Did any body experienced trouple from not changing amp filter caps?

[jacpot222]

Am planning on checking my jcm 800 2204 LCR caps, but not sure how urgent i should do it

 

[Floyd Eye]

Well, if some of them leak it could smoke your tranny.

 

[technomancer]

If they're leaking or bulging replace them. If they read out of spec replace them. If they read fine, look fine, and work fine check them periodically and leave them alone. There is no reason to replace caps that are functioning properly, especially if you are capable of checking / replacing them yourself.

 

[Racerxrated]

Am planning on checking my jcm 800 2204 LCR caps, but not sure how urgent i should do it

Nope.

With many amps, once you hit the 10 year old mark, yes they should at least be inspected. You can have a good tech check them with a capacitance meter.
But, with older Marshalls, specifically the 80s LCRs, 70s Daly and even earlier 60s Erie filter caps you may not have anything to worry about. And, yes, if you do change them regardless the tone will change. Whether you like the change or not, is up to your ears.
Those older caps that Marshall used, to quote a very well respected tech have "unnatural long life". Ie they seem to be immortal. I've had 60+ pre 1990 Marshalls over the years, and the only one I HAD to change the caps on was a 1983 2203 that Marshall used ITT green filter caps in, and they were visibly leaking powder out of the bottom. All the other caps, including the original caps in my 1968, 1972 Superleads and 1980 2203 are 100% original. No strange sounds and they punch like they should. No strange sounds, lack of punch, girth, low end etc.
Most of the time with older Marshalls, if it ain't broke don't fix it applies. You won't hurt anything doing it, but it does change the tone a bit and gets expensive. If you do, I'd recommend ARS caps as they don't seem to sound different than the LCRs. If you have an older 60s/70s amp you'll notice more of a tonal change.

 

[Bxlxaxkxe]

Nope.

With many amps, once you hit the 10 year old mark, yes they should at least be inspected. You can have a good tech check them with a capacitance meter.
But, with older Marshalls, specifically the 80s LCRs, 70s Daly and even earlier 60s Erie filter caps you may not have anything to worry about. And, yes, if you do change them regardless the tone will change. Whether you like the change or not, is up to your ears.
Those older caps that Marshall used, to quote a very well respected tech have "unnatural long life". Ie they seem to be immortal. I've had 60+ pre 1990 Marshalls over the years, and the only one I HAD to change the caps on was a 1983 2203 that Marshall used ITT green filter caps in, and they were visibly leaking powder out of the bottom. All the other caps, including the original caps in my 1968, 1972 Superleads and 1980 2203 are 100% original. No strange sounds and they punch like they should. No strange sounds, lack of punch, girth, low end etc.
Most of the time with older Marshalls, if it ain't broke don't fix it applies. You won't hurt anything doing it, but it does change the tone a bit and gets expensive. If you do, I'd recommend ARS caps as they don't seem to sound different than the LCRs. If you have an older 60s/70s amp you'll notice more of a tonal change.

Those green ones are so ugly too . I don’t like seeing those in a Marshall. Stupid but can’t help it

 

[TheBiggestJerk]

I did. I got put in time out, and lost Tv and phone for 2 weeks. And no desert.

 

[BesaMoogie]

I‘ve done a cap job only once on an early 2000s Randall RM100 amp. The amp was lacking volume and punch compared to my other Randall MTS amps.
Stock filtercaps were chinese Sus‘con caps. After the caps job, the smp sounded fine again.

On my Marshalls, punch and volume is always there and the caps look visibly fine, so I leave them

 

[anomaly]

Apparently when filter caps are on their way out the amp will lose some of it's punch, low end and won't sound as tight, especially at high volumes. With some amps it's barely noticeable though.

 

[anomaly]

I had an amp where some of the caps apparently leaked all over the circuit board shorting out some components. Cost me a small fortune to have it cleaned up and repaired.

 

[Floyd Eye]

My amp was made in 1961 and was all original. I sent it ( the chassis) to Don Butler in SoCal and had him give it a check up. He replaced the caps and put a 3 prong power cord on it. He even put a matched pair of NOS 6v6s in it at no charge.


If you fry the tranny in that amp though you’ll turn a $4000 amp into a $500 amp.