1961 Gibson GA-8T Discoverer missing fuse

[sodawillow]

Hello,

I'd like to add the missing part in this amp, but I'm not sure what is missing precisely (fuse only or fuse and holder) and where I could buy it?

Thanks in advance if anyone can guide me!

[jdgm]

The fuse and the cap which holds it.

You will have  to buy a new fuse holder which will include the cap (the fuse sits in the cap).  Desolder/remove the old one and measure it (length and diameter), also note the length of the wiring soldered to it and the diameter of the hole in the chassis plate.  I'd be tempted to clean it up a bit!  Keep the old retaining washer and fuse holder.

A new fuse holder is very cheap but I doubt if you would be able to exactly match it to the old one.  Ideally you need to know the value and size/length of the fuse which fits in there first, too.  Err on the long side (this will only be 1 or 2 mm).

I googled for images - you can just about see what the cap looks like -

https://www.google.com/search?q=fuse+for+gibson+ga-8t+discoverer+&tbm=isch&ved=2ahUKEwjalsL5y4rtAhVClBoKHX06DG0Q2-cCegQIABAA&oq=fuse+for+gibson+ga-8t+discoverer+&gs_lcp=CgNpbWcQA1DN0QJYnIQDYJCMA2gAcAB4AIABUIgBjgWSAQIxMJgBAKABAaoBC2d3cy13aXotaW1nwAEB&sclient=img&ei=EUq0X5rKGsKoav30sOgG&bih=1086&biw=1920&client=firefox-b-d#imgrc=GpZz6U70vCearM

As to the fuse itself, check amp schematic thoroughly.  Fuse value shouldn't be any problem.

https://www.google.com/search?source=univ&tbm=isch&q=gibson+ga-8t+discoverer+schematic&client=firefox-b-d&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjQgq_2yYrtAhXWMMAKHS2fA1UQjJkEegQIDxAB&biw=1920&bih=1086#imgrc=_btJjDbT29hYPM

Good luck!

Edited November 17, 2020 by jdgm

[sodawillow]

Hello and first, thank you very much, I kinda was thinking the remaining part would need to be removed. Anyway your message is very helpful to me. I was about to ask about where I could find the schematics but it was just one click away in your messagen, thanks again.

Desolder/remove the old one and measure it

A part being missing, would the measurement still be meaningful?

I was advised by a good friend to use a 1A 6x32 fuse and this kind of holder [image].

Please tell me what to think. I don't have good soldering capacities, but I have friends who are more capable : ).

Have a good night or day (live from Paris, France).

Cheers



 

[jdgm]

You only need to measure the old one in order to ensure the new one is (approximately) the same size.

I think the fuse is a 1 amp from what I can see of the schematics online (lower right next to on/off) but I'm no expert - and you need to be very sure about it!

 

My experience is that I had to replace the fuse holder in my Fender Twin II.  They just get very hot, bake and get brittle and crumble over time. I bought a generic fuse holder which was a tiny bit shorter than the original, and found the wires that needed to be soldered to it were now too short to reach it!  I managed it in the end but that sort of thing can ruin your day.

Edited November 18, 2020 by jdgm

[Bill Moore]

Check these out, if lucky one is the same, and you just need to replace the cap.

https://www.tubesandmore.com/search/node/fuse holder

[sodawillow]

Hello again,

A friend of mine is helping me with this, we seem to have the fuse/holder part covered.

Now we're trying  to test the components and identify the dead ones to replace them.

We have trouble identifying this dude though (see attached pictures).

I'd say a resistor since it's marked 250 Ω but my friend says it does not look like a classic resistor (obviously).

Can anyone help me here?


Thanks

https://ibb.co/r43rM9z
https://ibb.co/kGz01F6

Edited May 9, 2021 by sodawillow

[sodawillow]

And here you'll find attached the other suspects in our case 🙂

https://ibb.co/z4qCYw2
https://ibb.co/kxdTqV2
https://ibb.co/SvMy5b2

Edited May 9, 2021 by sodawillow

[Dub-T-123]

😬 your friend doesn’t sound like a good choice for this project. Those parts are all easily identifiable 

 

be careful!!!

[sodawillow]

Hello,


Don't be so harsh 🙂 he's not an expert but he is very careful, that's for instance why I posted these pics here.

Even if it looks easy for you, I'd appreciate your input : ) we just want the amp to operate again 🙂.

We're both learning on this one, and we prefer to do this ourselves, it's more interesting that way ; we are and will be very careful.

So the first one is a 250 ohm resistor?
Then again a resistor, we'll check the color code to get the value.
Then the ones marked "paktron", I don't know what they are, maybe capacitors?
And the last pic is defo a capacitor, 80MFD meaning 80µFarads? Or does the capital M really stand for mega?

Again, it sure must be obvious to an advanced electronics fiddler, but not to us. So please be forgiving with us 🙂.


Cheers

Edited May 10, 2021 by sodawillow

[Dub-T-123]

I don’t wanna be rude but your friend sounds like a rank amateur and the best help I can give you is to suggest taking it to an actual amp tech.