tsprad Messages: 9 Registered: February 2008 Location: Dallas Texas
Junior Member
Last Monday I bought a K200 head off craigslist for $100. It's missing one knob and the nameplate, and one channel doesn't work, but the reverb channel works. He gave me a set of schematics with it. Date codes on the components suggest it was made in 1968.
So I'm warning you all that I'm going to be pestering you for information and parts sources. First question: are there any hi-res pictures of these things out on the web that I could compare mine to?
tsprad Messages: 9 Registered: February 2008 Location: Dallas Texas
Junior Member
Thanks! I've figured out that it's the one that RickV described in msg#8907 last September.
Tell me, is it considered blasphemy to replace the original power cord with a shorter, grounded one? Would that make a difference to noise? Or to safety?
If you were going to put it in a museum, I am sure that somebody would say don't do it.
But if you are going to use the amp, I would say change it.
Sometimes a 3 prong cord makes it quieter, sometimes it doesn't.
But it will definitely make it safer.
tsprad Messages: 9 Registered: February 2008 Location: Dallas Texas
Junior Member
No, the front is fine (missing one knob), but there's no serial number or power rating tag. There's at least one extra pop rivet that isn't holding anything, and some extra holes that look like they may have held something to wind up the power cord on.
tsprad Messages: 9 Registered: February 2008 Location: Dallas Texas
Junior Member
Well, I've got both channels working now, and I installed a NEMA power connector so it now has a removable, grounded power cord.
The problem with the dead channel was that both the PNP and NPN transistors on the input were blown. I used a 2N4401A and a 2N3638A. It still has a bit of hiss, but I'm pleased with the progress.
stevem Messages: 4733 Registered: June 2004 Location: NY
Senior Member
One of my 200 heads is like yours with rivited on serial number plate missing, which is usally a sign that the head was stollen from someone at some point and then sold.
tsprad Messages: 9 Registered: February 2008 Location: Dallas Texas
Junior Member
Yeah, I kinda figured that, that it was stolen at some time in the last forty years. It would make an interesting story if I could find out when, where, and from whom, but the chance of that is approximately zero.
Provenance, like the power cord, would be important if I was putting it in a museum.