Before I Fire It Up... (Fender PA100 Conversion)

Overdrive Special, Steel String Singer, Dumbleland, Odyssey, Winterland, etc. -
Members Only

Moderators: pompeiisneaks, Colossal

User avatar
dorrisant
Posts: 2635
Joined: Tue Sep 21, 2010 1:27 pm
Location: Somewhere between a river and a cornfield
Contact:

Before I Fire It Up... (Fender PA100 Conversion)

Post by dorrisant »

Ok... I already see a ground wire that I need to run, the one for the screen filter. :?

Anyway, this is a '73 Fender PA100 that I acquired a few months back. With a Twin iron set, it was prime for a SSS/Wonderland type build. I really wanted to do this one with a Dumbleator, the amps I've built with them recently really work well with Strymon and other top shelf modulation pedals. There was no room for a board, so I took a stab at this point to point version. I couldn't find anything like that here so I made this up in DIYLC. This build also has the cathode driver for the added bandwidth that I have come to love... would not want to build one of these without it. Back plate is done, need to make the faceplate yet. Also, the headshell will get wrapped with fuschia suede (thanks Taylor)! I want it to be bright and grab attention from across the room or venue. I think it will.

Take a peek at this and tell me if you spot anything funny. When I get some repairs done tomorrow, I will run that ground wire and try to get it running. Yes, I left out the bias resistor, I usually use a decade box to dial that one in before actually soldering... That and the 1st dropping resistor for the Dumbleator.
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
"Education is what you're left with after you have forgotten what you have learned" - Enzo
User avatar
dorrisant
Posts: 2635
Joined: Tue Sep 21, 2010 1:27 pm
Location: Somewhere between a river and a cornfield
Contact:

Re: Before I Fire It Up... (Fender PA100 Conversion)

Post by dorrisant »

More.
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
"Education is what you're left with after you have forgotten what you have learned" - Enzo
User avatar
dorrisant
Posts: 2635
Joined: Tue Sep 21, 2010 1:27 pm
Location: Somewhere between a river and a cornfield
Contact:

Re: Before I Fire It Up... (Fender PA100 Conversion)

Post by dorrisant »

More.
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
"Education is what you're left with after you have forgotten what you have learned" - Enzo
User avatar
ViperDoc
Posts: 1247
Joined: Tue Dec 24, 2019 2:21 am
Location: Idaho

Re: Before I Fire It Up... (Fender PA100 Conversion)

Post by ViperDoc »

Wow…
Just plug it in, man.
ChopSauce
Posts: 1038
Joined: Wed Mar 15, 2017 12:08 pm
Location: So Paris, France

Re: Before I Fire It Up... (Fender PA100 Conversion)

Post by ChopSauce »

Yes. Now I think that these MOD caps are pretty good...

Ii can't wait to see her suede jacket... 8)
10thTx
Posts: 1864
Joined: Sat Dec 30, 2006 1:13 am

Re: Before I Fire It Up... (Fender PA100 Conversion)

Post by 10thTx »

Remarkably well done! Thanks for sharing.

With respect, 10thtx
User avatar
Colossal
Posts: 5050
Joined: Sat Oct 20, 2007 9:04 pm
Location: Moving through Kashmir

Re: Before I Fire It Up... (Fender PA100 Conversion)

Post by Colossal »

Beautiful work, Tony! 8)
User avatar
dorrisant
Posts: 2635
Joined: Tue Sep 21, 2010 1:27 pm
Location: Somewhere between a river and a cornfield
Contact:

Re: Before I Fire It Up... (Fender PA100 Conversion)

Post by dorrisant »

Thank you guys. The kind words from this site mean the most! :)

I have built a few of these now... This is #003 and will stay resident. I feel like I should make up a schematic and post it along with a layout (ala RJ) in order to give back to the community that has given me so much over the years.

If anyone would like a set of boards, let me know. It would include the relay PS and relay boards too. I need to address a few errors with those on the next run, build and learn. Nothing that a trace cut and jumper won't fix for the PS, and I want multiple pads for daisy chaining on the universal relay boards. The Garolite boards are already proven, so no sweat there. Maybe I can make a PCB for the Dumbleator that fits over the socket. If this layout works for it, I may just do that. I think it should work anyway.

I'm full of gratitude for the kind words and help from this forum over the years, I don't know how far I would have gotten without the collective here. Humbly, thank you all!!

And yes... The MOD brand caps seem to be very reliable. I have been putting them in everything for over a year now with zero problems.
Last edited by dorrisant on Wed Jul 13, 2022 2:27 pm, edited 1 time in total.
"Education is what you're left with after you have forgotten what you have learned" - Enzo
User avatar
martin manning
Posts: 13325
Joined: Sun Jul 06, 2008 12:43 am
Location: 39°06' N 84°30' W

Re: Before I Fire It Up... (Fender PA100 Conversion)

Post by martin manning »

Nice work Tony, and thanks for sharing all the detailed photos!
User avatar
erwin_ve
Posts: 1727
Joined: Fri Jan 25, 2008 8:06 am
Location: Dordrecht, Netherlands
Contact:

Re: Before I Fire It Up... (Fender PA100 Conversion)

Post by erwin_ve »

Tony, awesome job! You posted a lot of pics on the internals; very clean and neat wiring/soldering.
Can you post a pic of the front panel? I liked your artwork on previous amps!

Erwin
User avatar
dorrisant
Posts: 2635
Joined: Tue Sep 21, 2010 1:27 pm
Location: Somewhere between a river and a cornfield
Contact:

Re: Before I Fire It Up... (Fender PA100 Conversion)

Post by dorrisant »

erwin_ve wrote: Wed Jul 13, 2022 3:13 pm Tony, awesome job! You posted a lot of pics on the internals; very clean and neat wiring/soldering.
Can you post a pic of the front panel? I liked your artwork on previous amps!

Erwin
Thanks! I will... as soon as I engrave/cut it. Back panel isn't perfect. It was messed up in a couple of places due to CNC operator (me) error. :wink:

I may be able to get to it today.
"Education is what you're left with after you have forgotten what you have learned" - Enzo
Ziggy
Posts: 3
Joined: Tue Jun 09, 2020 8:07 pm
Location: Indiana

Re: Before I Fire It Up... (Fender PA100 Conversion)

Post by Ziggy »

Great work Tony! Looks pretty impressive!
User avatar
dorrisant
Posts: 2635
Joined: Tue Sep 21, 2010 1:27 pm
Location: Somewhere between a river and a cornfield
Contact:

Re: Before I Fire It Up... (Fender PA100 Conversion)

Post by dorrisant »

Thanks again!

I made the ground connections I had missed and had to reconfigure the FX loop relay. It sounds just like it should. Voltages are about right. Still haven't had a chance to put anything in the loop just yet, but I think it is fine... I can hear the boost with the levels up a bit. Relay switching the loop is a good thing, even if you don't have effects in the loop it makes a great footswitchable boost. Reverb sounds so lush. Great to have it on a footswitch as well. I have the bias set up for bias and balance adjustment too. The back panel has a switch to jump V8 with V9 and V10 with V11. Flip it up to separate the individual tubes for that measurement.

I got the front panel done today. Stripped the headshell and offset the handle in preparation for the suede. I have to make a back panel for it tomorrow. The Pink LED will be great with the color of suede.

I patched the error on the back panel with the same design engraved into a brass plate. Already had a brass badge for the front, so it kinda goes well enough.

Tomorrow I will try to get it all finished. I have a show to take it and the Deputy to on Saturday. Needs at least couple of days for the glue to set anyway. :wink:

I will post final pics when it is all done. I will be going out of town next week, so it may be a couple of weeks before I can get some clips.
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
"Education is what you're left with after you have forgotten what you have learned" - Enzo
User avatar
dorrisant
Posts: 2635
Joined: Tue Sep 21, 2010 1:27 pm
Location: Somewhere between a river and a cornfield
Contact:

Re: Before I Fire It Up... (Fender PA100 Conversion)

Post by dorrisant »

More.
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
"Education is what you're left with after you have forgotten what you have learned" - Enzo
User avatar
Guy77
Posts: 919
Joined: Sat May 31, 2014 2:46 am
Location: Toronto, Canada

Re: Before I Fire It Up... (Fender PA100 Conversion)

Post by Guy77 »

Looks amazing! Really like the faceplates too.
Are those aluminum engraved faceplates? If so what did you use to engrave them and polish them with?

Cheers

Guy
Post Reply