Aaaaannd it's on... (amp build)

[Surgeon]

Re: Aaaaannd it's on... (amp build)

Nice work on this so far. I love these kinda threads.

I have used weber sealed conductive plastic pots in the past and I haven't had a single issue with them but others have had them literally falling apart on them.

Good luck with the build!

Thanks Toe-Knee, your amps are so clean and elegant on the inside that I was almost hoping you wouldn't see my sloppy work.

 

[zzmoore]

Re: Aaaaannd it's on... (amp build)

I'm with you.
I had 5-6 different colors of that stuff, I gave it all to my amp tech, and he had the same experience.....it is still hanging above his bench.!

 

[CTN]

Re: Aaaaannd it's on... (amp build)

It's cloth covered and insulated. Glad you guys like it but i don't enjoy having to push back the cloth, strip the insulation and then have stray fibers come forward where I'm soldering 'cause it's not staying put once pushed back. To me it seems a lot more trouble than regilular insulated wire.

ohhhh it's insulated under the cloth. I see.

yeah that'd be a huge pain in the ass.

 

[Surgeon]

Re: Aaaaannd it's on... (amp build)

As of today this is what it looks like... as I said, slowly but surely.

 

[Demanic]

Re: Aaaaannd it's on... (amp build)

It's all el34s. I have no intention for now to use anything else. Resistors can be changed easily if I ever change my mind though.

Have you thought of KT-77's? EL34 crunch with more on the bottom.

 

[Surgeon]

Re: Aaaaannd it's on... (amp build)

Have you thought of KT-77's? EL34 crunch with more on the bottom.

I'm a big fan of 6ca7s in my Oranges but kt77 are on thelist of things to try in my el34 amps for sure.

 

[Surgeon]

Re: Aaaaannd it's on... (amp build)

Ok, I've made a lot of progress yesterday and today...
-I moved the buss a bit closer to the chassis, saves space and looks a bit cleaner.
-Did all the wiring that could be done before having the eyelet board in, that way all I have left to do when the board is ready is install it and make the final connections (which is still a lot but not bad)
-Laid the parts out on the board but didn't make any connection... I'll keep that for tomorrow. I wish I could've made it a bit cleaner too, by this I mean the components' legs straighter so it'd be better looking but it's not bad for a first time I guess...

It's cleaner than I expected it to be at this point but I'll clean it up better yet... just making the solid wires straighter will be a big difference.

Two pics: chassis and eyelet board.

Cheers!

 

[J E C]

Re: Aaaaannd it's on... (amp build)

That is so COOL. Looks great. I think I would have a lot of fun doing and amp build.

 

[misterwhizzy]

Re: Aaaaannd it's on... (amp build)

You guys who build amps have an incredible amount of time and patience. I don't know how you do it, and I'm consistently amazed at the quality of your work. It took me nearly two weeks to install an effects loop, and I screwed it up at least three times.

 

[BloodRose]

Re: Aaaaannd it's on... (amp build)

Very cool! Id love to build an amp. Is there alot of drilling/modding to do with the kits?
Do they offer any mods? Id love to build a JCM 800 with like a jose mod or something, or a way to put somekind of overall master volume on it so I can get the full on tone at a decent volume. I have a jcm 800 thats got a mod in it, but Id kinda like to have a "stock" one for reference.

I just checked out the site. What kind of tonal diff would KT88s give? ALso, I see they offer a choice of transformers. Punchy or ballsy. What would the diff there be gain wise?

 

[DankStar]

Re: Aaaaannd it's on... (amp build)

living up to your name as a surgeon.

 

[Gone_Shootin]

Re: Aaaaannd it's on... (amp build)

Very cool! Id love to build an amp. Is there alot of drilling/modding to do with the kits?
Do they offer any mods? Id love to build a JCM 800 with like a jose mod or something, or a way to put somekind of overall master volume on it so I can get the full on tone at a decent volume. I have a jcm 800 thats got a mod in it, but Id kinda like to have a "stock" one for reference.

I just checked out the site. What kind of tonal diff would KT88s give? ALso, I see they offer a choice of transformers. Punchy or ballsy. What would the diff there be gain wise?

Ive never heard any in person (I actually do have a used set that came extra with my Splawn, but haven't tried them yet), but everything I've read says that KT88s have a bigger bottom end and some extended highs. I also read one account that stated that they gave more of a push in the upper mids as well, but that was only one account. If you want to hear them in a JCM 800 type amp, do some searches for the Kerry King Signature JCM 800, because that version came from the factory with KT88s.

And if you're considering KT88s, have a look at the 6550. I have a set in my Splawn, and they sound great. Kind of like a pissed off EL34, but bigger, and it's interchangable with the KT88.

 

[dystrust]

Re: Aaaaannd it's on... (amp build)

Ive never heard any in person (I actually do have a used set that came extra with my Splawn, but haven't tried them yet), but everything I've read says that KT88s have a bigger bottom end and some extended highs. I also read one account that stated that they gave more of a push in the upper mids as well, but that was only one account. If you want to hear them in a JCM 800 type amp, do some searches for the Kerry King Signature JCM 800, because that version came from the factory with KT88s.

And if you're considering KT88s, have a look at the 6550. I have a set in my Splawn, and they sound great. Kind of like a pissed off EL34, but bigger, and it's interchangable with the KT88.

My brother ran KT88s in his '78 JMP2203 for a while, and I also tried them briefly in my Jubilee head. In my Jubilee, they barely made a difference in terms of tone; maybe a hair less treble and mid push. I liked them quite a bit more in the 2203 where they were similar to 6550s. The low end response was similar to a 6550, the only difference I noticed was slightly smoother highs.

 

[Surgeon]

Re: Aaaaannd it's on... (amp build)

So, it fired right up but I'm working on some minor bugs at the moment... more later... with pics!

 

[misterwhizzy]

Re: Aaaaannd it's on... (amp build)

You got that amp built in a hurry! Hope it sounds as good as the workmanship looks.

 

[Surgeon]

Re: Aaaaannd it's on... (amp build)

Thanks whizzy,

it sounds great but I'm trying to get rid of an annoying hum at the moment.... kind of a bumming pita.

 

[zzmoore]

Re: Aaaaannd it's on... (amp build)

Have you been able to isolate the hum to any part of the amp by any chance.....pre or power.?
best

 

[GilmourD]

Re: Aaaaannd it's on... (amp build)

Thanks whizzy,

it sounds great but I'm trying to get rid of an annoying hum at the moment.... kind of a bumming pita.

Are the heater lines running parallel to anything that carries signal?

 

[Toe-Knee]

Re: Aaaaannd it's on... (amp build)

What kind of hum are you getting? And under what conditions?

You may want to try some elevating heaters and trying different valves.

 

[GoldenVulture]

Re: Aaaaannd it's on... (amp build)

I'd look for a dry joint.