Building a tweed amp head

[JohnnyGuitar]

Currently I own only a solid state with a tube preamp and a couple of solid states amps. I've started searching for a good tube amp at stores here but the prices are 30% higher then ordering an amp online...

I've started thinking about ordering a chasis and a pre-wired board for a tweed amp and building the hgead myself (I can get a pretty good deal on a cabinet here).

I do have a few questions I think you guys could help me answer:
.1 can I use any kind of amp as a head or do I have to do any modifications?
2. What do I need to make a DIY head cabinet around the chasis? wood? tweed cover? anything else?
3. How bad is my idea? :13:

 

[greco]

Re: Building a tweed amp head

I think your idea is great...because I'm working on the same thing.

You will have to look at the tube and trannie orientation related to the chassis and how it will be situated in your cabinet ( i.e. where do you want the controls/switches, which way are the tubes mounted, etc.).

Also, do you want reverb? You will need to allow space for the tank.

It will require a lot of reading and designing.

Ever considered a complete kit?

Any chance of getting a used (empty) head cabinet that will fit your chassis? Saves time and might be fairly inexpensive.

Just some thoughts. Wait to see what the others think.

Good luck on it!

Dave

 

[greco]

Re: Building a tweed amp head

Sorry....Just noticed that you want a tweed head...probably not easy to find an empty one used.

 

[Curly]

Re: Building a tweed amp head

.1 can I use any kind of amp as a head or do I have to do any modifications?
2. What do I need to make a DIY head cabinet around the chasis? wood? tweed cover? anything else?
3. How bad is my idea? :13:

1. you could use any amp for a head, but it makes more sense with the more powerful amps, since low powered combos are still fairly small.

2. maybe grill cloth? other people have made combo cabs for their chassis. a head would be about the same, except upside down.
you want to get the cut out size correct around the controls.

3. Fender actually made a (rare) tweed Bassman, so it's not too far fetched of an idea.

I'm curious to know what you'll use for trannies though. I know the power is a little different over there.


Shalom

 

[ES350]

Re: Building a tweed amp head

Weber VST makes tweed style head kits for the Bassman 5F6A, the high power Twin 5F8, and a few others. Might be worth taking a look just to see what your options are...

 

[JohnnyGuitar]

Re: Building a tweed amp head

Wow! Your comments got me more motivated... and it does looks like I will need to do some more research...

ES350- thanks for the Weber website... It's maybe one of the best amp websites I have encounterd... it's like Warmoth for amps

I though about making my own head because I have some carpentery skills and I thought I might do something original...
The transformers part- all of the websites I've encounterd offerd a trannies for the Israeli power system. I have an amp which I bought with an american electric plug and it had electric problems with the transformer and stitll has them so I'm a little worried about the issue...

As for the amp, I've started thinking about getting a 5E3 or 5E1... Just a volume and a tone knob... Simple to work on, lighter to carry around, no more EQ dilemmas dance: )... The only thing I'm worried about is that the tone won't be clean enough with the volume backed down on the guitar... anyone has expreince? I need some good cleans for funky rhythm (no sticking to solid state amps is never a good idea )

 

[Curly]

Re: Building a tweed amp head

if clean headroom is an issue, I don't think you'll be happy with a 5E3

I love mine, but the most common complaint is lack of clean headroom.

however, Mission Amps has a mod that's supposed to help

 

[JohnnyGuitar]

Re: Building a tweed amp head

if clean headroom is an issue, I don't think you'll be happy with a 5E3

I love mine, but the most common complaint is lack of clean headroom.

however, Mission Amps has a mod that's supposed to help

Yeah, I just recieved an answer from Hatcher... not clean enough... back to the drawing board... :thumbsdow

And I hoped to get an amp with less knobs... I'm not build for the EQ part... I don't really think you need three tone knobs when you're playing funky/jazz clean and get distortion from effects.
My original plan was a Bassman head...think I might go for it...

I also might check out Torres Engineering... they have something they call "aged circuits", if it's the same as it is with pups then we're talking about an option...

 

[Curly]

Re: Building a tweed amp head

I have to be honest: From what I've seen, I think you can do better than Torres stuff. Check his ratings on harmony central, FWIW.