Using a Tube Stereo Transformer in a Guitar Amp

[jeff]

I have a tube stereo I got cheap off of craig's list that I want to convert to a guitar amp. Well I don't want to convert the amp, I want to "borrow" the power and output transformers so if I ever decide to get the stereo up and running I can put them back.

 Right now the amp has a splitload PI. If I use the transformers and build something with a high gain preamp and a LTP invereter do I run the risk of blowing the output transformer?

 I assume the stereo was designed to be played clean, by adding more gain could I be pushing the output tubes harder and getting more watts than the output transformer was designed/expected to handle?

 Should I keep the splitload PI circuit and just build a high gain preamp, or is it OK to change to a LTP and assume the OT can take anything the power tubes can throw at it?

[firemedic]

If you have the time, try to look up the heater & current requirements of the stereo's entire tube complement, including the ones you won't use from the tuner. 
Frank's electron tube datasheets website will most likely have all of them.

Add that stuff up and you'll have a ballpark estimate of what your PT can handle. Probably a lot. There's a bunch of tubes there.

Whatever power tubes are already there, you should probably use in your guitar amp or ones with similar ratings. If you are using the same OTs.
The preamp is wide open, probably as many tubes as you can fit, you will have sufficient power supply.

You will not get more output wattage by driving the power tubes harder. You will get overdriven power tubes.

Whatever kind of phase splitter(s) you use is a matter of taste. If it was me I'd do a LTPI on one channel and a split-load or paraphase or something on the other just to experiment, because I could. That is, if you plan on doing a stereo guitar amp. Check the speaker impedance your OTs are seeing & try to keep your new speakers the same Z.

That is, as far as I know, in my limited experience.

[jeff]

Thanks for the insights, very good points.

   Thanks

[RicharD]

I've done a bunch of Jalopy conversions.  I typically leave the output section be and modify the front end and tone stack to something more guitarish.  Power supply I usually just do the the usual cap job thang.  9 time out of 10 these thangs are kick ass amps done on the cheap.