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PostPosted: Thu Aug 03, 2006 3:57 pm
by oddioguy
Sure it's burnt, but it's just tiny. It won't matter, will it? :mrgreen:

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PostPosted: Fri Aug 04, 2006 9:59 am
by weatherstation audio
oddioguy wrote:Waddya mean ya can't find a 3.9 ohm resistor?

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Been there... and not doin' it again ?

PostPosted: Sat Aug 05, 2006 9:45 am
by oddioguy
Here's a unique piece. Berelson 100W amp, from the mid '60s.
Ithas taken a while, but I have managed to cobble together a bit of info on these Montreal-built amps.

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PostPosted: Sat Aug 05, 2006 9:52 am
by oddioguy
My initial inquiries produced a reply from a guy in Quebec who knew the son of Constant Bertrand, the builder of these amps.
His recollection was the Mr. Bertrand had modified a Fender circuit, but my own research indicates that these were modified Frazier F-106C amps.

Berelson -

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and the Frazier -
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PostPosted: Sat Aug 05, 2006 9:57 am
by oddioguy
Berelson again, from the front. (Sorry for the poor quality. These were taken with my old camera) :-(

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PostPosted: Sat Aug 05, 2006 10:10 pm
by oddioguy
There is a second contender, the Grommes-Precision G101. Both the Frazier and the Gommes share identical power supplies and power amp sections with the Berelson. The difference is apparent in the preamp stage, whereas the Berelson is designed for guitar, and the other 2 where PA amps.
From inside the Berelson chassis, you can see the slot on the rear that was intended for a terminal strip, as on the Frazier and Grommes.

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PostPosted: Sun Aug 06, 2006 10:38 am
by oddioguy
An assortment of really odd-ball tubes, too:
6GT5's for the output tubes.
6C4 for the phase splitter.
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PostPosted: Sun Aug 06, 2006 9:52 pm
by oddioguy
A 6AK6 drives the reverb circuit, which was housed elsewhere, as there is a TRS jack for reverb send and return.

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PostPosted: Sun Aug 06, 2006 9:59 pm
by oddioguy
Although it looks like 2 of the output tubes were replaced at some point, all tubes and caps are either original, or at least 30 years old.
The kicker is....this amp is so quiet that you can barely tell if it is on, and that is with the volume wide open.

Speaking of volume, check the funky center-tapped configuration. "0" is at the 12:00 o'clock position, and turning it either clockwise or counter-clockwise gives two different tonal options.

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PostPosted: Mon Aug 07, 2006 12:35 pm
by oddioguy
This amp is in use, and eventually something will go up in smoke inside it. With no known schematics available, I figured I had better produce my own.
This was the hardest component to identify. Obviously part of the tone stack, but the numbers on it meant nothing to me...

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I did eventually figure out that it is indeed a resistor / capacitor network, and was able to determine the values of the individual internal components.

PostPosted: Sun Aug 13, 2006 11:44 am
by oddioguy
Just a quick note -
Caig's MCL and DeOxit are under review with Environment Canada which means that I had to pull them from my stock for now.

OH NO! :-(

These are the best products I have found for rejuvenating pots/sliders and metal contacts, respectively.

I'll keep you posted as events unfold.

PostPosted: Sat Aug 19, 2006 10:36 am
by oddioguy
oddioguy wrote:
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There are two obviously different construction techniques within the Berelson. The power supply and power amp stages are built on turret boards, while the preamp section uses Cinch terminal stips. This all points to Frazier or Grommes amps being reworked as a guitar amp. It's no wonder there is so little info around about these.

PostPosted: Sat Aug 19, 2006 10:39 am
by oddioguy
Stage full of Beleson, circa the 1960's.

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PostPosted: Mon Sep 04, 2006 10:04 am
by Alain Benoit
Good thing I got lotsa Red, Blue and Gold in stock!!

PostPosted: Mon Sep 04, 2006 10:08 am
by Alain Benoit
Can you find the fault?Image

PostPosted: Mon Sep 04, 2006 10:10 am
by Alain Benoit
How about now?
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PostPosted: Mon Sep 04, 2006 10:17 am
by Alain Benoit
Took me a good hour or more with the scope to find this fault. Burried under a 48 pin socket, so practically invisible. Enough of a fault to trip the Logic rail sense line on the power supply.

PostPosted: Mon Sep 04, 2006 10:26 am
by Alain Benoit
See any corrosion on these "tack" switches?Image

PostPosted: Mon Sep 04, 2006 10:28 am
by Alain Benoit
How about now?Image
The odd cola spilled in this foot controller!!

PostPosted: Mon Sep 04, 2006 10:40 am
by Alain Benoit
Maintenance on D&D's DDA desk.Image

PostPosted: Mon Sep 04, 2006 10:43 am
by Alain Benoit
Bucket out.Image

PostPosted: Mon Sep 04, 2006 10:46 am
by Alain Benoit
Rail out.Image

PostPosted: Mon Sep 04, 2006 10:48 am
by Alain Benoit
Rail on busses for diagnostics.Image

PostPosted: Thu Sep 14, 2006 3:57 pm
by oddioguy
I've been a bit slack in my posting lately. Will try to remedy that when I get a night off.... :-(

PostPosted: Sat Oct 07, 2006 8:02 am
by oddioguy
Update on Caig products -
Well, here we are 2-1/2 monthe further down the road, and we finally got a response from some paper-pusher regarding Caig DeOxit and MCL.
Essentially, they have now taken over 3 months to illuminate us with the fact that these 2 products contain some ingredients that they can identify, some ingredients that are considered trade secrets, and that we are responsible for aquiring the complete list of ingredients from the manufacturer (who already disclosed this list, which was forwarded to the aforementioned government dep't) and determining its' suitability for resale.

In summary - The department responsible for determining a products environmental safety has disavowed any resposibility for determining these products environmental safety and put that responsibility back on us, but will sue our asses off if we make the wrong choice.
Over 4 months in all it took for them to generate 3 e-mails and a "fuck you, good luck"