Hilgen Amplifiers
  • Home
  • The Genius Behind Hilgen: Jack Gentul
  • WARNING: DANGER OF ELECTROCUTION
  • The 1965 Hilgen Pricelist
  • The 1966 Hilgen Catalog
  • Model 5063 "Swing Away Guitarist"
  • Model R2522 "Victor" Dual Channel Build
  • Model R2523 "Champion"
  • Model R2024 "Challenger"
  • Schematics
  • Hilgen Artifacts
  • HilBlog

excelsior!

6/30/2013

20 Comments

 
The plot thickens: Jack Gentul designed the Excelsior amps.*  I'm still so startled by this twist in the road that I can only cover the few details I know so far.

I've been suspicious of these amps since I first saw one a few
months ago.  Some models had odd similarities to Hilgens - such as the carrying handle, which is, so far as I know, unique to Hilgen amps.  Common wisdom on the internet was that they were all made by either by Sano or a nameless Japanese company.  I was pretty sure that could not be accurate.  However, I already had (and still have) a huge backload of Hilgen material to investigate.  So I let it go.

Earlier this week someone who is in a position to know such things told me that he'd seen a document connecting Jack Gentul to these amps.  As fate would have it, there was an Excelsior amp for sale on eBay.  I drove about four hours to get it yesterday.

Here's the front of the amp:
Picture
So far, no resemblance to Hilgen.

Here's the back:
Picture
Thus far I have not found any Hilgen with an original Jensen speaker (although I've seen at least one replacement.) I believe this one is original.  However, that chassis is pure Jack Gentul workmanship and lay-out.  By now his wiring design and execution seems almost as distinctive as a fingerprint.  Then there are the 7591 power tubes.  The cabinet (other than the tolex) is classic Hilgen construction.

But now let's take a closer look at one of those 7591's:
Picture
Gulp.

On top of that, at least three of the pre-amp tubes are re-branded "Radio-Matic."  The amp was made in 1964.  [That fact is inconsistent with my current timeline.  However, based on other information I received last week, plus the force of inconsistencies that just won't go away, I know that my current timeline for the period after Jack Gentul left Brook Electronics has huge gaps and downright errors.  Oh well; electro-archaeology is meant to be a discipline, not a belief system.]

The control panel has some corrosion I'd like to see if I can reduce (gingerly) before I photograph it.  It is very different from the Hilgen control panel cosmetically.  It has a gold, brushed-aluminum faceplate similar to that of a Marshall Plexi, with chicken-head knobs.

Other Excelsior amps have model names, such as the "Americana." However, the only model designation on this amplifier is "High Quality Amplifier."  Where have we seen that before? 

I had thought Jack Gentul was an unsung master of amplifier design, but this is getting a little out of hand...

More to come.

*There is no resemblance between the original Excelsior amps and the Fender "pawn shop" reissues. I do not know how Fender acquired the right to the Excelsior brand, but what it purports to have "reissued" never existed. The originals are vastly superior to Fender's cynical counterfeits.
20 Comments
Tim Boulette
7/1/2013 07:07:00 am

Interesting. Based on what you know at this point (mostly the amp's topography, I suppose), which if any existing Hilgens would you say this most resembles? Challenger?

Reply
John C. Bannon link
7/1/2013 08:12:24 am

I really cannot answer that question yet -- except to say that the Challenger is quite different, because it has a mini-reverb and uses half a 12AX7 for reverb recovery. The Excelsior uses a 7199 reverb recovery tube (half triode, half pentode) and a full-size Hammond/Gibbs reverb. This would tend to put in roughly the same class as the Victor and Pacesetter. However, it is still significantly different. What particularly intrigues me is that the Excelsior gets really loud, really fast, and doesn't seem to compress quite the way the Hilgens do. And the sound is more glassy than woody. Jack Gentul seems to have made a conscious decision not to pursue the Excelsior sound for his own brand of amps. The Excelsior sounds great, but is it as interesting as a Hilgen? So far, I'd say no. But we'll see.

Reply
tom romich
11/13/2013 04:32:49 am

i have this exact excelsior amp and the original schematic...do you want it ?...i think this amp sounds fantastic..i love the excelsior..

Reply
tom romich
11/13/2013 04:36:46 am

also the model # is 200R

Reply
tom romich
11/13/2013 04:37:40 am

also the model # is 200R peace out

Reply
John Bannon link
11/13/2013 05:35:18 am

Tom:

The best way to communicate with me is throught the contact form on the home page of the site. I am not convinced that replies to blog comments always reach their intended destinations.

Thanks for your cooperation.

John

Dan Blafford
12/30/2022 11:25:54 am

is it possible to get a copy of that schematic ?

Reply
Dave Montgomery
4/6/2023 05:21:23 pm

What I do want is to find out the controls and ports on top of the amp--Mine is rusted out, and I can't tell what anything is, and all I get is a60 cycle hum--I'll have to get new tubes at music unlimited in san leandro ,ca, buut helps to know the controls---DM

Reply
David Montgomery
2/29/2024 06:49:58 pm

I have this exact amp, but the marks on the top have rusted off--Ca you tell me what the phone plug ports on the top are left to right so I can troubleshoot the amp--at present it is giving me just a 60 cycle hum--I've got to know what these plugin ports are--I let it sit for an amount of years and I can't remember--Dave

Reply
John Bannon link
11/13/2013 08:34:53 am

Tom:

It was extremely helpful for you to identify the model number of the Hilgen-built Excelsior model. I had noticed among Jack Gentul's papers a schematic for the Excelsior 200R, but had not yet had time to determine whether it related to the amp I had found. I will publish that schematic in the near future.

Thanks again,

John

Reply
tom romich
11/13/2013 02:57:43 pm

COOL....man this amp gets loud fast and wants to rip your head off .i cant believe this was made for accordion.more like it wants to eat a marshall for breakfast...peace out...

Reply
Dave Montgomery link
2/15/2023 05:42:53 pm

If you have one of these amps, I need to know the names of all of the plugins on top of the amp, left to right---My top is rusted out and I need to know all of the positions so I can try to get this amp working---It only gives me a 60 cycle hum now--Any help would be appreciated---Dave
PS---I found out this is a Sano unit

shannon
3/3/2014 06:24:44 am

I have a mint americana with foot switches and the amp cover. Im interested in selling that thing.. Im a collector and would rather get it into the hands of someone who knows what it is then throw it on ebay.. if you know of someone looking for one or know of a place I could list this sucker it would be great.. I can supply pics if needed.. thanks!!

Reply
Jack Hester
4/13/2015 07:46:54 pm

John -

It's been a while since I posted. I have a Sano Supersonic High Fidelity Amplifier, that I could find no exact schematics to match it. However, a fellow on the Hoffman Amps site gave me one of the power amp section that appears to match mine. And, it's is for an Excelsior 30WR-50WR. Mine would be the 50WR, as it has 6CA7/EL34 power tubes. I now need to find the pre-amp schematic for it.

My first thoughts, when I looked inside the Sano, was of Gentul. An exact example of his handiwork. I will post more when I am able. My work hours are long, until sometime in June. Then, I'll give it the proper attention.

Jack

Reply
"HarpO Mark delguidice
3/6/2021 10:50:21 am

John, admire and appreciate your efforts to give info on these forgotten gems. I am not a restorer, just a fan of old weird gear. Have worked in music stores and for a manufacturer, Tom Oberheim, so, understa nd the lingo and need for care w electronics. Thanks for doing this great fun to see!

Reply
Rich
6/20/2022 11:18:42 am

Trying to Id. an excelsior amp that a customer brought in for repair. Need a schematic. Contains 930 6SL70, (2) 6V6, 5Y3. MANY JAPANESE RESISTORS & CAPS.

Regards, Rich

Reply
Dave Montgomery link
7/7/2022 07:12:04 pm

I have what I think is the amp pictured--The top metal piece is completely rusted out, and the old piece of tape that had all the control functions wasted away while it sat in a closet for 15 years--Could you get me picture of the top of the amp so I could compare it? I want to rest it out, but without any control labels I can't remember what's what to even know where I'm plugging in--It has tremolo and reverb---- i replaced a dead spring reverb years ago witth one freom a fender twin---Look to hear from you---DM

Reply
rok003
1/3/2023 10:30:17 am

Anyone know the type of rectifier tube used

Reply
David Montgomery
5/19/2024 04:38:51 pm

I just took my excelsior amp apart after un-burying it and if it's the same as the one in the picture, someone was nice enough to write down all of the tube numbers, and if you send me an e-mail address, I can send you a picture of the tubes with the numbers next to them--DM

Reply
Flooring Installation Texas link
2/13/2023 09:28:32 am

Loved readiing this thank you

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    John Bannon

    I've been playing electric guitar for 44 years.  That's an alarming statistic... Anyway, I admire underdogs and unsung heroes.  Particularly when they labored in complete obscurity, making spectacular amps that were forgotten for more than 30 years. Another alarming statistic.

    Picture

    Archives

    September 2015
    February 2014
    November 2013
    October 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

Proudly powered by Weebly