NAD: '54 Dano

[swiveltung]

'54 Danelectro Twin Twelve . 2 x 6L6 each side. Definitely needs some restoration, but it works!

 

[zenas]

COOL !

Don't know a thing about it but I want one.

 

[joe_jr]

Looks like a project well worth doing!

 

[swiveltung]

It's going to be interesting as apparently no schematic exists. The fact that it works is a good sign that maybe it hasn't been messed with too much! Not sure if it's really stereo though as there is only one rectifier tube, but 2 banks of 6L6's. More likely just two channels with a bit of separation via two output transformers.
Wish I could find some of that tolex for repairs but may just have to live with it or recover with something similar.

 

[tonekingamps]

Sweet find - I want one too !
I love those old low power alnico speakers. Wish someone made speakers like that today.

Mark Bartel
Tone King Amplifiers

 

[swiveltung]

They are Utah's. Probably mostly worthless at this point.... :>(
I had an old 1 x 15 Dano Explorer once. It was pretty cool. kina like a 5E3 tone on steroids.... although not super loud due to a small OT.

 

[zenas]

No schmatic is doable if you can still read the parts and nobody's been in there "fixing" things.
Nice to have voltages but they're not always on the schmatics anyway.

 

[swiveltung]

I think I might have found a schem.

 

[Leonc]

Many old Danos employ some "funny" design concepts...e.g., heating some pre-amp tubes off the cathodes of power tubes, etc....but I've had a few that sounded just great. One was like 1/2 of your amp, but with a single 15", that was a Silvertone 1433, and it was a great sounding amp. Rather than trying to recover mine, which was in pretty sad shape, I just built it a new cab, and that worked out really well. Enjoy!

 

[swiveltung]

Been doing a little work on this, there are some mysterious things that look original for sure. Havent had time to fire it up since the work yet though. No schematic.

But there is one question for you experts:
It has four 6L6's in it. But only one rectifier tube. (5U4GB) I thought this was pretty much a no-no? One tube can handle that? f course all Fenders that go to 4 x 6L6 go to SS rectification. And the high power tweed twin use two rectifier tubes... any thoughts on this?

 

[Leonc]

Wouldn't current supply be more of a concern with four 6L6s? I'd think it'd be more a question of the PT putting out enough mA to keep all those tubes happy.

 

[swiveltung]

Well... I would assume the amp was designed to handle the 4 x 6L6. The PT is huge. But a single tube's ability to rectify it is a wonder to me. You don't see that much..... I assume for a reason!

Regarding Dano's.... yeah I had a couple Dano Explorer , 1960/61 amps that were killer sounding. Kinda like a big sounding 5E3 Deluxe.

The Alnico speakers in this old '54 sound amazing... hard to believe. I would guess they must have been reconed at some point years ago or they would be junk. There is "Alpine Music" written on the horseshoe magnets so maybe that's what that is all about....

 

[Leonc]

Yeah, Nat Daniel did s lot of odd stuff; much of which--many have postulated--was inspired by trying to keep the price down. But IME, some of these things really worked out well. Hopefully, that'll be the case here too...

 

[swiveltung]

Yeah, Nat Daniel did s lot of odd stuff; much of which--many have postulated--was inspired by trying to keep the price down. But IME, some of these things really worked out well. Hopefully, that'll be the case here too...

The Explorer and Centurian etc design was amazing. Talk about common sense cost cutting, the chassis was a simple Z shaped sheet metal. Cheap to make and easy to service. The tubes/trannys were exposed on the back releasing all the heat. They were covered with steel mesh (not shown in this pic)
I'm amazed no builder has copied this chassis design.

 

[e???]

Did valco do those, or were they their own thing?

 

[swiveltung]

Not sure but I think Dano did it's own thing.

 

[LPVM]

Did valco do those, or were they their own thing?

No Valco was a different company. Leonc can tell you all about those, he has loads of them....even builds his own clones.

It looks like Danelectro used the same amp chassis for the Silvertone 1336L.
http://www.silvertoneworld.net/amplifiers/1336/1336.html

Nice old amp....congrats. I've got a thing for old Dano's/Silvertones. I've got a few of my own.

I see a few places where you can get a schematic if you search under Danelectro model 98. It looks like a really interesting amp.

 

[swiveltung]

Ive got a Dano Model 98 Series B schem. It is similar, Same tubes, but different in many values and a few other wierd details.
This is a series D. If anyone see that schem let me know but I have searched a lot.

There are a couple oddball old resistors in parallel in this not on the schem. I'm putting in a wire wound in place of those (one broken) and hoping for the best. Hoping with the caps I replaced and that the Vibrato works and the hum is gone.

 

[65DuoSonic]

Wow. That thing is cool. Look forward to seeing your progress on the restoration.