PIoneer SA 8500 Restore 

Pete Macrae well I know amps are expensive but you may want to consider the newer amps from Parasound.

How did you clean your 8500ii? I have one cracking on volume knob.

I usually check bias and offset anytime I service one of these, just because I'm already in there and it's very easy to do.

Thanks for the question and kind comments! For the schematics, I usually start by opening the schematic in an app such as Acrobat, Photoshop, etc. and I try to tough them up. I'm not a graphic artist, so I don't go too crazy. I then save them as a PDF. I have a printer at home that can print 11x17" pages. For the large "bedsheet" prints, I go to an office supply store, such as Staples and have them printed on large-format paper. The prints cost less than a dollar.

You are a Blessed man! I just had to pay $23 for one of the size you took to Staples/other. (11.50 in your dollars).

Tom, There are several versions of DeOxIt out there. For example, the D5 contains only 5% of the chemical and the rest is cleaner that evaporates. The D100 has 100% of the chemical and no cleaner. It should be used very sparingly to avoid damage to the carbon. Faderlube is another DeOxIt product designed for faders/ sliders and pots. It also comes in 5% and 100% versions. The thing to avoid is contact cleaners such as the CRC electra-motiv and similar products. They are chemical contact cleaners and they will disolve the carbon right out of the pot! They sell this stuff in the same are as the safer cotrol cleaners, so it's easy to confuse the two. Be sure to read the label. Thanks for watching!

This business of contact cleaners and lubes etc must be one of the most confusing in the audio/video hobby and repair business. The labels and the ads are for the most part, misleading. I've seen many of these switches and pots at a friend's shop when gear was brought in for service. Almost inveriably they had been treated with products that were supposed to be 'safe'. But the products appeared to make things worse. What should really be done with these controls to clean them internally if that is at all possible, and to lubricate them - which I gather is distinct from 'cleaning' ?

You can actually buy re-cap kits on ebay for these.

The tone defeat switch contacts need cleaning. I recommend contact cleaner, the stuff from Radio Shack would be fine. Do not use deoxit, as the contacts are probably not oxidized (never introduce any acidic cleaning product unless you have to) The switches are serviceable, as the contacts can be manually micro-polished, but must be de-soldered from the board to do so.

Hi Fi Engine has it. I just downloaded it.

Check around the knob, sometimes there's a little hole with a tiny screw in it, usually flathead or hex, undo it and pull. If there is no screw, they should just pull off. Most knobs, especially smaller ones have no screws.

My advice would be to watch other people on videos, read books, and buy some amps cheap at a flea market, etc. and try to repair it. If you fix it, great. If you don't, you got an education. Just don't spend too much at first! Nothing beats experience. Best of luck!!

clean it with a syringe and give it a few drops of isopropyl alcohol and give it several turns. it should be cleaned and eliminate noise

Doesn't matter what he paid for it, what does matter is the quality of work that went into a restored amp, and what it is worth on the market. Stereo equipment from this era was very high quality. Time and material is not cheap, and experience is worth something!