Recent 5150 BL pickup, may need caps?

[daveyisgreatmkii]

Recently picked up an OG 5150 Block Letter, up close looks as though it's been rode hard and put away wet but sounded great through my 1960BX...for a few days. Very disappointing. I'm getting a loud hum now as soon as the amp warms up. I've checked all tubes and I'm thinking it may need a cap job, I have some amp knowledge but not enough to diagnose for sure, and certainly not the knowledge and ability to do the caps or repairs for that matter. Anyone know of a good repair shop in NW Chicagoland or thereabouts?

Part of me wants to cut my losses and unload it in favor of digital (new Helix Stadium perhaps?) but real amps are so awesome. And it's an OG 5150 Block Letter. Can't be that expensive to fix it up, right?

 

[chumbucket]

Doesn't look too bad. I'm guessing most techs would charge about $200-250 for parts and labor on a cap job. I might be wrong.

 

[BeZo]

I had mine recapped when I got it. I remember hyping it up to my girlfriend at the time, and when we got it home to play it, she was unimpressed. I was like "Yeah, this needs work. It shouldn't sound this weak and saggy.

After I got all the caps done, it ripped. It still rips. It's totally worth it.

Bad caps will make it sound saggy and loose (at least to me).

 

[glpg80]

Amp is due for a full recap of mains, screen, preamp, and bias capacitors. In these the bias caps are essential since the DC heaters are necessary for hum reduction due to the gain level. Everyone forgets there’s electrolytics in the preamp too that need replaced.

Whole amp has to be blown apart for repairs. I typically recommend upgrading to a choke, modding these for bias, and converting from triode to pentode to help with today’s shittier supply of tubes to last longer.

Pots also need a good cleaning. Every one of these are board mounted and you’ll want to have them all checked by a tech while it’s blown apart and any replaced as necessary.