Free Fisher Amplifier

adpopulum

Well-Known Member
Not often you come across "free","The Fisher" and "amplifier" in the same sentence, and likely never on CL or Kijiji... but I did :banana:

Was up late one night while traveling in NE for work. Came across the ad for a free Fisher KX-200 and replied not thinking I was anywhere near the first to reply. As it happens, I get a call the next day while in a meeting. Called back and made arrangements to come pick it up when I returned home.

The amp was located about 100km (60miles) from where I live so I had a 2 hour drive there and back but, hey, it's a free Fisher! Met the guy who was trying to de-clutter. This older gentleman reckoned he had bought new in '69. Says it was pre-built so maybe not new. Anyhow, he stopped using it in the early 70's when he bought a SS unit. He ended up storing it in a cottage on his property. Years ago some kids broke in and vandalized the place... they apparently chucked the Fisher across the room :tears:(see the pics). He did know if it worked or what, but hey it was free!

I have to say by the previous owner's description on the phone I was expecting alot worse damage, but it is still significant. The metal cabinet has a few dings and dents - but I think this could easily be repaired. The bigger issue is the aluminum face plate. It is slightly bent. Otherwise the faceplate is in nice shape still retaining the gold coloured lacquer. Not sure how I am going to go about straightening this without ruining the original look so any advice would be appreciated. Finally the chassis is quite dirty and this old classic at one point was residence to a mouse. The mouse urine has corroded some of the finish on the front of the chassis. How would you go about cleaning the chassis? I don't want to destroy the finish. I have read that ammonia is a good approach, but others same nothing more than soap and water. I doubt the latter will have much effect on this chassis.

Anyhow, now to the good news, came with 5/6 Mullard 12AX7 tubes, all testing high within range. Also 2 Fisher 7951s and 2 Sylvania 7591s, again all in good nick.

I brought this up real slowly on a variac (over the course of 3 days) and finally had a chance to pop in the power tubes this morning and it sounds great. I have read about Fishers and soundstage, and even in my garage with some small Ampeg 6x9 full range speakers positioned in a lees than optimal place, it sounded so real. Cleaned all the pots and switches and they are all functioning as new. I do have a slight hum in one channel that I assume will disappear with new caps. My initial thinking was to part this baby out to fund some of the other projects I have in the works, but I am really digging this amp. Gonna have to restore it:thmbsp:
 

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:yuck: That's a big mess. Looks like the faceplate is done for. I had a Marantz 2220B with a bend in a corner, it didn't straighten very well. A hammer, hardwood blocks, and lots of patience are your best bets for a straightening attempt. Keep us posted on the restoration progress. After all, it's still a nice score! :thmbsp:
 
"free" "fisher" and "amp" are a rare enough combination of words, add "it works" to the string and that makes it almost unfathomably rare. the underside looks nice. clean her up, recap her and make a nice wooden case.
 
As nice a free Fisher as one can hope for. I'll bet the faceplate is rehab-able. Looks like the metal cab took most of the force, & you want a wooden one, anyway....
Try taking the faceplate off, then think "wood blocks, big vice, slowly"...
 
Yeah, I'm with Naptown Rob.
I've fixed a damaged front panel with thin wood clamped in a vice and knowing when to stop trying to make it perfect. Watch out on that champagne colored faceplate. It's a sprayed patina. Don't use ammonia/water on that one. Soap and water only and don't soak it so nothing gets under the varnish or whatever it is.

I also got one freebie in my life, and it happened to be an X-200.
 
I'll try the woodblock/vice approach on the faceplate. Looks worse in the pics than it is. What about cleaning the chassis? Any one have tips?
 
Wipe the chassis with a damp cloth then leave it alone. You don't want to disturb the cad plating if you can help it. Get a nice wooden cover and it won't matter. The original aoutput tubes are worth over $100 by themselves. Well done. I love my KX-200. I will never sell it.
 
Faceplate straightening: Maybe find a body shop that does vintage car restorations? Maybe their best guy would want to give it a try for a few bucks after hours.

As much as it would frighten me to do it, that amp might be a candidate for the "hose it down good then dry it in the oven" approach. Pressure washer maybe even.
 
Well, for chassis cleanup, I'd use 1 part ammonia to four parts water in a warm solution. Use one of those white scotchbrite pads and cut the pad into sections. For the roughest parts, you could use something slightly more abrasive, but if you press too hard you'll start to get swirl marks. Use a toothbrush for hard to reach areas. Then bake it on low heat, upside down, at 160 for a few hours when nobody's home and you can open the windows.

And yes, this one will be a candidate for inside a cabinet.
 
It's a great amp and I think that it is very restorable. The brass pieces for the knobs are available and the rest of if can clean up pretty well. The cabinet damage makes the face plate look worse in the picture than it may actually be. It may not come back to like new condition but with some patience and some effort I think you have a keeper!

Congratulations! Keep us up to date with your progress!
 
Is the faceplate actually bent? Looks like the vast majority of the damage occured to the outer case. Thats probably a hammer and dolly repair for the most part, with a little plainishing to smooth the metal back down. It may not be totally perfect since the metal will have stretched somewhat, but there is always the possibility of building yourself a custom cabinet for it if you're not happy with the repair on the metal case. Either way, for free you got a hell of a steal.
 
GREAT score.:thmbsp::thmbsp:

That faceplate will be so easy to straitin out you wont believe it.

When I got My fisher 500-B from fed-ex the kids could use it as a see-saw.

took it in the garage clamp here wood block there two clamps there... Strait as new.

Take your time just be smarter than the metal ( It has memory so out smart it):thmbsp::thmbsp::thmbsp:
 
Go to the 99 cent store and buy half a dozen microfiber cloths

Vacuum chassis thoroughly and clean off all the loose crap with a paint brush (also available at the 99 cent store)

Wipe chassis down with a cloth dampened with white vinegar. White vinegar will remove an amazing amount of that corrosion. Need a little more strength, try some Worcestershire sauce. Just go slow, you'll figure it out.

Dampen one (cloth) with a petroleum based tuner and contact cleaner lube (like the stuff MG Chemicals sells) and polish up those trannys and everything else with a clean side of the microfiber cloth. Like polishing a car.

Do it again, and again and again.

Then turn the chassis up on it's side and hose it all down with isopropyl alcohol. Let it dry off and wipe it down again with a cloth dampened with tuner cleaner/lube

If the piece warrants it, I then go over it good with some Never Dull and polish it off with another of the clean, 99 cent store cloths.

As others have suggested, a vise and wood blocks will take care of that face plate. I don't like using a vice however, rather a large Jorgensen wood clamp as it affords me better control and I can focus the force where I want it. Whatever suits you.

From the pictures it doesn't even look creased, just bowed. The first tool I would suggest you try is your bare hands and maybe a suitable object for backing, like a round aerosol can or the like. Be gentle and you may be able to simply massage it back into it's correct form.

If this don't get it, then it's time for aggressive abrasives and or paint or just live with it. You'll be surprised. Nice job to do outdoors on a nice day with a radio and a beer.

I love jobs like that :yes:

Nice pick-up.

Marshall
 
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GREAT score.:thmbsp::thmbsp:

That faceplate will be so easy to straitin out you wont believe it.

When I got My fisher 500-B from fed-ex the kids could use it as a see-saw.

took it in the garage clamp here wood block there two clamps there... Strait as new.

Take your time just be smarter than the metal ( It has memory so out smart it):thmbsp::thmbsp::thmbsp:

You are correct :thmbsp:

Marshall
 
I guarantee that if you show up at a good body shop with that (emptied) case and faceplate under your arm and a 12 pack of good beer it will come out amazingly well. I didn't have a car with a body that good until I was in my mid twenties.

Seriously, that's just 2 cauls and a roller press.

But a wood case would be very, very nice.

You scored.
 
I guarantee that if you show up at a good body shop with that (emptied) case and faceplate under your arm and a 12 pack of good beer it will come out amazingly well. I didn't have a car with a body that good until I was in my mid twenties.

Seriously, that's just 2 cauls and a roller press.

But a wood case would be very, very nice.

You scored.


That all depends on where you live.

I'd play it safe and do it myself.

Marshall
 
Step 1

Got the faceplate in the vice between a rag on the front side and two wood blocks and with a little cajoling she is damn near perfect! Didn't end up using a hammer or any other tools, just applied some delicate force to it, angled just right, and she straightened right out. The aluminum creaked a bit, but the lacquer is no worse for the wear. Still need to clean the faceplate but this is a better than expected result. Now to find a wood cab!

Next is to address the caps, etc. Jaymana threatened to offer up some mods for this amp elsewhere and I am eager to see these. In the interim, has anyone restored on of these? If so, can you share what you did. I assume most of what has been discussed for the 400/500/800 amp sections would be needed. but is there anything else?

Dave
 

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Step 1.1

Cleaned the faceplate with warm soapy water. As per Audidon's instructions I did not soak this. There was some crispy crud on this that was difficult to remove. As a result, once I got it off I saw some rub marks where I worked a little harder. These blemishes struck me as being very similar to what I have seen on old furniture. So I thought, why not try furniture polish (minwax) to even out the marks. Light coat of Minwax, let dry, polish with a clean cotton cloth and the marks disappeared. In fact, after the polish the faceplate looks remarkably good - better than I though possible.

Dave
 
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