Welcome To the Hoffman Amplifiers Forum

September 07, 2025, 12:27:53 pm
guest image
Welcome, Guest. Please login or register.
-User Name
-Password



Hoffman Amps Forum image Author Topic: Princeton Reverb B1270 extra capacitor on PI  (Read 3003 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline mresistor

  • Global Moderator
  • Level 4
  • ******
  • Posts: 3209
  • resistance is futile
Hoffman Amps Forum image
Princeton Reverb B1270 extra capacitor on PI
« on: February 06, 2018, 10:55:47 am »
Good morning all. I've got a '72 PR here that has an extra,  what looks to be 25/25, electrolytic cap going from pin 3 cathode of the PI to ground at the ground lug of the tremolo pedal. It has nothing to do with the tremolo that I can tell.  I guess it was just a convenient point for them to ground it  It's not on the schematic or layout so I was wondering why CBS Fender would have used this cap there? Extra filtering? Lowering the freq response? The PI cathode already has a 25/25 electrolytic cap in the bypass circuit. Guess I could take it out and see what happens when I get this amp running. The lead dress on this amp is horrible. It appears that there are no under-board jumpers and some wires are so tight between points.

Offline mresistor

  • Global Moderator
  • Level 4
  • ******
  • Posts: 3209
  • resistance is futile
Hoffman Amps Forum image
Re: Princeton Reverb B1270 extra capacitor on PI
« Reply #1 on: February 06, 2018, 11:04:14 am »
Here's a picture

Offline sluckey

  • Level 5
  • *******
  • Posts: 5075
    • Sluckey Amps
Hoffman Amps Forum image
Re: Princeton Reverb B1270 extra capacitor on PI
« Reply #2 on: February 06, 2018, 11:24:31 am »
I think you will find that cap is connected to V3 pin 3 which is the reverb recovery. There is no cap on the cathode of V4A which is the PI. Earlier PRs had that cap on the board connected parallel to the cathode resistor.
A schematic, layout, and hi-rez pics are very useful for troubleshooting your amp. Don't wait to be asked. JUST DO IT!

Offline mresistor

  • Global Moderator
  • Level 4
  • ******
  • Posts: 3209
  • resistance is futile
Hoffman Amps Forum image
Re: Princeton Reverb B1270 extra capacitor on PI
« Reply #3 on: February 06, 2018, 11:41:19 am »
It is on V4 pin 3.  Here's a better look and you can see it clearly.  There is no cap extra cap to gnd on V3 pin 3 and the B1270 and A1164 schematics/layouts don't show one there either. Did someone err at the factory?

Offline sluckey

  • Level 5
  • *******
  • Posts: 5075
    • Sluckey Amps
Hoffman Amps Forum image
Re: Princeton Reverb B1270 extra capacitor on PI
« Reply #4 on: February 06, 2018, 01:44:45 pm »
OK, I see what's going on now. The cap is still not on the PI. The PI would not work if it was. The cap is on the cathode of the tremolo oscillator. The schematic has the pin numbers right but calls pins 1,2,3 V4B and calls pins 6,7,8 V4A. That's backwards from my normal thinking. The cap is physically in the correct place. If you look at this schematic you will see the cap connected to V4 pin3, which is the cathode of the trem osc.
 
A schematic, layout, and hi-rez pics are very useful for troubleshooting your amp. Don't wait to be asked. JUST DO IT!

Offline mresistor

  • Global Moderator
  • Level 4
  • ******
  • Posts: 3209
  • resistance is futile
Hoffman Amps Forum image
Re: Princeton Reverb B1270 extra capacitor on PI
« Reply #5 on: February 06, 2018, 02:01:51 pm »
Sorry   my bad   it is connected to the trem osc side of V4  and I'll be danged on the board there is only the 3.3k resistor, so they mounted that cap over on the tube.   For some reason I don't think I've ever seen that before..   Thank you.

Offline mresistor

  • Global Moderator
  • Level 4
  • ******
  • Posts: 3209
  • resistance is futile
Hoffman Amps Forum image
Re: Princeton Reverb B1270 extra capacitor on PI
« Reply #6 on: February 06, 2018, 02:37:42 pm »
I see now why they did this. The eyelet where the negative lead of the cap would be soldered has 4 wires in it already.

 


Choose a link from the
Hoffman Amplifiers parts catalog
Mobile Device
Catalog Link
Yard Sale
Discontinued
Misc. Hardware
What's New Board Building
 Parts
Amp trim
Handles
Lamps
Diodes
Hoffman Turret
 Boards
Channel
Switching
Resistors Fender Eyelet
 Boards
Screws/Nuts
Washers
Jacks/Plugs
Connectors
Misc Eyelet
Boards
Tools
Capacitors Custom Boards
Tubes
Valves
Pots
Knobs
Fuses/Cords Chassis
Tube
Sockets
Switches Wire
Cable


Handy Links
Tube Amp Library
Tube Amp
Schematics library
Design a custom Eyelet or
Turret Board
DIY Layout Creator
File analyzer program
DIY Layout Creator
File library
Transformer Wiring
Diagrams
Hoffmanamps
Facebook page
Hoffman Amplifiers
Discount Program


password