'57 Guild/Sonola comes home....

zizala

Member
Silver Supporting
Joined
May 9, 2009
Messages
439
Reaction score
248
Location
CT, USA
Just got this Sonola 100G back from repair and restoration....

I'd written a longer account on this amp and the work done, but mistakenly erased it, so briefly....

...it needed....a new output transformer, replace power supply filter components, out of tolerance resistors in the preamp section, some bad film caps, replace the 6L6's, and a lot of labor time.

Before all the trouble....along with the "interesting" cabinet design...the best thing it had going for it was a fine sounding and quite pristine Jensen P15-P with a '57 date code. The best 15" speaker I've yet heard....I played my Tweed Pro and others through it and it excelled on all accounts.

The circuit of this amp was not quite a Guild 66J (or 100J with the 15" speaker). My amp guy found a 66J schematic that had some resemblance, but with his deep knowledge and experience he managed find his own way and got it working quite well.
He had some comments about some dodgy ideas in the design that I wish I understood enough to share....most of what he was saying was a bit over my head. Sorry for that!

Its got a big sound but balanced with a smooth high end.....the controls tend to favor the warm side of tone but I'm a firm believer in having a pedal EQ available when needed when it come to using the various oddball amps I've accumulated.

It works!.....its great!

Thought it needed a photo with "appropriate" guitars.....though a large pearly accordion would suit it well.
First thing that strikes me is that I need to get rid of that awful flat screen TV and find one like my parents old 50's Capehart.



D
 
Last edited:

mavuser

Enlightened Member
Joined
Sep 15, 2010
Messages
8,128
Reaction score
2,636
Location
New York
Awesome! Try to reply to the thread again and "go advanced." Then look for "restore saved data" or "auto saved" or something in the text box like that. If you click that you may get your text back. That amp is totally killer!
 

59Panhead

Junior Member
Joined
Dec 21, 2013
Messages
88
Reaction score
0
Location
Roxboro, NC
You guys aren't much help with my ailment. I have the gear part of 'GAS'. Mainly amps, with an occasional guitar thrown in. I'm an old electronics tech making a return to tubes, in recent years. And, it's been a blast. Forgive me if I post a couple pictures of my non-Guild weaknesses:

Here's a Silvertone 1324 Archtop Electric and companion 1331 amp:



I only wanted the amp, but as they had been purchased as a companion set, and only sold as such. Man, am I glad I took the deal. The year escapes me, but they were only offered together in either '56 or '57. These have the same date codes, and I purchased it from the wife of the original owner. They didn't know it was in storage where it was found. When it was, the wife remembered her husband buying it for his own personal pleasure, playing it well. But, only on rare occasion. Then, when children started coming along, it was stored away and very forgotten.

Told you all of that to tell you this: They are in very, very new condition. And, I only gave what you would expect for the low end cost on the amp alone. I hate to call it a steal, as all parties were pleased with the transaction.

The little '51 Fender Champion 600 is the only Fender that I own. It is a nice sounding little amp, but doesn't hold a candle to the Silvertone. The amp behind is a wonderful sounding '66 Hilgen Troubadour.

And, here's a real jewel:



An early to mid 40's DeArmond Tremolo Control. Mine has the fat chicken-head knobs, though later 40's units had clear knobs. It sounds really great, though it doesn't have the range of depth that a tube oscillator Tremolo would. I took it to Church yesterday, to let my friend Don take it home to try out. He's our music leader, and a killer guitarist. I told him that it might possibly have better range in depth in an FX loop, being the signal would be stronger going in. None of my amps have effects loops. I didn't think about putting it between the little Danelectro pedal. I'll do so when I get it back. Anyway, it's a purely mechanical Tremolo, with a small canister of semi-conducting fluid that splashes and partially grounds the signal. Dan Formosa has a webpage dedicated to this unit, and helped me in bringing mine back to life. Windex is the fluid that he recommended to replace the missing. I did. It works.

I'll try to refrain from posting non-Guild addictions. But, it may be tough at times.

Jack
 

Default

Super Moderator
Platinum Supporting
Joined
Jul 30, 2007
Messages
13,595
Reaction score
3,008
Location
Philly, or thereabouts
Guild Total
11
There's a section for that too! I have a Hilgen HMB, which is a bass amp. Sorta. In a couple of weeks, I'll post my own list of musical oddities. Lol
 

Default

Super Moderator
Platinum Supporting
Joined
Jul 30, 2007
Messages
13,595
Reaction score
3,008
Location
Philly, or thereabouts
Guild Total
11
Oh, and my "A.A.S" seems to be growing with each passing day.

That Sonola is just droolworthy. Something about the cobwebbed grillcloth and the trapizoidal speaker cutout - rawr!
 

59Panhead

Junior Member
Joined
Dec 21, 2013
Messages
88
Reaction score
0
Location
Roxboro, NC
There's a section for that too! I have a Hilgen HMB, which is a bass amp. Sorta. In a couple of weeks, I'll post my own list of musical oddities. Lol
Have you been over to John Bannon's website, dedicated to the history of Hilgen Amps? Here's the link, in case others are interested:

http://www.hilgenamplifiers.net/index.html

I've worked on some drawings for him. I redrew his HM-B, though I'm still unsure of the correctness of the sketch that he sent me of the inputs. If you have an original drawing, I would like to see it, as the original that John posted has very poorly drawn inputs.

Jack
 

zizala

Member
Silver Supporting
Joined
May 9, 2009
Messages
439
Reaction score
248
Location
CT, USA
mavuser.....

Thanks for trying on the text recovery......but no dice.....I added most of it back since.....less is more!

Jack.....

Interesting old amps and accessories are always welcome on any of my topics. Love putting things in perspective.
How's that pickup/pickguard rig sound on the Silvertone archtop? I use the McCarty units on my old Gibson archtops and like them quite a lot.
Its the same idea and I'm the curious type.

Default....

I'll post my list if you post yours...wherever that special section may be.

D
 

59Panhead

Junior Member
Joined
Dec 21, 2013
Messages
88
Reaction score
0
Location
Roxboro, NC
Jack.....

Interesting old amps and accessories are always welcome on any of my topics. Love putting things in perspective.
How's that pickup/pickguard rig sound on the Silvertone archtop? I use the McCarty units on my old Gibson archtops and like them quite a lot.
Its the same idea and I'm the curious type.

D

I must appologize for hi-jacking your thread. I started it all. Again, I will refrain from doing so, and post in the proper place.

As to the archtop, I don't play well enough to do it justice. As a young man, I played very well. Enough so that I took great pleasure in it, mostly for myself. But, for some strange reason, I had this obsession to see the whole of the U.S. from the back of what has now become an old Harley (never mind that it was new in '76, when I started my travels). I lost all interest in everything but history and the places that it could take me. And, I did travel. But, I can no longer do so, and I have come back to my guitar(s), though they are not coming back to me with the same desire.

So, I depend on friends like Don De Jong (our Church music leader) and his friend, and now mine, Wade Baynham. I can tell you their first experiences with it in hand. They couldn't believe how well it was constructed. And, a Silvertone at that. I never had any thought otherwise, as old Harmonys have been my passion, my first being an H-76 that my Father gave me as a young teen. He spent money that he couldn't afford, and never regretted it. I still have it, though two of the three DeArmond pickups are giving problems. Anyway, both Don and Wade marveled at the sound of the archtop (electric or without) and how well it was set up, just the way I received it, though Don replaced the original strings with like gauge. Wade tried it on several amps, saying that the little Silvertone amp was a perfect mate for it. He did spend more time on the Hilgen amp, as he particularly liked it's sound.

There. I've gone off topic again. I'll do better. Have a good one.

Jack
 

Walter Broes

Enlightened Member
Joined
Jun 13, 2005
Messages
5,892
Reaction score
1,958
Location
Antwerp, Belgium
I have nothing to add really, except "cool stuff everyone!!!".

and Zizala, I've said it before, but I'll say it again - that is one beautiful X175!!!
 

zizala

Member
Silver Supporting
Joined
May 9, 2009
Messages
439
Reaction score
248
Location
CT, USA
Thanks Walter......I'm sure you'd make it sing.....

Maybe I should crop that other stuff out of the photo? :smile-new:

For me.....someone thats always favoring neck pickups, this ones got the best blend tone I've had on a guitar (and quite an interesting place to be) and thats with just the earlier two knobs and a switch wiring.

D
 
Last edited:

Walter Broes

Enlightened Member
Joined
Jun 13, 2005
Messages
5,892
Reaction score
1,958
Location
Antwerp, Belgium
All the other stuff in the pic can stay!! And I don't mean the flat screen TV either!:smile-new:

The twin pickup sound on a Franz equipped guitar is glorious, I leave the selector switch in that position a lot.

What's the Gibson amp on the left?
 

zizala

Member
Silver Supporting
Joined
May 9, 2009
Messages
439
Reaction score
248
Location
CT, USA
Thats a '55 GA-20....the first year with the three 12AX7's in the circuit......



Its become one of my all time favorites among my older amps in the 15 watt range.....in another place, but a good counterpoint to a Princeton Reverb..
.......if I had to keep just a few that one would stay.
 
Last edited:

Walter Broes

Enlightened Member
Joined
Jun 13, 2005
Messages
5,892
Reaction score
1,958
Location
Antwerp, Belgium
Sweet!!!

Talking of amps, and Gibsons, a guy from the Netherlands I "met" on the Gretsch forum has been busy building a slightly modernized "clone" of a Gibson EH-185. It's a pretty cool amp - kind of like an EH-185 that will hang with a heavy handed drummer. Here's a clip of me noodling through their second proto in my living room : http://youtu.be/d1gvmMGZzfA
 

zizala

Member
Silver Supporting
Joined
May 9, 2009
Messages
439
Reaction score
248
Location
CT, USA
Oh thats a nice little demo, Walter!

Looks and sounds to be a very good rendition that allows you to put out lots of choice sounds....
I've never played through an original EH-185, but have a few Gibson's from the late 40's that are unique but do satisfy.

And a CE-100 too? I always remember you for the pair of X-175's......perhaps the CE is a better "sofa" guitar!

D
 

Walter Broes

Enlightened Member
Joined
Jun 13, 2005
Messages
5,892
Reaction score
1,958
Location
Antwerp, Belgium
Oh, the 175's aren't going anywhere! Have been playing the CE a lot lately - great neck, great sound too.

That "185" amp is really nice - I'd buy one if I could afford one.
 

zizala

Member
Silver Supporting
Joined
May 9, 2009
Messages
439
Reaction score
248
Location
CT, USA
Bill,

This is fun.....lots of attention to the peripherals in that photo!
I probably should have swept the floor and dusted.....:moody:

That would be a '55 Guild Masteramp Model 66.
I posted a topic about it awhile ago and included these photos.
Another Guild amp that required some extra thought and effort to make safe and useable. Around 10 or 12 watts.
It has quite an impressive transparent clean tone played at low to mid volumes. I like that and have no need push it any further, so I'm more than satisfied. Somebody could get some grind out of it I'm sure.


 
Last edited:
Joined
Apr 30, 2018
Messages
1
Reaction score
0
That's a lovely set, even with the 21st century giveaways in the picture.

Wilfred,
Hope you and your Sonola are still here in the forum.

I have that exact Sonola amp in my mom's basement.
There are no tubes in it.
Can you tell me the tube line up from left to right as you look at it from the rear.

Many thanks,
TromNek (ken mort)
 

Default

Super Moderator
Platinum Supporting
Joined
Jul 30, 2007
Messages
13,595
Reaction score
3,008
Location
Philly, or thereabouts
Guild Total
11
Wilfred,
Hope you and your Sonola are still here in the forum.

I have that exact Sonola amp in my mom's basement.
There are no tubes in it.
Can you tell me the tube line up from left to right as you look at it from the rear.

Many thanks,
TromNek (ken mort)

If you are following this, that amp isn't Wilfred's. Pull the back panel off the amp and post a shot of it. The first 8 pin socket is the rectifier. That should *probably* be a 5AR4/GZ34. The next two tubes should be 6L6gts. Those are the power tubes. There should be 3 smaller 9 pin sockets, Those *should* be all 12ax7s.
 
Top