New Amp Day

[Simon Barden]

60th birthday present from the wife propping up my 50th birthday present from her. A used (2013) Fender 68 Custom Deluxe Reverb (one of their vintage modified series amps). It’s very nice. As is my dear and long-suffering wife. Could do with some new valves as it’s slightly noisier than you’d expect but not too bad as is.

[fender3x]

That is a truly badass Christmas gift. From what I have read, Fender got that one about exactly right.

Sent from my ONEPLUS A3000 using Tapatalk

[Simon Barden]

Unfortunately the vibrato circuit in the European model version is less than ideal. The original US version has a CdS opto-coupler in it, but as cadmium is banned under RoHS rules over here, they had to add an add-on solid state board to replace it. It's not quite the same and you have to adjust a pot to minimise the clock noise 'thump' it makes. I'll be having it looked at to see if it can be made better.

Quieter valves may help. Some Electro Harmonix 7025 valves (a proper 7025 remake that's pretty new on the market and not just a quiet and rebadged 12AX7) should arrive tomorrow (should really have arrived on Friday) which will (in theory) reduce the normal hiss and may improve the vib circuit noise.

[fender3x]

Unfortunately the vibrato circuit in the European model version is less than ideal. The original US version has a CdS opto-coupler in it, but as cadmium is banned under RoHS rules over here, they had to add an add-on solid state board to replace it.

This made me really curious for some reason. The first thing that seems odd is that Cd would be banned in a tiny electrical component when there is an exception carved out for NiCd batteries. I wondered whether I can get CdS opto-couplers, since so many companies in the US follow RoHS guidelines? The answer seems to be "yes" Mouser lists 27 different ones. Impressive since they seem to be used in almost nothing but trem circuits.

Then I saw that the EU *did* have an exception for optocouplers if used in pro-audio equipment. However, it expired right about the time that your amp was made in 2013. That's a bummer, but also weird since the reasoning for having the exemption then seems equally valid now. Nevertheless the exemption expired.

Then I thought, isn't RoHS an EU requirement? So I tried to figure out why RoHS is still in effect for the UK...or if it will be after December... and then I saw that Australia is working on an FTA with the EU. Are we on a slippery slope toward a world wide ban of opto-couplers? I don't know, and now I have a headache.

I really must be trying to avoid doing my actual job...

[McCreed]

Nice!
And a guitar you didn't build!!!

The birthday card in the background is a nice touch too. Cheeky.

[JimC]

And a guitar you didn't build!

There are a substantial number of those.

[robin]

Very nice Simon. Enjoy.

[king casey]

Happy Birthday Simon

Whoa! we are the same age.

cheers, Mark

[impala59]

Lucky you Simon, A great wife and a great amp! My SWMBO is keen on my getting smaller gear! Happy Birthday

[jonwhitear]

Happy Birthday Simon. Nice amp and nice guitar.