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[Harry Mooseknuckle]

I don't know if anybody else saw, but 2 Ampex 351's just sold on Ebay for fourteen hundred and some change a piece. That seems a little insane to me. But then again, I thought it was insane when blackface Fender Super Reverbs were going for as high as $700.

[cdr-1]

I saw that.

Crazy.

I bid $700 on one of them thinking I would be in pretty good shape.

I guess I'm going to buy one of the busted ones and fix it up. Does anybody here have a good idea of what I should be paying for one of these that hasn't been restored?

Also, has anyone tried the Greg @ Electrical mod, and if so, how much did the parts set you back?

Adam
CDR

[Greg Norman]

cdr-1 wrote on Fri, 20 January 2006 10:09

I saw that. Crazy. I bid $700 on one of them thinking I would be in pretty good shape. I guess I'm going to buy one of the busted ones and fix it up. Does anybody here have a good idea of what I should be paying for one of these that hasn't been restored? Also, has anyone tried the Greg @ Electrical mod, and if so, how much did the parts set you back? Adam CDR

I tried it.  
Parts for a one-off should be between $250-$350 depending on the price of the output attenuator, and your tube screening practices.
I can't believe that is how much 351s are going for!  I should have bought a bunch when they were $100.

[cdr-1]

Quote:

I tried it.

Har Har Har.

Quote:

your tube screening practices

I don't understand what you mean by that. Could you please elaborate?

also,

I've been following the thread on the 351 mod over at the electrical forum, and it seems like a pretty straight forward thing to do.

Having said that, I've only got a little experience w/ electronics. Fixing pedals, upkeep on my tape machines and the like.

But would you recommend somebody that's a novice at electronics give this mod a shot? Or do you think the average Joe w/ a  soldering iron and a set of schematics would be in way over his head.

thanks a lot,
Adam

[Harry Mooseknuckle]

I bought one on Ebay about a year and a half ago for $180. The meter was all busted up and it was sold as untested. I was quickly able to surmise that some of the connectors to the cards had gone bad, so I hard wired them directly to the card. Also, this one had been in use at the University of Indiana and someone had scratched a "T" in front of Ampex thereby leaving it a "TAmpex".
But then, 6 or 8 weeks later I bought the correct Simpson meter on Ebay for $20. Now I have a great sounding, cool pre. All I need now is another one.

[Greg Norman]

cdr-1 wrote on Fri, 20 January 2006 12:02

Quote: I tried it. Har Har Har. Quote: your tube screening practices I don't understand what you mean by that. Could you please elaborate?

The tube screening being buying some nice tubes and finding the quietest.  It might cost a bit more.

Quote:

also, I've been following the thread on the 351 mod over at the electrical forum, and it seems like a pretty straight forward thing to do. Having said that, I've only got a little experience w/ electronics. Fixing pedals, upkeep on my tape machines and the like. But would you recommend somebody that's a novice at electronics give this mod a shot? Or do you think the average Joe w/ a  soldering iron and a set of schematics would be in way over his head. thanks a lot, Adam

This can be kind of a monster.  You might want to work your way up to it.  There is a lot of touchy desoldering involved, and some high voltage.  If you can get some help from a tech friend I'd say yes, but I wouldn't feel comfortable advising it.