Last Minute Doubts...now asking about speakers on 2nd page

[strat_addict]

So, I'm about to start ordering parts for my Rocket within the next week or two and there's some things that I'm just not sure about. I've heard alot of people say that Rocket isn't very great at leads. I've heard a few clips of the Rocket leads and it was missing something, it just wasn't it. I like my leads to be spongy, smooth, a bit loose but without the fizz or fuzz, this sounds more like a Liverpool to me. I've heard that vox type amps can be fizz city if not done right. I want the amp to be set dirty, then use my volume knob to achieve the cleans the Rocket is known for. I had a thread about that about a month or two ago, and what I gathered would be to loose the choke and place a 1K resistor instead, raise the screen resistor to 1K to save tubes and get a little extra compression, and then use a higher voltage transformer. Would this do what I want and how could I make the overdriven leads/rhythm tone sound looser/spongier and remove some fizz?

[PCollen]

So, I'm about to start ordering parts for my Rocket within the next week or two and there's some things that I'm just not sure about. (snip)...

One thing for sure, you don't want to order any Rocket parts at this time.
Perhaps you should consider a Marshall 18-watt TMB clone (Ceriatone, or ??? ) .....great clean and lead channels that you can switch between with an A/B footswitch.

[strat_addict]

So, I'm about to start ordering parts for my Rocket within the next week or two and there's some things that I'm just not sure about. (snip)...

One thing for sure, you don't want to order any Rocket parts at this time.
Perhaps you should consider a Marshall 18-watt TMB clone (Ceriatone, or ??? ) .....great clean and lead channels that you can switch between with an A/B footswitch.

Marshall just isn't my thing. I really like the cleans of a Vox and, honestly, cleans are far more important than my overdriven sound. And I know that the Rocket is very good at rhythm and rock sounds, its mainly the leads I'm not sure about. And the clean to mean thing.

[KellyBass]

The clean to mean thing I mainly associate with the express. I've built both the rocket and the express and as far as clean to mean, IMO the express has no match. I can't speak for the liverpool as I haven't tried one of those....Yet.

There's a few things that I did to clean my rocket up somewhat. Most of them I read in various threads on here and with a lot of help from RJ and Ryberton.

It's great that you're addressing these issues now...before you order. Do you run many pedals? Rockets love pedals!

[Gibsonman63]

I know that I am kinda new here. I haven't finished my build and have never played through a Trainwreck or a Trainwreck clone, but I have a modest collection of older Marshalls and Fenders. I can't gig any of these amps without a distortion pedal. For me, I have to really match the amp to the pedal. For example, I use a TS-9 type pedal for my Marshalls and either an SD-1 or and OD-2 type pedal for the Fenders.

Is it absolutely necessary to get everything from just the amp? I plan to try to cover the leads with my Express build, but I still will need my Wah and my Phase 90 to cover some songs. If I can ditch the distortion pedal, all the better, but I won't lose sleep over it if it doesn't work out for me.

[M Fowler]

I recommend the Rocket with 290-0-290 PT, keep the choke, and 1k/5w screen resistors. I used 100R/3w mostly though.

The Heyboer HTS-5199 is 300-0-300 that should work fine and use the Dyanclone A-470-S or the Heyboer HTS-8093-1 both are 4k3 OT.

If you need extra gain, switch a 10uf/25v e-cap to ground off V1b bias. (SPST mini switch)

This amp will rock your socks off.

[fishy]

My observations....
The Liverpool will clean up well with a single coil. It is less easy with a HBs and needs good control but you can do it with the understanding you will loose some level; more so than the Express. The bright switch will give better clean to mean if your build can tolerate it.

IMO, the Liverpool is fantastic for leads; smoother, not so much crunch like you get from the Rocket. If that is your ticket, it is hard to beat. I do like the Rocket for leads also but it does certainly have a different texture than the Liverpool. You can use a pedal though if necessary whereas the Liverpool is not so accommodating.

I made an amp with a bypassed 2nd stage and it does add to the Rocket. The basic flavor is still there though with the crunch when it is pushed. The note definition / separation is wickedly good which is something I thing the Rocket excels at.

I love my Rocket for many reasons but the Liverpool is my personal favorite.

Hope that helps.

[CapnCrunch]

Strat Addict,

I'll chime in here, as I had similar desires for my Rocket about six months ago. Everyone raves about the Rocket's clean tone, but I really wanted to crank it for leads and clean it up with the guitar volume. I was willing to do some modding to achieve my goal.

When I got ready to build, I had chosen which mods I would do. Then, I remembered some advice that I got from Bruce Collins when I was building my first DIY amp, a 5e3, and wanting to mod it out of the gate. He advised to build the stock circuit and get to know it, then after the honeymoon, mod it if you want to. I built it stock, modded it, and have now come back to stock.

I'm REALLY, REALLY glad that I built a stock Rocket. If your clean tone is truly important to you, then you owe it to yourself to try this amp without mods. I was skeptical about the hype regarding the clean tone, and the amps' ability to ingest pedals, but I'm here to say it's all true.

The Rocket is another universe from anything I've played before. The clean tone, is just unbelievable. I like to turn the amp up to where the tone has quite a bit of hair on it when the guitar is played really hard. At that level, you can go from respectable dirt to amazing clean without even touching your volume knob. All you have to do is pick hard or pick light. Also, one of the coolest things about this amp is the sustain on clean notes when set this way. It will literally transition from softly plucked clean notes into feedback depending on where you are standing. I've had amps that will do this when dimed, but I've never before had an amp that will do this when set mostly clean. Until now.

The other thing I'll say is this. I don't like distortion, or overdrive pedals. Until recently, I used only amp overdrive. I had sold all my OD pedals and only kept one old TS9. However, I have been playing some smoking leads through this amp with my old TS9 into an analog chorus into an old analog delay. I still prefer the amp OD for dirty rhythm, but I'm getting some world class lead tones out of this amp with a crappy old tubescreamer. So, long story short, I'd recommend building a Rocket as close to Ken's originals as you can pull off. You can always mod later. I intended to do just that, but I don't think I could bring myself to mod this amp now. I feel like it would be akin to putting lipstick on the Mona Lisa.....

[M Fowler]

CapnCrunch,

Good write-up and true.

For your Rocket which voltage on the PT did you use (260-0-260)?

Mark

[CapnCrunch]

CapnCrunch,

For your Rocket which voltage on the PT did you use (260-0-260)?

Mark

Yep. I used the Heyboer PT and Dynaclone OT set. I used the 260v taps.

[M Fowler]

Captain thanks for the reply.

I had used the 240-0-240 Edcor and the amp sounds great but I am going to up the voltage on a new Rocket build to a switchable 260/300 to see how I like that.

Mark

[rawnster]

Captain thanks for the reply.

I had used the 240-0-240 Edcor and the amp sounds great but I am going to up the voltage on a new Rocket build to a switchable 260/300 to see how I like that.

Mark

I too used an Edcor 240-0-240, for which I couldn't be happier with the tone I'm getting. Still, there is that ever so slight inner voice pushing me to try a bit more voltage. hmmm....

I'm pretty much in agreement with CapnCrunch. Cleans are terrific. Yet, being a little different than Capn, I like to use overdrive pedals, and get (to my ears) terrific results. The circuit simply loves pedals.

[CapnCrunch]

Yet, being a little different than Capn, I like to use overdrive pedals, and get (to my ears) terrific results. The circuit simply loves pedals.

Hey Ron,

I completely agree with you! Even if you don't agree with me......Haha

No, seriously, I don't know if I made it clear above, but my Rocket has opened my eyes, and ears, to the versatility of using pedals for crunch and lead tones. I had given up on pedals, and still feel that with the right amp, amp OD is the best. What I was trying to convey, is that I have no qualms whatsoever using pedals for OD with the Rocket. It sounds stellar with everything that I've put in front of it. Also, the combinations of Rocket and pedals that I've tried, sound absolutely stunning in the mix.

So, this Rocket has now turned me into a pedal builder. I have about four different OD's and distortions in the works

[rawnster]

So, this Rocket has now turned me into a pedal builder. I have about four different OD's and distortions in the works

...a slight derail....

Nice! Keep us posted on the pedals. I'm always looking for something different to stomp on.

[PCollen]

Is that REALLY a 50pF treble tone stack cap in the Rocket ? I ran those tone stack component values through the Duncan TSC, and it gives a horrendously scooped mid-range profile. Are the Bass and Mid pots Linear taper, with only the Treble pot Audio taper ?