Brand New Spitfire

[telentubes]

Hey Mark,
Thanks for that (also for the recommendation to loose the MV and use the space for a tone cut).

I was wondering about how good a match the Spitfire was with the Alnico Blue. The Blues can sound really great in the right amp. I've got other speakers around I will try. If anyone out there has a favorite, let me know.

[M Fowler]

I bought a Ken Watts chassis off of ebay a few years ago and then built his version of the Spitfire. Put it into a simple head cab and used it for small bar gigs through 112 Epi cabinet.

Here is the info on the Lady Luck speakers:

( Eminence and Epiphone engineers collaborated to develop the Lady Luck speaker specifically for the new line of Epiphone Amplifiers. The development and testing of this speaker has been in process for about two years. The speaker is a 16 ohm model and is rated for 70 watts RMS. Each speaker sports a custom Epiphone/Eminence finish in Mustard Yellow along with the Lady Luck label on the back. The speaker has a stamped steel frame, a front , a rear sealing gasket, a 34 oz magnet, 1.75" voice coil, a full paper cone with paper edge, and a cloth dust cap. This speaker has a sensitivity of 99dB and a useable frequency range from 80Hz-5kHz. It has a very smooth response from the low-end through the mid range. It also has a very nice top end sparkle. The speaker was engineered to exhibit very warm, and smooth break-up modes. The tonality of the amp is such that very little tonal coloration from the speaker was desired. Consequently, the speaker was engineered to provide a subtle, yet effective compliment to the amplifier.)

[FunkyE9th]

If anyone out there has a favorite, let me know.

The Eminence Red White and Blues can tame a bright amp. The Carr Artemus is a 2 EL84 amp that uses the Red White and Blues and is still supposed to be British-AC inspired.

I've been using a Eminence Private Jack recently on a 18Watt type and been liking it. Smooth highs.

The Cannabis Rex should also be able to smooth out the highs, but entirely different sound.

[Gee]

... Matchlesses don't play well with many speakers.

The first thing everyone says plugging into a matchless, real or clone, is, "Bright!". I'm sure Samson, Perrotta, Jamison were/are well aware. My experience with my Lightning clone is trying to tame the brightness in the circuit takes some of the life out of the amp, it's losses sparkle is the best I can describe. I think the original designers dealt with it by choice of speaker and custom treating them, maybe extra dope, certainly acetone break in. It's almost the universal opinion that Matchlesses sound best through their own cabs. The spifire had a V30 I believe, I consider that a bright speaker too but haven't tried it on the lightning. Of what I have I like it best with greenbacks, the g12h30 anni is bright.

I agree. The Spitfire needs the right speaker. I also like the Greenbacks in both 10" and 12". I also have a Weber 12A125 and the Spitfire clone is not so good through it.

[telentubes]

Nice build Mark. I'll look into the two Eminence speakers mentioned. They are pretty affordable, compared to the Celestion Alnicos. I also have, amongst others, a Celestion G12 65 that's worth a try.

As an aside, I'm using a Celestion Gold in my Rocket Reverb. That speaker, in every other amp I tried it with was WAY too harsh, bright and trebley, but it sings in the Rocket. Interesting. Up to that point, I basically wanted to sell the Gold thinking it was purely marketing hype as it sounded nothing like the Blues that I have.

[M Fowler]

Thanks telentubes,

The speaker I use the most for all my amps is the Vin 30 which some people say is to bright but I don't agree I find that speaker works well for most amps.

The Blue/gold works well with my Stangray and I didn't like it with the Liverpool or Rocket. Still searching for some thing else, right now I run the 25wgreenback with G12H30 in 212 open back cabinet with the Liverpool or Rocket.

It takes a lot of money buying up speakers and cabinets to figure out what works and the Mrs. doesn't always appreciate that expense.

[crbowman]

Definitely try the Vox style cut control! It made my Spitfire clone a very serviceable amp.

[telentubes]

You guys were right again. I took out the Blue and installed the Celestion G12-65, and that was the frosting on the cake. The last of the ice-pick is gone, and the TONE and HIGH CUT controls (no more master volume) make it possible to dial in a nice tone for all three settings on my telecaster.

[M Fowler]

Hey glad you like it better that 12-65 is a good speaker.

[ChrisM]

Whats with the power tube's cathode ground Mark?

[M Fowler]

Chris I looked at the picture and don't see what your talking about?

Tube has 100R screen and two blue wires coming from the 220k/220k on board to the 1k5 resitors on each power tube, no grounding? I should upgrade those 100R to 5w while I am thinking about this. I did this amp three years ago.

What you can't see is the bias resistor and bypass cap ground wire is under the board and grounds with the B+.

The green ground wire from the 22uf cap goes to the star ground under the volume control.

[ChrisM]

Ahhhh, damn.
It looked like the blue wire from the 220K was going to the cathode ground.

[Kregg]

Mark, and for those who've built from the the Watts layout, how usable have you found the fat boost on your builds?

[M Fowler]

That fat boost doesn't do anything for me and I need to address that.

I think Gee changed his values.

Mark

[Kregg]

Thanks! Yeah, I never seem to utilize most switches on amps. I figure that if I need fat I'll punch a stompbox through the front end.