My Second Express Build - Done (almost)

[Omar]

I'm still a little high from the solder fumes, but I was able to finish up my Express build last night. Of course when I finished at 10PM, my wife and kids were sleeping so I couldn't play through it until this morning. This is probably the first amp I've built that fired up without any major issues.









How does it sound? Well I only got to play it about 5 minutes but it does sound different from my first build. First off all, it's got the controlled harmonic feedback! It was totally cool that I can strum a chord in the first position with the guitar volume turned down and it's fairly clean. But as you turn the guitar volume it it get pretty distorted and then goes into this nice harmonic feedback.

Second difference between this and my first build is that this build doesn't have the piercing high end. It's definitely bright but it's a little smoother.

Lastly, one thing I preferred with my first build was the distorted tones. The new build has a mid range thing I don't quite dig while my first build sounded more pleasing. Orange Drops vs. Mallory 150's, maybe?

More info when I test it out tonight.

Two issues I need to fix. I had to use a 250pf cap in the tone section since I didn't have a 500pf which I'm sure will make a difference in tone and the bright switch is wired backwards so down is brighter that up.

Omar

[mobisimo]

That looks incredible, Omar. Really, really beautiful. I'm interested in the differences you found between the 150s and the orange drops. Also, what kinds of tubes are you using?

[Chris G]

Omar,
That amp look's amazing!!!!!! Here's hopeing it sound's as good as it look's!!!!

What do you atribute the change in tone from the first one to this new one? how much do you feel the different power supply layout effected the tone if any?

Again what a great looking amp


Thanks
Chris

[HiGain]

Wow. Beautiful work, and looks strangely familiar!

Jake

[Allynmey]

Beautiful Job Omar!!!!

Where did you buy your hookup wire? It looks like solid core.

Allynmey

[Omar]

Thanks, guys! I'm pretty happy with how close I got to the pics of Francesca. It's about 90% right. As for the tone, I got to play the amp tonight for about 10 minutes before the kids went to sleep. I played the amp through my 1973 Marshall 4x12 cab with original G12H 30 watt black back speakers with my Tom Anderson Hollow Drop Top Classic.

The amp has a lot of gain on tap, starting at about 9:00. By 12:00 the amp is pretty saturated and beyond 12:00 the amp doesn't get louder just more compressed. I can't say that I'm in love with the distorted tone. It's a good sound just not my cup of tea. I would say in a classic rock setting the distorted tones would definitely work.

One thing that surprised me was a problem in my first build that doesn't happen in this build. If the volume was turned up beyond 3:00, you played a chord and then abruptly stopped, the noise would briefly disappear and then gradually ramp back up. I played the new amp with full volume and the issue was not there.

The feel of this amp if definitely unique. Maybe it's how touch sensitive the amp is but it makes you play. There is a lot of harmonic content there and the feedback thing is totally cool!

Omar

[Omar]

That looks incredible, Omar. Really, really beautiful. I'm interested in the differences you found between the 150s and the orange drops. Also, what kinds of tubes are you using?

Thanks, mobismo! It's hard to say how much the caps contributed to the difference but I prefer the distorted tones of my first build with the Mallory 150's. It had more of an emphasis on the low mids the I liked.

As for tubes, I just pulled some old Sovtek EL-34 and GT 12AX7's for testing purposes. I'm looking to buy some nice tubes. Any recommendations?

Omar

[Omar]

Omar,
That amp look's amazing!!!!!! Here's hopeing it sound's as good as it look's!!!!

What do you atribute the change in tone from the first one to this new one? how much do you feel the different power supply layout effected the tone if any?

Again what a great looking amp


Thanks
Chris

Thanks, Chris. I would probably attribute the biggest change in tone to the caps - both coupling and filter. I'm not sure if the power supply layout effected the tone. But I also think the preamp wiring has something to do with it. I struggled with my first build, moving wires around, to get rid of noise and parasitic oscillation.

Omar

[Omar]

Beautiful Job Omar!!!!

Where did you buy your hookup wire? It looks like solid core.

Allynmey

Thanks, Allynmey. I got the hookup wire from Allen Amps. He sells a bundle of solid core 22 AWG for wiring up his kits for $10. The only problem is it doesn't come with black wire. It took me a while to hunt down somebody that had solid core. I gave up trying to find solid core in Teflon.

Omar

[908ssp]

I tried a whole slew of vintage (old) tubes in mine. Mullards sound great a touch too middy, Telefunkens too dark too smooth didn't bring out the harmonics. Amperex Bugle boy wow sounds wild, wide frequency response real responsive lots of harmonics. That is in V1, in V2 and V3 I think have a RCA or Sylvania.

For power tubes I had settled on Mullard EL34s then I happened on a set of Tungsol 6550 coke bottle shape metal bottoms. I had tried these in another amp and it seemed they had more gain they just responded like no tube I had ever used before so I tried them in the CageWreck and they just were out of this world. Wide frequency response more low bass harmonics for days they just suck the tone out of your guitar. So that is where it is at for now.

[mlp-mx6]

Solid-core Teflon wire is available at www.apexjr.com

[Omar]

Solid-core Teflon wire is available at www.apexjr.com

Yeah, I checked with Steve right before I started building and he didn't have the colors I needed. Too bad 'cause I really like teflon although the PVC wasn't to bad to work with.

Omar

[mobisimo]

Omar,

They've got teflon solid-core at welbornelabs.com as well. Don't think they have your colors, but for future reference. I used their stuff on my18-watt build and like it a lot.

I'm not really familiar with good EL34s. For new stuff, I've heard SED is good, but it probably couldn't hold a candle to NOS.

Keep us updated ; )

Aaron

[Omar]

Omar,

They've got teflon solid-core at welbornelabs.com as well. Don't think they have your colors, but for future reference. I used their stuff on my18-watt build and like it a lot.

I'm not really familiar with good EL34s. For new stuff, I've heard SED is good, but it probably couldn't hold a candle to NOS.

Keep us updated ; )

Aaron

Yeah, I checked out welbornelabs.com as well. Same issue with the colors not being available.

I just ordered some New Sensor Mullard El34 reissues. I read some good things about these tubes. I'm excited to hear what the difference will be. I was thinking about going NOS but the price scared me away for now. The Sovteks I have in right now are badly mismatched and I never cared for them. But it's all I had laying around for testing.

Omar

[Custom 100]

I bought the teflon wire that Angela sells. Kimber product I believe. The stuff ain't cheap at a buck a foot but works great and Steve had all the colors I needed. I know you are looking for the solid core stuff but the Kimber is 19AWG and it stays where you put it. Just a thought. The build looks really great!