This is a very interesting rebuild project I acquired. It’s is in terrible shape but it is one of a kind. A prototype unit from B. P. Smith Stereo Tube Guitar Preamp. It has three channels and is a nine vacuum tube design built into a stripped out Tapco Intersound enclosure that was gutted and modified for prototyping. The faceplate was drilled/modified and silkscreen over with the brand name “Captain Crunch” 2×3 Stereo Tube Preamp. I remember many years back when I asked a tech wizard what was the ultimate in guitar distortion they told me to hunt for the illusive “Captain Crunch”. Well here it is but no schematics, no information is located anywhere until now. The only similar 9 tube preamp design from this period I could find was the Carvin Quad X but this unit is a circuit board design and not point to point. I am slowly rebuilding the design and tring to mount boards and rewire the unit but I feel like my next purchase will be the Carvin Quad X. I am so curious to see how these two tube hogs hang together in a battle. Captain Crunch utilizes nine vacuum tubes across two main boards. Clean Channel Stereo #1 designed 1-16-91 and #1 Kill Channel Prototype Board. There are loads of vintage components including Black Cats, Mallory’s Caps & Allen Bradley Pots.
This is how the unit arrived at auction before the tear down, what a mess. I documented the wiring but this rebuild is going to take a long time.
