Danelectro Nifty Fifty in need of repair
I have a Danelectro Nifty Fifty 15 w amp (I bought it new about 20 years ago and it's been sitting in the closet for about 18 years) which sounds like the speaker is crackling so I replaced it with a Celestion 8 15 speaker but it didn't help.
The amp was a great sounding amp with lots of volume and great tone abilities so I hate to get rid of it. Is there anything I could do to repair it? I consider myself handy with a soldering gun but I have no idea where to start.
Thanks,
-Joe
Thanks David but from the web:"Danelectro pioneered tube amps in '47. Now Danelectro introduces it greatest amp ever: The Nifty Fifty. Fifteen pounds and fifteen watts of the best vintage sound you've ever heard - at any price. Solid state with a warm tube tone. 8" speaker, headphone jack, bass, mid, treble, and 'dirty sweet' overdrive. Spanky mids and highs. Cool vintage cosmetics. Built like a '56 Chevy. The Nifty Fifty - "The Amp Everybody's Gotta Have!"
It sounds like a tube amp which is why I would love to repair it.
Okay, I remember those now... they sound great. Skip doesn't work on solid state amps, so unfortunately he won't be able to help in this case... sorry Joe.
One person told me that pretty much I can throw a solid state amp out when it sounds bad. Guess I'll look around locally and see if I can find someone to repair it.
Unfortunately your friend's advice is not far off. I used to run a music store, and when sending a customer's amp to the repair shop we used, a solid state amp often came back with a repair quote for the customer that exceeded the cost of the amp.
It really was a good sounding amp. Hopefully I'll be able to find someone to repair it at a reasonable cost.
If I can't get it repaiered I'm considering buying a new Fender Vibro Champ XD which is a 5w tube vintage modified amp and from what I can determine has been sitting on display for at least the past 8 years since I believe they were manufactured from 2007 - 2012. It has a 12ax7 preamp and 6v6 power tube with 8" speaker, 16 voices and an f/x selector. It's selling for $200 and I was wondering if you're familiar with the Vibro Champ XD and think it's a decent amp or not?
Hello joed. I haven't tried that exact model, but it will probably be good. We prefer 10" speakers, but at that price it's hard to complain.
Hello Joe. Before I send this to Skip, have you serviced the tube sockets? If not, spray some WD40 into a small dish, take out your tubes and using your finger, or a Q-tip, lightly coat each prong of each tube. Slide each tube in and out of its socket a couple of times. Give it a try and report back.