So while i’m at it, I might as well do this now. On another thread I posted, I mentioned burned screen grid wires and un soldered resistor joints. I figured now is good time to replace these old sockets. Being that they’re so old, the pins are all loose and I can not re-tension them. what i did was take everything off but the heater wires and then i’ll swap them one by one. after that, I’ll add the other wires.
I would leave them in the parts used in those days are better then you might think . If you do replace them don’t get the cheap Chinese crap
The pins are replaceable ya know? If it's just a couple pins that are beyond help, you can bend them flat and push them right out socket coming out the side the tube pushes into. Even better, if they're the old Amphenol ceramic sockets (aka the good stuff), the new Belton sockets have pins that are almost exact replacements. And they too are removable/replaceable in exactly the same way.
yeah i re-tensioned them a few times in the past but these sockets seen hundreds of tube sets throughout its life. Shorts, burned wires, resistors, they’re beat to hell. All 32 pin holes are worn very loosely. i’ll update with some pics.
If you replace them suggest you go with the Amphenol type ceramics or Beltons. Most of the other modern ones are crap!
damn! The new Belton sockets don’t fit! The mounting holes don’t Match. I need 1 7/8” center to center, not 1.5”. Hard to find but i did find exact replacements like the photo above.
What a let down! i was all ready to get to work too. Music going, hot coffee, perfect mood.....oh well
So the new ones don’t fit either! the mounting holes are correct, however, the socket hole diameter is 0.2 mm too small for the new socket. I was showing my wife my frustration and she asked me if they would fit top mounted and it works! Not sure if this is the “right way” or not but what works, works. I want this amp up and running ASAP! Can’t wait to plug in my Strat with a Russian Big Muff / SD- Stack. That and my Les Paul with the DS-1 . Oh and then there’s the Rat with my Strats and Teles.
