How do you clone an amp??

[Lewguitar]

Re: How do you clone an amp??

You can do it by copying all of the components and the circuit. But you won't get an amp to sound like the one you are cloning unless you have a power transformer with identical voltages and an output transformer with exactly the same impedence and output. The transformers are the heart of an amp...they have to be as exact as possible to the originals to capture the exact tone of a vintage amp. THAT is the most difficult part: getting the right transformers. Lew

 

[Stratman]

Re: How do you clone an amp??

You can do it by copying all of the components and the circuit. But you won't get an amp to sound like the one you are cloning unless you have a power transformer with identical voltages and an output transformer with exactly the same impedence and output. The transformers are the heart of an amp...they have to be as exact as possible to the originals to capture the exact tone of a vintage amp. THAT is the most difficult part: getting the right transformers. Lew

Exactly why I don't fool with them any more.

Besides, Jeff at Speaker Surgeon does very very nice work...

 

[Marinblues]

Re: How do you clone an amp??

Sune,

I wouldn't worry too much. Guitar amp technology is not rocket science. It actually takes pride in the fact that it doesn't evolve.

My Engl had a broken capacitor after 4 years of use and my amp tech immediately isolated and repaired the failure, without any schematics.

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: How do you clone an amp??

Sune,

I wouldn't worry too much. Guitar amp technology is not rocket science. It actually takes pride in the fact that it doesn't evolve.

My Engl had a broken capacitor after 4 years of use and my amp tech immediately isolated and repaired the failure, without any schematics.

Yes...most guitar amps are extremely simple. Even the ones we think of an being complex! Resistors and caps are simple to replace...and simple to change the values so you can tweak the tone. Finding transformers that are an exact match for the vintage trannys of the 50's and 60's is another matter though. Lew

 

[Quencho092]

Re: How do you clone an amp??

mercury magnetics does a pretty darn good job though

 

[Sune]

Re: How do you clone an amp??

I appreciate all your good responses, now I learned something new