Help Me Decide my next Amp Construction Project

Help Me Decide my next Amp Construction Project

  • Mod my 68 Pro Reverb

    Votes: 2 4.8%
  • Build an 18 watt Marshall Clone

    Votes: 23 54.8%
  • Build a Trainwreck Clone

    Votes: 9 21.4%
  • Try to build the ultimate Vox Clone

    Votes: 8 19.0%

  • Total voters
    42

Scott_F

Flushologist
Staff member
Okay, I'm getting an itchy trigger finger. Time to build a new amp or mod one that I have. Gotta start flirtin' with those dangerous electrons again...
 
Re: Help Me Decide my next Amp Construction Project

While I would think an 18 watter would be cool (so I could offer to take it off your hands ;) )

I think maybe a Trainwreck would suit you more ... bah waht do I know.

Actually I got a question about building for ya.

How much experience did you have when you built your first kit (the 5E3 Deluxe right?)

I'm think of seeing about city courses in basic circutry etc. Basically now that I got a job lined up I want to try this out (male genetics in my family results in a Nasty DIY impulse) probably starting out with a AX84 P1 to start off with an work my way up.

Just curious
 
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Re: Help Me Decide my next Amp Construction Project

One electronics class in college, 2 years worth of engineering school and a lot of formal education in mathematics (logic and analytical thinking).

So, basically, no experience at all. :)

Bruce's 5E3 kit is pretty straight forward. But, don't ask Curly that Saturday I was on the phone with him about 5 times. :)
 
Re: Help Me Decide my next Amp Construction Project

Scott_F said:
So, basically, no experience at all. :)

Excellent ... Nah with my luck I think I'll try a city class and a few books on amateur electronics first.

Don't want to fry myself
 
Re: Help Me Decide my next Amp Construction Project

18 watter w/ a tremolo circuit like in an old Magnatone.
 
Re: Help Me Decide my next Amp Construction Project

Wreck!!!

At the last PRS Forum Event, I got to play a guy's 'Wreck clone and it was phenomenal. . .and that's when I thought my Soldano was the bee's knees. Now that I'm not into over-the-top gain, it would probably make me whip out my soldering iron.
 
Re: Help Me Decide my next Amp Construction Project

is there a Trainwreck kit, or are you gonna do a full on DIY?

I vot wreck all the way...I have had the honer to play through one...it is simply an AMAZING AMP!
 
Re: Help Me Decide my next Amp Construction Project

If no one buys my Blues Jr, I might be willing to offer it up as mod bait for either the 18w conversion or the Wreck conversion?
 
Re: Help Me Decide my next Amp Construction Project

Well, Two Rock is selling a very very incomplete kit. Just a chassis, a head cab and two of their custom trannies from the model that is supposed to be their take on a Wreck.

Just gotta search out a layout and schematic. I'm not so good at reading schematics, but layouts are like putting a puzzle together for me. I've gotten pretty good at it.
 
Re: Help Me Decide my next Amp Construction Project

That's what I'm gonna do on my current build project.....of course all builds/mods I'm doing are on my way to developing an amp for actual retail production..I'm gonna start by building a few classic amps (mostly Fender clones..Tweed Bassman, Brownface Princeton, Blackface Deluxe) plus a couple Marshall's for EL84's and EL34's (specifically the 18 watt marshall and the JTM-45) and put my own tonal spins on them..and see if I can make a go at starting an amp building company...

Just today I got through making out my parts list for my Tweed Bassman clone and I have a wholesale distribution deal through Electro Harmonix for most of the parts, sans capacitors and resistors...so it's only a matter of getting some money! :) of course, that's the hard part
 
Re: Help Me Decide my next Amp Construction Project

Scott_F said:
Okay, I'm getting an itchy trigger finger. Time to build a new amp or mod one that I have. Gotta start flirtin' with those dangerous electrons again...

let me know when you want to build a 3 channel or greater high gain amp. :d ill cook something up .

germ
 
Re: Help Me Decide my next Amp Construction Project

Scott, think "bigger"....go for something truly unique....

I'll make you a deal.. I'll post a schematic here for you and the other amp "guy's" here for the ultimate "single" channel amp...(well, maybe not the "ultimate", but quite a bit more versatile than most...)

..it's just components and wire, same as always!!... all you gotta do is buy the stuff and "connect the dots"......this is nowhere near as hard as what most think!



...you game?

Jeff Seal
 
Re: Help Me Decide my next Amp Construction Project

..doggone it Jeremy, no fair posting while I'm typing... :laugh2:

how's it going bro?

Jeff Seal
 
Re: Help Me Decide my next Amp Construction Project

I have a good idea here Scott!

THIS is what you need to bulid:
A 18 watt or smaller amp with 6L6'es and some nice lower gain tubes in the preamp. Just plain and simple, beautiful sounding! Then, you bulid a really nice cabinet of walnut or maple, and tung oil it to absolute furnitureness! Put the amp in there and slap in some hifi midranges and tweeters! Finish it up with some really nice grille cloth and some aftershave to get the rigth quality smell ;)

So, what do you think?
Cheers!
-Erlend
 
Re: Help Me Decide my next Amp Construction Project

Building a Trainwreck would be the best thing an amp builder could imagine, but I guess it's just impossible...
 
Re: Help Me Decide my next Amp Construction Project

i think start off with an 18w circuit, but modd and add things on like valve trem- get into the 'features' thing :D

tom
 
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