Lonestar SE/18 from ax84 High Octane

[Gainzilla]

Hi All,

Ok, here's the backstory: I built a High Octane back in the day (2004-ish I think). I was never really in love with it other than the fact that I built it. The layout is literally like drunken monkeys put it together with their feet... I've learned so much since then.

Currently I've got a pretty cool situation going as far as lead/crunchy rhythm tones from another amp, but am not getting what I'd like from cleans by rolling back the volume and with various pedals.

So here it is... I want to convert my P1 High Octane into a Boogie Lonestar clean amp, but with 18 watts (ish), switchable to single ended. I've already got it sounding pretty good, having re-wired the rats nest close to what I want. However I view that as a short term solution. I'd really like to rip most of it out and re-wire it into something I can be proud of inside the box.

My main questions are:
1) There is a substantial volume drop after converting it over compared to the HO. Is that because the tone stack loading down the first stage? If I run a buffer in front of the amp I get a considerable amount of volume back. I have an extra triode now. I could make that a cathode follower and drive the tone stack from there (also avoiding the dreaded extra triode!).

2)This is my first layout on paper. Does it look ok? Any glaring issues?

3) I was hoping to run 2 el84s cathode biased, but individually cathode biased (does that make them parallel?), then lift the ground on one of the cathodes for half power SE mode. Is that crazy?

4) The power supply is from an OLD P1 High Octane document that I can't even find in the archives over at AX84. It uses a tube rectifier. I want to reclaim the spot in the chassis for the other EL84. Can I just replace the Tube with a couple diodes on the board? I've seen one on each side, serial pairs on each side... Can I just pop in a couple of diodes or should I pattern it after something specific?

That's about all I guess. Thanks in advance!

Oh yeah, Thanks to 10thTx for the Cathode Biased 18w Pwr section scheme. I'm using that as the base power amp. I think I pulled it from the 86 special.

[xtian]

Push-pull, switchable to SE?

[Gainzilla]

Parallel. Can I not just give separate cathode resistors and lift the ground on one?

[Gainzilla]

Ok, I wired up the spare triode like a cathode follower off the first stage and ran the tone stack from there. Volume is now back to the loud 5 watts I remember (loud enough to be a nuissance, anyway). It's too late to report on any tonal changes as the kids are asleep, but so far it seems a little more punchy or thick maybe. I'll report back tomorrow.

Any thoughts on my layout? I'll work up a full layout with PS and power stage as soon as I figure out what I want to do.

Any input is most welcome!

Thanks!