Grateful Dead Music Forum

So I've got this old amp- a 1965 U305R. It sounds muddy and crunchy as hell, and reverb and tremolo don't work.

I did a little research, and found that they're pretty "rare" (you just don't see 'em often) and also that it's probably worth restoring.

Some very helpful folks at thegearpage.net provided me a schematic and some guidance, so I think I'm going to see what I can do with the old girl.

Basic plan is to replace all the pots, replace any obviously blown capacitors, and cut out the "death caps" and put in a 3-prong power cable so the thing doesn't electrocute me. Hopefully effects are just busted because old oil capacitors are dead. After all that, if it's sounding better (I sure as hell hope it does) then I'm going to clean up the outside and the grill cloth and throw on some cool lookin' knobs. Maybe even a steelie on the grill?

Anyone have any words of wisdom on this sort of project or any experience with this (or similar) amp?

Hopefully I'll work hard and be rewarded with a nice vintage amp with good tone for a minimal amount of $$$. (Can't afford even the crappiest tube amp on the market at the moment)

Oh, and for what it's worth, I'm playing my early 90's Peavy strat copy through it. Decent sounding and easy playing guitar...good enough for me for the foreseeable future.

3 prong = good to change
death cap = good to remove

But after that I say only replace what you know needs replacing or you will devalue your rare amp.

Is the tremolo opto or bias? Replacing the roach is fine to change too.

I'd think restore if I were you.

Update:

After embarking on all sorts of other journeys since I decided I wanted to mess with this amp, I finally got a buddy at the house that knows a thing or two. I plugged in and plinked around on the ol' Univox, and he gave me the raised eyebrows look. Maybe I'm not so ambitious...although I do have the schematics if I ever get bored.

I would start with the guitar mods first. Get your soldering skills set and then work up to fixing the amp.

Yeah, that's a good idea. Especially since a lot of work on a strat is out in the open, pretty easy stuff. Until I get the old amp running, my buddy has an old crate half stack over at the house, so I can still play.

Just fixed my roommate's bass last night- tinned the wire, used flux, all that jazz. Not a perfect job like I've seen from experienced guys, but I'm learning.

Thinking along those lines (build experience) the old Uni may yet live again!!!