Thinkin' about building an amp, anyone have info?

[Mephis]

I don't want to build an amp from a kit, where's the fun in that?


I want to build an amp from scratch, I'm planing on cloning an existing amp and simplifying it. (Less knobs. Planing on only having master volume, pre-gain, and post-gain.)


I'd be looking for something that would be able to get pretty high gain but be able to back off down to country. Single channel of course. Hopefully EL34 if I can manage. 3-4 premap tubes if possible. No reverb/effects.

Looking to be around 30-50watt. I'll probably make it a head and just have it power my classic 50's speakers till I can build a cab. (I have an unlimited supply of very good quality birch plywood.)


Tone wise I'm looking for something british, lots of bite and grit with a singing fat lead tone. (Think laney.)

I don't even know 100% for sure if I want to start from scratch or buy something extremely cheap and re-do it. For now I'm just looking for some good info and advice.

(I'm not scared of having to learn alot or some hard work... And I don't have a job so I have all the free time in the world. I would like to get into amp building or modding as a hobby.)

 

[bungalowbill]

Re: Thinkin' about building an amp, anyone have info?

Marshall JTM 45

 

[kmcguitars]

Re: Thinkin' about building an amp, anyone have info?

I did it. How are your soldering Skills & electronics Knowledge?? It is a learning experience, But not a good place to start without at least a Electronics 101 type course under your belt. I took a cheesy high school electronics course over 20 years ago, read the Thunderfunk book and the Torres book and anything else I could get my hands on. I started doing mods 1st and developing a understanding & RESPECT ! for the dangers that lurk within the inards of amps. I built a Marshall 2204 clone. I sourced the parts out from many vendors. More times than I'd like to admit I found myself scracing my head thinking WTF! What's wrong??:smack: Be careful not to bite of more than you can chew.

 

[Mephis]

Re: Thinkin' about building an amp, anyone have info?

I know that's why I'm looking for solid info. I'm one of those people that believe anything is possible given enough time and effort.

And I also believe I can make something cheaper than I can buy it for but with better quality componets and better workmanship.


I haven't used a soldering iron in a few years, but I'm sure it'll come back to me.


The reason I want to start from scratch is, so I know what I've installed, so I know HOW it works, and that way if theres a problem I can track it down. (Unlike if I got into modding something much more complex than I care to build.)

 

[drew_half_empty]

Re: Thinkin' about building an amp, anyone have info?

find someone local who can do it, then ask them to help you

that's what my friends did, and they're on their 2nd-3rd amps already

 

[Mephis]

Re: Thinkin' about building an amp, anyone have info?

find someone local who can do it, then ask them to help you

that's what my friends did, and they're on their 2nd-3rd amps already

Maybe but the only guy I know of works 7 days a week and when he isn't working he's playing gigs. I'll check around.


This is the punishment I get for living 25 miles from human existance. :yell:

 

[Pierre]

Re: Thinkin' about building an amp, anyone have info?

Master volume, pre gain and post gain...? I'm a little lost on there.
A gain after the first gain stage, a gain after the second, and THEN the master volume at the end of the third..? Unless you go for 2 12AX7s in the gain stage of course, depending on what you chose.

 

[Fresh_Start]

Re: Thinkin' about building an amp, anyone have info?

Two great sites: 18 Watt Forum for Marshall 18 watt clones. Sounds like just your ticket, except for the output. There are 30 watt variants...

Also AX84 Project Actually multiple projects, some very basic (2 tubes) and others much more complicated. Lots of great links and info. Aiken Amps is a great resource, among others.

All that said, I'm going to build an amp sometime soon and can't imagine starting from scratch. Little things in the layout can make the diffence between a clean, quiet amp and a beast that hums no matter what. Trinity Amps looks like a great source for a couple of kits. Also have a nice forum and a great reputation for support (which I'll need).

Good Luck!

Chip

 

[DankStar]

Re: Thinkin' about building an amp, anyone have info?

If you're that amped up about it, do an 18-watt I'd say. Get it? Amped up! LOL hehehehe. I slay me.

 

[Mephis]

Re: Thinkin' about building an amp, anyone have info?

Master volume, pre gain and post gain...? I'm a little lost on there.
A gain after the first gain stage, a gain after the second, and THEN the master volume at the end of the third..? Unless you go for 2 12AX7s in the gain stage of course, depending on what you chose.

Yea, my classic 50 is built like that and I really like how having dual gain controls works. Post-gain is like a clean boost and pre-gain is your dirt.

So that would allow me to get high volume cleans and be able to get dirt on the same channel.... I've been doing it with my peavey for awhile.

 

[BigDaddy]

Re: Thinkin' about building an amp, anyone have info?

Start with a champ amp kit or something really simple until you get an idea of what you are doing.

Unless you know the finer points you will end up being really frustrated. You can build something exactly like what the schematic says and it will not work.

Things like lead dress and biasing tubes are very important.

It sounds like you want to build an Indy race car when you should start with a go cart.

I know a lot about amps, I know so much. Because of that I realize that, I know nothing about amps.

You want to build something with less knobs but you want post and pre this and that. You have no idea what it takes to make a high gain amp work...........a wire in the wrong place will cause wild oscillations, that's lead dress.

You want to start at the top and work your way up. Start at the bottom and learn the proper way to do things. There are so many books available these days, but there is a lot of BS in them. You have to learn enough to know what's BS and not. Guys like Torres are full of BS.

Buy a simple kit from Webervst and build it. Then start modifying it by changing values of some of the components. Try changing the types of power tubes and the corresponding components, add a gain stage to it or one of the many types of master volumes.

Once you have done something like that you learn what works and how it works. That should takes a year or more......maybe two, maybe three.

There is no such thing as adding water and having an instant amazing sounding complex amplifier.