first time poster.....
Im thinking about either purchasing a used Ceriatone DC-30 or ordering the chassis and installing the Westlabs transformers as a project. Has anyone used the Westlabs iron in one of these amps or tweaked one of them further? Any thoughts or advice?
TIA
Ceriatone DC-30 clone w/Westlabs iron, what other tweaks?
Moderators: pompeiisneaks, Colossal
Re: Ceriatone DC-30 clone w/Westlabs iron, what other tweaks?
This is superb. Did I say something wrong?
Re: Ceriatone DC-30 clone w/Westlabs iron, what other tweaks?
Didn't say anything wrong but I think you might be the one amp maker in the world without a hangover 
- me I'm still sozzled 
I've used West Labs iron but only for a Lightning clone. Not sure about the DC30 - they have an EF86 - yes? Had a terrible time with those beasties - it seems impossible to get a non-microphonic new EF86 at least in the ones and twos I was purchasing. (BTW the EF86's were not for the Lightning). Word is NOS EF86 or pulls are the way to go. Other's have recommended Svetlana Winged-C but I have no personal experience.
If the DC30 uses a parallel triode input my advice is to add an option NOT to use both halves - you can get a schematic from 18watt.com (one of the 18watt Lite). Personal opinion - parallel triodes suck tone when you lower the guitar volume.
Best of luck
Nick
- me I'm still sozzled I've used West Labs iron but only for a Lightning clone. Not sure about the DC30 - they have an EF86 - yes? Had a terrible time with those beasties - it seems impossible to get a non-microphonic new EF86 at least in the ones and twos I was purchasing. (BTW the EF86's were not for the Lightning). Word is NOS EF86 or pulls are the way to go. Other's have recommended Svetlana Winged-C but I have no personal experience.
If the DC30 uses a parallel triode input my advice is to add an option NOT to use both halves - you can get a schematic from 18watt.com (one of the 18watt Lite). Personal opinion - parallel triodes suck tone when you lower the guitar volume.
Best of luck
Nick
DC30 clone
I've built a couple of the dc30 clones. One for a friend, and the second one for myself. The first was a kit from Nik at ceriatone. It turned out really well. Took a lot of time for burn-in. But it is still going strong. He is using it with a marshall 1960 cabinet with mismatched vintage 30 and g12h30's.
The second one was for myself, and a lot of it was from ceriatone also. I thought I would want to do it a little more from scratch and tweek it to my taste.
The transformers were from: http://transformerdesignandsupply.com/ . And I am really happy with them, they are made by the family of the orignal designer for matchless' iron. They were a little less expensive, but they were handmade to order . I ordered the iron first, and then ordered parts from Nik. I figured the transformers would show up first, but it was the opposite. The fitment was spot-on, and everything went together very easily. I've got to give props for Niks layout. I used to have a dc-30 from the mid nineties, and I feared going into that rats nest of wiring inside. Good thing I never had to!
In comparing it to the original, I'd have to say that the clone fairs very well. The master volume sucks life out in both, but I'm able to use it in a home environment.
It's been a while since I've played an original. But I have to remind myself that back then, they were "the game" when it came to boutique amps, and there was very little to compare them with. The clean channel was all you really needed for any Vox fan(guilty). And the lead channel was really it's own special thing. I would say to build yourself the clone and use it for a while before digging into it. IE- lots of burn in time. I made the mistake of using it with new celestions at the same time. took forever!
I've found the most important thing with the matchless design is to get good tubes. I sourced a NOS bugle boy ef86 that is working just great.
For the clean channel I am using a pair of old stock ecc83 Mullards that I pulled from an old ac30 twenty years ago. I pulled them because they were sooo noisy compared to other tubes. And they still are, but they really have the "sparkle" to them that nothing else does.
I'm not happy with my power tubes, and I'd appreciate some help with that one. I forgt what I have in there right now?
To sum it up, get it, build it, play it. You won't be let down. One of the best kits out there!
The second one was for myself, and a lot of it was from ceriatone also. I thought I would want to do it a little more from scratch and tweek it to my taste.
The transformers were from: http://transformerdesignandsupply.com/ . And I am really happy with them, they are made by the family of the orignal designer for matchless' iron. They were a little less expensive, but they were handmade to order . I ordered the iron first, and then ordered parts from Nik. I figured the transformers would show up first, but it was the opposite. The fitment was spot-on, and everything went together very easily. I've got to give props for Niks layout. I used to have a dc-30 from the mid nineties, and I feared going into that rats nest of wiring inside. Good thing I never had to!
In comparing it to the original, I'd have to say that the clone fairs very well. The master volume sucks life out in both, but I'm able to use it in a home environment.
It's been a while since I've played an original. But I have to remind myself that back then, they were "the game" when it came to boutique amps, and there was very little to compare them with. The clean channel was all you really needed for any Vox fan(guilty). And the lead channel was really it's own special thing. I would say to build yourself the clone and use it for a while before digging into it. IE- lots of burn in time. I made the mistake of using it with new celestions at the same time. took forever!
I've found the most important thing with the matchless design is to get good tubes. I sourced a NOS bugle boy ef86 that is working just great.
For the clean channel I am using a pair of old stock ecc83 Mullards that I pulled from an old ac30 twenty years ago. I pulled them because they were sooo noisy compared to other tubes. And they still are, but they really have the "sparkle" to them that nothing else does.
I'm not happy with my power tubes, and I'd appreciate some help with that one. I forgt what I have in there right now?
To sum it up, get it, build it, play it. You won't be let down. One of the best kits out there!
-
bentonar18
- Posts: 38
- Joined: Fri Dec 09, 2005 6:01 pm
DC30 tweaks
I'm thinking about making one of these from a Ceriatone kit, too. Nik's stuff is great, I agree... I came to similar conclusions: order the kit from Nik without trannies, then get trannies stateside from the family you mentioned.
One concern is the EF86 tube. New production is horrible. I have heard the rejection rate is 80-90 % or more. It must be bad; Groove Tubes won't sell these because of the high reject rate. I asked Sgt Overdrive about it, and he said look at using the E80F tube instead. He has NOS EF86 if you just gotta have them, and also sells 6267 tubes (an industrial low-noise replacement for EF86's, he said). I won't quote his prices...!
John
One concern is the EF86 tube. New production is horrible. I have heard the rejection rate is 80-90 % or more. It must be bad; Groove Tubes won't sell these because of the high reject rate. I asked Sgt Overdrive about it, and he said look at using the E80F tube instead. He has NOS EF86 if you just gotta have them, and also sells 6267 tubes (an industrial low-noise replacement for EF86's, he said). I won't quote his prices...!
John
Re: Ceriatone DC-30 clone w/Westlabs iron, what other tweaks?
I don't know if Im into the EF86 thing or not. I actually just bought a complete used quad EL84 36watt Ceriatone that Im going to try for now instead of the DC30 build.
Re: DC30 clone
Informative sum up there, i thought...FE911 wrote:I've built a couple of the dc30 clones. One for a friend, and the second one for myself. The first was a kit from Nik at ceriatone. It turned out really well. Took a lot of time for burn-in. But it is still going strong. He is using it with a marshall 1960 cabinet with mismatched vintage 30 and g12h30's.
The second one was for myself, and a lot of it was from ceriatone also. I thought I would want to do it a little more from scratch and tweek it to my taste.
The transformers were from: http://transformerdesignandsupply.com/ . And I am really happy with them, they are made by the family of the orignal designer for matchless' iron. They were a little less expensive, but they were handmade to order . I ordered the iron first, and then ordered parts from Nik. I figured the transformers would show up first, but it was the opposite. The fitment was spot-on, and everything went together very easily. I've got to give props for Niks layout. I used to have a dc-30 from the mid nineties, and I feared going into that rats nest of wiring inside. Good thing I never had to!
In comparing it to the original, I'd have to say that the clone fairs very well. The master volume sucks life out in both, but I'm able to use it in a home environment.
It's been a while since I've played an original. But I have to remind myself that back then, they were "the game" when it came to boutique amps, and there was very little to compare them with. The clean channel was all you really needed for any Vox fan(guilty). And the lead channel was really it's own special thing. I would say to build yourself the clone and use it for a while before digging into it. IE- lots of burn in time. I made the mistake of using it with new celestions at the same time. took forever!
I've found the most important thing with the matchless design is to get good tubes. I sourced a NOS bugle boy ef86 that is working just great.
For the clean channel I am using a pair of old stock ecc83 Mullards that I pulled from an old ac30 twenty years ago. I pulled them because they were sooo noisy compared to other tubes. And they still are, but they really have the "sparkle" to them that nothing else does.
I'm not happy with my power tubes, and I'd appreciate some help with that one. I forgt what I have in there right now?
To sum it up, get it, build it, play it. You won't be let down. One of the best kits out there!
