A couple of builds I did before surgery...

[fusionbear]

Hello all, been a while since I posted. I was working a lot and time was very limited. But, now I am recovering from rotator cuff surgery and it is going well but I won't be able to do any lifting until mid January. Anyway, here are two 2204 projects:

The first was a salvage job. I gutted an amp kit and rebuilt with whatever parts I could scrounge. The OT was a Drake from a 1987x that a client asked me to put Merren transformers in. He gave me the OT. The Choke is a modern production Drake. The PT came with the kit and is a TP40 (same as Allen amps Super Reverb spec)

Before:

[IMG768]http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u223/fusionbear/Latest%202204%20Build%20November%202014/KIMG0135_zpsa30a69bf.jpg[/img]

After:

[IMG:640:480]http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u223/fusionbear/Latest%202204%20Build%20November%202014/IMG_0629_zps722685b0.jpg[/img]

[IMG:640:480]http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u223/fusionbear/Latest%202204%20Build%20November%202014/IMG_0622_zps4d3f1685.jpg[/img]

[IMG:640:480]http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u223/fusionbear/Latest%202204%20Build%20November%202014/IMG_0620_zpsaa4e030e.jpg[/img]

The amp has a few mods to the stock circuit:

V1b: 5.6k/.33 on cathode
Tone Stack: .036 bass
Resonance: 250k pot/.0022

B+ string: 465 on plates, rest of circuit matches the specs published by Marshall for a 50 watt MV amp.

Clip:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2cCRAYo ... ilU6OaRURA

[fusionbear]

The second, is my Super Drive 60 clone converted to a 2204.

The mods on this are a switch that when off leaves V1b stock and adds a .56/10K in parallel with the stock 10k when on, bass cap is a .047, a resonance control with a 250k/.0022, and the SD60 tube loop with a 5751 instead of a 12AX7.

BTW, I left the dual 1M PEC pot in there because I was lazy.....

I am only using one half of it

[IMG768]http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u223/fusionbear/2204%20influenced%20build/KIMG0026_zpsdb53590b.jpg[/img]

[IMG768]http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u223/fusionbear/2204%20influenced%20build/KIMG0025_zps1cdbf7b0.jpg[/img]

[IMG768]http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u223/fusionbear/2204%20influenced%20build/KIMG0037_zps11ab8905.jpg[/img]

[IMG768]http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u223/fusionbear/2204%20influenced%20build/KIMG0036_zps2d05afc9.jpg[/img]

[Mark]

Nice looking build what did you coat the solder joints with?

[dorrisant]

Beautiful builds, as usual!!

Do you miss your SD60? I was inspired by your build and the videos of you and Sam Vilo to start a pile of parts for one. Was it lacking something?

Tony

[Mark]

What were the Merren transformers like and how do they compare to other transformers that you've used?

Good luck with the rotator cuff surgury, hopefully it won't be too painful.

[cbass]

Where die you find the dual pec pot¿

[xtian]

Hope you heal quickly, Carl!

[fusionbear]

Nice looking build what did you coat the solder joints with?

This stuff:

http://www.mgchemicals.com/products/pro ... nish-4228/

[fusionbear]

Beautiful builds, as usual!!

Do you miss your SD60? I was inspired by your build and the videos of you and Sam Vilo to start a pile of parts for one. Was it lacking something?

Tony

Hello Tony, the SD60 is an amazing amp, but there is a lot of crossover in tone and feel with my Carol-Ann OD2-100. I really wanted to build a top notch 2204 influenced amp, so I converted my SD60. If I did not have my Carol Ann OD2, I would have left the SD60 alone. Plus, I have built quite a few SD60's now, so if I need to, I know what to do to get the proper tone...

[fusionbear]

What were the Merren transformers like and how do they compare to other transformers that you've used?

Good luck with the rotator cuff surgury, hopefully it won't be too painful.

They are great, but I see his as another great "flavor". I really like a few brands: Edcor, Heyboer, Classictone, Mercury Magnetics, and Onetics.


My surgery was on November 20th and I am recovering really well. Thanks!

[fusionbear]

Where die you find the dual pec pot¿

mouser.com

[David Root]

What are those big yellow rectangular cross section caps? I have seen them in other Marshall builds.

[fusionbear]

What are those big yellow rectangular cross section caps? I have seen them in other Marshall builds.

NOS Phillips .33's on V1a and V1b cathodes

a nice alternative to mustard caps.

A client gave me a few

[David Root]

Thanx! Also for your info on Merren iron.

I'm planning a "dual 50" build more or less as per Steve Luckey's schem and board amazing layout dwg. Plexi/2204 footswitched. But lower filtering, I think 350uF for a 50W amp is a bit too stiff!.

I ordered Chris Merren's 784-139 OT and his C1999 3H choke. I was going to get Marstran's version but he is out of stock until some time in January.

[Mark]

Given taste is a personal thing, how would you describe and rate the transformer sets you've mentioned?

What would be your first choice?

I ask as for many years Mercury rated well and then the Marstan stuff came along and it was the latest and greatest.

Thanks for you assistance.