clucka Posted February 4, 2009 Share Posted February 4, 2009 I'm an amp modding beginner. Could someone give me the basic steps to remove the bright caps? I'd be very greatful! Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PapaMidnite Posted February 4, 2009 Share Posted February 4, 2009 Where to start? .Have you ever had one open before ? Safety is most important here,DON'T GO POKING AROUND INSIDE ,PLEASE .That said Make sure amp has sat [Not Plugged in] Idle for Days .Unscrew four screws on top ,pull chassis back wards so you can see inside .All Caps and Resisters are marked [C3,C ,, R 15 etc] use a small LED light to see clearly.Locate Small orange Capacitors C3, C5, C6-Using a Small Insulated pair of wire cutters With one hand only and one hand in your pocket [Really,Could save your life] Carefully snip one end of C3,C5,C6, Try to leave alittle bit of wire so you can re-solder if this is not to your liking.[ Some people prefer to remove these caps at this point ].Me too.Onto Resistors This is alittle harder as to do it the right way the PCB board needs to be removed ,But if you are good with an soldering iron here goes. R15 should be changed from 2.2k 1 Watt value to 1.5 k 1 Watt value [This one is still being researched ] I like it here but you may want to wait for more results .Next R21 from 2.2k to 1k .This Data has been the work of a few brave souls willing to risk Life and Limb [from Spouses ,If it needed to be replaced] with another Amp]And amps themselves .A big thank you is in order .Stay tuned for more exciting action to come I'm sure Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clucka Posted February 4, 2009 Author Share Posted February 4, 2009 Thanks sooooo much for the reply.... I'll post my results soon! I feel more comfortable after reading your instructions... Clucka Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clucka Posted February 5, 2009 Author Share Posted February 5, 2009 Can I hold off on the Resistors or is it needed when doing the cap work? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PapaMidnite Posted February 5, 2009 Share Posted February 5, 2009 You don't have to but it does make a difference.Try the alligator clip approach see what you think Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clucka Posted February 6, 2009 Author Share Posted February 6, 2009 So I clipped C5 and C6... quite a difference. My epi semi-hollow wilkdkat sounds a bit worse now, but my Gibson Explorer sounds TONS better! Are there thorough instructions out there to do the resistor mod? I'm wary as I really am a beginner at this but really want to learn. Thanks for all the info and help! Clucka Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PapaMidnite Posted February 6, 2009 Share Posted February 6, 2009 Check e mail Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deanster Posted February 26, 2009 Share Posted February 26, 2009 Hi all! New to these forums but not the BC30. Bought mine in 2006. Just recently re-tubed it with Mesa 6L6Gc's, a Mesa 5AR4 Rectifier and 5 GT 12AX7r's. ( All I could get unless I ordered them online) . Was not expecting anything spectacular, but was pleasantly surprised. Would like to know more about how to do the C3, C5, C6 cap mods, as I am also a beginner in this area. PapaMidnite.... Kudos for all this great info... you ARE the man! Any help with step by step stuff concerning these mods would be most appreciated. Cheers! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PapaMidnite Posted February 26, 2009 Share Posted February 26, 2009 Dean, thanks But I had alot of input from others as to where we wanted to go with this amp.So a big thanks to all who posted . Send me an email to Comeau@sbcglobal.net ,I'll try pics with details . Just cc BC Mods so I don't trash email Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deanster Posted February 26, 2009 Share Posted February 26, 2009 Thanks again, PapaMidnite. Email sent sir. : ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sounds Expensive Posted February 26, 2009 Share Posted February 26, 2009 I did the C5 and C6 mod.--loved it. Then I did the C3 mod.--hated it. It went back to a duller channel 1 and a bright channel 2. I'm going to re-solder C3. Do the electro. caps. need to be discharged before I apply a soldering gun to C3??? What's the safest way to do it? Thanks for all your help Papamidnite! I've waited a long time for someone to tinker with this amp and post their experiences. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deanster Posted February 27, 2009 Share Posted February 27, 2009 I did the C5 and C6 mod.--loved it. Then I did the C3 mod.--hated it. It went back to a duller channel 1 and a bright channel 2. I'm going to re-solder C3. Thanks for that information, SE. I will cut C5 and C6 first and check out the sound. As I said before. I am new to this, so I have my amp apart and am looking at the C3, C5, C6 Caps. I am as excited as a teenager who is about to get laid for the first time! lol Looks like a no brainer, but after reading posts by PapaMidnite (I am not worthy ) and others, like yourself, I am patiently waiting for the capacitors to discharge. How serious a safety concern and what precautions should I take before I clip the Caps? I am only prepared to do the Cap mods now... not the resistors... I lack that skill, but I think I can clip a wire. : ) By the way.... I see your also in Mississauga! May I ask where a good place to find resisters for R15 (1.5k) and R21 (1k) (I assume both are 1 watt?) For some reason, I don't think "The Source" will carry these. Also, can one of you electronics guys tell me why the resister barrels are blue in color? The types I seen online last night where anything but blue... Should it be a 5% Carbon resister? Metal Oxide?... Any info would be appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PapaMidnite Posted February 27, 2009 Share Posted February 27, 2009 Se ,I keep going back and forth with C3 myself I'll keep it clipped for awhile . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sounds Expensive Posted February 28, 2009 Share Posted February 28, 2009 Se ' date='I keep going back and forth with C3 myself I'll keep it clipped for awhile .[/quote'] For me, I like an amp that I can switch between the two channels and not have to fiddle with EQ to compensate for differences. Fine for studio work, not for live. Anyhow, any word on using a soldering gun on C3 and the possibility of being shocked to death?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sounds Expensive Posted February 28, 2009 Share Posted February 28, 2009 I should add, PapaMidnite, you are a pioneer when it comes to forging ahead in the unknown world of the BC30 :- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PapaMidnite Posted March 1, 2009 Share Posted March 1, 2009 I've had no problems re soldering the caps .It's the big filter caps that you have to discharge .Just to be extra careful and as a good practice use one hand only ,The other in your pocket when touching the inside of you amp .I use an insulated pair of pliers to reposition the caps you should be good to go ,This week I'm going to run all the mods past the man who designed the BC Pytor Belove at Gibson to see what he really thinks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PapaMidnite Posted March 7, 2009 Share Posted March 7, 2009 Hold on to your seats ,Sprinter and I have been working on some very interesting Mods [couldn't help myself S. ] But I am looking for Pre amp V1,V2 tube ideas .Lets hear from you guys as to what you are using ..Stay tuned ... Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
appa69 Posted March 9, 2009 Share Posted March 9, 2009 Hold on to your seats ' date='Sprinter and I have been working on some very interesting Mods [couldn't help myself S. '] But I am looking for Pre amp V1,V2 tube ideas .Lets hear from you guys as to what you are using ..Stay tuned ... Dave Long time viewer, First time poster. Keep 'em coming. Loving the BC30 mod threads guys! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bloozcat Posted March 9, 2009 Share Posted March 9, 2009 For me' date=' I like an amp that I can switch between the two channels and not have to fiddle with EQ to compensate for differences. Fine for studio work, not for live. Anyhow, any word on using a soldering gun on C3 and the possibility of being shocked to death??[/quote'] When in doubt, bleed (discharge) the caps. This is certainly more important with the larger filter caps, but it'll also work with the smaller caps as well. I have a little "stick" with a resistor in-line that I use. Here's a description of how to make one from another post I did: The best way is to take a 10k-20k, 5W resistor and solder a length of wire to one end of it, and then solder an insulated aligator clip to the other end of that wire you just soldered to the resistor (I always use black for ground). Then find a 6"-8" round piece of round wood, or bamboo, (I like to use those green bamboo garden stakes from Home Depot) or the like and split it down about a couple inches from the thicker end. Spread the split shaft a bit and slide the body of the resistor down in between the split sections. Then tape the two ends near the end of the shaft together to pinch the resistor and hold it in place. Just to be safe, tape the portion of the shaft that you'll use as the handle with electrical tape (I like Scotch 33, but 88 will work as well. I get it at work, but any harware store has it). Make sure you put some shrink tube on any exposed wire (like on the resistor) before beginning to discharge the caps to insulate the wire from any other components you might accidently touch. When you're ready to begin bleeding the caps, clip the aligator clip to chassis ground first, then with one hand only holding the taped end of the stick opposite the resistor end (the "one arm tech method"), touch the bare wire end of the resistor to one end of the cap. You may still hear a crack or a snap as the cap bleeds, or nothing at all. Then repeat this by touching the other side of the cap with the bare wire end of the resistor. It may take a minute or so for the cap to bleed as the resistor will regulate the rate at which the cap drains. Since these are lower voltage caps, you could probably just go straight cap-wire to ground or short one end of the cap to the other end of the cap. You should still be prepared for a "snap" or "crack" as the cap discharges. Having a good VOM to check for voltage is recommended too (but not entirely necessary). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sounds Expensive Posted March 9, 2009 Share Posted March 9, 2009 Thanks, Bloozcat!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
appa69 Posted March 12, 2009 Share Posted March 12, 2009 Got my BC last week banged up from shipping, so waiting for a replacement. Meantime got this one dialed in pretty good. Treble only around 9 o clock, can't stand it higher than 10. So definately gonna do the cap mod at least, I'd like to know more about the resistors too, what part of the circuit are we modifying there? Meanwhile, there's an old timer in town who has enough NOS tubes to stock a warehouse, so I'm gonna do a little shopping. Also have a jj 5ar4(somewhere) I'm gonna try. See if that helps. Gotta be better than that cheap chinese one that came stock. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PapaMidnite Posted March 27, 2009 Share Posted March 27, 2009 Well forged ahead and redid some thinking [Not my strong point] Looked at Fender and Marshall amp V1 and V2 preamp resistors ,Fender uses 1.5 k and Marshall uses 980k so I split em [R3,R8,R15,R21] from 2.2k to 1k ,I also redid C15 cap [started with 22uf ] went to 2.2uf , now tried 25uf 35watt .Seems to add more mid bass with the higher cap .I went with EH 12ax7's in V1,V2 and Gts in 3,4,5 slots, Tung sol 5881 power tube ,Clipped caps C3,C5 ,C6, still playing with Rec tubes .I like these mods where we are at .Gonna knock the snot out of it next couple of weeks [Heavy gigging] let you know Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twanger Posted March 28, 2009 Share Posted March 28, 2009 Thanks for bring this thread back PapaM! Great info & history on the mods mentioned in the other thread. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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