Amp build for a first time builder?

[yoyohomieg5432]

i listened to the youtube video of the tweed deluxe and it seems like it's got a lot of crunch. it sounds to me closer to a marshall. I'm not sure that's what I'm looking for since I already have a marshall. Can the tweeds do a bluesy sound (SRV-esque) or is it more of a crunch amp?

I'm just not sure the tweed has the sound I'm looking for.

[jubal81]

Wish I weren't so broke right now, because BYOC is about to start shipping its Tweed Royale kit.

From the description:
The Tweed Royal is BOTH a Class A, Single Ended 5watt, single 6V6 amp just like the Fender 5F1 Champ, AND a Class AB, Push-Pull, 12watt, dual 6V6 amplifier just like the Fender 5E3 Deluxe.

[Milkmansound]

I think you might need to start with the sound you are looking for and then decide what you want to build.

go to a music store and try out different amps knowing that whatever you build will be better

The Tweed Deluxe sounds very different to me than a Marshall - the breakup is much darker and the clean is more midrangey. Its THE amp for blues guitar, in my opinion. I remember omething about a guy named Billy Gibbons using one...

[ToneMerc]

Hey guys,

I'm interested in learning to build tube amps. Is there a relatively simple, yet good sounding amp that you guys suggest would be a good one to start with?

I've already got a marshall amp so I'm interested in something fender/vox related, or boutique variants of these amps.

the ceriatone route looks pretty interesting to me.

has anyone tried the spitfire? right now i'm debating between that and one of the fenders. sound clips of the fenders sounded pretty clean/tame, i'm looking for more of a fat/overdriven sound.

I would like something somewhat simple, yet not so simple it only has like 1 or 2 knobs. I also need good documentation as well since it's my first time.

So, are really serious about wanting to learn to build tube amps or are you just looking to for another amp as an alternative to your Marshall and you think building one is cheaper than buying one?

I'm sure you didn't pop out of the womb walking; therefore if you are truly interested in learning then there is nothing wrong with crawling before walking. A simple "one, two knob" amp would be perfect on so many levels. For example, a basic Champ circuit would be great for it's ease of assembly, getting you comfortable working around high voltages, troubleshooting and performing simple modifications. Then, if you decide this is something that you would like to grow further with, move on to more complex circuits.

That's my advice..............


TM

[yoyohomieg5432]

Hey guys,

I'm interested in learning to build tube amps. Is there a relatively simple, yet good sounding amp that you guys suggest would be a good one to start with?

I've already got a marshall amp so I'm interested in something fender/vox related, or boutique variants of these amps.

the ceriatone route looks pretty interesting to me.

has anyone tried the spitfire? right now i'm debating between that and one of the fenders. sound clips of the fenders sounded pretty clean/tame, i'm looking for more of a fat/overdriven sound.

I would like something somewhat simple, yet not so simple it only has like 1 or 2 knobs. I also need good documentation as well since it's my first time.

So, are really serious about wanting to learn to build tube amps or are you just looking to for another amp as an alternative to your Marshall and you think building one is cheaper than buying one?

I'm sure you didn't pop out of the womb walking; therefore if you are truly interested in learning then there is nothing wrong with crawling before walking. A simple "one, two knob" amp would be perfect on so many levels. For example, a basic Champ circuit would be great for it's ease of assembly, getting you comfortable working around high voltages, troubleshooting and performing simple modifications. Then, if you decide this is something that you would like to grow further with, move on to more complex circuits.

That's my advice..............


TM

well i want to learn but when i'm done also have something that i want to play. i'm in college with not much money so i'm trying to find something that's cost effective, relatively easy to assemble, and something i'll enjoy using when done.

i'm an electrical engineering student so i've got some practice with schematics, soldering, etc. so i think i could handle starting at a midrange difficulty level.

[Phil_S]

the ceriatone route looks pretty interesting to me.

has anyone tried the spitfire? right now i'm debating between that and one of the fenders. sound clips of the fenders sounded pretty clean/tame, i'm looking for more of a fat/overdriven sound.

If you are in the USA, shipping charges from Ceriatone will be high. You can probably control cost by deleting the transformers and sourcing them stateside. Normally, I wouldn't suggest that for a kit.

IMO, a Spitfire is rather challenging for a 1st build. There is so much the doesn't meet the untrained eye. Go for something simpler. If you don't want to build a Champ (understandable), look at the projects at AX84.com. They have some low wattage amps that are more "crunchy."

[martin manning]

Which Marshall do you currently have? What kind of music do you want to play? What's your budget?

Building an amp will be a great experience for you and contribute to your education. There is enough info available and help with building and troubleshooting (if necessary) to get you through. If you are building an established design with the standard layout you've got an excellent chance of success.

[George61]

the ceriatone route looks pretty interesting to me.

My first build was a Ceriatone. My complaint with Ceriatone kits is that there aren't any build instructions. There's a layout and half-decent photos online. There isn't any schematic, which I find unacceptable. Unless you have some electronic and soldering experience, building a Ceriatone could be a daunting task for a beginner. By the way, my Ceriatone build squealed like a stuck pig, my lead dress left a lot to be desired.

In Ceriatone's favor, the quality is fair, and, even with the high shipping costs, the price is pretty good.

+1 on AX84.com

Solder on,
George

[yoyohomieg5432]

Which Marshall do you currently have? What kind of music do you want to play? What's your budget?

Building an amp will be a great experience for you and contribute to your education. There is enough info available and help with building and troubleshooting (if necessary) to get you through. If you are building an established design with the standard layout you've got an excellent chance of success.

i have a Jcm800.

blues is my favorite, so something that has good cleans/overdrive.

[mark enger]

yoyohomieg5432 When i said ceriatone i didnt mean to buy it from them. While there stuff is very nice there shipping seems to kill the deal, just use the layout is what im saying, i beleave mojo has 5e3 chassis now for 40$ plus shipping then classictone transformer are about 140$ or so id guess, the rest of the stuff is like 100$ or less. I think sourceing and buying parts is half the fun anyways, Ive also built the spitfire its a cool amp kind of a touchy build and you may want to get a less gain build under your belt, the 5e3 with 6v6 is cool but you may be disappointed in overall volume there only 12watts, if you beef up the transformers you can run 6l6s or 6v6 and then its plenty loud think 5e5 pro and with the 4 inputs you get a many great tones with 4 input 3 knobs and your guitar selector switch and volume and tone you'll be able to dial in so many great tones its scary. Run it into a 15 inch speaker and rip your best SVR licks with a huge smile on your face anyways you're gonna have a blast. just remember be "SAFE THERE IS REAL DANGER" keep at it you can do it if i can anyone can mark

[renshen1957]

tweed champ

+1

Hi yoyohomieg5432,

I would suggest a Champ (Black Face) and highly I would recommend spending the extra cash and purchase Kevin O'Connors The Ultimate Tone Vol 3. It has how to build the Champ (Layout/schematic), a Single Channel Vox AC30 (Top Boost), Bassman (Tweed and Blackface), Traynor Guitarmate, etc but up to date Super Stock designs that put good design ahead of back in the day cost cutting. Don't just clone something, understand what and why something works.

The Early chapters get into the how and whys of building, etc, why you use a certain gauge wire for heaters, pre-amp, components, etc.

You will learn a lot from the book so you subsequent builds will be successful

My first build was a Tweed Deluxe type amp, which was fine, as I did a lot of background homework. I knew what I was doing with different transformers (I could use any octal power tube as the filament amperage was just adequate) added a pot that can change the PP to a SE configuration, and I have a master volume, which no Deluxe ever had. Ever hear a deluxe powered by 6550, EL34, KT66, or 6L6GC tubes? I have. Actually liked the tone of the Russian Equivalent to a 6L6 the best, although any tube has its own tonal property.

Best Regards,

Steve

[Reeltarded]

i agree with TM, and I agree with Martin, and counter to the crowd as I usually go.. and since you already have a Marshall, I suggest ANOTHER MARSHALL.

1987 circuit for two reasons. The first is there is a big hole in that chassis with not so many parts. The area you work in is easier to work in and keep track of. It's a simple build. The other is that it is a blues amp in it's stock form. It's an easy amp to match to your liking by changing just 1 or 2 capacitors from dead-stock. The wide space is easy to mod in for a beginner.

I started out with one last year that I bought whole and tore down 20 times until I understood what the heck was going on in there and that amp became a monster. I feel comfortable working on amps now. The one surprising thing was how much I like working on amps now. Afraid of electrons? Me?

[martin manning]

i have a Jcm800.

JCM800 is a whole family of amps... which model? Per Reeltarded's suggestion, maybe you do need another Marshall- Bluesbreaker maybe? :^)

Re kits, sourcing parts yourself is both a way to get exactly the what you want and a way to spread the cash outlay over time (and good experience too). Do you have any fabrication skills, and what tools do you have access to? Maybe your school has a student shop?

Another question to ask yourself (alluded to above) is how much power do you need? A 5E3 Deluxe might be plenty if you are only playing at home, and many small and medium venues can mic a small amp. OTOH, a 50W Marshall with a master volume can do pretty much anything.

[yoyohomieg5432]

i have a Jcm800.

JCM800 is a whole family of amps... which model? Per Reeltarded's suggestion, maybe you do need another Marshall- Bluesbreaker maybe? :^)

Re kits, sourcing parts yourself is both a way to get exactly the what you want and a way to spread the cash outlay over time (and good experience too). Do you have any fabrication skills, and what tools do you have access to? Maybe your school has a student shop?

Another question to ask yourself (alluded to above) is how much power do you need? A 5E3 Deluxe might be plenty if you are only playing at home, and many small and medium venues can mic a small amp. OTOH, a 50W Marshall with a master volume can do pretty much anything.

i have an 83 jcm 800 2204. vertical input.

yea, on campus i have access to pretty much anything imaginable. oscilloscopes, soldering equipment, multimeters, etc..

this amp would probably be something that i just use in my apartment. so anything over 5 watts is overkill unless there's a master volume.

so people are saying not to go with ceriatone since the shipping costs are too high?

[martin manning]

Ok, so you have the tube Marshall thing prety well covered, although a JTM45/1987 would be a different flavor.

If all you need is a 5W apartment amp, then a Champ will cover that, and you could even use it as a "pedal" in front of your 2204. A Fender Princeton is another great small amp (2x 6V6). Basically an evolution of the Deluxe with a modernized front end and TMB tone stack (on the blackface). They are a popular studio amp, and there is tremolo and reverb too if you want.

Re tools and fab I was thinking more about a drill press for chassis drilling, although it is pretty easy to buy a ready-made chassis for most of the popular amp models.