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New owner of a K 50-2; any schems available? [message #10124]

Tue, 23 December 2008 01:44

tom o
Messages: 8
Registered: December 2008
Location: DC

Junior Member

Hi All,

I finally got one, after waiting 4 decades! This Cascade combo is in excellent shape, but I'm wondering if the 1/3 second burst of moderately loud hum upon power-up is related to the age of the electrolytic caps--this gem is almost 40, after all.

Also, the Red Llama and Zendrive clones that sound fine with my tube amps just bring out the 'fizz' in this combo; are there any favorite OD/distortion units with owners of these amps? Or is the aluminum dust cap factoring in here?

If the amp never makes it to the stage for lack of sweet distortion sounds it's OK...I've lusted after these amps since before I knew what lust was, and my present 'object-of-lust' loves this unit as a "design element"; so she's a keeper, too!

Thanks in advance, for any answers on schematic availability, caps, or OD choices--sincerely,

tom o

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Re: New owner of a K 50-2; any schems available? [message #10125 is a reply to message #10124]

Tue, 23 December 2008 10:48

stevem
Messages: 4778
Registered: June 2004
Location: NY

Senior Member

All Kustoms have a transient thump/ hum at turn on, but yes it would not hurt to replace the two main PS rail can caps after 35 + years, and upping the MFD value by 500 MFD would help also.

many over drive boxes do not sound good with Kustom amps as other than the early Frankinstein model heads have a very wide frequency responce and the high end when pushed tends to be brittle and spiky/harsh!
Also so do not drive the amp too hard with alot of signal as that type of distortion that is produced bt clipping the input stage sounds real bad, and you may also stand a good chance of popping that first gain stage transistor by using too much drive level from the stomp box. This is why they ended up adding distortion circiuts into the bigger serise amps.
I find that added stomp box distortion sounds best thru a Kustom when the boosted signal is no louder than what the amp is set for when going straight in.
In doing this you need to set the up for you loudest solo volume you will need when straight in, and then set your stomp box to match that volume level but just distorted. So for backing playing you can than roll your guitars volume back to get your backed down clean stage level.
A volume pedal helps a lot with this!

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Re: New owner of a K 50-2; any schems available? [message #10132 is a reply to message #10125]

Wed, 24 December 2008 05:09

tom o
Messages: 8
Registered: December 2008
Location: DC

Junior Member

Thanks, the search for caps is on...

Thanks also for the heads up on the input stage; it actually sounded pretty good when overdriven with just a boost (happened to be a pretty dark sounding boost, good for this app), but it's not worth risking blown transistors, especially vintage silicon-

I found a place in Canada that offers a K50-2 schem for under $20; I should have it, available to share soon.

tom o

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Re: New owner of a K 50-2; any schems available? [message #10134 is a reply to message #10124]

Wed, 24 December 2008 15:56

stevem
Messages: 4778
Registered: June 2004
Location: NY

Senior Member

Replacement preamp transistors are cheap these days, some 15 cents each and they are less noisy also!

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Re: New owner of a K 50-2; any schems available? [message #10139 is a reply to message #10134]

Thu, 25 December 2008 02:29

tom o
Messages: 8
Registered: December 2008
Location: DC

Junior Member

stevem wrote on Wed, 24 December 2008 15:56

Replacement preamp transistors are cheap these days, some 15 cents each and they are less noisy also!

Well that's good news; would they be the same part # as the originals, or upgrades? BTW Merry Christmas to all who celebrate-

tom o

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Re: New owner of a K 50-2; any schems available? [message #10140 is a reply to message #10124]

Thu, 25 December 2008 12:52

stevem
Messages: 4778
Registered: June 2004
Location: NY

Senior Member

No, in general they are different part numbers now dependant on the brand of manufacture, but common numbers like 2N3904 and 2N3906 cen even be had from Radio Shack.
The output transistors 2N3055 can be had for less than 2.50 each!

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Re: New owner of a K 50-2; any schems available? [message #10236 is a reply to message #10124]

Thu, 08 January 2009 14:58

KustomBlues
Messages: 495
Registered: June 2001
Location: Michigan

Senior Member

You are gonna love that K50!! I loved my little blue one.

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Re: New owner of a K 50-2; any schems available? [message #10242 is a reply to message #10124]

Thu, 08 January 2009 22:46

tom o
Messages: 8
Registered: December 2008
Location: DC

Junior Member

"loved"? as in past tense?

The honeymoon's still on here; brought mine to a NYE jam party and (sonically) abused it a bit, but it sounded great all night.

Did you maintain/upgrade yours, and find replacement electrolytic caps? Haven't found the right combination of physical & electrical specs just yet, myself. The Ranger Audio guys in Cananda have not replied to my request for a schematic yet, neither; I'll give them another try soon.

Cheers, Tom O

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Re: New owner of a K 50-2; any schems available? [message #10244 is a reply to message #10242]

Fri, 09 January 2009 09:08

C4ster
Messages: 686
Registered: June 2001
Location: Mukwonago, WI (Milwaukee...

Senior Member

As far as the electrolytic caps is concerned, you only need to have equal or higher voltage and a larger Mfd rating is also good. I have replaced caps in my K100 at 4 times the rated Mfd's. The only consideration is the fuse may blow on power-up and you need to go to a slow blow fuse, but that's it. You will, more than likely, have to mount the caps differently as the physical dimensions may be different.
Conrad

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Re: New owner of a K 50-2; any schems available? [message #10246 is a reply to message #10124]

Fri, 09 January 2009 12:27

pleat
Messages: 1459
Registered: June 2004
Location: Belding, Mi

Senior Member

Glad to see you finally have one. I have owned several and the K50 is my main amp. I have no problems using outboard floor pedals. I run a Roland GR33 Synth. pedal into a Digitech RP1 processor pedal into the K50. This set up give me keyboard, brass, violin, pedal steel, distortion, echo, chorus and on an on for effects. I actually boost my processors and I cover everything from AC/DC Heart to Gretchen Wilson and I run the volume at 9 o'clock on the amp. I have been on stage with bands who run 100 watt half stacks and they can't believe the tone and volume that little amp produces. I once had a guy ask me to turn down, his 100 watt half stack was on 9 and the K50 was smoking his amp. I don't do anything special, the amp is just as it came from the factory. The only modificaton I did was ad a new Jensen 12" 8 ohm speaker. I've played that setup for 10 years now, and have done outdoor events to small clubs with no problem being heard. Light weight, kool factor of 11 and the looks still turns heads.
pleat

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Re: New owner of a K 50-2; any schems available? [message #10248 is a reply to message #10242]

Fri, 09 January 2009 20:49

KustomBlues
Messages: 495
Registered: June 2001
Location: Michigan

Senior Member

Yes, in past tense... When my brother Randy (KustomKlein) died I sold all my Kustoms. It just ripped me up too bad to look at them. Randy is the one who got me into them. the K50 was one of the best ones made I think, that and the 100-1 head.

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Re: New owner of a K 50-2; any schems available? [message #10249 is a reply to message #10246]

Fri, 09 January 2009 21:20

tom o
Messages: 8
Registered: December 2008
Location: DC

Junior Member

Wow, all that headroom @9 o'clock volume setting? That Jensen must be a sensitive speaker! Either way I thought the higher wattage units would be too much for my purp's. Very happy thus far w/the 50; happy to hear that these pups still kick (stack) ass on stage, heh.
tom o

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Re: New owner of a K 50-2; any schems available? [message #10251 is a reply to message #10248]

Fri, 09 January 2009 21:36

tom o
Messages: 8
Registered: December 2008
Location: DC

Junior Member

Sorry to hear about KustomKlein; when the time's right, I bet he'll drop a choice K50 in your lap...you'll know it when you see one in his fave color--at a great price!

Respectfully, Tom O.

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Re: New owner of a K 50-2; any schems available? [message #10258 is a reply to message #10251]

Sat, 10 January 2009 18:47

KustomBlues
Messages: 495
Registered: June 2001
Location: Michigan

Senior Member

You know, I think you're right. Thanks Tom!

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Re: New owner of a K 50-2; any schems available? [message #10277 is a reply to message #10258]

Wed, 14 January 2009 13:08

pleat
Messages: 1459
Registered: June 2004
Location: Belding, Mi

Senior Member

Hi Tom, I think I was the one that bought Deb's K50 and it was indeed mint. She did a lot of work to restore it to mint. She has a way of making them look new. I knew Randy as well. Great guy, and loved to talk kustoms. I do have a schematic for your K50 in a PDF document if you need one.
Yes my K50's really rock. I have been accused more than once of hot rodding it into some monster size power section. The jensen in my amp is a newer made in Italy 45.00 speaker I got off eBay.
I'm not sure how to get you the schematic, but someone will let us know.
pleat

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Re: New owner of a K 50-2; any schems available? [message #10278 is a reply to message #10277]

Wed, 14 January 2009 13:46

tom o
Messages: 8
Registered: December 2008
Location: DC

Junior Member

Thanks pleat, a plain ol' email to tommyo777 at hotmail dotski... would be cool and much appreciated

Also great to hear how these K50's are kicking sonic butt well into their middle age...kinda like I'd hope to be seen as doing.

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Re: New owner of a K 50-2; any schems available? [message #10281 is a reply to message #10278]

Wed, 14 January 2009 23:05

pleat
Messages: 1459
Registered: June 2004
Location: Belding, Mi

Senior Member

I really can't decifer your email address? tommyo777@hotmail. what?

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Re: New owner of a K 50-2; any schems available? [message #10282 is a reply to message #10281]

Thu, 15 January 2009 00:07

tom o
Messages: 8
Registered: December 2008
Location: DC

Junior Member

Sorry, I was trying to escape the spambots...it's "com" after the dot. Thanks again for your help.

tom o

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