike T. |
| I was going to suggest checking VINTAGE forums, but....... | Chris Garrett
May 8, 2002 10:25 PM | | Mike, you seem to know a little about the Leaks. Some of those old Marantz/Fischer/HH Scott et al., units can be very valuable.
Chris |
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