an afternoon with franklin

[Scott_F]

Re: an afternoon with franklin

It's the greenback clone. So far, I've run the thing with this mojo, a Red Fang, a Texas Heat, my 2x12 Two Rock 12-65 cab, but not the Mojo G12H30 clone. They mistakenly sent me the V30 so, I'm waiting for a swap to arrive.

My only concern with the 30 watter I'm building is that the mojo 30H (G12H30 clone) is only rated at 30 watts. I really don't want to fry a speaker. It might make sense to run it as a 2x12 for insurance, but darn it, the weight of a bigger combo cab and the extra speaker are in addition to the 30 watt transformers that are nearly twice as large and heavy! I'm going to end up with a 100lb bad cat 2x12 combo if i'm not careful. And, that is unacceptable for me. This thing has to be easy to transport or it is not for me. I've owned a 2x12 Badcat and it was a beast. I'm no small person, but I can imagine if someone was only barely outweighing the amp by 50lbs, they'd have trouble getting it around.

 

[Hoss]

Re: an afternoon with franklin

just out of curiousity, have you tried any of the Celestion Hellatones...the Hellatone 60, from description, sounds like a good match for it!?

i think it was Curly who has some of them?

 

[Scott_F]

Re: an afternoon with franklin

trying a lot of speakers gets expensive. i happen to have had the red fang and the texas heat laying around. the mojo sounds so good, I doubt I'll be searching further. If that Hellatone can handle 60 watts, though, I probably should at least check it out. Is it made in China?

 

[Hoss]

Re: an afternoon with franklin

trying a lot of speakers gets expensive. i happen to have had the red fang and the texas heat laying around. the mojo sounds so good, I doubt I'll be searching further. If that Hellatone can handle 60 watts, though, I probably should at least check it out. Is it made in China?

yeah...it's a 60 watter...i'm not sure about MIC...shoot Curly a PM or Dave @avatar?

 

[Luke Duke]

Re: an afternoon with franklin

Scott when will the JTM 45 clone be ready!? I'm getting clone GAS!

 

[Gearjoneser]

Re: an afternoon with franklin

Thanks for the review Bill. I'm sure it was a fun day, running all your guitars through it.
I'm surprised you haven't bonded with that PRS more. The guitar itself is a tone beast, so maybe it's time to get that guitar setup with the right nickel Duncans. I hear a big difference between my stock McCarty and my Duncan loaded one.

I can't wait to see or hear more Celtic Amps. I think I'd dig a 6L6 or EL-34 version the most.

 

[Scott_F]

Re: an afternoon with franklin

Scott when will the JTM 45 clone be ready!? I'm getting clone GAS!

Luke, at this point, I will not be building a JTM 45 clone until someone wants to buy one. The circuit is pretty basic and rather easy. I'll use the best parts and hand wire and all that, but I do not think I'll have a demo version coming ready any time soon.

The Franklin project is such that I need to keep focused on it first. Once that is done, I've made a committment to get the Tweed Reverb out. From there.... who knows...

Thanks for looking...

 

[Scott_F]

Re: an afternoon with franklin

Thanks for the review Bill. I'm sure it was a fun day, running all your guitars through it.
I'm surprised you haven't bonded with that PRS more. The guitar itself is a tone beast, so maybe it's time to get that guitar setup with the right nickel Duncans. I hear a big difference between my stock McCarty and my Duncan loaded one.

I can't wait to see or hear more Celtic Amps. I think I'd dig a 6L6 or EL-34 version the most.

I am looking at swapping out the 4xEL84 and adjusting the Frankin for 2xEL34. It's like going from the 12AX7 channel of a DC-30 to a Chieftain (of which you already own a fine example).

 

[tone4days]

Re: an afternoon with franklin

... I'm surprised you haven't bonded with that PRS more. The guitar itself is a tone beast, so maybe it's time to get that guitar setup with the right nickel Duncans. I hear a big difference between my stock McCarty and my Duncan loaded one...

yeah, joe i hear ya ... i guess i can't be sure what to put in there to best compliment the rosewood neck/board ... i DON'T want to turn this guitar into one that sounds similar to my other guitars (so no C5/59 for me) ... i want to be able to capture something unique about it ... i *think* a set of A2 Antiquities or A2 Seth's would be cool ... i'd be willing to give up the push/pull switching for that ... i just don't know if those pups would mix well with the VERY warm neck

thoughts?

t4d

 

[Scott_F]

Re: an afternoon with franklin

yeah, joe i hear ya ... i guess i can't be sure what to put in there to best compliment the rosewood neck/board ... i DON'T want to turn this guitar into one that sounds similar to my other guitars (so no C5/59 for me) ... i want to be able to capture something unique about it ... i *think* a set of A2 Antiquities or A2 Seth's would be cool ... i'd be willing to give up the push/pull switching for that ... i just don't know if those pups would mix well with the VERY warm neck

thoughts?

t4d

order 4 conductor seths and get the best of both worlds.

another option,

4 conductor Alnico 2 Pro and a Custom Custom bridge.

in fact, knowing that guitar... seths first, then a2p/cc if that didn't float your boat. remember 21 day no-suck policy. very few of us ever seem to use it.

my issue with that guitar is that I wanted a p90 PRS, but fell in love with the top and neck. The phat cats were pretty darn good, but that guitar was never meant for p90's. when i put hte hummers back in, I was rather pleased with what I heard, almost so much I was tempted to try to weasel out of the deal.

Seths. 4 conductor.

 

[PUCKBOY99]

Re: an afternoon with franklin

Different animal than your PRS, but fwiw I love the Anniversary A2 Seths in my Hamer. :bigthumb:

 

[mnbaseball91]

Re: an afternoon with franklin

yeah, joe i hear ya ... i guess i can't be sure what to put in there to best compliment the rosewood neck/board ... i DON'T want to turn this guitar into one that sounds similar to my other guitars (so no C5/59 for me) ... i want to be able to capture something unique about it ... i *think* a set of A2 Antiquities or A2 Seth's would be cool ... i'd be willing to give up the push/pull switching for that ... i just don't know if those pups would mix well with the VERY warm neck

thoughts?

t4d

If it's any help, my Warmoth soloist is quite similar woodwise to the McCarty I believe - Rosewood neck (albeit with an ebony board), mahagony body, and a maple cap. I've got an A2P in the neck that I absolutely love. I had a Dimarzio Super Distortion in the bridge for awhile but it sounded like absolute mud. I'm in the process of refinishing it and I plan to stick a CC in the bridge when I'm done, as the punch of the rosewood neck seems to really like being matched with an Alnico 2 magnet. I HIGHLY recomend the A2P in the neck, and I suspect it would sound killer in the bridge too.


Edit: Oh, and Scott, how much do you think the head version of the Franklin will end up going for? Sounds like a really cool little amp.

 

[Scott_F]

Re: an afternoon with franklin

ebony fretboards are much brighter than solid rosewood neck with rosewood fretboards. these are a very different beast. there is no other neck that has ever felt this way to me. I wish it'd have been a bit fatter as I prefer the reissue baseball bat necks on les pauls.

 

[mnbaseball91]

Re: an afternoon with franklin

^You're absolutely correct, but I still think the A2P would be really really nice in it. Then again, that's based on my tastes, not anyone elses.

And scratch the question about the price, found it on your website. Surprisingly reasonable for something of high handbuilt quality like that.

 

[Scott_F]

Re: an afternoon with franklin

sorry i missed your question. After I get done building the 30 watt version, I'm going to take a very serious look at all the costs involved and decide if it will be worth it to continue at that price. introductory pricing is a way to reward those that take a leap of faith.

 

[V-Spot]

Re: an afternoon with franklin

Like mnbaseball91 asked, how much is the head version gonna run for? After T4D's review, I think I may have found a tube amp to consider

 

[Scott_F]

Re: an afternoon with franklin

$800 for a head in tolex, $1000 for a 1x12 in tolex, for the first five I sell. After that, who knows...

I'm going to let the amps speak for themselves. I will not go into heavy self-promotion. If someone wants one, I'll build one. I've got a lot of great stuff happening in my life. I'm lucky enough to be able to build amps as a pleasure not a necessity. I'll build them as long as I'm having a good time with it. So, we'll see what the future holds.

 

[SOLO GUITAR STEWIE]

Re: an afternoon with franklin

Well First Of All Congrats Scott And It Sounds Like Fun.
And T4d Great Review....a Definate Gas Inducer.
I Have Been Looking At How Ams Work And Construction And
It Is Amazing The Technology Involved, My Hat Goes Off To
You Scott For Spending So Much Of Your Life To Improving
The Dream Of Great Tone.

Chris

 

[jeremy]

Re: an afternoon with franklin

are the trannys the matchless ones?

 

[Scott_F]

Re: an afternoon with franklin

are the trannys the matchless ones?

same ones that several manufacturers in so. Cal. use... I do not think the guys making them can legally state exactly who they are making them for.

But...

if you go to that amp site where you can look at the pictures of the insides of a whole bunch of different amps, take a look at the matchless and bad cats and you can find the exact same looking ones, right down to the markings and stamps, in my Franklin(s).

nuff said.