What was your very first build?

Structo · Post by **Structo** » Mon Nov 14, 2011 8:21 pm

Thinking back, my very first build was a Heathkit VTVM.

I used that thing for years, very accurate and sensitive.

Traded it later for an HP desktop digital meter.

glasman · Post by **glasman** » Mon Nov 14, 2011 9:17 pm

I found a few pictures of my first amp build. This amp has had more lives than a cat.

First iteration. The VT-50 PlexiVerb.

[img:946:389]http://www.glaswerks.com/amphead.jpg[/img]

Check out the cool plexi glass component board.

[img:474:232]http://www.glaswerks.com/bottomview.jpg[/img]

[img:448:221]http://www.glaswerks.com/topview.jpg[/img]

Second Life ..... new electronnics, cabinet recovered and hand made Logo. There are as many hours into the logo as there was in the electronics.

[img

429]http://www.glaswerks.com/wreck/completecab.jpg[/img]

[img

511]http://www.glaswerks.com/wreck/bottom.jpg[/img]

[img

431]http://www.glaswerks.com/wreck/front.jpg[/img]

glasman · Post by **glasman** » Mon Nov 14, 2011 9:30 pm

Here are a couple of links to some my early Dumblish amps.

Pretty funny looking back in time.

Lots of construction details and ideas.

http://www.glaswerks.com/cloneproject/clone_project.htm

http://www.glaswerks.com/cloneproject/a ... clones.htm

gary sanders · Post by **gary sanders** » Tue Nov 15, 2011 10:53 pm

I got bored building stomp boxes and said hey lets build an amp! Talked with Bob W about his D Clone after hearing it at a gig we both played at and I got started on the 124.Sounded great till I tweaked it to death so I ripped all the guts out and started over.(If it isnt broke,dont fix it.)

So now I have done a 124 twice,a Champish EL84 SE and the Organ Donor.Gibson EH 150 is next!

trane34 · Post by **trane34** » Wed Nov 16, 2011 4:22 am

[img

431]http://www.glaswerks.com/wreck/front.jpg[/img][/quote]

glasman, great logo. I grew up watching my Dad put together a HO version of that train. He used to sell custom LED lighting and Horn sounds at train shows. Anyways...how'd you make the logo?

RevD · Post by **RevD** » Wed Nov 16, 2011 5:24 am

My first was a 18 watt marshall (original circuit with tremolo) built into a L5 (Norlin, one of BB Kings favorite solid state amps that he still uses) chassis after mine literally went up in flames.

Being poor and not into electronics yet I stripped it out. It had this huge chassis must be 24" wide and I had this little 18 watter in there. I had wires running all over the place and never got it working quite right, I got sound but later found where I had made my mistake.

It had sound just wasn't very loud. I had surgery then while recovering I made my first good amp a 5e3. I had to slow down after about 5 amps due to finances, now its just recycling old stuff that didn't do it for me. I'm sure we all do that, I have one chassis now that's been 3 different amps so far, and about to become a 4th. I'll find something I like in there... I'm thinking of trying a 6v6 JCM 800 in it. We'll see how that comes together. That was all over the last 6 years. This amp bug bites you hard doesn't it?

Regards,

Don

glasman · Post by **glasman** » Wed Nov 16, 2011 12:50 pm

trane34 wrote:[img431]http://www.glaswerks.com/wreck/front.jpg[/img]

glasman, great logo. I grew up watching my Dad put together a HO version of that train. He used to sell custom LED lighting and Horn sounds at train shows. Anyways...how'd you make the logo?[/quote]

On my very early amps I used an Ink Jet printer and the panels are actually a very heavy paper that was glued to a thin piece of garolite. I layed the panel out in Corel Draw and then simply printed it on Epson photo paper

If I were going to make the same thing today, I would have the panels printed at Kinkos. They have a wide carriage printing system that will printer up to 5 feet wide. Makes great proto panels on a very heavy vinyl. Some kinkos offices can also print on .062 aluminum

Gary

talbany · Post by **talbany** » Wed Nov 16, 2011 1:57 pm

Some kinkos offices can also print on .062 aluminum

We use printable brushed Aluminum on an Epson 700 series printer..
We can get 10 X24 (3 Panels) through and be able to print just about the length of a Twin Reverb style chassis 22'..The thing with the aluminum is it has to have some kind of sealer or scratch protector over it or it scratches right off..We laminate ours with a thick laminate and Pro series lamina tor.. around $800.00..If you screw one up bye bye 40.00
I do all my artwork in Canvas X..Over the years I have designed over 200 different panels for all different types of customs and standards.. If you have the design up and everything goes smoothly I can do 3 panels laminated and on the amp in usually about 45 min..Drying time included..

Tony

M Fowler · Post by **M Fowler** » Wed Nov 16, 2011 2:05 pm

Very nice Tony.

I don't plan to do anymore of my own face plates and will leave that to BNP Lazers.

Are you using unfinished brushed aluminum or color stock on your panels.

I run a Epson 1100 large format printer for my schematics and layouts, great and cheap printer.

Mark

talbany · Post by **talbany** » Wed Nov 16, 2011 2:15 pm

Are you using unfinished brushed aluminum or color stock on your panels.

Mark
Unfinished..Although you can find it in anodized gold for a bit more..

BTW..The 700 series we have has been a real work hoarse.. We actually bought it used 2 years ago and still works fine..Ink is expensive..Sucks!!

T

dcribbs1412 · Post by **dcribbs1412** » Wed Nov 16, 2011 2:36 pm

Here are a couple of links to some my early Dumblish amps.

Pretty funny looking back in time.

Lots of construction details and ideas.

http://www.glaswerks.com/cloneproject/clone_project.htm

http://www.glaswerks.com/cloneproject/a ... clones.htm

Thanks Gary
very interesting reading about your experiences...tone stack,shielded cable
great stuff...

Darin

sonicmojo · Post by **sonicmojo** » Wed Nov 16, 2011 6:18 pm

talbany wrote: We use printable brushed Aluminum on an Epson 700 series printer.
Tony

Very cool solution. I would never have thought of printing and laminating. I have a top quality USI laminator and may have to try that. How do you cut the aluminum cleanly?

M Fowler · Post by **M Fowler** » Wed Nov 16, 2011 8:07 pm

OK we are derailing the thread but one last thing from me.

I thought about laminating but also why not just print onto clear film like we used to do in the old days making PC board etching patterns?

Mark

Gibsonman63 · Post by **Gibsonman63** » Wed Nov 16, 2011 8:35 pm

Ok, one more derailment. How about using the copperclad for the faceplate and etching out the print? It would give a nice patina after a while.

Structo · Post by **Structo** » Wed Nov 16, 2011 11:57 pm

I had a SS Ampeg amp head that had a faceplate sort of like that.
It had silver metal and was etched so a light behind it lit it up sort of a blue color.
It was very cool looking.
I wish I could remember the model of amp it was.

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