Description
A detailed description of this beautiful and rare vintage Motorola EL84 tube amplifier is provided after the following photos: Up for auction is a really great-looking vintage tube amplifier made by Motorola. It has a very clean and impressive appearance as the photos show. Motorola made some very high-quality tube amps back in the 1950s and 1960s. They were quite expensive back then as Motorola was considered to be a premium-brand. Also, the amp being sold in this auction is a rare model which doesn’t show up very often on EBay or anywhere else. In addition, it is surprisingly heavy for its size with large transformers (especially the power transformer) and appears in my view to be very well-made and designed. This amp is very clean and nice-looking, and it would be a great addition to any vintage electronic collection. I purchased this amp along with a number of other tube amps at the estate sale of a man who had a very large amount of vintage electronic equipment. Everything that this man had was wonderfully clean and detailed! I have provided a large number of photos so that you can see what this rare amp looks like from all different angles. ***DETAILED INFORMATION INVOLVING THE AMPLIFIER*** The amp being sold in this auction was made by Motorola as noted above. When I bought this amp, it had a small note with it which said that it came from a Motorola Model SH12S stereo record player. This record player was a massive portable unit according to photos of it that I came across on-line (one of the largest “portables” that I have ever seen – from what I read on-line, it had 4 speakers!). However, I’m not really sure that this amplifier came from the above-listed record player and I’ll leave it up to the Buyer and/or the Buyer’s electronic expert to determine if this information is correct and to obtain additional information on it. I know nothing more about this amp other than the fact that it looks very impressive and is very clean and nice-looking in my view. Also, its components are laid out very well in my opinion and it appears to be of very solid construction. When I purchased it, the amp was carefully wrapped up in cloth and stored in a closed box. There is not a large amount of information on the Internet regarding this specific amp and, for that reason, I believe that it is quite rare and uncommon. Furthermore, from what I’ve read on-line this amp was made around 1960 which makes it nearly 65 years old (and it looks nice for its age in my opinion!) The amp being sold in this auction has a nice and clean appearance as the photos show. Likewise, it is amazingly heavy for its size (probably due to the large transformers and thick metal chassis that it uses). In my opinion, it looks really nice for its age. However, it does have some discolored areas, smudges, scuffs, scratches, bends, scrapes, marks, stains, dings, dents, rough spots, swirls, etc. on it from age, use, etc. The paint on the power transformer looks very nice with some fairly small nicks, chips, etc. (it appears that at least one or more of these nicks, chips, etc. might have been touched up with a black pen or something similar by the amp’s former owner but I don’t know if this is true or not). In my opinion, the amp as a whole looks very nice as shown in the pictures (especially for a classic and vintage amp that is at least about 60+ years old to the best of my knowledge). Located on the top surface of the amp is a very large power transformer, a pair of output transformers which are shiny and clean-looking, and various tube sockets. There is also an extra (fairly large) socket/receptacle at one end of the amp on its top surface and a small socket/receptacle at the opposite end of the amp on its side-surface next to the power cord. The output transformers and the tube sockets are riveted in place which would appear to suggest that they are all original although I don’t really know if they are actually original or if all of the amp’s other parts and components are original. Accordingly, I will leave all issues involving the originality of the amp, its parts, its tubes, and its components to the Buyer and/or the Buyer’s electronic expert and I cannot make any warranties or guarantees regarding the originality of this amp, its parts, its tubes, and its components. As noted further below, I didn’t have any way to test this amp since it had already been removed from the above-listed record player when I bought it. This amp and all of its parts, tubes, and components are therefore being sold untested. Both of the output transformers have the following series of numbers/letters on them (the same for both transformers): “25B641660-B”. In addition, one of the output transformers has the number “949841” on it while the other transformer has the number “949842” on it. Just out of curiosity, I checked the resistance values of both output transformers with an ohm-meter. Both output transformers have 2 wires which are routed underneath the chassis to various other parts/components of the amp. Likewise, both output transformers have 2 terminals on top (with one of these terminals having a wire connected to it which is soldered to the chassis). The resistance values that I received are as follows: (A) Output Transformer No. 1 – Resistance across the 2 wires = approx. 468 Ohms and Resistance across the 2 terminals = approx. 1.0 Ohm; and (B) Output Transformer No. 2 – Resistance across the 2 wires = approx. 454 Ohms and Resistance across the 2 terminals = approx. 1.0 Ohm. I don’t know what these numbers mean, if they are correct for these transformers, and if the transformers are good or not. Likewise, your meter might provide different results and, accordingly, I cannot guarantee the accuracy of my meter and I also cannot guarantee that these transformers (or the power transformer and all of the amp’s other parts, tubes, and components) are good or not. No other checks of this amplifier, its parts, its tubes, and its components were made. I just wanted to provide the above-listed information involving the output transformers as part of this overall description and I will leave any further assessments of this amp, its parts, its tubes, and its other components (including but not limited to the power transformer and the output transformers) to the Buyer and/or the Buyer’s electronic expert. Please note that there is no on/off switch on this amp which the Buyer and/or the Buyer’s electronic expert will need to provide if needed and/or desired. I have not inspected or tested the power cord/plug (or any of the other components and parts used by this amp, as well as the amp as a whole). I did notice that the plug associated with the power cord has the Motorola “M” logo on it which would suggest that the power cord/plug is original but I don’t know if it is actually original or not. I will therefore leave an assessment of the power cord/plug, the amp’s other components, tubes, and parts (and the amp as a whole) to the Buyer and/or the Buyer’s electronic expert. Since I am selling this amp for non-operational display purposes only, I will leave everything associated with this amp (including the power cord/plug) unchanged just as I purchased it/them at the estate sale and I will leave any changes, modifications, alterations, repairs, inspections, assessments, replacement of any parts/components, additions of any parts/components, subtractions of any parts/components, updates, upgrades, expansions, revisions, etc. to the Buyer and/or the Buyer’s electronic expert. The tubes which are included with this amp (and came with it when I bought it) are as follows (see the photos of the tubes): (A) 6BQ5 (EL84); (B) 6BQ5 (EL84); (C) 12AX7; (D) 12AX7; and (E) 5Y3GT. I did not test these tubes and I therefore do not know if they are good or not. Since I don’t know how old these tubes are and whether they are original or not, the Buyer of this amp should assume that one or more or all of the tubes will need to be replaced, etc. As to what sockets are used in connection with the above-listed tubes, there is a small paper tube diagram on the top surface of the chassis which identifies the locations of the tubes and what sockets they go in. I did not check the tube sockets and I likewise cannot warrant or guarantee that they are good, original, and operational (although they are all riveted in place as noted above which would suggest that they are original although I don’t really know). Accordingly, I will leave all of the issues with the tubes (whether the tubes are good, whether the sockets are good, what sockets the tubes should be in, etc.) to the Buyer and/or the Buyer’s electronic expert. Also, I have no idea if the wiring in this amp is correct or good and I don’t know anything about the transformers used by the amp (if they are good, correct, original, functional, etc.), as well as the other electronic components associated with the amp and, as stated above, I will leave an assessment of these items to the Buyer and/or the Buyer’s electronic expert. Regarding the electronic components used by this amp, I have provided a large underside view of the amp in the photos which shows various components, parts, wires, etc. I have no idea if any work has been done on this amp in the past and if the components, parts, wires, sockets, transformers, capacitors, resistors, etc. are correct, original, appropriate, and proper for this amp, if they are correctly wired/installed, etc. and this is also something that I will leave for the Buyer and/or the Buyer’s electronic expert to assess. As noted above, there is a large socket/receptacle on the top surface of the amp chassis at one end and a smaller socket/receptacle at the other end of the amp chassis. According to the paper diagram on the top surface of the amp, the large socket/receptacle was used to connect the amp to various controls (not included) associated with the record player from which it came and the small socket was used for some kind of a pilot light bulb. However, I’m not sure that this is correct since the paper diagram was hard to read and I can’t guarantee that the conclusions in this paragraph regarding the aforesaid sockets/receptacles are correct. I also don’t know if these sockets/receptacles are original, functional, complete, etc. I will therefore leave all issues involving these sockets/receptacles (and the other parts, tubes, and components associated with the amp) to be assessed by the Buyer and/or the Buyer’s electronic expert. The amp chassis also has a really large and beautiful-looking metal name-badge on the front which says “MOTOROLA”, “HIGH FIDELITY”, and “STEREOPHONIC” on it. In addition, this badge has the Motorola “M” logo on it along with some other graphic designs. I don’t know if this badge is original or if it goes with this amp but it is really attractive and unique-looking. I also don’t know if it came from the factory this way or if the badge was added later by the amp’s former owner and I don’t know how the badge is secured to the amp chassis. It may be secured using glue, etc. but I don’t really know. The name-badge has some scratches, bends, scuffs, etc. on it but it really looks nice in my view. Furthermore, on the front and rear side surfaces of the amp chassis there are some shiny silver-colored metal discs as the photos show. I don’t know anything about them, if they are original, if they were added by the amp’s former owner, what their function is, or how they are secured in position (possibly by glue but I don’t know). Nonetheless, they look really nice and add to the overall attractiveness and unique appearance of the amp. In summary, this amp is, in my opinion, really nice-looking, clean, and has a very distinctive “retro” appearance. As stated above, Motorola was known back then to make expensive, high-quality audio equipment. Accordingly, now is your chance to have a very cool-looking, unique, and rare vintage tube amp which, in my view, would be a really fun item to own and a great addition to any vintage amplifier collection. ***TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THE AUCTION*** **Very Important Information – Please read carefully before you bid**: Regarding the amp being sold in this auction, this is an estate sale item and I honestly don’t know anything about how it works, whether it works, whether its internal and external wiring is correct or good, whether its components and parts are good, and whether it is complete. I have not done anything to this amp and all of its parts, transformers, wires, electronic components, tubes, sockets, receptacles, power cord/plug, capacitors, resistors, and all of its other components and I know nothing about their condition. The above-described amp may have been worked on, repaired, had parts replaced/repaired, had parts added/subtracted, and/or been modified by someone else in the past, but I don’t know whether this is true or not. Likewise, I have not plugged in and have not tested the amp being sold in this auction and all of its parts, transformers, wires, electronic components, tubes, sockets, receptacles, power cord/plug, capacitors, resistors, and all of its other components, with all of these items and the above-mentioned amp as a whole being sold untested just as I purchased it/them at the estate sale. In this regard, I have done nothing to this amp and I have not inspected it (or any of its parts/tubes/components) internally or externally. In addition, please note that this auction is for a single amp as shown in the photos. Please also note: The equipment being sold in this auction (including but not limited to the amp and all of its parts, transformers, wires, electronic components, tubes, sockets, receptacles, power cord/plug, capacitors, resistors, and all of its other components) is being sold entirely as a non-operative display item only. Since this amp is an untested, vintage estate sale item, the Buyer of this equipment should therefore assume that this amp is going to need at least some work, parts, wires, wiring work/replacement, repairs, rewiring, upgrading, power transformer replacement/repair, output transformer replacement/repair, replacement/repair of the electronic components, power cord/plug replacement, additional parts, tubes, sockets, receptacles, jacks, resistors, capacitors, on/off switch, bottom plate, etc. However, I do not know how much work, parts, wires, wiring work/replacement, repairs, rewiring, upgrading, power transformer replacement/repair, output transformer replacement/repair, replacement/repair of the electronic components, power cord/plug replacement, additional parts, tubes, jacks, sockets, receptacles, resistors, capacitors, on/off switch, bottom plate, etc. would be needed to get everything operating properly in the above-listed equipment and I will leave this up to the Buyer and/or the Buyer’s electronic expert. I know nothing more about the amp being sold in this auction (and everything associated with it) and, accordingly, all of these items (the amp and all of its parts, transformers, wires, electronic components, tubes, sockets, receptacles, power cord/plug, capacitors, resistors, and all of its other components) are again being sold for non-operational display only with no guarantees or warranties of any kind. Please also note that, because this amp came out of a console, it does not have a bottom plate, a cabinet, or a top cover/cage which, if desired and/or needed, the Buyer will need to provide. Likewise, this amp does not have a pilot light, tube shields, on/off switch, fuse, fuse holder, etc. which, if desired and/or needed, the Buyer will need to provide. Furthermore, no other items such as paperwork, instructions, schematics, boxes, cartons, spare parts/tubes/wires/pilot light bulbs, or any other items are included with this amp. Likewise, it does not appear that there is any fuse in this amp (it does not appear that there was ever one since there is no fuse-holder, etc. although I don’t know if this is correct or not) and I can’t tell if it currently has a fuse/fuse-holder or if it ever had one. In this regard, I will leave it up to the Buyer and/or the Buyer’s electronic expert to assess the fuse-issue, to determine whether or not one or more fuses are needed and/or desired, and to add one or more fuses if needed and/or desired as again determined by the Buyer and/or the Buyer’s electronic expert. I will leave any changes, modifications, repairs, inspections, assessments, tests, replacement of any parts, upgrades, corrections, rewiring, additions of any parts, subtractions of any parts, expansions, revisions, alterations, etc. to the Buyer and/or the Buyer’s electronic expert. As noted above, since this amp is being sold entirely as a non-operative display item, the Buyer will be receiving this amp in the exact condition that it was in when I purchased it at the estate sale and, in this regard, I have done nothing to it as noted above. The amp associated with this auction will be shipped via the U.S. Postal Service and I will not ship it using any other carrier. This amp is very heavy for its size. The amp will be very carefully packed and double-boxed. All of the tubes will be removed from the amp and separately wrapped. Please note that, if the final shipping cost is more than the amount quoted above, I will pay the difference and if it is less than the quoted amount, I will keep the difference. I am an excellent packer and shipper. Check out my 100% positive feedback and the wonderful compliments that I have received about my packing and shipping. In addition, the quoted shipping cost is not applicable for shipments to Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, the US Virgin Islands, and US territories/possessions/locations outside of the Continental US which will be higher and will be separately quoted (if applicable) after the auction ends. While I will pack this item very securely, some of the wires, components, parts, capacitors, resistors, sockets, transformers, power cord/plug, name-badge, silver-colored metal discs, paper tube diagram, etc. associated with the amp may detach, break, or otherwise come off of the items to which they are connected/attached during shipment due to possible rough handling during shipment, etc., thereby requiring reattachment/replacement/repair by the Buyer and/or the Buyer’s electronic expert if he or she desires. Likewise, it is always possible that one or more of the internal components in the above-listed tubes may experience problems during shipping (and that the remaining tube numbers, etc. may partially or entirely rub off) due to possible rough handling during shipment. Furthermore, the name-badge is fairly delicate and may, in fact, partially or entirely come off, break, bend, etc. due to possible rough handling during shipment. However, I will do my best to try and prevent these situations by very carefully packing this amp although I cannot guarantee that they won’t happen. This amp is already packed-up for shipping. Accordingly, I cannot honor any special packing and shipping requests. Please make a note of this. Additional note: I will not disassemble anything associated with this amp and the entire amp will be shipped totally assembled. I did not inspect, repair, examine, modify, update, alter, and/or work on the equipment being sold in this auction (including but not limited to the amp and all of its parts, transformers, wires, electronic components, tubes, sockets, receptacles, power cord/plug, capacitors, resistors, and all of its other components) and it is therefore important and necessary that this amp (along with all of its parts, transformers, wires, electronic components, tubes, sockets, receptacles, power cord/plug, capacitors, resistors, and all of its other components) be examined thoroughly by an electronic expert inside and out before the amp is plugged in, powered up, handled, tested, worked on, repaired, connected to any other equipment, instruments, speakers, or components, connected to a power source/supply, modified, disassembled, upgraded, altered, the addition of any parts/components thereto, the removal of any parts/components therefrom, and/or used. Any repairs to this amp as well as the connection of this amp to any other equipment, instruments, speakers, and components, the connection of this amp to a power source/supply, the plugging in of this amp, the modification of this amp, the disassembly of this amp, the alteration of this amp, the handling/testing of this amp, the upgrading of this amp, the addition of any parts/components to this amp, the removal of any parts/components from this amp, the replacement of any parts/components from this amp, and the use of this amp and all of its parts, transformers, wires, electronic components, tubes, sockets, receptacles, power cord/plug, capacitors, resistors, and all of its other components should only be attempted by an electronic expert. I do not know if the amp being sold in this auction works (it is being sold untested as noted herein) and, since it is used vintage equipment, the Buyer should again assume that it will need work, parts, wires, wiring work/replacement, rewiring, upgrading, power transformer replacement/repair, output transformer replacement/repair, replacement/repair of the electronic components, power cord/plug replacement, additional parts, tubes, jacks, sockets, receptacles, resistors, capacitors, etc. The equipment being sold in this auction should therefore not be considered a “plug and play” item, may need replacement parts, components, transformers, repairs, etc. and should be considered to be non-working. Please make a note of this. Likewise, I cannot guarantee or warrant that the amp being sold in this auction (and any of its parts/components/tubes) is restorable if that is desired by the Buyer and/or the Buyer’s electronic expert. Furthermore, all of the tubes, tube sockets, capacitors, resistors, power transformer, output transformers, power cord/plug, sockets, receptacles, wires, and all of the amp’s other components/parts need to be checked out by an electronic expert to see if the tubes are good, if the tubes are the correct ones for this amp, if the tubes are in the correct sockets, and if all of the tubes, tube sockets, capacitors, resistors, power transformer, output transformers, power cord/plug, sockets, receptacles, wires, and all of the amp’s other components/parts are good, correct, properly-wired, and operational before the amp is powered-up, tested, used, worked on, modified, altered, connected to any other equipment, instruments, speakers, or components, connected to a power source/supply, plugged in, upgraded, etc. The amp being sold in this auction and all of its parts, transformers, wires, electronic components, tubes, sockets, receptacles, power cord/plug, capacitors, resistors, and all of its other components are being sold as-is with no warranties express or implied. Likewise, I have no idea whether everything is original or not in the above-listed equipment and I therefore cannot make any warranties regarding originality. In this regard, I do not know if any of the parts, power transformer, output transformers, capacitors, resistors, sockets, receptacles, and all of the other components used in the amp are original or if they have been repaired/replaced at some time in the past. I also do not warrant that this amp is complete and I do not know if there are any missing or incorrect parts/components, etc. Thus, I cannot warrant completeness of the equipment being sold in this auction. This amp involves a piece of used vintage 60+ year old electrical equipment to the best of my knowledge which needs restoration and it is being sold entirely for non-operational display purposes only (important). No returns or refunds, and Seller is not responsible for any damages or injuries of any kind resulting from the use, inspection, operation, connection to other equipment, components, speakers, or instruments, connection to a power source/supply, repair, work on, modification, disassembly, handling, alteration of, the plugging in, the upgrading of, the addition of any parts/components thereto, and the subtraction of any parts/components therefrom of the amp being sold in this auction, as well as all of its parts, transformers, wires, electronic components, tubes, sockets, receptacles, power cord/plug, capacitors, resistors, and all of its other components. Likewise, Seller is not responsible for any damages or injuries of any kind resulting from anything else that the Buyer does or intends to do with the amp being sold in this auction and all of its parts, transformers, wires, electronic components, tubes, sockets, receptacles, power cord/plug, capacitors, resistors, and all of its other components. Buyer uses, inspects, operates, connects to other equipment, components, speakers, or instruments, connects to a power source/supply, repairs, modifies, disassembles, works on, handles, plugs in, upgrades, alters, adds parts/components thereto, subtracts parts/components therefrom, replaces any parts/components, and/or tests the amp being sold in this auction and all of its parts, transformers, wires, electronic components, tubes, sockets, receptacles, power cord/plug, capacitors, resistors, and all of its other components at his or her own risk. Furthermore, the colors of the items being sold in this auction as they appear in the photos may differ compared with the actual items due to the lighting which existed when the photos were taken. Likewise, Seller is not responsible for any errors or omissions in this listing. If you have any questions, please ask before you bid and I will be happy to respond to the best of my ability. Payment within 2 days of end of auction. Also, and this is important, should shipping damage occur, the filing of the insurance claim will be the Buyer’s responsibility. Should EBay go “down” for any period of time within two (2) hours from the end of this auction, we also reserve the right to terminate/cancel the auction. ***Finally, by bidding on this item, the bidder and/or Buyer agrees that he or she has fully reviewed and entirely understands all of the detailed information in the paragraphs listed above and completely accepts such information***. Thanks and happy bidding!
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