Recommendations for a first build?

[jul059]

Hello all,

I wish to build a good first amplifier. Not a one trick pony but something I can actually play a lot of styles with. Tight and deep bottom end (not like the old fenders) and good highs. I'm looking at something in the range 15-25 watts. I want a very good clean tone, but also a good distortion when pushed. I am not after super high gain stuff, I will use a metal distortion pedal if I ever need that.

I would like your opinion on the following amps or any suggestions you may have. Can you describe the tonal difference?

Trainwreck Rocket
Blues Express Plus (http://www.blueguitar.org/new/schem/blu ... uexp12.pdf
Dr. Z Wreck (if I can find any detailed information about it...)
Rockster

Thank you.

[dcribbs1412]

Hello all,

I wish to build a good first amplifier. Not a one trick pony but something I can actually play a lot of styles with. Tight and deep bottom end (not like the old fenders) and good highs. I'm looking at something in the range 15-25 watts. I want a very good clean tone, but also a good distortion when pushed. I am not after super high gain stuff, I will use a metal distortion pedal if I ever need that.

I would like your opinion on the following amps or any suggestions you may have. Can you describe the tonal difference?

Trainwreck Rocket
Blues Express Plus (http://www.blueguitar.org/new/schem/blu ... uexp12.pdf
Dr. Z Wreck (if I can find any detailed information about it...)
Rockster

Thank you.

Hi jul059
the TW Rocket is well documented
You could do a 2 hole rocket 15-18 watts
lots of threads under 2-el84 rocket..
jump on in...

Darin

[xtian]

The Rocket is a good choice, based on your criteria, and is not terribly complex.

[cap217]

If you do decide to build an amp, please document it in a thread. It would be interesting seeing a first build and how it goes.

Id build a rocket.

[dave g]

The Z-Wreck is a Rocket. The Rocket is an AC30 with just the top boost channel. The AC30, Marshall Plexi, JTM45, and Tweed Bassman are pretty much all the same amplifier with different output tubes and some tweaked resistor and capacitor values.

In my opinion, the basic circuit shared by all those amplifiers is really hard to beat. Not only is it easy to build, super versatile, and endlessly tweakable, but there are a lot of people out there who still prefer the sound of a cranked marshall plexi over anything else. Yeah, volume can be an issue, but that's what VVR and PPIMVs are for, and nobody says you need to use a 4xEL34 output section, either. 2x6V6 plexis sound great!

[Ken Moon]

+1 on the 6V6 plexi.

If you don't need 4 inputs, a JMP50/JCM800 master volume (2204) amp with a 2x6V6 power section is a great choice too, and easy to get quiet using any of the many nice 2204 layouts available on the internet. Here's just one example layout - there are many more from Ceriatone, Metroamp etc etc etc...

[img1030]http://triodeel.com/2204.gif[/img]

[jul059]

Thanks for the recommendations. Any way to describe the differences in tone? They all seem to share some aspects with the AC30. I guess they are all as easy to build too?

[Reeltarded]

The Marshall thing is completely forgiving and sounds like rock from 1965-2000.

[Firestorm]

The Z-Wreck is a Rocket. The Rocket is an AC30 with just the top boost channel. The AC30, Marshall Plexi, JTM45, and Tweed Bassman are pretty much all the same amplifier with different output tubes and some tweaked resistor and capacitor values.

In my opinion, the basic circuit shared by all those amplifiers is really hard to beat. Not only is it easy to build, super versatile, and endlessly tweakable, but there are a lot of people out there who still prefer the sound of a cranked marshall plexi over anything else. Yeah, volume can be an issue, but that's what VVR and PPIMVs are for, and nobody says you need to use a 4xEL34 output section, either. 2x6V6 plexis sound great!

daveg is really smart (an actual engineer or something) so listen to him. All the circuits he listed are ALMOST the same. The tone stack (and how it's fed) make the difference; cathode follower does interesting things to the preceding stage. But with this basic proven circuit, you can go anywhere.

[jul059]

I was wondering, what is the B+ (voltage after rectification) voltage on a Rocket? I read somewhere that you need a 280 transformer, but I also read a 250... I guess it would work in both cases, but what is the original design? I know the AC30 is ~280 AC + tube rectification, so ~380V for B+ sounds about right?

Also, what would be the maximum B+1 voltage without damaging the tubes? From what I understand, the higher the voltage, the higher the clean headroom but also less compression. Right?