New 2xEL84 Rocket

[BLT]

Yeah Mark, not too warm to touch, just warm enough that I wouldn't want it to get any warmer. I can hold my hand on it, I just haven't had one get this warm.

I agree, what a nice PT. I've bought some chokes and OTs from them but this is the first PT, and it was used from ebay.

Per your suggestion I'm runnin' JJs in it right now with less than stellar 12AX7s. Just sounds excellent. Makes me almost wish I went with a 4 holer, but what a great place to start. My Teles just love it. Rings like a chime.

The chart reflects the higher voltage 18W 2xEL84type Rocket builds.

[dcribbs1412]

BLT
what speaker(s)/cab are you using?

This thread is where it all started for me with 18w Rockets. https://tubeamparchive.com/viewtopic.ph ... sc&start=0

Thanks Mark
I still have my 2 hole Reverb Rocket.

D

[jazbo8]

This thread is where it all started for me with 18w Rockets. https://tubeamparchive.com/viewtopic.ph ... sc&start=0

Thanks! I have a question on the bias (which were left out on the worksheets). Using the actual figures from the worksheet, the estimated plate dissipation is ~18W, well above the 12W rating of the EL84. They must be some damn rugged tubes...

[M Fowler]

I increased my bias resistor from 120R to 130R and then on last build to 150R because I agree we were pushing it.

It is a 18w Marshall PT and OT.

[BLT]

Nothing exotic, a Jensen Jet Tornado 100w and a Tone Tubby 40w ceramic. I like the brightness of the Tornado and the bass response of the Tone Tubby.

[jazbo8]

I increased my bias resistor from 120R to 130R and then on last build to 150R because I agree we were pushing it.

It is a 18w Marshall PT and OT.

I see, that's cool(er)

[joeboo88]

Hi: I built a lightning clone 2 years ago and I was wondering would this
2xEL84 Rocket sound similar? Which one would have more grunt?
I find my Lightning too be a very clean amp, but the breakup isn't very pleasing to me, so I use pedals to compensate. But i would like an amp that
has more natural overdrive. Just curious.

[JoeCon]

I'm no expert, but to my eye pretty similar to the Rocket. You got a paralleled V1 a little diff coupling cap and bypass cap on V2a( I put mine on a switch) and then CF into what looks like the Rocket PI...
Both your Lightning and the Rocket are VOX Top Boost based amps.

Sounds like you'd be more interested in a Liverpool than a Rocket.

[M Fowler]

I didn't like my Matchless Lightning clone so I built an 18w Marshall JCM800 that has plenty of on board gain/distortion.

Rocket is pretty tame unless you add gain stages.

[joeboo88]

Thanks for the replies guys, I will leave the Lightning alone and start saving some dough, for a new build, you guys are the best, and I learn so much from all your posts.

[RJ Guitars]

Nice work BLT - the Rocket is a great little amp circuit and is still plenty loud for anything but large venue gigs.

I'm not sure there is a wrong or right tranny voltage for a Rocket amp. The only original Rocket I've ever seen inside used a Pacific power tranny, same as the one used for a Liverpool. He added a 5V power tranny inside the chassis for the tube rectifier and I'd expect the B+ to be just slightly higher than the original Ron Worley reported voltages considering the higher secondary voltages of the Pacific tranny.

That same unit used 8 each 20uF filter caps in the Stack O' Caps. As near as I know, the photos of an original Rocket power supply never showed up here on TAG. There were gut shots of a preamp board that got passed around but they cut off the Power supply part of the picture. The one I saw might have been a "one-off" but it was the real deal for sure.

For my 2 hole Liverpool amps I've been using a 270-0-270v @ 125mA power tranny. It seems to work out very well. I drop that down to a 252-0-252 PT for my "Sweet 16" Rocket. I also use the JJ can caps and a choke but no tube rectifiers in any of the "Sweet 16" amps.

[BLT]

Thanks RJ. We rarely play large venues and when it happens we just mike up.

I've used a 6V6 amp for almost all of my playing. I've tried AC30s that I liked but not for the money they were charging. Tried a few AC15s and was very unimpressed. This thing fits what I do so well, I couldn't be more pleased.

I don't know where the sweet spot is as far as transformers go, but it would be interesting to find out. I pulled a great deal of information from the Rocket builds on TAG. Learned some interesting things from the Rocket project, the 2XEL84 Rocket project and from some of the philosophical questions surrounding the Dr. Z EL84 amps.

I may not get to it until the spring, but I'm in the process of starting another EL84 amp reminiscent of a Z Stangray with a trem.

[Aurora]

Rocket is pretty tame unless you add gain stages.

Any examples of complete circuits ??

[M Fowler]

Rocket is pretty tame unless you add gain stages.

Any examples of complete circuits ??

Not sure if I have any examples I'll look through my archives.

[M Fowler]

Using the unused V2 triode for a gain stage.