ash Posted October 26, 2018 Share Posted October 26, 2018 (edited) Those of you who follow the ‘Ebay Weird & Wonderful’ thread in Marketplace may have seen a recent entry about this. I was lucky enough to be able to use the buy it now and my bandmate who was in Manchester yesterday picked it up. So for the princely sum of £20 and some cash for my bandmate’s dinner and petrol - this old amp arrived last night. I’ve included some pictures as I know very little about the amp or the brand - I do know it is around 40 years old and SAI recently began producing boutique valve combos again in the UK. I have owned a SAI amp before - that was a slave amp and I used a Trace Elliot preamp with it and a Trace cab. It sounded big and fat and very clean but it weighed a ton. This one is much lighter. I wouldn’t mind more info as there is little on the net about them. I also am looking for a local tech to service it. The good news is it works! Well partially, channel 1 is not working however 2 gives a lovely warm tone. I haven’t boosted the Master volume yet as all the pots are very scratchy and need a good clean. It’s also got the usual valve buzz, very clean inside with little corrosion to the chassis ( it was the ubiquitous loft find ) Overall I think I got a bargain - reminds me of the days when my Dad helped me fix up an old Selmer Zodiac and a Vox AC50. I definitely need a grill for the back. Any information gratefully received! Edited October 26, 2018 by ash 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gary mac Posted October 26, 2018 Share Posted October 26, 2018 Don't forget to discharge the capacitors before poking around in there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hellzero Posted October 26, 2018 Share Posted October 26, 2018 Looks like a Marshall 50 Watts clone and it's more than a bargain, it's a gift. Check the valve for the first channel, it's certainly dead and like @gary mac wrote, it's a matter of life to fully discharge the capacitors before putting your hands in it. AND as those filter capacitors are double capacitors, discharge both parts for your own safety. I had a surprise one day as the junction wire between the two parts was broken but still contacting, so one part was still fully charged : my soldering iron still remembers it as it made the earth and a nice flame with some smoke... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ash Posted October 26, 2018 Author Share Posted October 26, 2018 Thanks for the advice, yes I won’t be poking around in there as I got a bad shock from my old Selmer when I was 13 - I’d just got it and my Dad was at work - he worked for Mullards so he knew all about valves and how lethal this gear is - I couldn’t wait for him and plugged it in and got a nasty tingle. I learnt my lesson and subsequently won’t touch anything with valves in! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bigwan Posted October 26, 2018 Share Posted October 26, 2018 A proper bargain there! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheGreek Posted October 26, 2018 Share Posted October 26, 2018 £20?? Bargain...good buy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ash Posted October 28, 2018 Author Share Posted October 28, 2018 A bit more information about the old SAI valve amp I picked up recently. I took it to bits after discharging the capacitor and have given it a good switch clean. There were also a couple of dry solder joints so I’ve fixed them and a broken wire on input one. Hey presto all the inputs work now - albeit with a little encouragement on channel 1. The Volume pot may need replacing although it probably hasn’t been used in years. I’m also going to make a back for it using some wire mesh. The thing kicks out a beefy sound through my Barefaced cab even though it’s not a bass amp. 50 watts of valve goodness for £20. Oh yes I’ve also found out SAI amps were made in Standish near Wigan and I believe the original makers are building boutique amps again! I still want to get it serviced but at least I know it works. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beer of the Bass Posted October 28, 2018 Share Posted October 28, 2018 Interesting, I wonder if that little perfboard by the inputs with the two transistors is a mod? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pea Turgh Posted October 28, 2018 Share Posted October 28, 2018 I know it’d be daft to do it, but it looks like there’s blank space in the outer wooden shell on either side - you could make the box narrower and it wouldn’t overhang as much on the cab! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ash Posted October 28, 2018 Author Share Posted October 28, 2018 51 minutes ago, Beer of the Bass said: Interesting, I wonder if that little perfboard by the inputs with the two transistors is a mod? Yes I think it may well be as volume one appears to have an effect on volume two when the bass is plugged into channel two. I had it on for about an hour today and it really has some punch to it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beer of the Bass Posted October 28, 2018 Share Posted October 28, 2018 (edited) 1 hour ago, ash said: Yes I think it may well be as volume one appears to have an effect on volume two when the bass is plugged into channel two. I had it on for about an hour today and it really has some punch to it! With a Marshall type circuit, the channel volumes will affect the tone of one channel when plugged into the other, but not the volume so much. Edited October 28, 2018 by Beer of the Bass 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichardH Posted November 1, 2018 Share Posted November 1, 2018 What dimension is the back? I have an old rear grille from a Selmer here, dimensions 50.5cm x 14.2cm. Tolex covered ply with a centre section of metal grill material. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ash Posted November 2, 2018 Author Share Posted November 2, 2018 It’s probably narrower but I’ll measure it - cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cattytown Posted November 4, 2018 Share Posted November 4, 2018 (edited) SAI I think were something like Sound Advice Installations. If memory serves, they were in Standish, Wigan, though as I type maybe Coppull. Edited November 4, 2018 by cattytown Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmccombe7 Posted November 5, 2018 Share Posted November 5, 2018 WOW what an interesting thread. Great find. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JapanAxe Posted November 6, 2018 Share Posted November 6, 2018 On 28/10/2018 at 17:31, Pea Turgh said: I know it’d be daft to do it, but it looks like there’s blank space in the outer wooden shell on either side - you could make the box narrower and it wouldn’t overhang as much on the cab! That's exactly what I'd want to do! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted November 6, 2018 Share Posted November 6, 2018 1 minute ago, JapanAxe said: That's exactly what I'd want to do! Me too! That is, if Ash sells it to me. I'll give you £50 for it, Ash. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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