who sells high quality Fender type kits ?

[pdf64]

The Stewmac PR build instructions are great, except for the most important aspect of any mains powered electrical equipment - safety.
https://www.stewmac.com/globalassets/vi ... update.pdf

1. Earth wire far too short; if the mains cable gets pulled out, the earth wire must be the last to become detached. As shown, the safety earth connection will be the first to break.

2. No text / visual instruction (maybe no provision in the kit) to use a dedicated faster to retain the earth safety lug to the chassis.

3. Chassis safety earth lug is fastened to the chassis using the least suitable fastener possible, ie a mains transformer bolt that passes through the lamination stack. Those bolts are the most mechanically stressed on the amp, and additionally will be subject to magnestriction.
A lamination stack under compression will tend to compress over time. The net result being that eventually the compressive force clamping the earth lug to the chassis metal will reduce, and it may become completely loose.

4. No text instruction to ensure that the earth wire is mechanically retained to the lug (eg by twisting the stripped wire back on itself) before soldering it.

5. No text / visual instruction to fit a toothed star washer between the lug and chassis.

The above is very disappointing, especially so as they’re reputed to be the best amp building instructions available.
It’s extremely regrettable that this stuff get published on what should be trustworthy websites. They should behave like responsible adults have have this information reviewed and amended by a competent person.

[cdemike]

The Stewmac PR build instructions are great, except for the most important aspect of any mains powered electrical equipment - safety.
https://www.stewmac.com/globalassets/vi ... update.pdf

1. Earth wire far too short; if the mains cable gets pulled out, the earth wire must be the last to become detached. As shown, the safety earth connection will be the first to break.

2. No text / visual instruction (maybe no provision in the kit) to use a dedicated faster to retain the earth safety lug to the chassis.

3. Chassis safety earth lug is fastened to the chassis using the least suitable fastener possible, ie a mains transformer bolt that passes through the lamination stack. Those bolts are the most mechanically stressed on the amp, and additionally will be subject to magnestriction.
A lamination stack under compression will tend to compress over time. The net result being that eventually the compressive force clamping the earth lug to the chassis metal will reduce, and it may become completely loose.

4. No text instruction to ensure that the earth wire is mechanically retained to the lug (eg by twisting the stripped wire back on itself) before soldering it.

5. No text / visual instruction to fit a toothed star washer between the lug and chassis.

The above is very disappointing, especially so as they’re reputed to be the best amp building instructions available.
It’s extremely regrettable that this stuff get published on what should be trustworthy websites. They should behave like responsible adults have have this information reviewed and amended by a competent person.

Totally agree! I catch myself assuming every once in a while that everyone understands that importance of safety above all else when building any high-voltage circuit, but I know from looking at some builds I've seen for sale locally and even on Reverb that I shouldn't make that assumption. So, hebaton, I think the first question ahead of all others is whether you trust yourself to read, understand, and successfully safe building practice independently of what the instructions say. From there, I think the question stands in terms of your skill and comfort levels in terms of taking on more ambitious projects as in my previous post.

The instructions from Stewmac and Mojotone are available online, so if the schematics and chassis layouts match, you could use those for other kits replicating the same circuits.

This is a good suggestion, but has some risk for newbies, who may not catch the significance of some details. I read through one of the StewMac construction manuals, and they are very thorough. I did see some practices that I would not follow, though.

Good point. I was thinking just from the perspective of learning things like heater wiring, build order, etc., but I realized once I saw the Princeton Reverb instructions pdf64 posted afterward that I have only read the 5F1 and JTM45 instructions. Looking the Princeton instructions over, there are some suggestions I find strange:
-They recommend installing the pots on the interior of the chassis and then forming and soldering component leads; I generally find it much easier and the end result much neater to mount pots on the outside of the chassis, solder up everything running between pots, then mount on the interior of the chassis.
-I think it's a risky proposition to have the faceplate get installed first, especially for novice builders.
-There doesn't anything about protecting components from heat like heat-sinking component leads when possible, and rotating pots to the extreme end of their rotation to protect the tracks.

In addition to the big safety issue pdf64 mentioned, I'd be interested to hear the other things y'all noticed.

[syscokid]

There doesn't anything about protecting components from heat like heat-sinking component leads when possible, and rotating pots to the extreme end of their rotation to protect the tracks.

This is the first time that I’ve heard of this tip. How does this help to protect the tracks?

[cdemike]

There doesn't anything about protecting components from heat like heat-sinking component leads when possible, and rotating pots to the extreme end of their rotation to protect the tracks.

This is the first time that I’ve heard of this tip. How does this help to protect the tracks?

I can't remember where I first came across this suggestion, but I think the idea is that, when soldering the wiper connection, enough heat could potentially transfer from the lug to the wiper's point of contact with the track. I can't say I had a problem before I learned that "trick," but it does seem to me that on linear and audio taper pots that, if you were to over-heat the track, it'd be less noticeable at the extreme ends of the pot's sweep. Probably a poor choice of example now that I'm thinking through typing this out...

[Gary A.]

Hello —

This caught an eye a week or two ago ::

https://www.stewmac.com/kits-and-proje ... w-amp-kit/

It seems decent quality, quite well thought out, and the instructions appear thorough. Some comments suggest it’s a MojoTone kit resold through Stewmac. With their current 15% sale discount, “free” shipping in Canadian dollars with “membership”, etc. it might be hard to beat.

Best ..

I bought a Princeton Reverb style kit direct from Mojotone for $720 + tax and free shipping
I just received a custom built Prince Reverb Style cab (Fender brown tolex, Fender Oxblood grill cloth, brown leather handle, predrilled amp chassis mounting holes, feet, chrome corners, for 12” speaker, 4 speaker posts and nuts installed for $375 ($325 for standard black) plus tax and free shipping. This puts mine at $1095 plus Tax. The cab is well made and very nice looking.
https://www.mojotone.com/Blackface-Pri ... le-Amp-Kit
https://www.mojotone.com/Custom-Blackf ... bo-Cabinet

Or if you prefer prebuilt 1x10 black tolex
https://www.mojotone.com/Blackface-Pri ... -Cabinet_4

[frusciante89]

Hi guys, I sell a PCB for Princeton Reverb style clones if you're interested

Check the great work that xtian has been doing with it!


https://ampgarage.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=37466

[Gary A.]

I love the Mojotone Princeton Reverb kit amp. The wiring guide in addition to the schematic and manual made this build much easier. They use high quality components in the build. I could have ordered the standard black cab but opted for for a custom cab with the items I wanted on it. Their cab is impeccable and high quality. Better than the typical Fender’s I have experienced in the past.