Dudley Craven - Black Fronted Traffolyte Amplifier (~64):

[Biasd]

Hi everyone,




These come up for sale every now and then, and generally, they command fairly high prices. This one looks to be mid-sixties, perhaps 64. I've retained the shell that is came to me in (even though it's a bit odd), it's part of the history of the amp. The shell's been cleaned up a little.
I was wondering if perhaps there's anyone on here who might be able to shed some more light on it and it's value?

 

[Nik Henville]

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@Ken Underwood might shed light on her
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[Ken Underwood]

Without seeing whats inside, underside of the chassis that is.

Dont recognize the outside but looking at the Bulgin mains connector then it an early one

Give us a picture of the chassis.

 

[Ned B]

The transformers don't seem old enough. Especially the power as a standup type. Still need to see the inside. No telling what changes may have been made over the years.

 

[ampmadscientist]

Hi everyone,

Sad days are coming up for me and this amplifier. It looks like I am going to have to part ways with it.

View attachment 67664 View attachment 67665 View attachment 67667

View attachment 67668
These come up for sale every now and then, and generally, they command fairly high prices. This one looks to be mid-sixties, perhaps 64. I've retained the shell that is came to me in (even though it's a bit odd), it's part of the history of the amp. The shell's been cleaned up a little.
I was wondering if perhaps there's anyone on here who might be able to shed some more light on it and it's value?

Please show photos of the insides?

 

[Biasd]

Here you go...




One of the transformers was missing it's covers when it came to me so used covers were sourced.

 

[pleximaster]

I have worked on this amp as it was robbed of many old parts and its been restored in comparison to other "Ken and Dudley" amps. (These were made by Ken Bran and Dudley Craven and sold as chassis only more or less on the side from Marshall, reason they didn't have head box cabinets were that Jim initially was making all head boxes him self.) These amps eventually evolved in the initiation of the Park amps where all parties benefited.

The transformers are old 60´s Douglas transformers. The MT came with frames and exposed tags as they did back then and I put on the covers to make it safer.

 

[LPMarshall hack]

Wow, cool piece of Marshall history!

 

[pleximaster]

Here is a comparison between Biasd amp and another Ken & Dudley amp that was sold on Ebay (6-7 years ago?) and eventually ended up at Denmark street and then I lost track of it...

These amps had various transformers that were found in the parts bins at the local radio parts stores...

 

[Ned B]

There was one of these on ebay a good 12 years ago that also had the component leads wrapped around the turrets. I bet it sounds sweet!

 

[Gene Ballzz]

@pleximaster & @Biasd

So were these "sold as chassis only more or less on the side from Marshall" amps actually identical (circuit wise) to the ones being sold by Marshall, or do they generally constitute the beginnings of the "modification culture" that has evolved surrounding Marshall (and many other) amplifiers?

Just Curious Here?
Gene

 

[pleximaster]

@pleximaster & @Biasd

So were these "sold as chassis only more or less on the side from Marshall" amps actually identical (circuit wise) to the ones being sold by Marshall, or do they generally constitute the beginnings of the "modification culture" that has evolved surrounding Marshall (and many other) amplifiers?

Just Curious Here?
Gene

More or less the same but used parts that they could source and especially transformers. Many of these have these special red indicator light, Sato knobs (Also found on some offsets) and black tryffolyte front panel with white texting.

 

[ampmadscientist]

Here you go...

View attachment 67687
View attachment 67688

One of the transformers was missing it's covers when it came to me so used covers were sourced.

Oh wow dude.

 

[ampmadscientist]

@pleximaster & @Biasd

So were these "sold as chassis only more or less on the side from Marshall" amps actually identical (circuit wise) to the ones being sold by Marshall, or do they generally constitute the beginnings of the "modification culture" that has evolved surrounding Marshall (and many other) amplifiers?

Just Curious Here?
Gene

The circuit looks pretty identical from what I can see in the photos.

 

[CptZar]

Nice amp. Txs for sharing.

 

[Biasd]

Nice amp. Txs for sharing.

No problems, I wish the few of these that are about would get more exposure. Just think what was going on in the music scene in 1964! The Jimi Hendrix Experience, at the Royal Albert Hall hadn't even happened yet (1969!).
What a magical time.

 

[boola1]

Nice to see a piece of history, thanks!

The answer to how much this is worth is most definitely "whatever someone is willing to pay for it" especially given that it's a 'restoration'.

 

[Nik Henville]

No problems, I wish the few of these that are about would get more exposure. Just think what was going on in the music scene in 1964! The Jimi Hendrix Experience, at the Royal Albert Hall hadn't even happened yet (1969!).
What a magical time.

Oh...
It certainly was

 

[Ken Underwood]

Been having a very close look at the construction of this amp and a couple of things jump out at me.

1. The cutouts for the transformers are far too clean, the early ones were done with what at the time was called a Q Max cutter, so you had two holes side by side, then with a file the two holes were opened up but it was never neat as the one in the picture.

2. The heater wiring is very sloppy and is black and white not black and red.

3. The soldering is very poor and no way did either Dudley or Ken have anything to do with that.

4. As for them making chassis only then guys do you think they had time on there hands whilst they were full on with making orders for amps with cases.

5. Finally it has been said that Jim made cases, he didnt, this has come from a remark made a long time ago were a neighbor had said that Jim worked late into the night as his garage was full of cases, yes it was, that is because they had no room to store them in the early shops.

Good job i have a good memory.

 

[Biasd]

Been having a very close look at the construction of this amp and a couple of things jump out at me.

1. The cutouts for the transformers are far too clean, the early ones were done with what at the time was called a Q Max cutter, so you had two holes side by side, then with a file the two holes were opened up but it was never neat as the one in the picture.

2. The heater wiring is very sloppy and is black and white not black and red.

3. The soldering is very poor and no way did either Dudley or Ken have anything to do with that.

4. As for them making chassis only then guys do you think they had time on there hands whilst they were full on with making orders for amps with cases.

5. Finally it has been said that Jim made cases, he didn't, this has come from a remark made a long time ago were a neighbour had said that Jim worked late into the night as his garage was full of cases, yes it was, that is because they had no room to store them in the early shops.

Good job i have a good memory.

Hi Ken,

With all due respect Ken, I feel I need to respond to a couple of your points.

• I have to disagree about the colour of the heater wires. I have come to understand that early Dudley amps did have black and white heater wires. In fact, from the pictures I have seen of yours, the heater wires on your early Dudley Craven prototype are black and white also aren't they?...
  
  
  
  
• As mentioned in this post, this is an amp that has been restored, due to the life it has had. From the images I have seen of these amps, Dudley's calling card was to wrap component legs around the turrets instead of pushing them straight in the turret. So that's been adhered too, where components have been replaced. Looking back at pictures of early ones, I would say the soldering is comparable. I wouldn't say the quality of the soldering is as bad as you make out, but that's just my opinion and I am no specialist!
  
  
• I'm not sure your points regarding cases for chassis are aimed at me, although I am becoming more aware of the politics (steering clear of that debate). The case pictured above, was not made for the chassis. It's a VOX, Orange or PA case of some sort, who knows. I've kept it with the chassis since that's how it came to me. We had to spin it around and fit it as the holes didn't even line up.

I personally feel that this is an early DC amp that got abandoned in someones shed/modified somewhere between when it was manufactured and now. I don't believe that I am alone in this feeling and I am happy that we brought it back to life, as it should be (as close as we practically can anyway).