President Jackson (Silver) PB-042AB (1986/88)

[cb4ever104]

Might do the caps, but not seeing a desperate reason to at this point.

You won't . Until it goes pop Do all the 10Vs . They all need to go asap , and there aren't that many . Can't tell you the amount of faults I'm seeing nowadays with these .

[Stronty]

The upgrades continue. The existing and original signal meter was very dull and very yellow. So looked out my stock of signal meters, the correct ones that is, not the upside down ones. I bought 5 signal meters that included bulbs (NOT LED's) about 10 yrs ago from a seller now long gone on eBay. I have 1 left after this.

Has anyone found the correct way up meters on Ali Express or elsewhere?

***EDIT*** Found some on ALI E - Shipping is more than product and pictures show 3 band meter SWR/RF/SIGNAL and 2 band TX PWR/SIGNAL


Also, the original meter insert is correct for a Jackson TX PWR/MOD/SIGNAL but my replacement is SWR/RF/SIGNAL. I could swap over the insert...

Look at the difference..

PXL_20260319_163118767.RAW-01.COVER.jpg

PXL_20260319_163006364.RAW-01.COVER.jpg

This was the seller about 10 yrs ago if the description helps.

Screenshot 2026-03-19 171517.jpg

[cb4ever104]

Yeah . The last time I looked I couldn't see any s meters on Wonderco's eBay account. I bought 5 I think about 10 years ago , and I've only used 1 I think. I usually end up just reusing old ones from scrap ones. As you say , sometimes you need to swap out the inlays depending on the model. Most of the time the problem with them is that the spring gets locked up , and freeing up the top tension screw usually fixes it

[Stronty]

Yeah . The last time I looked I couldn't see any s meters on Wonderco's eBay account. I bought 5 I think about 10 years ago , and I've only used 1 I think. I usually end up just reusing old ones from scrap ones. As you say , sometimes you need to swap out the inlays depending on the model. Most of the time the problem with them is that the spring gets locked up , and freeing up the top tension screw usually fixes it

The old one is serviceable but even the inlay is very dull. I seem to remember trying to clean an inlay years ago and it smudged and was therefore goosed! can't remember what I thought was a good idea to clean it with, might have been IPA, might have been lite soapy water, the result was a disaster .

In other news, I decided to start the recap. thought I'd start with the 2 large 1000uf up at the power connector. Did those and, then connected power lead and FIZZZLE FIZZLE !!

Brand new Nichicon let the juice out... , Yep, don't trust your eyes at 1am.. inserted wrong way.. Anyway took it out, tested it on LCR.
now an 841uf - Vloss 30% - ESR - 0.60...

Decided to test the old one YEC.
1012uf - Vloss 0.6% - ESR 0.45. Put the old one back in.

Did about a dozen more 10v 47uf/ 16v 10uf and called it a night...

Tested 1 of the 10v 47uf, results show 36uf vloss=15% and ESR 5.8, so bad it is.

Old and new 1000uf.

PXL_20260320_111004721.RAW-01.COVER.jpg

[Stronty]

So almost fully recapped.

44 Electrolytic caps replaced, all except 6 x 22uf10/16v and 4 x 0.22uf. I'll have to order those.

I'm not going to paint it any other way, it a complete pain in the arse. You really need a strong back light, a mind that easily determines mirror image and patience, lots of patience.

My work pattern was pick a cluster, mark where they where on solder side (or where I thought they were) remove 1 at a time and replace then test the work. if all good, move to the next cluster. I didn't do any more than 5 at sitting before testing. After my mistake of polarity initially I was double checking even if the board did have I nice bolded circle around what was the positive lead and even a + sign next to that, it wouldn't be the first time the silk screen marking were wrong on a board, so checking which way the came out was also a bit of extra belt and braces.

recapped board more or less.jpg

[Stronty]

Anyone, had Squelch Pop on a Jackson? I can live with it but I don't remember seeing anything about this.

sql pop.mov

[Mudslinger]

No squelch pop on mine, it does make a "clunk" when it switches from RX to TX though.

[cb4ever104]

The cap change gets better with practice. Sometimes I can see them straight away when flipping the board. Another way is to grab the cap with 2 fingers , and then flip it and heat up the solder pads in that area whilst moving the cap with your fingers until you find one of the legs.

The way you're going with this Dougie we'll all be sending you our Jacksons for the full rebuild treatment

[Stronty]

Enjoyable and frustrating, doubt I'll be taking anything on

Its thanks to you, Claude and many others that I have the little bit of knowledge I do, not forgetting the likes of RD250 (Long Gone 13 yrs ago), Black Spirit, Jazzsinger (longer Gone), Koberk, Zephyr, Ralf, Ashtec, even Pimp and the YouTubers.

[cb4ever104]

not forgetting the likes of RD250

Yeah . RD250 was great . I knew next to nothing back then . Haven't really learned much since , but looking back at his posts you see the technical knowledge that he had . Shame he went when he did , as I'd have a lot of questions for him now if he was still around