IT's funny what sleep deprivation does!
I figure i'll be suffering alongside you once i get my parts orders...
Considerng a few weeks back i had a champ i was happy with, it seems to have grown into 4 project amps...... and the champ as a backup
busy busy busy......
On a side note, Have you built a t.rex yet??? I was thinking of building one out of my current 18 watter... (hence why i had someone add a TMB faceplate to an order.. ) after hearing about this build with 18 watt iron, i am thinking maybe it is the way to go... be nice to hear from someone who has done both... (i can always add a simple preamp for the normal channel with the unused triode)
This amp is CRAZY LOUD! And is pretty bright and tight. I still need to fix the CF switching, not quite there yet. The standard Liverpool setting works great. It's gain in spades, feeds back on demand. However it is too hard and steely for me at this point. It's only been run for about an hour, so I'm sure I'll get used to it the more I play it. It definitely is unforgiving. I hope it'll loosen up a bit with use.
Gotta bang out a cab for it now. I'll post pics later, can't find the camera.
I figured out the issue with the CF switching. Silly me forgot to insert a coupling cap off the cathode to the PI on the CF side of the switch. I think I may have built one too many plexis It's functional, but I need to play with it a gig levels to get a good feel for the differences, then I can tweak. I think I may need to warm the bias of the PI as well. I tried a bunch of tubes too, which always makes a difference, but through a cranked down attenuator and less than 1/3 on the volume doesn't tell you much.
The good news is that I have rehearsal tomorrow and 2 gigs on Saturday, so I hope to have it ready for then. I may have to make a temp cab for it though. Maybe I'll do a quick plywood and tolex cab.
I used this puppy last night at rehearsal and I am really liking it so far. It's pretty bright, yet it sounds great with a full band. It cuts through really well and has a nice clean to crunch tone with the guitar volume. My band mates were diggin' the tone too. Now I have to crank out a head cab so I can use it for my gigs on Saturday.
It's not really ice picky, just brighter than my other EL84 amps. Again, it only has about 3 hours of use on it, so I expect it to loosen up a bit and hopefully mellow some in the high end.
Ice picky would be bad for me, i don;'t even like "bright"
Waiting ever so patiently for my tmb faceplate for my 18 watt......
First, we build a t-rex....
then we take a liverpool!
I like an amp that is bright and ice picky when you increase the treble and presence knob for live situations and that get warmer when on my own. A bright switch like on the TWs does the job too depending on the schematic.
I'll post pictures when I get a chance. It might not be for a few days though. I need to throw together a cab for it tonight as I have 2 gigs tomorrow and want to use it.
What surprised me to some extent was that this thing is pretty darn quiet (no hum or hiss), no squealing, and no interference. This is with playing it as a bare chassis sitting on top on my speaker cab.
I didn't get a chance to make a cab, but used the amp for both gigs yesterday and it worked flawlessly. I'm starting to get more used to this amp and am diggin' it. Now I need crank out my next version of this amp.
Pics will have to wait as my gear is stashed at a bandmate's house until Wednesday.
harryk wrote: DerStever! I have been struggling with samekind of voicing problems with my Liverpool 2xEL84 project and I am really considering to go also Marshall 18W way. Can you tell what 18W channel you are aiming to do? Somebody says that tremolo channel is the best one in this amp and someone says that the best is the channel with only volume and tone controls. I have heard not so good comments of that TBM channel in this amp. I am pretty disappointed with my Twreck skills at the moment. That is why 18W is one way to go. With respect Harry
I have built over half a dozen TMB 18 and 36 watters. I don't know what the "not so good comments" would be. Everyone who has heard, played, or bought one has loved them. What seems to be the issue?
Hi Rick! I have visited many many times in 18W.com forum and noticed that many people there appreciate tremolo channel over TMB. I have not done any 18W yet but I am planning to do at least one. I just finished my Liverpool 2xEL84 version after several tweakings. In some phase of my building project I started to consider to change it to a 18W. Finally I got over problems and my Liverpool is now up and running. I doubt that 18W still sounds different compared to Liverpool and that is why I am interested in to do one. Regards Harry
The 18watt Marshall and Liverpool are totally different beasts. I have built many an 18watt and none of them sound like the Liverpool. For the most part, the Liverpool has MUCH more preamp gain than either channel of a 1974, but is comparable to a TMB, yet still different. The TMB is basically a plexi style preamp mated to the 1974 power section. The Liverpool is similar in preamp topology except it has a clipping stage instead of a cathode follower. The PI is also different. The 18watt is designed for just a little PI distortion whereas the Liverpool PI distorts quite readily. The 18watt also has the PI biased a bit warmer than the Liverpool. Differences in the power section of the 18watt 8.2K grid stoppers and 470K grid leaks vs. 1.5K and 220K in the Liverpool. The 8.2K grid stoppers shave off some high end and the 470K grid leaks bump up the signal hitting the power tube grids.
Both are very cool, just different. Tonally the 18watt gives a classic Marshall vibe and tone. The Liverpool is brighter and more aggressive.
Congrats on getting her finished!!! I'm still proding along on my build but will be spending more time at the bench that I have been. What did your band mates think of the amp? does it sound different on stage with a group than it does at home alone?
It definitely sounds different with a full band. The brightness helps it cut through the mix really well and the ability to get nice cleans by rolling back the guitar volume without really losing overall volume is quite nice. My band mates also really liked the change up. My singer was gushing over it. I also got my other guitarist to play through it with his Gretsch and my bassist played trough it with a Jackson. Sounds great with both those guitars.
I will be building a cab for it soon as well as a detuned speaker cab. I've got another Blue that needs a home
) after hearing about this build with 18 watt iron, i am thinking maybe it is the way to go... be nice to hear from someone who has done both... (i can always add a simple preamp for the normal channel with the unused triode)
It's functional, but I need to play with it a gig levels to get a good feel for the differences, then I can tweak. I think I may need to warm the bias of the PI as well. I tried a bunch of tubes too, which always makes a difference, but through a cranked down attenuator and less than 1/3 on the volume doesn't tell you much.
I'm still proding along on my build but will be spending more time at the bench that I have been. What did your band mates think of the amp? does it sound different on stage with a group than it does at home alone?