[bluehugh2]

Hey guys... can you identify this trannie... I obviously know nothing... is it the PT?
Thanks, Hugh H

 

[WCGill]

Yup.

 

[bluehugh2]

Thanks WC, I thought so, but when I bought it, it was identified as the OT... but I kinda thought the PT was the big one. This is a 63 VV reissue that was handwired later in it's life... I wonder if it's worth replacing the OT and Choke with Mercuries? Comments??? Thanks in advance.

 

[BSTheTech]

Why 4 transformers? Plus what is under the box shield (cap pan)?

 

[bluehugh2]

I never noticed the 4 transformers. Got me!!!???

 

[vadsy]

power transformer, output transformer and the little guys will probably be a choke and reverb/trem driver transformer.

 

[zdogma]

One is a choke the other is a reverb driver I think

 

[zdogma]

Yeah what Vadsy said.

 

[Granny Gremlin]

No it is not worth replacing the original choke, reverb driver, and OT with Mercuries if they are still in perfect working order. I mean Mercury is good iron, but also very expensive ( almost double or more in some cases vs eg Hammond) and not that good ( that much better proportional to price). Also usually you don’t get that investment back in terms of resale value. The originals are almost always worth more. If you need a replacement and want something flashier than Hammond, check Classic Tone first. Often not much more than a Hammond ( but in US so the shipping can kill it; still much cheaper than Mercury). They don’t have as many model-specific replacements as Mercury, but just about any Fender/Marshall/Vox they got. For my Sunn or other more obscure/ not as popular brands there are much fewer options other than Mercury which are super expensive due to huge.​

That said, if anything is ‘upgraded’ the most value is the OT. The guy who sold this to you knew that and that’s why he lied ( I doubt it was an honest mistake). That sort of ‘error’ would keep me from buying.

For future you can tell PT because :

- proximity to rectifier tube and power cord
- lay down flat style ( one winding is up, vs 2 lobes left and right with core in middle). Usually this means PT but a few OT s are like this, and sometimes PTs aren’t, but most of the time.
- if one T is in the middle vs one side or another, that is the OT ( also proximity speaker jacks and power tubes).

 

[bluehugh2]

Thanks GG, I believe it was an honest mistake on the PT vs OT... the guy I bought it from may know less about amps than I do (and I know nothing!)... and he’s an honest fellow ... I paid $1250 for this amp with no speakers... which I thought was a deal! For the record, it’s a 1990 ‘63 Brown Vibroverb reissue... all reworked as you see in the pics.