CHAMP ELECTRONICS -" THE VINTAGE VALVE
AMP HOSPITAL"
NOTTINGHAM, ENGLAND
SERVICING A SELMER ZODIAC TWIN 30
COMBO AMPLIFIER
I just love the Zodiac Twin 30’s &
50’s. They are great sounding amps!
It’s
amazing how many combo’s of all different makes come through
the
workshop with the speaker nuts either half un-done or even missing!
Same
thing applies to the baffle nuts too. Here one is missing and another
very loose! Loose speaker/baffle nuts can noticeably discolour the
sound of an amp. A quick check-up all-round and a spot of
“Loctite” works wonders!
Here
we go again….Do I really need to say anything? On first
removing
this power section I really had to laugh. Some "technician" (!!!???)
has mounted the smoothing cap bracket the wrong way around. How can
anybody possibly be that stupid?
Though
the output transformer was fine & correct, I got the feeling
that
it had been replaced at some point? Check-out the dreadful soldering
and….just three self-tap screws holding it to the
chassis.....which were all loose! The transformer was just simply
rattling about!
This is how loose it was!
Moving
on to the power transformer, this too was correct and fine,
but……someone has mounted it on its side!
And
now the reason for the self-tap screws. This is because
the so-called "technician” can’t be arsed
to remove
all the wires & main board in order to get to the correct way
of
mounting…….using nuts & bolts!
All
finished - the power transformer now mounted up-right, the output
transformer secured correctly & re-wired, together with two
missing
tubes replaced.
I
think this looks a little better! Oh yes….and by the
way…..I have put the smoothing cap's retaining clip on
correctly
now!
Tidy and everything secured
correctly.
The pre-amp required the normal
duff component changes. Note the multi-core
anchorage……a piece of twine!
Four new jack-sockets fitted, a
few components, and a secure anchorage for the cables.
There
were only two screws holding the power section in the case
and…..you guessed it……these were
self-tap screws
too! Now securely fitted with the correct 2BA brass screws, large
washers etc. and also four new feet fitted.
That’s about it folks.
Note the two 12” Goodmans drivers, labelled-up especially for
Selmer…….nice!
The owner of this baby loves it
to bits and swears by it for recording…..I don’t
blame him one iota!
