New (Old) F-2B

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Author Message fmm Advanced Member Username: fmm Post Number: 392 Registered: 6-2002 Posted on Wednesday, July 30, 2014 - 3:36 pm:    I just purchased an F-2B, red knobs, serial # 544. Any idea how old this might be? I won;t get a chance to test drive it until tomorrow. mica Moderator Username: mica Post Number: 8218 Registered: 6-2000 Posted on Wednesday, July 30, 2014 - 3:44 pm:    Forty-ish years. It probably says "San Francisco" on the back. Make sure the foam keeping the filter caps in place isn't completely degraded. Without it, they will vibrate right off their leads and leave you with a $65 repair bill plus shipping. sonicus Senior Member Username: sonicus Post Number: 3544 Registered: 5-2009 Posted on Wednesday, July 30, 2014 - 3:45 pm:    Show me some good clear pictures front and back . There are details that I will recognize to give you a more accurate response .(close ups work best) fmm Advanced Member Username: fmm Post Number: 393 Registered: 6-2002 Posted on Wednesday, July 30, 2014 - 4:06 pm:    sonicus Senior Member Username: sonicus Post Number: 3545 Registered: 5-2009 Posted on Wednesday, July 30, 2014 - 5:58 pm:    Mica posted one minute before me . " San Francisco " on the back just as Mica mentioned. That was one of the indicators that I was looking for in pictures. Nice physical condition for the unit's age. I have two F-2B's . One like this one and another with the silver colored aluminum knobs. Both with the same enclosure. Congratulations ! lembic76450 Advanced Member Username: lembic76450 Post Number: 385 Registered: 5-2002 Posted on Wednesday, July 30, 2014 - 6:18 pm:    Watching with interest as I have #589... I also found in my records an ebay sale of #540 that claimed it was bought new in 1975. Does that fit with your records, Mica? The on/off switch on mine is more of a mini switch harald_rost Advanced Member Username: harald_rost Post Number: 237 Registered: 6-2002 Posted on Thursday, July 31, 2014 - 12:26 am:    I have one with Serial Nr. #799 with Sebastopol on the back. I was told that it was built in 1976. keith_h Senior Member Username: keith_h Post Number: 2042 Registered: 2-2005 Posted on Thursday, July 31, 2014 - 4:58 am:    If you pop the covers there might be date codes on the pots or transformer. These won't give an exact date but would give you a time it could not have been built before. Keith nnek Intermediate Member Username: nnek Post Number: 110 Registered: 8-2009 Posted on Thursday, July 31, 2014 - 8:55 am:    I have unit number 178, and there is a mysterious 10mm hole with nothing in it between the serial number and the output jacks. Any ideas? fmm Advanced Member Username: fmm Post Number: 394 Registered: 6-2002 Posted on Thursday, July 31, 2014 - 12:03 pm:    I'm going to need to replace the foam around the caps, it's starting to break up. Everything else looks remarkably good. Sylvania tubes. I'm looking forward to trying this out. I may now be hunting for an SF-2. dela217 Senior Member Username: dela217 Post Number: 1151 Registered: 6-2002 Posted on Thursday, July 31, 2014 - 7:03 pm:    I would say it was a 1975 or 1976. The first of the blue ones were stereo, had the big power switch and were labeled San Francisco, and those lovely red capped knobs. I am not sure how the numbering on the F2B's started. I would love to know. I have one that is stamped 102 and was confirmed by Ron to be one of the first 10 made. Supposedly identical to all the rest except that there is only 1 filter capacitor on the power supply. And yes, I can hear the 60hz hum. The other differences are that there is no LED on the front of the unit. Instead there is a Fenderesque lamp. It is strictly stereo with no mono output. It also does not have rack ears. The unit is grey with a cream color face. The knobs are the witch hat knobs from the era. I also know that the schematic for the F2B changed after serial number 144. That is when they went from the Fender lamp to the front LED. Check out this link: http://www.furmanhistory.com/ Janet Furman talks about the F2B design and the original F2A and it's circuit problems. Maybe that is what I have with the pitiful filter in the power supply. Michael nnek Intermediate Member Username: nnek Post Number: 111 Registered: 8-2009 Posted on Thursday, July 31, 2014 - 9:39 pm:    Did they ever have a low impediance direct out? Or built in power supply for the series 1 cannon plug? nnek Intermediate Member Username: nnek Post Number: 112 Registered: 8-2009 Posted on Saturday, August 02, 2014 - 7:28 am:    Fastinating history of the F-2B and Janet Furman, Michael! Makes one wonder about early variations and ideas. Never took the bottom off this unit but after seeing the edge of something on my previous pic I thought I would investigate.... The hole itself looks to have never had anything bolted through it (no marks of any kind) but the label that was hidden behind the bottom cover is very interesting. The hole is too large for 1/4" input and just a little too small for the 5 pin cannon unless there is a surface mount female of some sort? fmm Advanced Member Username: fmm Post Number: 395 Registered: 6-2002 Posted on Sunday, August 03, 2014 - 8:09 am:    Judging by the label, I would guess that it was a 1/4" input. With the proper sized washers, the hole would not be too big.