Hand Built Amp Consistency

[tonejunkie]

Hey guys. I have now built a total of 5 ODS clones, 1 Bluesmaster, 1 HRM skyliner, and 3 high plate non hrm w/ skyliner stack. 4 of the 5 are still in my possession (one is going to a friend soon).

My question is about the 3 high plate non-hrm amps. I have used the same layout, transformers, etc. to make me think they should sound very similar off of the bench but each one has had a very different character. One is was much brighter than the others, one is very brown and singy, the last is kind of boomy and has too much compression (I need to do something about this one). I don't know if I should be embarrassed about this or is it just the nature of the circuit. I always eventually end up tuning the amp to get great tones. I have also made several blackface reverb and plexi clones that are much, much more consistent.

I by no means will ever be really in the amp business (I teach high school math and play in several bands so not much time) but friends ask me to build ODS's (I can only do about 1 a year) for them I would like to learn to be more consistent. Any thoughts or stories about this? Thanks TJ

[Bierschinken]

Hi,

I suggest measuring pots and caps for their value before putting them into your amp will keep the consistency.

If then the wiring is done identically on all of your builds, there should be no sonic differences.

Cheers,
Swen

[bluesfendermanblues]

Preamp tubes can be a pretty inconsistent component. I would try various (I prefer JJ's), before modding the amp(s) further.

[Structo]

I would guess that tolerances of all components and transformers come into play.
And of course the tubes themselves.

These amps do seem touchy as far as values go.
I can install the same cap that Joe Schmo does and not get the same tone.

So as mentioned, your best bet is to match up all components.
But that really isn't very feasible for the hobby builder as you would have to buy a lot of components to weed out the culls or out of spec parts.

[Normster]

There are so many variables that it would be nearly impossible to achieve consistency. That's part of what inspired me to build so many amps in the beginning...anticipating what each one would sound like.

A couple of things that I've noticed; make sure you put some playing time on the amp before writing it off and tweak the amp based on its own qualities rather than what you think it should sound like.

[bluesfendermanblues]

There are so many variables that it would be nearly impossible to achieve consistency. That's part of what inspired me to build so many amps in the beginning...anticipating what each one would sound like.

A couple of things that I've noticed; make sure you put some playing time on the amp before writing it off and tweak the amp based on its own qualities rather than what you think it should sound like.

Normster, which amps have you build and which ones have you kept or do you favour?

[bluesfendermanblues]

There are so many variables that it would be nearly impossible to achieve consistency. That's part of what inspired me to build so many amps in the beginning...anticipating what each one would sound like.

A couple of things that I've noticed; make sure you put some playing time on the amp before writing it off and tweak the amp based on its own qualities rather than what you think it should sound like.

Normster, which amps have you build and which ones have you kept or do you favour?

[Normster]

I lost count a long time ago.

As for keepers, I have a Bluesmaster Reverb and a Rocket.
The one that got away was a 4x6V6 Bluesmaster. It had this great brassy OD tone and lots of thump. I've never quite duplicated that amp and regret selling it.

[bluesfendermanblues]

I lost count a long time ago.

As for keepers, I have a Bluesmaster Reverb and a Rocket.
The one that got away was a 4x6V6 Bluesmaster. It had this great brassy OD tone and lots of thump. I've never quite duplicated that amp and regret selling it.

Thanks for the input. Seems like the bluesmaster is an all time favorite around here. I've settled on a high plate non-hrm, that evolved into a #124ish low plate skyliner. Maybee the next one should be a BM

[CHIP]

I recently discovered that the tone on my D'lite with bluesmaster PI changes with a variation in wall socket voltage. In the morning the AC input voltage is higher (125 VAC), than in the evening(120 VAC). I perfer the tone with the 125 VAC. My plate voltages end up with around (220 v on V1) (210 on V2) and @ 270 on the PI plates.

[Structo]

What plate load resistors are you using on V1 & V2?

[CHIP]

220k and 150k

[CHIP]

I never noticed this type of sensitivity on my Tweed Deluxe, Plexi 6V6, or Champ clones. Or any other amp I've played.

[briane]

In general should be expected, even when using the exact layout and components. To many tolerance issues come into play.

Typically it takes me about a month to build the amp (in the evenings), and between 1-2 months of playing and tweaking to make sure it matches my benchmark amp, which I will never sell, as it allows future comparisons to the gold standards of what I want my amps to sound like.

Its easy to build the amp, very difficult to make all your amps sound similar (notice I dont say same).

MAke sure you have at least 40+ hours on the amp before making any decisions.

Sometimes its very valuable to spend a lot of time listening to the amp one component change at a time. Set a benchmark sound on the panel adjustments, then try a different cap, reisistor (of same brand and type), and you will be surprised I think at how different one orange drop sounds from another.

[Structo]

I've wondered about the consistency of the factory pcb amps.

Say if you took 4 Fender Deluxe Reverb Reissues in one room and then played one after another, how similar or how different they would sound?