Time to make the donuts.....

Jeff Seal

Jeff Seal

New member
After way too many years of sitting on the fence, I've finally decided to go ahead and make my own amps. They will be hand made, using only the best components with no PCB's. These are my own designs and not copies/altered versions of existing designs.
My initial effort will be on two models, a small combo and a 100w head.
Both will have 2 channels, reverb, efx loop and a volume boost for each channel.

So, my question for all of you is there anything else I should consider to make it more appealing. The basic premise is a Fender Clean and a modded Marshall type sound.

Jeff Seal
 
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Re: Time to make the donuts.....

Sounds good to me, although I wish instead of the combo it was a 2 6V6 head version of your 100W head. Both with the same preamp section.
 
Re: Time to make the donuts.....

Wow...I'm very excited for you Jeff, thats great news!

On the clean channel how about a seperate master to get some grind out of that channel too if wanted...I'd also like to see the voicing more to the brown/tweed side of Fender or at least an option for that somehow...

On the Marshall side of things keeping it plexi is my fav but most guys will want more gain...how about keeping the voicing more in line with the early amp w/o all the extra top end that came later on...
 
Re: Time to make the donuts.....

the guy who invented fire said:
Wow...I'm very excited for you Jeff, thats great news!

On the clean channel how about a seperate master to get some grind out of that channel too if wanted...I'd also like to see the voicing more to the brown/tweed side of Fender or at least an option for that somehow...

On the Marshall side of things keeping it plexi is my fav but most guys will want more gain...how about keeping the voicing more in line with the early amp w/o all the extra top end that came later on...
Click to expand...

Christian, gotcha covered... I just wasn't gonna go into much detail about it. Lots of ideas will be covered in my amps which is sort of the point.

Jeff
 
Re: Time to make the donuts.....

Jeff, I'm available for testing whenever. :D

Also, I've got questions for you if you have time over PM.
 
Re: Time to make the donuts.....

the quest for the holy grail....one amp that does fender cleans and marshall dirty sounds...
Hey i think its awesome that you are doing this and i know your amp will sound great - just dont worry too much about the fender/marshall thing....juts go for a great clean and a great dirty sound....two your own kinda "signature" sounds.
 
Re: Time to make the donuts.....

Jeff Seal said:
Christian, gotcha covered... I just wasn't gonna go into much detail about it. Lots of ideas will be covered in my amps which is sort of the point.

Jeff
Click to expand...

Nice!

I have lots of ideas I'd like to see but many of them are just thing I'd like.

What are the chances this beast will be around by next year???
 
Re: Time to make the donuts.....

You may or may not have this planned already, but independent controls for each channel is always a plus.
 
Re: Time to make the donuts.....

Jeff Seal said:
...These are my own designs and not copies/altered versions of existing designs....
Jeff Seal
Click to expand...
Jeff, I'm really glad to see you doing this. I have no doubt they will be amazing amps.
gibson175 said:
just dont worry too much about the fender/marshall thing....just go for a great clean and a great dirty sound....two your own kinda "signature" sounds.
Click to expand...
See above.
 
Re: Time to make the donuts.....

Kool! Now if ya could get BOTH clean and dirty at the same time (selectable of course) like a 2 amp setup...that would rock. Good luck.
 
Re: Time to make the donuts.....

include candy with every amp sold

advertize obnoxiously about the candy

bright-colored tolex (natch)

a catchy company name. Try to think of something unrelated to music that everybody still loves -- like clouds or sunshine or something.

coupons to national pizza chains

and a margarita dispenser
 
Re: Time to make the donuts.....

Jeff, I wish you the best of luck! I know from experience that it's a tough road especially when you are introducing a new sound to the market.

Just remember you can't please everyone.
 
Re: Time to make the donuts.....

Hi, Jeff, great to see you back. Second the motion for a 2 x 6V6 option for the combo.

Best of luck with the new endeavor.
 
Re: Time to make the donuts.....

Jeff Seal said:
After way too many years of sitting on the fence, I've finally decided to go ahead and make my own amps. They will be hand made, using only the best components with no PCB's. These are my own designs and not copies/altered versions of existing designs.
My initial effort will be on two models, a small combo and a 100w head.
Both will have 2 channels, reverb, efx loop and a volume boost for each channel.

So, my question for all of you is there anything else I should consider to make it more appealing. The basic premise is a Fender Clean and a modded Marshall type sound.

Jeff Seal
Click to expand...

Jeff:

OK - I’ll purchase one with the following specifications:

1) Small head format
2) Multiple voltage tap (Similar to JTM-45 Bluesbreaker)
3) Multiple OHM output (Like Marshall has)
4) Build-in channel jumping (Like you get when you jump channels using a cable on the old marshals)
5) Channel 1 - Fender Clean based tone, like a Vibroverb has but without that bright switch.
6) Channel 2 - Marshall driven based tone, like a Plexi or like a JTM-45 using jumped channels
7) Independent long 3-spring reverb on both channels, each having sweep, dwell, and tone.
8) Ampeg VT4 selectable mid-range controls on the clean channel
9) Use of GEC KT-66 tubes for power
10) Mercury Magnetic power, choke, and output transformers.
11) Sozo capacitors
12) Ultra-low noise Carbon resistors
13) The best tube sockets available

AND the rest of your normal, extra fine workmanship work.

—

For those who do not know, Jeff Seal is an excellent guitar player and guitar/amp technician. Jeff has repaired three of my amps, two amp brought back up to blackface specifications. Jeff also fine tuned the Fender Vibroverb that was given to another SD forum member about 5 years ago (Jake - you still use that amp???)
 
Re: Time to make the donuts.....

Best of luck with your new project dude!

Now, I'm not an expect on building amps, but I can tell you what I like. Keep in mind that I'm not much of a fender sound type of guy, so I'm commenting on the Marshall vibe amp.

One of the most useful and great features that an amp can have, specially one with great distortion, is a solo boost. My current amp has one, and I cannot stress how great it is to have a solo boost built into the amp, that just gives you that additional volume push when you need it.

Built in reverb is also a great thing, but you have that covered.

Another feature I loved on an amp I had was a "contour" knob. What this did, is that after you set your 3 band EQ, if you put the contour at 12-o-clock, it had no effect. Move the contour back and forth after, and it moves the EQ curve back and forth. Very cool feature, very useful for live situation and adjusting quickly to a room.

I think a lot of what makes a good amp is the little things that make it easy to work with. Small things like having a power cable that can be replaced by any universal power chord. Seems like a little thing, but it's a life saver. Easy access to the fuse. An LED to show which channel you are on. Small things that seem useless (and that you have already thought of a thousand times over I am sure), but that are a must in every amp, and that jump right out when they are not there.

Cheers, I'll be looking forward to reading your threads about this!
 
Re: Time to make the donuts.....

Nice to see you back man!
You know you have to choose the client profiles whom you want to sell your amps.
The Brown-Tone crowd
The Clean-Jazz Crowd
The tight-HiGain crowd
The Ultra-gain crowd

Well, if you can combine Brwon-Tone and Tight HiGain options in one single amp, you might sell a lot.

Keys for me when I shop an amp
1) I play lower tunings, so clarity and fast response even at 40 Hz is important.
2) I like my Power-tubes run clean, so I prefer amps with 6550-KT88s. I might buy an EL34 amp if it's compatible with the before mentioned tubes, and Bias control.
3) A good FX Loop is a must, if possible Two of them. one parallel, one serial.
4) The clean channel have to have enough AIR. Many good amp companies just don't get a nice , almost acoustic kind of Clean tone.
 
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