I'm glad the info I provided was able to help. I do have an "exact" layout for an Express/Liverpool amp. I have been meaning to forward it on to Omar, but work is getting the better of me at the moment.
Should you want a copy, just send me an email. there is also a layout of the Express style power supply floating around too. Once you see it you realise why no one copied it. The Komet layout is far better (looking.)
I'd also love to see the Two Rock transformer spec sheet and be able to compare the Heybour transformers with them. Then I think we'd have all of the puzzle. Though I wouldn't be surprised if no one heard any difference.
P.S. Jackie, I'd love to hear a clip of your amp.
Ah, work is always getting in the way of the more important things! I'm going to have to send you an email to check out this layout you've got! I'd like to think that I'm done, but hey, there's always more to try, I suppose.
You know, I think the Heyboers sound great. I'd really have to hear the details of how Two Rock derived their transformers to get fired up enough to think they held a significant piece of the puzzle. Did they literally take apart an express and send the transformers to their vendor ?
Clips! I've recorded a bunch of stuff with my band, but nothing since the latest revisions. I'm going to get to the studio some weekend soon and get some tracks, though! Unfortunately, I don't have any recording gear at home.
I did speak with Joe at Two Rock. He said they obtained a Trainwreck and reverse engineered it. They sent the transformers to the original manufacturer, I'm guessing Pacific, and had it copied. Some one posted on another forum, Ampage, that the transformers were built without permission from Ken and he was not pleased. Who knows the real story though.
Well I have had some contact with Ken. He stated in a letter to me that he does not mind one off copies that hombuilders make but he does not like when they are "for sale as such" meaning selling Express clones like Two Rock. He did not mention any companies by name though.
Well, I realized that while I don't have any recording gear at home, I do have my little digital camera which can shoot a movie. Hence, I have indulged my inner scorsese this evening. While not the highest quality recording, I think you'll get the picture in terms of the feedback. This is with 6V6's and 4 clicks into the airbrake, so it wasn't that loud.
Jackie Treehorn wrote:Well, I realized that while I don't have any recording gear at home, I do have my little digital camera which can shoot a movie. Hence, I have indulged my inner scorsese this evening. While not the highest quality recording, I think you'll get the picture in terms of the feedback. This is with 6V6's and 4 clicks into the airbrake, so it wasn't that loud.
Jackie,
Thanks for posting the mpg. That is totally wicked feedback you're getting!!! What guitar and pickups were you using? Is there any pedals or is this straight in?
My T-wreck clone is no where near that harmonically rich and the only way for me to get it to feedback like that would be at really high volume levels.
Omar
PS. I thought the titles in the mpg were fun. Can't wait for Episode II - Attack of the Clones. Where have I heard that one before?
Jackie Treehorn wrote:Well, I realized that while I don't have any recording gear at home, I do have my little digital camera which can shoot a movie. Hence, I have indulged my inner scorsese this evening. While not the highest quality recording, I think you'll get the picture in terms of the feedback. This is with 6V6's and 4 clicks into the airbrake, so it wasn't that loud.
It's a pretty big file, and slightly strange, so I'm not going to keep it up that long! In the meantime, let me know what you think.
Hi Jackie,
Was I half asleep this morning or did you change this file by mid afternoon??
I watched this morning and there were words on the screen,at lunch no words and what I thought was a different jam goin on?
was sleepin or what?
Chris G
I had switched the files around yesterday with a take which had more conventional noodling. I felt the first movie with the titles might have been a bit over the top. I put it back, though. I think it's at least evidence of the results of the layout tweak. I never would have believed that moving wires could have such a profound effect.
Omar, my amp was the same way. In the band I'm in, we do a song that has a big jam at the end. At the exact same settings, 6V6's, 4 clicks into the airbrake, I would put the guitar right by the speaker cabinet and maybe get a little squeak. Now I almost have to concentrate to avoid the feedback artifacts.
No pedals or trick photography in the making of the movie. The guitar was my pointy headstock, "hair" guitar. It's a Guild solidbody (I got it for $50 at a flea market), ash body, set maple neck with ebony fingerboard, Gibson humbucker, and the full clamping, kahler super vibrato bridge, 20 feet of cable into the amp. The amp volume was around 2:30 o'clock - more gain than I usually use.
Allynmey, those are EXTREMELY nice cabinets! I've got a 1979 1960A with 65's that I leave for use at my band's rehearsal space. They're really polished sounding cabs, but mine is moderately thrashed and not nearly as nice as yours.
Chris, I'm going to do some more "serious" recording with EL34's I don't think the little camera could really capture the distinction!
Thanks for watching and commenting! You guys are great!
one thought: there could have been an oscillation that was making the sound worse which was solved by the higher impedance wiring. I might have done that but I personally don't have the ability to detect an oscillation like that (unless obvious) since the most sophisticated meter I've got is a DVM. Wiring a run so it is higher impedance might be useful to prevent oscillation though--which would be as aforementioned, plus doing things like putting series resistance earlier after the output, then using a shielded wire after that to raise the high. freq. impedance. Also goes for the location of a pot, and the location of shielded wiring being before or after. After raises the high freq. impedance even more as the pot is turned down and series R w/the signal increases and the R between the signal and ground decreases. Or all points in between w/practicality in mind of the pot location (usually you want it located where it's easier to access and with other controls). Whatever works and sounds best.
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