6v6 amp choice

[Buschman]

I started to build a z28 style clone recently but got very side tracked. I've got stings back in order and have some time now. I have wanted an ef86 preamp but the idea of a 6v6 plexi sounds very good to me. Have any of you played through both and have a valid comparison. I sold my Express clone as I never seemed to be able to use it anywhere. I still have a Liverpool and a Dlite clone. I would like something sweet and bluesy sounding. I am afraid the z28 would sound great but be a one trick pony. I have never played one however.

[Zippy]

How 'bout an Rt 66 Rockster (aka octal Rocket) running a pair of 6V6s? That's a Rocket preamp, PI >> 6V6 outputs.

[Colossal]

Hi Buschman,

I built a 6V6 Plexi (Mark Huss schematic with some mods). It ran at high plate voltages but I brought the screens down a bit (using a choke and 5k 5W resistor in series). The amp sounded killer and did give a very convincing Plexi tone. 6V6s tend to have a little harder bark and clangy spank/sparkle at those voltages, a bit more "creamy" at lower voltages. JJ 6V6Ss were up to the task of this abuse. To build another I would use lower plate voltages so I could run some NOS but the JJs, to their credit, sounded great and held up well. The amp had very nice compression, which I like, and could pull off tones from Rush to Zeppelin. I did do the "one wire mod" so I could cascade the Bright and Normal channels together. I did not use the typical four input Marshall layout but just jumpered the channels internally.

If you are after a nice vintage Plexi tone, it's a great (and fun) build. Freakin loud amp though when cranked and it'll hang with larger amps to some extent. Like most Plexis, there is very little clean headroom and it will start to break up at about 3. A PPIMV is a useful mod as is a VVR (I've tried both...each have their place and utility).

I used a 325-0-325 Fender Vibrolux clone PT, a 10H 200mA choke, and a 20W Marshall 7k8 clone OT. Sorry I don't have any sound clips to share.

[Buschman]

Thanks for that. I really thought the plexi would be cleaner than that. That sounds more like my Express running 6v6s. It was harsh and clangy compared to el34s.

[Buschman]

Zippy that's an idea. Isn't the rocket preamp very close to a Bassman which is also close to a Plexi with some tweaks?

[Buschman]

My bad. Was just looking at the Rocket schematic and layout. It is very different. I guess it is more ac30 top boost

[M Fowler]

I did one Rocket amp with reverb, tone stack wired plexi style with MV and two EL34 output section. 710v CT MC iron and OT is MC 60w 4k2

Has two way boost switch, two way bright switch and bass/thin switch.

Great sounding amp with subtle reverb, well at least that is what the owner says.

Mark

[LeftyStrat]

Check out Mark Huss's Plexi6V6 project:

http://www.mhuss.com/Plexi6V6/index.html

These two clips just do it for me:

http://www.mhuss.com/Plexi6V6/6v6AFeeling.mp3
http://www.mhuss.com/Plexi6V6/6v6MottRock.mp3

Edit: Note to self, read all responses before posting.

[sliberty]

I did a Rocket with 6v6's and had mixed results. Very nice cleans, but as the overdrive set in, i wasn't as happy. Part of my problem may have been the PT I used - i thinkit was a little light. So my advise is that if you try it, oversize your PT to ensure better performance.

[Zippy]

My bad. Was just looking at the Rocket schematic and layout. It is very different. I guess it is more ac30 top boost

Hmmm, I do regard it as close to the 5F6A and Marshall - what makes you think it is so much closer to AC30 top boost?

The Rocket can have a fair amount of clean before breaking up.

[Buschman]

The lack of a mid control and the cut control.

[Zippy]

The lack of a mid control and the cut control.

I've long been a proponent of adding a mid control to the Rocket. You could delete/omit the cut control and use the extra panel hole for a mid pot - swap in a 25k pot for the 10k resistor.

Those two knobs aside, the heritage/topology is pretty close to the Bassman/Plexi as you observed.

[M Fowler]

You can add or delete what ever controls you desire.

You can run 6V6, 6L6 or EL34's types.

Mark

[Zippy]

I like that faceplate, Mark - especially the way the knobs "share" dots at 3- and 9 o'clock. Nice use of space. Cool power light too.

[M Fowler]

Zippy,

Thanks that's because my faceplate guy, Colossal, is fantastic! He really has some great designs.

The pilot light is a Marshall square turned for diamond pattern just to be different which I resemble.

Mark