77 deluxe reverb with tone caps soldered to pots?? Odd!

[texwest]

Why would a tech do this? I thinking about moving them back to their proper location.

Would there be some good reason to do this that I'm unaware of?

[texwest]

more pics

[bmccowan]

Well. I'm guessing its because the tech has one or more of Gerald Weber's books, and trusts too much of the information. I started out with his books and tried many of his mods for improving tone. Most (including mounting the caps directly to the pots) made no difference. There are many such recommendations - make these wires as long as possible - make these as short as possible - remove the tube shields for more gain; etc. As a river rafting guide I know says, "good in theory; poor in concept."

[texwest]

Any one else?  I'm wondering if there was a noise or ocsillation issue?   But I'm inclined to move everything back and see how it works.

[sluckey]

The guy was probably reading too many books. 

[tubeswell]

It could be overly academic like the others suggest.


Or it could be the tech decided they had problems with leaky voltages on those old waxy silverface boards* and just got pissed off and decided to take some shortcuts to save time.


* as sometimes happens (I have seen examples where SF amp boards were taken right out and totally deconstructed and had all the wax scraped right off and then reassembled and put back in. The end result can look better than the stock amp, but takes hours just to get the amp 'working')

[texwest]

It could be overly academic like the others suggest.


Or it could be the tech decided they had problems with leaky voltages on those old waxy silverface boards* and just got pissed off and decided to take some shortcuts to save time.


* as sometimes happens (I have seen examples where SF amp boards were taken right out and totally deconstructed and had all the wax scraped right off and then reassembled and put back in. The end result can look better than the stock amp, but takes hours just to get the amp 'working')

This is exactly what I was wondering and why I posted the pic where the tone capacitors should be.  The board is coated with so much wax.  Can it become conductive??

[tubeswell]

...  The board is coated with so much wax.  Can it become conductive??

Yes the wax can absorb moisture (ironically)

[texwest]

...  The board is coated with so much wax.  Can it become conductive??

Yes the wax can absorb moisture (ironically)

I'm starting think I'm just going to leave it like it is.  Any problem leaving the caps soldered to the pots?

[bmccowan]

Any problem leaving the caps soldered to the pots?

Not that I'm aware of - it's done a lot in point-to-point amps.

[texwest]

Any problem leaving the caps soldered to the pots?

Not that I'm aware of - it's done a lot in point-to-point amps.

Yeah that makes sense.  Not much point to moving it back now.