Iskra

[David B]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... SS:US:1123

[Smallbox]

WOW ....
must comment here...
These asking prices are crazy!
This kind of pricing just makes me laugh.

These are restoration-type parts, really best suited towards putting a vintage amp back "whole".
Don't think they're gonna impart some magic into your current amp-build...
To have these things priced (a la mustard caps) at some ridiculous price, like $80 US for a quantity of 4 measly resistors
sounds like the hype train "just left the Station ....again!"

A related and recent story:

I recently read some comments from a fellow amp-builder, regarding hearing garden-variety Carbon Film resistors, used on a board-build
I made that he had the occasion to work on.
These were current, modern , standard resistors...carbon films..and the guy was quite "awakened" as to the qualities of CF resistors,
as compared to his usual "go-to" Carbon Comp resistors. It was a revelation to him, being used to hearing carbon composition resistors
in building amps. So...He finally HEARD the difference (between CF's and CC's), and it was very noticeable to him, and quite the "discovery"---and this was from currently-available, modern (and cheap) resistors!
No special mojo...no mustard... no once-in-a-lifetime anything...

Anyway...it was an awakening of sorts for him: CF resistors sounded GOOD to him, even modern ones!

BUT, regarding "NOS" and rare and "magic ingredient" parts:

Nice to keep all the hype=Mojo=advertising=the latest= "insert advertising type adjective here" at a respective level, so we builders/restorers
might (hopefully) find affordable parts for restoration, and also continue to have NEW parts available, lest we get priced right out of the market....

OK... point made (hopefully!)...glad they didn't sell...these are OLD parts!!!!!!!

is right!

[dai h.]

I think you are exactly right Ray (at least IME, trying many old--sorry I mean RARE, vintage, maximum mojo™ parts), but how many people will believe you? Mojo goes a looong way in perception.

[David B]

Yeah that one caught my eye, I suppose if someone wants to restore an original they'll cough up more cash but 20 bucks a resistor! better have big mojo

[dai h.]

I think anyone looking into the matter of parts and sound influence should really pay attention to threads thereabouts on the interwebs about situations such as where someone builds a clone with the exact, period correct, mojo infused, etc. parts, but has problems with the sound (even though they might own an actual vintage amp). That is, there is still a need to know what to do with the parts and it's not enough just to have them. And (IMO) I don't think there is anything that can't be substituted with new stuff (though tubes, spks, and cabs possible exception to a degree?) so it's not like 'poop tone' awaits if you don't have the exact resistors, caps, solder, etc.. I've got a lot of old parts, and they can look cool and all that, but just by themselves I don't think they are an automatic ticket to sonic nirvana.

I think it's sort of like cooking, where it's more important to know how to cook than to always have the exact, most valued, etc. ingredients. A really good cook will probably be able to make something tasty just from stuff around in a person's kitchen, and the non-knowledgable person might look at the same exact ingredients and think, "What am I supposed to do with this *$#!?".

[Brian Wallace]

Well, they are not worth that to me.

One thing I want to say here, and I'm guilty of it as well, is that using Mustard's and old resistors in new builds is really not the best thing to do from a restoration stand point. If we use all these nice old parts to build and upgrade new amps, we won't have any left to do restorations or repairs on the amps that truly need them. Just my $0.02.

[David B]

Yeah some of those parts are getting scarce, .022uf seem to be on the endangered species list.

[Brian Wallace]

I can just see these new amps being raped in the future for their parts.

[dai h.]

THAT would be funny. What pains me is when I see something like mustards being put in a new reissue, etc. in an effort to "improve" the amp, but the workmanship is obviously poor. But I guess the money does the talking. I'm sure I wouldn't refuse if I was sitting on a pile of mustards.

[David B]

I can just see these new amps being raped in the future for their parts.

Was thinking the same

oh my

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