06-07-2012, 07:33 PM
Oh, I've enough Mayflowers here to keep me busy - I'm sure Joe will be pleased enough with his once he's changed a few of the capacitors and checked the emission of the output valves (and the health of the bridge rectifier). As I've probably said before, the Mayflower is quite unlike any valve radio I've heard before - it's much more like a mini Hi-Fi system. The amplifier is ruler-flat, and the loudspeaker seems to be very well behaved. None of that boomy bass and woolly treble that other valve sets I've heard produces. Whether it's to everyone's taste is obviously another question...
I picked up one of these for spares a while back; I needed a replacement mains transformer, and the set was an abandoned project. The case had been power-sanded, exposing the plywood substrate in several places, and the chassis had been seriously attacked. I felt no shame in stripping it. But, a few months later, I picked up a set which had been stored in a shed for years, and had been almost totally eaten away. Inside was full of spiders and even a snail - dead! Components on the chassis were corroded, and the whole thing looked terrible. But, it works! Even with the original yellow-print Mullard valves and leaky coupling capacitors. It's amazing how nothing seems to stop them. I'll overhaul the chassis at some point, and then, I need to re-veneer the cabinet from the first scrap set (I will be asking advice from the experts!).
So, from 2 total basket-cases, another Mayflower lives!
I picked up one of these for spares a while back; I needed a replacement mains transformer, and the set was an abandoned project. The case had been power-sanded, exposing the plywood substrate in several places, and the chassis had been seriously attacked. I felt no shame in stripping it. But, a few months later, I picked up a set which had been stored in a shed for years, and had been almost totally eaten away. Inside was full of spiders and even a snail - dead! Components on the chassis were corroded, and the whole thing looked terrible. But, it works! Even with the original yellow-print Mullard valves and leaky coupling capacitors. It's amazing how nothing seems to stop them. I'll overhaul the chassis at some point, and then, I need to re-veneer the cabinet from the first scrap set (I will be asking advice from the experts!).
So, from 2 total basket-cases, another Mayflower lives!
