Cagney & Lacey - restoration of a couple of 400s

There's been a couple of great restoration threads the last few months. Dave's SA-100 has been a master class - what an inspiration his work is. Notdigital's 800 was really good and I especially liked how he restuffed his cans... very cool.

Now that it's November and Melville's Ismael in Moby Dick always comes to mind when he moans that it's a damp, drizzly November in my soul and goes around knocking people's hats off then decides it's high time to get to sea as soon as he can. Well, for me and my Nov soul, it's high time to take on another 400... or two.

For just a little background... I bought five 400s over the last few years when you could get them for less than a couple of hundred bucks each - sadly those days seem long gone. The first one was already restored by another AKer and it hooked me. The second I found over here in England and was my first restore using a Jim McShane parts kit. It was very trying at first but ended as a super experience. The last restoration was 'Rodney' http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=423929 which really came out fantastic.

Those three are now gone to new homes and two are left which I've name 'Cagney' & 'Lacey'. I have to say I wasn't a big fan at the time but thinking back... it was pretty cool to have a pair of tough women cops in the 80s. Anyway, I don't think they got a lot of respect like the humble Fisher 400.

OK, enough drivel. Here's the plan... I'm basically doing the same restoration I did on Rodney for both using the parts list from Jim. I powered both up to around 90vAC and got noisy, humming music, not so bad on Lacey but loud motor-boating on Cagney plus I couldn't get a FM signal - so noted to investigate after a rebuilt power supply. Cagney's volume pot switch was knackered so had to jump start it. Fortunately, I've got a spare from my parts unit. I've dove into Cagney last night and should have taken a 'before shot' before removing the faceplate, dial glass, etc. But here's a shot of all five:

So, that stack adds up to a Fisher 2000 from my perspective.

audiodon said:

So, that stack adds up to a Fisher 2000 from my perspective.

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Yea, that would be something to gang them all together. You'd have some fire power for sure. :yes:

The electric company would send you a free turkey! Good thing they're not consoles...

Check with Larry, he's got consoles stacked five high

Got phase 1 finished on both: pulled the cans and removed the AC plugs for my bias trimmers. Next I'll deep clean the chassis(s) per Don's sticky and restuff the cans. Then I start assembling the power supply.

Had to pull that volume pot with the busted switch so thoroughly cleaned it per the volume pot sticky.





Everyone has their method for getting those cans out. Here's my weapon of choice - a stain glass soldering iron. It melts those big chassis soldering blobs like butter.




Got the cans out of Cagney and drilled my holes where the AC plugs were to mount my test points & trimmer pots for the individual bias setup.







Here's Lacey done with phase 1 too:

Looks like you know what you're doing. Was one channel out or weak that prompted you to remove the volume control? Always seems to be the right channel that dies first.

As for the tower of power: turn 'em all on, put a star on the top one and have a Fisher Fiesta for the holidays!

walyfd said:

Looks like you know what you're doing. Was one channel out or weak that prompted you to remove the volume control?

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Not so sure about that!

The volume pot switch was broke - common malady. I think the switches on these can fry with a current surge. There was a 4A fuse in the holder from the previous owner. I don't use the switch but power on with a switched multi-outlet strip.

Really nice thread. Keep the photos and info coming. My 400 was my first Fisher resto. They are very nice receivers!

bhamham said:

Yea, that would be something to gang them all together. You'd have some fire power for sure. :yes:

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Bridge 'em to mono and power a 5.1 home theater system!

-D

derekva said:

Bridge 'em to mono and power a 5.1 home theater system! -D

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Then enclose it with some ducts and add a blower for central heating

dsndblm said:

Really nice thread. Keep the photos and info coming. My 400 was my first Fisher resto. They are very nice receivers!

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Thanks, I really like these 400s! Simple and elegant plus they sound really sweet. I'll keep the one I like best out of these two.

I'm gonna enjoy this!!!!! Keep it comin'!

:thmbsp: :thmbsp: :thmbsp:

Oppo Ganghamham style!

bhamham said:

Then enclose it with some ducts and add a blower for central heating

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Why do you think my tube-driven (Fisher 30A clones) home theater is in the basement? :thmbsp:

-D

notdigital said:

I'm gonna enjoy this!!!!! Keep it comin'!

:thmbsp: :thmbsp: :thmbsp:

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Good to see you here! I started restuffing the cans today - won't be as elegant as yours or as cool... just hope they work

Good one Don. Can you believe that guy? An overnight sensation - he'll have queenie gangnam stylin' before long.


Back to the business at hand. Did Don's deep cleaning and they really cleaned up nice. I think some kid dumped a can of coke right in that alley between the PT & OT - had to get the toothbrush with a bit of muscle on it.

Just wanted to mention before I forget... on that 'deep cleaning' thread Larry commented on how to remove a stuck knob with two teaspoons. That is one slick trick and works like a charm. It catapulted the knob across the room and had me on my hands and knees searching for it though.

Here's a few pics of the cleaning - still got that ammonia smell up my nose








Got them on the slow bake just to dry all that moisture - they actually look better than shown.




Got the cans gutted so will start the stuffing tomorrow. Speaking of stuffing - wish I were over on your side of the pond for some turkey and dressing-stuffing on Thursday. Great holiday.

derekva said:

Why do you think my tube-driven (Fisher 30A clones) home theater is in the basement? :thmbsp:

-D

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smart man :thmbsp:

Fun project. They look very nice. I see that one is early and one is late.

So while we're stuffing turkeys here, you will be stuffing caps? Seems rather funny.

Stupid export question- are the ones you have meant for 220V? I see they have the American style accessory outlets. Did the export units come with those? Wondering how Fisher dealt with that.

Dadbar said:

Fun project. They look very nice. I see that one is early and one is late.

So while we're stuffing turkeys here, you will be stuffing caps? Seems rather funny.

Stupid export question- are the ones you have meant for 220V? I see they have the American style accessory outlets. Did the export units come with those? Wondering how Fisher dealt with that.

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Hey Dadbar - love your dog. Is he an old guy?

The one 400 I found over here was an export unit but it had the US style outlets. I guess it would have been a major factory ordeal to change those to the European style which I think were all over the place at the time. Well, they still are. Brits use one style then there's a European style where some of the pins are smaller or larger depending on what country you're in. We have three adapters we take when go over there.

The 220v PT was problematic and I replaced it with a US 110v one. I might have that 220v transformer rewound someday although it really is no problem find 240v to 110v step-down transformers over here. It's funny, but a lot of the construction trade here uses 110v tools and run all these extension cords to a massive step-down.

Roxie the dog died a few years ago at 14. She had a good long life. She was a Thai Ridgeback.

Does your dog have a matching scarf?

Sorry about Roxie. Our Harvey is gone too. Just 3 months shy of 16. A matching scarf would have been high stylin'.


You mentioned that one 400 was early and the other late. My first one of the five was an early one and had more gain on volume relative to the other two late models that I restored. I just thought it was an anomaly, so will be interested to see if this early one comes out the same. I wondered why Fisher went to this change, anybody know?

Bruce; The difference is an additional IF stage in the tuner (see the additional tuning coil?) and one more 6AU6 tube. Other than that they are pretty much identical.

Just wanted to mention before I forget... on that 'deep cleaning' thread Larry commented on how to remove a stuck knob with two teaspoons. That is one slick trick and works like a charm. It catapulted the knob across the room and had me on my hands and knees searching for it though.

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Nothing better than a "HOT" Cat shot 1st thing in the morning, to work those old knee's. Mine are aching just thinking about it.


You can send me the newer one when you get done with it.

Larry