Looking for opinions on amp builds

[bastardbus]

Hey folks, I restore vintage tube electronics mainly `50s hi-fi radios, tuners, record players and amps. I am a long time guitar player and have a couple guitar amp builds under my belt. I usually enjoy finding a good amp candidate for cheap and then building something around the iron and tube set up the amp has. I have a couple really good tube PAs I picked up over the past couple years I was going to use for building.

Currently I have built a Deluxe 5E3 and Champ 5F1. So looking for something different then those and I think the amps I have should be able to do something vastly different.

Here are the amps I have with the tube line ups. Shoot me ideas or opinions on what you think would be a good build for each one.

Bell Pacemaker PM33
6SC7, 6AU6, 12AX7, 6L6, 6L6, 5U4

Bogen Challenger CH30
6SC7, 6SC7, 6SL7, 6L6. 6L6. 5U4

Stromberg Carlson Signet 22
6U8, 12AX7, EL84, EL84, 5Y3GT

Thanks
T

[ampgeek]

Fun...fun..fun!

What kind of music do you play?

If you like pushed blues/classic rock tones, the Signet would make a great candidate for a Marshall 18 watt variant.

Check here about 1/2 way down the page for the Stout project.

http://166.63.127.229/schematics.htm#Mods

V1 socket would need to be re-worked for a 12AX7 type tube.

I didn't search for your schematic but the tube line-up looks just about right!

Cheers,
Dave O.

[armillary]

I don't know about vastly different, but you didn't mention building an all octal Fender. Your Bogen Challenger CH30 would make an easy and cheap 5B6 Bassman, especially if your Challenger reads 400VDC coming out of the 5U4. You'll need a 15" Jensen for it to sound its best.

[menger66]

The stromberg carlton, could be coverted into a pretty sweet amp really
easy check out 18watt marshall liteIIB, or a 2 hole trainwrek rocket of liverpool lots of builds use that tube line up mark

[menger66]

Basterdbus, looks as if SC sig22 might just need a tune-up to be a nice sounding guitar amp, looks like that it uses a 6u8 PI which sounds kinda cool, and the 12ax7 for a input, and if you don't like that you could switch it to a 12ax7 PI and the 6u8 or a ef86 input for a voxy amp check out brownnotes voxy 18watt, also you could try the 5879. looks like a fun project mark

[Phil_S]

+1 on the 5B6 using either the Bogen or the Bell, depending on which can provide the more appropriate voltages.

+1 on the 18W variant for the SC.

Lots of other choices if those don't float your boat.

[LeftyStrat]

One other option for the SC is something Vox-ish. Maybe one channel of an AC10.

Or there is an EF86 variant of the 18 watt.

Something about pentode preamp tubes into EL84's is pretty magical, if chime is your thing.

[bastardbus]

Hi Guys,

I play blues rock...pretty much exactly what you mentioned. I like output tube overdrive, touch sensitivity and amp that growls when you dig into it but cleans up when you back off.

I love the tweed 5E3 deluxe I built, also BF Deluxe Reverb, I am blown away by what I have seen and heard of the Trainwreck.! Early Marshall like JTM 45 which I guess is Trainwreck ish anyhow. I don't have much experience with VOX amps but I know the sound on records and it is unique interesting.

I was hoping to maybe squeeze a Marshall JTM45 thing out of the one of the 6L6 amps, not sure if there is enough iron there for that though. A Bassman would be the next logical choice I think would work well with one of those PP 6L6ers. Then I was thinking VOX with the EL84 unit, I don't have anything like that at all and it would be something different.

If I can't get a Marshally thing with one of the 6L6 amps then I would probably like to go Marshall 18 watt with that EL84 unit and Bassman with the 6L6.

I am trying to dig up some schematics here to see what voltages these things put out and what I can go with. So far I found he schematic for a Challenger CC-30 which is a year earlier then my CH-30 but looks to be identical other then cosmetics. It shows 445VDC on the 5U4, 430VDC on the plates of the 6L6s. I will try and add the schematic(s).

[LeftyStrat]

Our very own asatplayer posted this vid of a vintage AC10 Twin.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xy8wffW-m-A

I just saw the 6u8 and thought of this amp.

[bastardbus]

Our very own asatplayer posted this vid of a vintage AC10 Twin.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xy8wffW-m-A

I just saw the 6u8 and thought of this amp.

wow....that was beautiful and very VERY unique sounding amp....i like!

[statorvane]

Your Pacemaker schematic indicates the voltages are close to a 5F-6A. If you move to a 5AR4 you can get an additional 20-30 volts on the plates, should be good for the JMT45-JTM-50.

Is your intent to cannibalize the transformers, or to build within the same chassis, etc?

[M Fowler]

Your Pacemaker schematic indicates the voltages are close to a 5F-6A. If you move to a 5AR4 you can get an additional 20-30 volts on the plates, should be good for the JMT45-JTM-50.

Is your intent to cannibalize the transformers, or to build within the same chassis, etc?

For JTM45 just sub KT66's for the 6L6.

[bastardbus]

Your Pacemaker schematic indicates the voltages are close to a 5F-6A. If you move to a 5AR4 you can get an additional 20-30 volts on the plates, should be good for the JMT45-JTM-50.

Is your intent to cannibalize the transformers, or to build within the same chassis, etc?

For JTM45 just sub KT66's for the 6L6.

I planned on using the existing transformers and chassis, if I have to gut the circuit and rebuild that is fine.