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

[South Park]

Great job .

 

[Ken Underwood]

Was you there by any chance??

 

[Biasd]

No, I was not Ken, but I am aware that you were, when you were younger, and I have seen various examples of these amps.
I'm happy to debate and to understand things, like when and why the heater wire colours changed. For example, as I said, the amp you own conflicts with what you've said regarding wire colours. Is this something that you know more about?

As I've mentioned in earlier posts, or on another feed, I feel these amps don't get enough exposure to people who would be interested if they knew about them. Even Marshall's archivists seem to not understand the nature of the early DC/KB amps and the 'Marshall' story seems to redact much of the information that should be in there.

 

[Ken Underwood]

I may have been much younger then but the details are still pin sharp.

One thing i will not do is be put on a pedestal and asked to explain my self.

You mention archivists, well most if not all were not even born in 63 and botched together bits and pieces of unconfirmed info and every one believes it.

I was privileged to be there, be involved from day one, if not day zero, proud to say i had two fantastic mates in Dudley and Ken with the knowledge that i know what happend and did not happen for that matter, which will remain with me forever.

By the what year were you born out of interest??

 

[Biasd]

No worries Ken, sounds like you had a great time!
Totally with you on the archivists. I personally have not received any information from them whatsoever, as there really isn't any on these.

 

[Ken Underwood]

This is what it should look like today but still keeping old values.

 

[Nik Henville]

Interesting discussion re heater wiring.

Back in the late sixties and seventies, my then boss in bio-medical research always insisted that we used red wire for live, black wire for neutral, green wire for earth - and for the heater circuit, black and white wound together (using a hand turned drill), and then a rainbow of colours for various other wiring (control voltages and so on...). We bought it all from Radiospares trade counter, off Old Street. It was 13-17 Epworth Street, Shoreditch EC2, a couple of turnings down and off the City Road and opposite Bunhill Fields. We used to call it Radiospares even though It was renamed RS Components in about '71... the name stuck. Just the other side of Old Street was a big Rose-Morris office block, and with hindsight, I might have lobbed a brick or three through their windows

 

[Biasd]

I wanted push back wires for the restoration but was rightly corrected that Marshall did not use those back in the day. I believe we used reclaimed wires from the correct period and British manufacture in the end.

 

[Ken Underwood]

Back then in the early 60s it was the same, different colors for different purposes.

Hand wiring back then was the norm in most electronic manufacturing.

I dont know how many red and black wires i twisted with my hand brace, well not mine but my old dads, but it was yards and yards, spent a whole day making them up for Dudley to section up per amp, so maybe enough to make up, and no exaggeration, hundreds of amps.

Wonder were those cables ended up, almost anywhere i suppose.

 

[Biasd]

Everywhere Ken. It's great to think where that cable could be now...

 

[pleximaster]

Ken
I do not doubt that you twisted a lot of red and black heater wiring but in my experience with early amps with original coffin metal logos at least 90 % of them had black and white wiring and not the red and black the later became the norm.
The very best regards plexi

 

[Biasd]

Ken
I do not doubt that you twisted a lot of red and black heater wiring but in my experience with early amps with original coffin metal logos at least 90 % of them had black and white wiring and not the red and black the later became the norm.
The very best regards plexiView attachment 68332

Now that is a veritable banquette for the eyes!

 

[Clanger1]

I’ve seen a few early amps with black n white heater wiring over the years, can’t believe they’re all fakes..

 

[Ken Underwood]

Only just seen this post and the only comment i have to give is define the word original, thats what i know and stick to it.
Original is not early, two different things entirely