Fisher fishing...

Thanks for the info, this will be my winter project as well.

This will be my first and I'd like to get it right the first time. Maybe my second time around I'll put in the effort to research and find the components myself.
 
fwardell said:
Regarding Fisherdoc, I just purchased (and received!) for my "new" 500-C his resto kit with very detailed instructions, an on/off switch with instructions, and four matched output tubes. He also included a copy of the original owner's manual. From his e-mails and website he appears to be very much in business restoring and selling Fisher 500s.
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Wow! That's new news.
 
fwardell said:
Regarding Fisherdoc, I just purchased (and received!) for my "new" 500-C his resto kit with very detailed instructions, an on/off switch with instructions, and four matched output tubes. He also included a copy of the original owner's manual. From his e-mails and website he appears to be very much in business restoring and selling Fisher 500s.
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He has a habit of doing this. When the tide turns against him he will send some stuff out, generating posts like yours. Read the posts on this and other forums and you will find out you were lucky.

If he sent you "JJ" output tubes you got an unreliable, problematic tube. Again, read the posts. Unless he has changed his component selection in the restopak kit, they are substandard. Compare what you got in your kit with what Metalbone offers in his.

Do not do the FM de-emphasis mod! Again, do a search in this forum and google. It removes the 38khz residual filter which can destroy certain (i.e. quality) tweeters.
 
So metalbone's kit, while not perfect, makes for a better resto than the Doc's? I stayed away from Fisherdoc after I read he lacked communication with customers on a number of audio forums.

As for the JJs, that price isn't too bad for a matched quad but I've heard nothing but bad things about the 7591s. EH is the better modern choice but as others have told me, you need to change the 330 ohm resistors.

But, JJs aside, those prices are pretty reasonable IMO. Especially the switch: i've seen em go for way more on the 'bay.
 
My 2c....the one plus of ordering parts yourself as opposed to getting a kit, is that since it's your first time you're almost guaranteed to do something wrong and damage a passive component at some point, be it installing an electrolytic backwards, smoking a resistor put in the wrong place, breaking a cap or resistor lead, or a host of other possible problems. I certainly have my fair share on everything I do, not just my first project. When you get a kit, they give you exactly the components you need, so if you destroy something you have to order a new part online and wait a week for it to come, which can be very frustrating. For that reason I like to order parts in sort-of bulk (like 5 when i need 2-3) so if (read:when) I destroy something I can just toss it aside and grab a fresh one.

Also, DEFINITELY replace the electrolytic cans. Don't leave those to smoke and stink up your house.

My first project was an integrated amp (pilot 245a) and everything sounds better when it was restored with your own hands. If you go slow and are very careful, this is definitely a project you can tackle.
 
Hate to take advantage of others' hard work, but has anyone created their own wish-list of replacement components?

I'm just wondering if this upgrade is so common that some of you have developed your own hit list which would include the target components, specs-part numbers-and-vendors you'd use for their replacements?
 
Hey- I'd recommend contacting Jim McShane. I got the Eh7591 tubes from him, as well as the caps and resistors I needed. I decided to use the Russian PIO caps for the coupling caps as I have heard so much good about them. Just make sure you get heat-shrink to cover the metal bodies of them.
I have been very satisfied. You can either replace the PS caps with the SDS board as I did, or just use separate values. Jim was also very helpful when I had questions. If you mention my name, he may remember exactly what parts I ordered, but I bet he knows what is needed anyway.
John
 
800c has 2 schematics...the one on web is different

second time i heard 5.6k resistor in 800c. must be another series...all i have seen are 2 330k resisors that are a voltage divider and the grid resistor is 1k.
and -17volts on each grid. whats the deal?
 
Counting the variable ones, there are 160 different resistors in a Fisher 800C.

The 5.6k is from a different part of the circuit than the other two values you mentioned.

Do a search on Fisher 800C or 500C and you'll find an enormous amount of very educational threads.

Have fun!
 
drewbolce said:
Remember that the 500, 800 and 400 are all similar units with almost identical refurb and upgrade issues. That being noted be sure to search the archives for threads on all three model series. Examples are: http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=78700&highlight=Fisher+400+fotos and http://audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=170251&highlight=orange+drop+madness
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To avoid confusion, the 500 and 800 had "B" and "C" versions - but not the 400. The 400-C is a preamp that pre-dates the receiver numbering scheme by a few years.

sloober said:
Hey- I'd recommend contacting Jim McShane. I got the Eh7591 tubes from him, as well as the caps and resistors I needed. I decided to use the Russian PIO caps for the coupling caps as I have heard so much good about them. Just make sure you get heat-shrink to cover the metal bodies of them.
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The Soviet PIOs I ordered from eBay have a green plastic coating. I've seen them sold both ways.

ccraft said:
Thanks for the tip. How would one go about contacting Mr. McShane?
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He's a member here. Look under "J" in the "Members List" at the top of the page, from there you can send him a PM or email.
 
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