Here are a couple photos of an amp I bought on Craigslist for $300. I know it is one of the first early amps looking at the online early brochures. The amp doesn't work, I took it in to a local amp repair shop, and they found out the transformer is shot. I doubt parts are still available. So I found a place that rewinds the transformer for $180. My question is.... is spending another $300 on the amp to fix it worth it.. I have no idea of its value and don't want to spend more than the amp is worth. Any advise is welcome.. Thanks in advance..

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That's got to be worth fixing. But bear in mind that a new transformer may be just the start - unless already done, it will certainly need new electrolytic caps throughout, probably some new signal caps if not all of them, and possibly a fair few resistors as well. When they get to this sort of age - considering the primitive type of components originally used - you may find the amp essentially needs to be completely rebuilt... and also probably brought up to modern safety standards. The surprising thing is that the tubes may be fine! They do wear or burn out in use, but (unless they leak, which they can) unlike most of the other parts, not simply through age.

You really need to find someone who is an expert in older amps and really cares about them, and will do a thorough but the least possible invasive job, where possible using correct component types, not a typical modern shop amp service tech. It's also possible that a real expert like this may have an old spare transformer that could be substituted for the original at less cost.

Thanks for the advice. Do you know of someone who specializes in old rickenbacker amp repair? Since we can't post photos on the forum, maybe this link will work to the brochure... This is the exact same amp... and visually is about 9/10 condition.

http://www.rickenbacker.com/catalog_pos ... cf36-4.jpg

Copy and paste the above link

Sorry, I don't know anyone remotely near where you are - I'd be happy to take it on but I'm the other side of a continent and an ocean from you! (And I don't have any 120V parts, really.) The only person even in North America I know of is Hogy at Komet Amps in Baton Rouge (he loves old amps, although I have no idea if he does pre-WWII types), which is a still a long way from you. He may know of someone closer, but I'm not sure if it's polite to contact him out of the blue for a recommendation. You could try on The Gear Page - he used to post there, not sure if he still does, and if not you might get some other useful leads.

You're in Vancouver? I bet that the good folks at Aviator Audio in Edmonds, WA could do a good job on this. They are extremely experienced and do super work:

http://aviatoraudio.com/default.asp

Tell them I sent you!
Cheers,
Ethan

There is a good fellow locally "Ho's amp repair" I found a place to get the transformer rewound in Maine for $170, so I guess I'll bite the bullet and hopefully not be into a $400 amp for $700...

Does anyone have a guess what a nice early amp would go for? Just to give me a ballpark. Just copy the link above to see the style of amp in the early catalog. Thanks!

If this is the same guy who makes the "Ho Attenuator" AKA "Ultimate Attenuator", check out some online pics of the workmanship of these units before you do anything.