Rookie Build... and New ROCKET!!!

[HeyFargo]

Greetings all!.....
This is my first post... so please bear with me…

I'm pleased to announce a successful build and startup of a Rocket.!

This is the result of the encouragement of a friend who recently and successfully built an Express. He also was the one who introduced me to the work Ken Fisher.

Credit for the build goes to this forum for its invaluable information, schematics, layouts, etc... To RJ, for supplying much of the components and for insightful recommendations. rj also encouraged me to post my results and progress here on the Amp Garage...

Credit also to Mike T. a friend/coworker/employee extraordinaire who did virtually all of the assembly... (he's had much audio/video electronic repair experience... however, this was also his first tube guitar amp build..) Yep.. Mike started assembly while I was out of town for a few days... He completed to the point where I only got to do circuit check, initial plug-in and voltage tests!!! (yes.. I feel a little cheated out on that!!!! but after hearing it play.. I quickly got over it!)

But most importantly, thanks and tribute to Ken Fisher. It was only a couple years ago that I learned of Ken and his work... it's a privilege to learn of Ken's principals, and to construct and play this amp that is based on his design.

This Rocket turned out amazing.. FROM INITIAL TURN ON!!!. I HAVE CHANGED NOTHING!! There is no hum to speak of! Virtually silent!! very clean.!.. and very loud! As advertised, it is cleaner with a Strat until much higher volume settings. With a Les Paul, the crunch is obtained at much lower settings.

Is it PERFECT??? Certainly not up to what would be Ken’s highest standards.. The treble & base pots don’t seem to have as much effect as I expected. The famous ringing overtones seem to be slightly easier to obtain on certain notes and strings than on others… (ok, that also could be because I am not the most accomplished player.!.)

All in all, I couldn’t be happier with it!

The best compliment so far was from the amp tech & sales guy at the local guitar store. He's a fan of the Trainwreck and also collects boutique amps.... He cranked it up in their demo room.... With eyes wide open & jaw dropped, his grin was almost as big as mine!

I only have about 5 hours of play time on it... very fun... I look forward to very little tweaking... I may experiment with some tube combinations & should improve my speaker arrangement. (I've got twin matched Celestion V30's... may change one of them out.. The speaker cab is fully enclosed… may need to open that up…). Any suggestions???? I also will need to build a proper cabinet for the amp itself... (for now, I just nailed a plywood box together for protection...)

But mostly, I look forward to play time….

Thanks for reading. Thanks for posting.

Play on……

[JamesHealey]

Not bad at all for a rookie. Keep up the good work!

[Structo]

Yep, looks like a Rocket.

Congrats!

Pretty cool feeling, isn't it? To build an amp and have it actually amplify your guitar!

[KellyBass]

Nice job!! Should provide years of fun and great tone!

[ampmike]

OK,Im building one!!!!Sold,Thats awsome looking build.Have fun,Mikey

[M Fowler]

HeyFargo,

Nice looking build

Where are you from?

Mark

[Zippy]

I am curious as to what you are considering for those two extra holes.

Any suggestions???

Since you asked...

1) Move the Cut control over to that extra hole and add a 25k Mid pot to your tone stack. It'll give your amp more flexibility for swapping between Strat and LP than the fixed mid value in your tone stack.

2) Consider using that other (smaller) hole for a mini toggle to put a cap in parallel with your treble cap to give a mid shift/boost.

[RJ Guitars]

Awesome dude!! You made quick work of this effort. Thanks for sharing the photos and info. The coolest thing about the Rocket is how good it sounds by just following the posted schematic and layout... very little tweaking is required.

I know the details and you can see many of them in the photos... Sozo coupling caps and Saratov tubes, both of them affordable options with great results.

Can't wait for some sound clips!

rj

[Zippy]

Heh, heh, RJ said "dude"...

[RJ Guitars]

Heh, heh, RJ said "dude"...

Doh!

[angelodp]

Nice build HeyFargo, ignition, blastoff. Maybe an AIRBRAKE next build. Have fun.

Ange

[ampmike]

Rj is "THE MAN" He really is a great DUDE!!I couldnt have done my express without him.Im grinding at the teeth to do a rocket this fall.Good Luck,Mikey

[M Fowler]

HeyFargo lives in my area so I will have to get together with him for some jamming

I would like to meet his friend Mike T. as well to discuss amps.

[davesi]

Good job Fargo..can't wait to hear it, play it! Also, don't forget to post pics of that custom cab work your planning.

[Structo]

Fargo, for a cheap thrill and as a solo boost, you can add the C4 cap to the second stage, put it on a switch or even a footswitch through a jack on the back.
I did this on mine and like it a lot.