ODS build finished - should i do an Express ?

[pedro]

I'm really pleased with the ODS Ive just built with loads of help from the forum members - especially Scottl , Bob-I and groovtubin.

Now,
I'm getting itchy to build another amp - and wondered 'bout a wreck.

What is it about the Wreck - especially the Express that gets you guys so excited ?

Its either this or an electroplex clone ( if the alleged schem is close )

Give me it guys - I know i'll want to build !!

Anything to really look out for apart from following the schem to get close to the Express tone ?

I have an old DIY plexi just waiting to be gutted and rebuilt into something else......

Cheers
Pete

[LeftyStrat]

If I were to compare the two amps, I would say the Dumble lead is more refined and controlled, whereas the 'wreck is wild and over the top. The 'wreck exhibits near effortless feedback, and harmonic bloom (played notes sort of bloom into higher harmonic feedback).

Plus the touch responsiveness. With the Dumble you step on a footswitch to go from clean to mean. With a wreck you either turn up the volume control, or alter your playing attack.

The other thing is the challenge. Before the Francessca pics, many people attempted a clone and failed. In this amp layout is crucial.

And the sound. Go to the files section and watch the vids of geetarpicker playing a real wreck.

[pedro]

Lefty,
thanks

sounds really intruiging. I'd like to hear that with my McCarty !!

I like the idea of understanding whats going on in the layout and getting the amp "under control"
Its a relatively simple build looking at the component count etc - I have a DIY EL34 plexi wanting a makeover so this will be the donor !

what do you guys use for turrets with those perfboards - I'm in UK so my choices may be restricted.

I get a bit fed up soldering to large turrets when I want to make changes so may use eyelets on the board.

cheers
Pete

[Mark]

Dear LeftyStrat

I'm not sure I agree that many people built the Express and failed prior to the Francesca photos (no flaming intended just my opinion.) I do agree that the Francesca photo's made it much easier and people felt much more certain that they had gotten it right. Which I feel played on a lot on people’s minds.

I did post up diagrams of the Liverpool layout (in 2004) that are very close to the Express layout which shows where all the wires were to go. Personally, I don't think the Express is everyone cup of tea, it does have a certain sound, and I wouldn't describe the amp as versatile, but for lead tones most agree that it over the top.

My initial prototype amp definitely displayed harmonic feedback and bloom, though the power transformer did stop it from sounding like an Express. As far as the whole Trainwreck experience, I have found it interesting looking at the circuits, listening to the recordings, and working out what needed to be done to get that sound.

Once again Lefty Strat, I want to emphasis that I don't want to offend you, but I think if we listened to some of the amps built prior to the Francesca photo's they would be pretty close to the mark.

[LeftyStrat]

No offense taken. I was just referring to threads I had read from ampage. There were all these people having trouble with the amp being too bright.

That and with all the variation schematics, I just got the impression there was some doubt, which has been completelty removed with the blueprinting of Franceca.

Have you built all three Trainwreck designs? I would like to know your impressions of the differences between the three. I am especially interested in which design sounds best with a strat.

[fzfwyv]

Hi Pete,

Check out Nik (www.ceriatone.com) for chassis & boards. Niks are not EXACT cosmetically (brown perf) but the circuit is exact.

Here's some pics of mine that Nik put together:


[img:820:615]http://mywebpages.comcast.net/rszmagaj/t3.JPG[/img]

-Rich

[LeftyStrat]

Have you built all three Trainwreck designs? I would like to know your impressions of the differences between the three. I am especially interested in which design sounds best with a strat.

Actually found my answer to this in another thread. Of course, being an ampoholic, I'll probably end up building all three.

[rhinson]

hello, i agree with mark's comments regarding building pre-francesca. i've built a couple of clones using just the standard marshall/tweed bassman style layout with a can cap for the el34 plates and all the others mounted on the board and the amp sounded very good. the things that really made the difference from beginnning tweaking to ending tweaking to my ears were: using a 4 12 cab, changing all the coupling/tone caps to the mallory pvc's, using a 5751 as the input tube. these things changed the amp from a good rock amp to an amp people offer me money for---and this is not using the franscesca layout. that build is up next. rh

[LeftyStrat]

Yeah, I guess I was basing my opinion on old history. I first got interested in the trainwreck about a week before Omar moved the old mailing list to a message board, so most of what I was going on was the saved threads from an old ampage discussion and Steve Aloha's blues express articles.

But I'm glad you posted about using the marshall/bassman layout. I have a JTM45 that just isn't doing it for me anymore, so I thought about 'wrecking it, but I thought the layout was crucial. Maybe it would be a candidate for a K*met clone.

[Mark]

Dear LeftyStrat

As far as Trainwreck amps and a Strat go.

As you've probably found out, I like the Rocket. It is completely different from the Liverpool and the Express.

Personally, I think the Liverpool and the Express like 4X12" sealed cabs. The Rocket sounds real good with an open back cab, (I used the same output transformer [2 X EL-84] for the Liverpool and the Rocket, and so the transformer isn't a factor.)

I also think the Liverpool and the Express sound best with humbucking equipped guitars, the Rocket sounds good with a humbucking guitar, but I think it sounds best with single coil pickups.

I do think the Francesca photo's are a great achievement, but I also think a lot of very good amps were built prior to seeing these photo's. Still as we all know it is better to have the photo's than not have the photo's.

Lefty, thanks for taking my comments as intended.

[JimiB]

I used the same output transformer [2 X EL-84] for the Liverpool and the Rocket, and so the transformer isn't a factor

What OT did you use?