# Poll: To Recap or Not to Recap - That is the question!



## ampaholic (Sep 19, 2006)

OK. We all know the reasons why we should replace the electrolytics on a vintage amp and we also know that in doing so it likely will affect the tone of the amp.
So, I'm sitting on a mid 50's tweed Fender that I don't want to just sit it on a shelf and look at it. I want to play it. Maybe not daily but certainly want to take it to occasional rehearsals and the odd gig.
Everything in the amp is original - never been a solder joint touched. That in itself would lead you to not recapping but then again, finding an original power or output transformer for this amp should it fail would be nearly impossible and the very rare time I've seen an original transformer for one of these on ebay they sell in the $1000 to $2000 range.
If you were in my shoes do you recap?


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## shoretyus (Jan 6, 2007)

Recap. My opinion. It's a way to make sure that they won't fail and it will sound how it is supposed to. Owning a couple of 1949 Leslie's ...caps fail...


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## ampaholic (Sep 19, 2006)

I might not have actually needed the poll but at least I figured out how to do it!

Replacement is my instinct as well. The little extra part of this story is that I have owned the amp twice. Once when I was 13 in 1969 and now again, after searching for it for the last 20 years.
Although my tastes were different then, I recall the amp sounding incredible when I was 13 and the amp was 15 years old. So, I'm thinking that with a recap I'd be rolling things back to 1969! (IMHO the greatest year in rock by the way!).


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## bcmatt (Aug 25, 2007)

Of course you'll want to play it, so I say recap. To me, the only reason to keep it as is would be to sell it to some person who demands everything be original. But, since you went through so much trouble to get the amp back, I get the impression you aren't just after a getting some money for it. An amp I'm afraid to play is a space waster.
Which Fender is it by the way? We would love to see pics!

By the way, 1969 is 10 years before I was born, but I have to agree that that was the best time for rock and roll!


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

You can do what I did with my beloved 59 Princeton and Bassman: recap and save the originals. Just make sure you observe good practices in choosing a voltage rating for the new ones.


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## WCGill (Mar 27, 2009)

Does it hum? Are they leaking? If the answer to both of these is no, then leave them alone.


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## ampaholic (Sep 19, 2006)

WCGill said:


> Does it hum? Are they leaking? If the answer to both of these is no, then leave them alone.


No hum, no leaking, amp is quiet as a church mouse.

Here's a photo of the guts. Note one filter cap was replaced many years ago.


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## keto (May 23, 2006)

If it truly hadn't been touched, I wouldn't touch it now. But you say that 1 cap has been done, so I'm sorta on the fence. I'd still personally probably leave well enough alone, but then I probably wouldn't fire it up often, or for long. Collectibility/future price will suffer if you do recap, somewhat, as opposed to having a 100% pristine (or close as it is now) circuit.

But neither would I say 'BURN THE WITCH!' if you did - your amp, your call. If you're going to play it much, do the caps.


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## WCGill (Mar 27, 2009)

Actually filter caps benefit from frequent usage. They tend to dry out and short if an amp is not used often. Is that a 5E8? Awesome amp!


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## keeperofthegood (Apr 30, 2008)

I used to be of the mind to leave old electronics as original as possible. I've since learned that is akin to a game of Russian Roulette. For me the final decision came on an antiques forum I am on; had a member who was a long winded person ranting on and on about their original 1930's console (would start topic threads just to rant theirs was still all original) and was repeatedly told to recap by the other members. They steadfastly refused to do so until the posting asking how to replace the transformers ($$$) and to fix the internal fire damage. So I guess my opinion is biased towards replacing. However it is your call just know that there are means by which replacements can be made that the 'original' look is left undisturbed.

So, my vote is to replace. However, to replace in a manner the look and feel and sound of the original is retained. Measure the cap values, don't go from 4uF or 8uF to 20's or 40's or such and so on. And I say retain the original shells of the caps, place the new caps inside of those shells and retain the look/appearance of the original as well.


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## ampaholic (Sep 19, 2006)

WCGill said:


> Is that a 5E8? Awesome amp!


Actually a 5d8. Cathode biased 6L6's, dual 5Y3's and in 1954 cranking out a mind-blowing 25 watts - the most powerful guitar amplifier that money could buy!


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## ampaholic (Sep 19, 2006)

keeperofthegood said:


> So, my vote is to replace. However, to replace in a manner the look and feel and sound of the original is retained. Measure the cap values, don't go from 4uF or 8uF to 20's or 40's or such and so on. And I say retain the original shells of the caps, place the new caps inside of those shells and retain the look/appearance of the original as well.


Funny that you say this. I found a guy in the UK that had done this very thing. He carefully removed the cardboard shell then with a hacksaw cut off the metal (aluminum?) ends of the old caps. Drilled a hole through the ends for the leads of the new caps to go through and then put it all back together using glue, silicon or some kind of foam inside to fill up the rest of the shell. It looked very authentic.
So, since I had a few old caps laying around I thought I would try the same thing and actually cut open an old 20 mfd cap. Have you ever smelled the guck inside those old caps?? Horrible! I'm not sure what it is but it sure has a toxic odour to it.
I've got a bunch of old Fender filter caps laying around so this is an option for sure. Just not sure I can stomach the process!


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## keeperofthegood (Apr 30, 2008)

Back porch, sunshine, and a bottle of brew (and if you read the wiki goggles and gloves). The insides should be (or are typically as the wikis explains) a mix of deionized water and boric acid Electrolytic capacitor - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

There are some REALLY great artistic people that can do spectacular jobs in "stuffing" or "re-stuffing" capacitors. Some guys even do molded caps by making two part casting molds and getting polyester resins and dye matching the originals and casting the new caps inside the mold! (they also do the older dog bone resistors and the micamold resistors).

Jensen Caps does this with guitar tone caps; they put a new film cap inside a repro of the bumblebee shape mold in bumblebee colours.

LOL Good to practice on old caps first!


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## jimmy c g (Jan 1, 2008)

if your gonna play it recap, a stitch in time may save a of a lot of grief and $


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## Cups (Jan 5, 2010)

Those coupling caps look to be paper in oil caps. Another candidate for replacement 'cause these things leak and leave a mess. Fortunately a lot of modern caps are still being made in this fashion.


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## bluzfish (Mar 12, 2011)

It seems to me that if you want a working amp rather than a trophy, it would make sense to replace the caps with as close to the original as possible. Tube amps have parts that wear out, tubes and capaciters being a prime example. If you want the amp to sound they way it was originally designed to sound, replacement of the parts of the machine that need replacement is simple maintenance. It has to be done. Keeping the original parts is an inevitable death sentance for the amp for the sake of the vanity of owning an "original" specimen.


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## nonreverb (Sep 19, 2006)

All of the above...replace 'em and keep the originals so I have 'em when you sell it to me


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## loudtubeamps (Feb 2, 2012)

Howdy..
I would re-cap if you intend to use the amp at all.
I have done many re-caps in vintage, mint amps.For those who want their amp to look as original as possible, I will take the cardboard sleeves from the original caps and cover the new caps with the sleeves.Filters and cathode caps where & when possible.
After the new caps have been installed and warmed up,I would check the blocking caps and replace only those showing that they are passing anything more that 1 volt D.C.
FWIW.
Cheers, Doug
http://www.bandmix.ca/dougv/


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## ampaholic (Sep 19, 2006)

Thanks for all of the advice folks. The recap is now complete and as you can see it wasn't a moment too soon!
And by the way, the amp sounds heavenly.








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