1992 Trainwreck Express Katie

[RockinRocket]

Any one have any information on this amp? Says special edition on the back.

https://www.gbase.com/gear/trainwreck-e ... y-hard-woo

This very rare, all original Trainwreck Express amp named "Katie" was hand built by legendary amp guru Kenneth Fischer in 1992. She is an absolutely amazing sounding Express amplifier with more gain and sustain on tap than many other Express amps. "Katie" is an aggressive amp with loads of magical gain and she wants to take off singing with every note played. She has truly magnificent tone with massive harmonics and the sustain is just incredible. Ken voiced Katie perfectly for rock with bold tight bass, huge midrange complexity, and soaring beautiful top end. Katie responds to every nuance of your playing and it's almost like your brain is wired directly into the amp. Superb cleans, warm full crunch or infinite lead sustain is easily dialed in with just the guitar volume control and your pick attack. The dynamic touch sensitivity and responsiveness is amazing. Rock Guitar amps just don't get any better than "Katie". - See more at: https://www.gbase.com/gear/trainwreck-e ... UJBzC.dpuf

[redshark]

Nice!! Thanks for posting!!

[RockinRocket]

Guess this is old news. Wonder whats special and where the extra gain is coming from.

[Littlewyan]

I wouldn't say old news, its the first I've heard of it. I also want to know whats so special about it. What gives it that extra gain.

[RockinRocket]

What I also find interesting is the horse. This is a 92 and so was Ingrid also a horse. Didn't know picture topics overlapped.

[Littlewyan]

Ah I didn't notice that. I'm not sure about the pictures whether two could be the same or if they are all supposed to be different.

[2tone]

The horse is by Casper McCloud who did more than one horse figure for Ken..I owned the amp, but will not comment about the gain mod..

[Littlewyan]

Surely its not safe to get anymore gain out of an Express

[RockinRocket]

Can you give us any more information? Were you the original owner? If so was the gain mod at your request? Did the amp react the same as a normal express but with more available gain? I know that's a lot.. but its indirect to the actual mod.

[2tone]

I was the original owner. The amp was made as a one off by Ken to accommodate modern EL 34's, as he was getting frustrated with the dwindling supply of NOS tubes. Personally I think the amp itself had a slightly bigger sound, wider frequency spectrum that wasn't due to the mod. I think the components ( transformer etc) had more to do with it because I've done that mod to other Express amps and didn't hear much difference..The amp just sounds more wide open and had its own thing going, just as the variation that exists in each individual Express..

[redshark]

Very nice 2tone!! The only thing i can imagine as "gain" mod is how the input triode was biased (V1b), or maybe the extra gain stage in the second preamp tube (V2a). Changin the value of either one or the other cathode resistors would do.....

[strelok]

That or he used a higher value for the grid leak between the second and third gain stage. Hard to imagine needing more gain from an express. Still very cool nonetheless.

[2tone]

It isn't really a gain thing. It's more of an open wider sound, articulate and more immediate, and the sustain I think may be a resonance factor when turned up. I ran metal based EL 34's in it because they sounded pristine and powerful in this amp. Almost reminded me of a Steel String Singer crossed with an Express..

[RockinRocket]

Thanks, guessing its more like Komets version of the amp.
I forget why it is folks don't want to be more open with these amps.. is it on kens behalf or is it the I have and you don't? I just don't understand the secrecy. Ive seen 7 wrecks. Most are similar enough that the majority of the amps I haven't seen are probably similar enough. Would love to see a Wreck with Pec pots in it or something unusual. Just seems like this late in the game would only be paying tribute to the legacy of the man.

[2tone]

All six Expresses I've had sounded totally different. Each has it's own inherent frequency response and attack with the exact same schematic. That's why I believe more in the component variance theory than in minor tweaks. Minor tweaks as in Katie do not change the personality of the amp. Even tho one may be more gainy than the next, the difference is never great. The real differences is the inherent nature of each one's sound. I can't really dissect or quantify this stuff. It's all about the perception and feel. I agree that none of the Expresses lacked for gain..It's not really a Komet design either. And it's not that I have and you don't because I don't have the amp. It's up to the owner to divulge if he wishes..Ken would never tell me all the secrets, he always kept you guessing a little..